Ways of expanding the suitability of the Club’s main hall as a film exhibition venue are currently being evaluated. A promising approach is to obtain a new projection screen for non-invasive wall-mounting, enabling the full-length of the room to be used. Result: more viewing seats, better viewability and minimal walking in front of the projector. Until now, a transverse arrangement has typically meant projection of videos, films and Powerpoint onto a wall. Club screenings of members’ work increased this year with two cinema-length features getting early outings at Cheam. “Redwood”, a thriller set in a demon-filled forest in Poland, was shown by George Burt, a former Club member who is now an award-winning DP and professional cinematographer with a portfolio spanning feature films, music videos, commercials, broadcast TV and documentaries. “Redwood” won European Cinematographer Awards and was an official selection at Frightfest London 2017.

The 90 minute crime drama “Nefarious Consortium” was premiered at Cheam in April by its writer and director Stephen Foster. During preparation for the film’s two-week shoot using professional and amateur cast at locations in Merton and South Wimbledon, Stephen spent time at SFM. A Canon 5D DSLR camera was used to shoot the movie while editing was on iMovie; “I know that it tends to be seen as something for amateurs but it worked for me”,” he commented. The central character in his hard-hitting narrative is a happily married family man hospitalised after an assault. Awaking from the consequent coma, he is unsure who attacked him and initially looks to his faith for help. But he finds that a close friend has gone into business with local drug dealers, from which point he and his family are forced into a dangerous spiral. The film was Foster’s first attempt at a cinema-length movie and, while he went well over his original £14,000 budget, he has several other projects in his sights: “I just love filming; it’s in my blood”.