<p>An Oscar-winning producer - her first film, Martin McDonagh’s Six Shooter, won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short – Mia Bays is the founder of <a href="https://miafilms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Missing In Action Films</a>: an independent production company and marketing consultancy boasting 21 years feature film experience on such titles as Tsotsi, Ill Manors and Scott Walker: 30 Century Man.</p> <p>Mia also heads up <a href="http://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Birds Eye View Film</a>, a year round agency that campaigns for gender equality in film. Aiming to increase the profile and market impact of films by women, in doing so they encourage greater industry investment into the marketing and promotion of films by women as well as opening opportunities for women to work in a variety of roles within the industry.</p> <p>Visiting the students with Head of the <a href="http://www.criticscircle.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Critics Circle</a> and acclaimed journalist <a href="https://annasmithjourno.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anna Smith</a>, they announced their newest initiative - Reclaim The Frame - and encouraged students to be the first to get involved in their project.</p> <p>Reclaim The Frame is designed to grow film audiences. The project seeks to empower audiences to make a positive intervention in the distribution and exhibition process, to prove that films by women are commercially viable and in demand.</p> <p>Supported by the BFI Audience Fund, the Reclaim The Frame Influencer Project will spotlight four films in five cities over six months, encouraging film fans to become part of the movement as influencers and be engaged in discussions around the chosen films. Plymouth has been selected to launch the movement, with films due to be screened at Plymouth Arts Centre’s independent cinema, and so inviting the college’s film students to become involved was important to Mia.</p> <p>Students also had the opportunity to quiz Mia and Anna on their careers, the film industry and their thoughts on current trends in filmmaking. The pair shared anecdotes on internships and best practice for approaching production companies when pitching ideas.</p>

<p><br /></p> <p><strong>Reclaim The Frame are currently looking for film fans in Plymouth to become influencers, for more information on how to get involved <a href="https://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/influencers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">take a look at their official website</a>.</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-film-screen-arts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Explore our creative BA (Hons) Film programme and the resources available to students</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/careers-enterprise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visting key industry figures are regularly invited to speak with students by our Careers &amp; Enterprise team</a></li></ul>