Original Series  -  England Your England

England Your England is an ongoing documentary series capturing extraordinary human stories from across the UK.  

A project very much at the heart of the Progress Studio, it aims to present the diversity of personal stories that define us as individuals, communities and as a nation.  This series was born out of a desire to tell stories from a personal perspective whilst experimenting with an independent distribution model, allowing the series to reach as many viewers as possible.  Our characters were mostly people we had already met during previous filming projects who we felt had extraordinary stories to tell. With a relationship of trust already in place, we could step straight into production with each of our subjects.

Richard 

Richard is the fascinating story of a travelling piano tuner who chooses to live outdoors. Shot in London, the film takes an alternative look at someone who treats the entire city as a home. 

A Bright Warm Day in May

‘A Bright Warm Day in May’ is a collection of spontaneous interviews captured during the final days of lockdown, as told by those who live on the fringes of Brighton, UK. Constructed in the style of a photoessay, the film is an experiment in conversation, organically documenting the reflections and contemplations of 12 characters, each with their own experiences to share.

Patience is the key to shooting a series like this.  We spent a lot of time with our subjects, understanding their journey whilst picking the camera up at opportune moments to capture them in their everyday situation.  As the series has grown, we’ve met characters from all walks of life.  Ex-offenders, working homeless, musicians and artists; the collection now representing a diverse subsection of British society.

A Failure of the Imagination

Five years ago, Douglas McMaster opened the restaurant Silo, hoping to change the unsustainable practices of modern food systems. His aim was simple, yet frighteningly ambitious: create an award winning menu using a zero-waste food system designed from scratch. This is the story of that restaurant’s first five years.

MARK

Tottenham-born Mark burgled his first house at 11, and his life quickly spiralled into a life of drugs, guns and robbery. After two prison sentences, he decided to turn his life around and joined the charity User Voice, formed by fellow ex-offenders. Its mission is to deliver a unique insight into the criminal justice system and bring about necessary reform.

Shot on the Broadwater Estate in Tottenham as well as central London, the film portrays a man who has the power to engage and influence those who sit on the edge of society.

England Your England has screened at festivals all over the world, winning awards and Open City Doc Fest and The British Documentary Festival, whilst also picking up broadcast credits on Channel 4 and London Live.  The project now has an Instagram home where followers can interact with each film.  Looking forward, the series is to be built further, with the possibility of interactive elements building into an England Your England feature.

Project Link http://www.englandyourengland.tv/  IG https://www.instagram.com/englandyourengland/ 

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