On the 3^rd Tuesday of every month Hand Krafted films shows a collection of shorts at 93 Feet East on Brick Lane. Here filmmakers can see each other’s work on the big screen, meet each other, and make plans to collaborate on future projects.

Hand Krafted is a short film collective dedicated to screening the best talent out there. They believe it’s concept not cash that makes a great video, therefore much of what they screen is no to low budget. On their website you can connect to an online network of like-minded filmmakers who use it to contact and collaborate with each other. Eventually they hope to build a network of directors, DPs, editors, producers, production designers, sound designers, location managers, ADs, actors and anyone else involved in film. Hand Krafted believes that throwing cash at a project isn’t what makes a successful film; it’s the talented people you work with.

You can also join the collective which includes perks such as access to kit at reduced rental prices. They also make their own shorts/documentaries/fashion promos and music videos for paying clients and also just for plain fun. They have worked with a variety of clients including Greenpeace, Virgin Records and The Mercury Awards. 

January’s film night had an eclectic programme encompassing music videos, animation, documentary and, unusually, only one narrative film. First up was a brilliant music promo for DJ Fresh’s Hype Goldust by Ben Newman, simply filmed in an American basketball court it showed some amazing double dutching with a high energy feel and left you with a big grin on your face. There was an animation made in just 36 hours about Nikola Tesla by Jeremiah Warren which shows that time constraints are not a problem if you get focused. 328 stories presented one of the 328 films they intend to make this year (why 328 is the number is not clear); December had lots of tension and an original twist. There was a great showing of animation and music combined to make some excellent visual effects including Renaud Hallee’s 2 offerings Sonar and Gravite, the latter using an array of surprising objects to make music. Our documentary came in the form of The Scout Magazine’s short Mast Brothers about a pair of ginger bearded New Yorkers who make chocolate; very engaging and the brothers were inadvertently funny but intense and interesting characters. Also on the night Will announced a music video competition for King Jacks a solo artist who plans to have a music video for each of the 11 tracks on his album. We were treated to Will’s film of King Jacks I’m Not the One and the video for his first single Heroes starring Danny Dyer. King Jacks himself was there to explain that he had 3 videos left to make with a budget of only £100 for each film; truly in the spirit of this short film community!

Will Dorrien-Smith was our likeable host for the evening and the man behind Hand Krafted. I asked him how he chooses the films to be shown “Usually we try to screen at least one Hand Krafted film every month, and some months we’ll have several if we’re lucky. I find the films by trawling the net! Vimeo, YouTube, blogs, Shooting People, future shorts and word of mouth.”

There was a warm atmosphere which belied the chilly setting (tip: if it is cold outside wrap up warm as it is cold inside too). This is a great addition to the wealth of short film nights around London and with free entry Hand Krafted gets a cut of the bar so get drinking and networking.