A Newcastle-based film company claimed one of the top awards at an international short film competition held in America.
Roundhouse Pictures won the Best Documentary Short category at the One-Reeler awards in Los Angeles, beating submissions from across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Scandinavia, Spain and Mexico.
The prestigious accolade was awarded to the short film ‘When The Poet Knocks’, a mini-documentary following North East street poet Rowan McCabe.
James Craggs, Head of Film at Roundhouse Pictures, said: “We’re all absolutely delighted to have won at One-Reeler. To gain recognition as a North East company telling a North East story on a global scale is a huge honour.”
Rowan McCabe is the original ‘door-to-door poet’. Born in South Shields and growing up in Hebburn, in 2016 he embarked on a journey that took him across the UK to find and tell people’s stories. His unique approach has opened the door on all aspect of British life; what we hate, what we love and what makes us tick.
The Newcastle University graduate has gone on to hold a one man show at the Edinburgh Fringe and perform at Glastonbury Festival and the Royal Albert Hall. Rowan has also appeared in The Guardian and across the BBC, including BBC Breakfast and Radio 4.
Roundhouse Pictures first contacted Rowan in 2017 and offered to tell his story. The film is a poem about creating poems, looking at his philosophy, what he has learned and his creative process.
Rowan McCabe said: “I’m chuffed that ‘The Poet Knocks’ has won One-Reeler’s Best Documentary Short award. To think that people so far away from me are watching and enjoying this film makes all the hard work totally worth it.”
The award represents a fantastic achievement for Roundhouse Pictures, who began life in 2014 and form part of The Roundhouse, a full-service creative agency established in 1995. The production company have worked with a range of businesses across the North East, UK and internationally, creating compelling and engaging video and animated content.
James Craggs concluded: “The film we produced with Rowan is something we’re immensely proud of and we hope that his message and honesty is something that we can help spread. As with all the films we produce, we always hope that it helps the subject in any way possible.”
For further information about Roundhouse Pictures head to theroundhouse.co.uk.
