Filmmaker think tank - SWIF tour

😰 As a filmmaker are you stumbling at hurdles that are holding back your creativity and career? Are you not sure how to move beyond a problem holding your next project back? Have you overcome a recent hurdle and have ideas to share with others?

🧭 Come along to this solutions-focused open discussion by and for filmmakers, facilitated by South West Independent Film. Let’s come together as a creative community and share problems and solutions.

🥰 Come with an openness to listen to others and to strive to uplift our fellow filmmakers.

🗓️ Monday 8 September 2025🕑 6pm onwards📍 Silcox Coffee, 5-7 New Street Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AF

🎟️ Tickets are free but limited.

Joining us in the room will be:

Ric Rawlins - a filmmaker based in Bath trying to bridge the gap between rollercoaster genre thrills and art house idealism. Ric has written and directed two feature films, the folk horror anthology Rewilding (2023) which offers nature-based dread in sea caves, pumpkin fields and haunted forests, and Wild Swimmers (2025), about the hunt for a serial killer on the River Avon. The former is out to rent on Prime; the latter is screening at 2025’s Bath Film Festival. 

Ben Robins - a screenwriter and podcaster based in Bath, in love with comedy, horror and the very natural meeting point between the two. He’s an alum of both All3Media’s New Writers Collective and Sky’s shortFLIX, and his short films have played at BAFTA-qualifying festivals all over the world. He also co-hosts the podcast Emerging: How to Eventually Make it in Film & TV, which aims to provide practical advice and information for emerging creatives still finding their way.

Matt Gras - Film producer, actor and creator of CineRPG CIC, based in Bristol; Matt has supported the making of major TV formats (non-scripted) and indie productions (feature films, TV series, short formats) both in France and the UK since 2006. Starting as a runner, Matt worked his way to Camera Assistant, 1st AD, Production Coordinator, Development Producer, and Producer - building strong relationships with cast, crew, and industry members along the way. With CineRPG, Matt has blended films with gaming experiences, aiming to curb loneliness in the South West region. He is currently researching the use of VR, AR and XR as an interactive tools for live, cinematic RPG events. 

Cara Bamford - An award-winning filmmaker, industry trainer and film festival programmer, Cara began her career in front of the camera before moving into production management, working in children's television, animated series and independent film. With a passion for collaborative and sustainable storytelling, Cara's directorial debut, Talia (2020), went on to win the York Youth Jury award at Aesthetica Short Film Festival. The film was an early adopter of the Albert sustainability certification which embraced working with local talent and resources to become a carbon neutral production.

See you then!

Ric Rawlins, Director, Wild Swimmers &Holly Holdsworth, SWIF creator & Writer/Director. bsky website

🚙 Want more tour?Socials, screenings, roundtables & co-working across the south west and south Wales. Come out to events on your doorstep from SWIF and local partners. Meet other filmmakers, fuel your creativity and celebrate summer. All events are free to attend. Full tour details.

📬 What is SWIF?South West Independent Film serves a community of over 400 filmmakers in the south west and Cardiff. Through events, opportunities and its famous weekly digest email, SWIF connects the growing indie filmmaking community. Take part here.