It’s been sometime since I walked down the red carpet at a Film Premiere. Actually, if I’m honest I think I’ve only been to one before this week. Mind you that night back in September 2014 was a pretty special event, the Premiere of ‘Jack To A King’ at the Odeon Leicester Square. On that day the sun also shone as the great, the good and the stars of the film mixed with footballers and journalists as we walked past a barrage of photographers all asking us to look at that them and smile.
On Wednesday morning the sun shone brightly overhead as I pulled into Parc Tawe riding in the back of a Chauffeur driven Jaguar Limousine. As I got out of the car I was greeted by a solitary photographer, Mr Williams from Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn School. Mr Williams had to be there because he was man responsible for putting together the films we had all come to see. He thought he’d take some pictures for social media. Even my chauffeur was only giving me a lift because I’d put my back out. Ed Thomas is the man who had got me involved in the film and I think he felt a responsibility to make sure I arrived in one piece.
Anyway, dressed in black and wearing a trendy leather jacket and shades I waved to the imaginary crowds and made my way into the Odeon.
Wednesday saw the Premiere of not one but 2 films. The first had been made by Film Skills Wales which is a course that teaches kids all the tips and tricks needed to make films. The second film was made with support from Film Skills team by the STF unit at Danygraig school.
Mal and Ed Thomas at Danygraig School
I was introduced to the Films Skills Wales at Ysgol Pen -Y -Bryn by Ed Thomas. Ed is a film set designer and has worked all over the world. He returned to Wales from film making in South Africa to take responsibility for the look of Dr Who when it was relaunched back in 2005. Countless Daleks, Cyber Men and numerous Tardis later he has recently created the worlds of hit films ‘Monster Hunter’, ‘Resident Evil’, ‘Escape Room’ and also The Stephen Spielberg Vampire film ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’.
When Ed returned to live in Swansea to set up the studios in Fabian Way for the massive TV show ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ it wasn’t long before we decided we should set up our own film making company. With season tickets next to each other at the ‘Liberty Stadium’ it soon became obvious that the story developing right before our eyes on the pitch and in the boardroom was the perfect story. That’s how ‘Jack To A King’ came about.
The first film made by the pupils at Ysgol Pen-Y Bryn back in 2015 was a fairly simple animation of ‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales’, although it was narrated by Movie Star Michael Sheen. Over the years the films have become more and more ambitious and Ed has been there to offer advice on set design and props.
When I went to Ysgol Pen-Y Bryn for a site visit with Ed back in February I was taken to meet Mr Tristam, the Caretaker. Mr Tristam had a special props workshop where over the years he has crafted monsters and ray guns and all sorts of futuristic machines. In an adjacent room I was shown a set. For a moment I was a bit confused. It appeared that Mr Tristam had made the set upside down with the roof on the floor. It was only when he explained that this was a special set for the new Spiderman film they were working on that it all made sense.
Ed had asked me if I would be a part of the new Film Skills project, in fact he said it would be a starring role. Having paid a visit to Ysgol Pen-Y Bryn I was wondering what type of super hero or super villain they had in mind for me to play.
It all became clear on a subsequent visit to Danygraig Primary School in Port Tennant. This year Danygraig celebrates its 150th anniversary. On our arrival at the school Ed and I were given a guided tour and the headmaster took great pleasure in showing us the school records. Since the very earliest days notes had been taken about school and some interesting stories soon emerged. During the warm summer days of the late 1800’s pupils would miss school to help with the harvest. During those darks days of the Swansea Blitz the school had to close before going through hasty repairs. To this day some of the lintels and walls aren’t exactly ‘true’.
I was delighted to see the name of an old headmistress Miss Eluned Hughes. Auntie Eluned, as I knew her, had gone to London with my mother and another friend looking for work during the war. The friendship and bond they made during those war years lasted right through until their old age.
Anyway, to celebrate the great anniversary the school were going to make a film with the help of Film Skills. The film would centre around a character who travels through a time portal from 1875 to present day Swansea. He just happens to be the naughtiest boy in the history of the school. I was made for the role.
At first I wondered about an outfit and make up, but it soon became clear that Danny Graig, or Danny as we would call him would actually be played by a puppet. Now I’ve often been told that I am a bit of a muppet but finally it would actually be true. So no action stunts or car chases for me all I would be required to do was provide the voice.
After weeks or filming and post production everything was ready for the Premieres at The Swansea Odeon. Ed and I arrived nice and early and I was ushered to a quiet unused screening room while the largest room filled up with pupils staff and family members. Just before the lights dimmed I was asked to take my seat. If they said I was going to be a film star then I was going to dress and act like a film star. I must admit it was a bit more difficult finding my seat still wearing my sunglasses than I had imagined, and I think I was slightly disorientated by all the whoops and screams as I flounced down the aisle. To be honest I think most of the cheers were for Danny the puppet who I brought with me.
The quality and production values for both films was amazing. With most of the performers in the room watching on it was great to hear people cheering themselves when they appeared on screen.
The Film Skills department is a real jewel. It empowers kids who might otherwise be overlooked, and they really do make proper films. I know the people at Film Skills would like to share this experience with schools across the area. In a world where people communicate through videos on TikTok and Instagram this is not a frivolous extra to the curriculum, I would say it’s now essential skill.