Hometown: St Ives
Former School: St Ives School
Course: Level 3 Extended Diplomas in Art, Design and Communications
Next Steps: Employment in filmmaking.
After recently completing his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art, Design and Communications at Penwith College, Oli is now venturing into the exciting world of film.
Oli moved to Cornwall six years ago, attracted by the area’s excellent surfing opportunities. Having started surfing at the age of eight, his family made regular trips to Cornwall for surfing holidays. Surfing has significantly influenced Oli, particularly in helping him manage his dyslexia.
“Surfing really helped me overcome my dyslexia and more confidence was the first thing I felt” and “It gave me confidence in other academic stuff at school.”
The Cornish landscapes were a main inspiration for Oli’s Art and Design coursework at Penwith College. Oli developed a strong portfolio, exploring different mediums and creating five different magazines filled with images for his projects. These photos, taken in Cornwall, reflect his deep connection with the region, as well as with Portugal and the Outer Hebrides. His work explores the connections he has with these places, further expressed through individual paintings inspired by these landscapes.
“The paintings are almost like an abstract interpretation of those ideas and connections to Cornwall.”
Oli’s experience with surfing and his encounters with other creative individuals in the surfing community have significantly influenced his career path.
“I wouldn’t have gotten into filmmaking and photography if it wasn’t for surfing because of all the photographers I’ve met in the sea. All the creative people that surf, my mind was open to the different career paths, different lifestyles. Half the people I surf with are photographers.”
Oli is particularly interested in directing small-scale films with a main focus on experimental documentary filmmaking.
Over the summer, he plans to embark on a two-month cycling trip to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. This trip is both a personal adventure and a professional project for Oli, who is passionate about surfing and photography. With funding already secured, Oli aims to create a feature-length documentary film, featuring interviews with a range of people from all walks and share their stories alongside the landscapes.
“I’ll make the film and then I’ll enter it into some film festivals. I’ve made short films but I want to make a longer film to really show what I am capable of.”
