GABRIELLE MILANESE

A short documentary showcasing an inspiring and connective community exhibition at Focal Point Gallery. 'We are proud to celebrate the community – the family – that has grown with us at Focal Point Gallery throughout 2024. From Children’s Art Club and Blank Slate to Contemporary Elders, Schools, and Creative Open Days, this exhibition reflects the relationships, creativity, and connections at the heart of our work.'

A collection of clips from collaborations throughout 2023. An enriching year of working alongside charities, creatives, and organisations.

Watch the moment the five £10,000 Fellowships for Jazz Composition, Regenerative Design, Short Documentary Film, Theatre Writing and Visual Art were announced, with all artists receiving £1,000 towards their practice. With a special welcome address from the esteemed playwright, Roy Williams, the Award Ceremony took place on 28 February 2024 in London. The ceremony shared the extraordinary and varied practices of the twenty Shortlisted Artists across this year’s categories. The recipients of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards were announced by trustee Virginia Hodge and jury members Soweto Kinch, Vicky Featherstone, Clare Sillery and Adelaide Bannerman. The evening also included the premiere performance of a new choral composition by John Barber (Arts Foundation Choral Composition Fellow, 2021) with Echo Vocal Ensemble, conducted by Sarah Latto. The awards mark over 30 years of the Arts Foundation’s support for independent artists in the UK since it was founded in 1993, and whose alumni include eminent artistic practitioners, such as Wayne McGregor CBE, Asif Kapadia, Ali Smith, Rufus Norris and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. Read more about all the artists and the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2024 on our website: https://artsfoundation.co.uk/affas/2024/ With thanks to our award supporters for their partnership and belief in the importance of artists and developing creative practice: The David Collins Foundation, PRS Foundation and the Yoma Sasburg Estate.⁠ Filming: Paul Bates (Realm Video) Editing: Gabrielle Milanese (Realm Video)

Focal Point Gallery is pleased to announce the first major solo exhibition by British African-Caribbean artist, producer and activist Elsa James. Her most ambitious work to date, ‘Othered in a region that has been historically Othered’ premieres in her home of Southend and is part of her ongoing enquiry into what it means to be black in Essex. The exhibition includes a major three-part film installation and original sound works, alongside text and new series of prints. These are centred around James’ lived experience, combining historical and speculative narratives, the untold stories of current residents and extensive research. Video produced and edited by Paul Bates and Gabrielle Milanese (Realm Video) https://www.fpg.org.uk/exhibition/elsa-james/

"Settle in with dignity and courage". When Welcome to the UK's founder, Ilda Stafa, came to the UK, she couldn’t speak any English. She felt very isolated and needed someone to help her find out more about how to settle in Southend-on-Sea, so she decided to do something about it! Welcome to the UK was set up to support families from overseas to positively engage in their community.

A collection of video work, working alongside impactful organisations, people, artists and companies in the year of 2021.

Created alongside The Arts Foundation. This special Online Ceremony will share the extraordinary and distinct work of twenty finalists across the areas of Animation, Materials Innovation, Music for Change, Theatre-Makers and Visual Arts, with all finalists receiving £1,000 towards their artistic practice.

The Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund supports organisations and creative practitioners to deliver a broad and exciting range of work and activity to engage with and bring communities in Essex together. Since 2021, over sixty projects have been delivered, many of which have focused on the health and well-being of Essex residents and through those projects, creative arts have been taken into schools, residential care homes, country parks, universities, childcare settings as well as into the wider community. Filmed, produced and edited by Paul Bates and Gabrielle Milanese (Realm Video).

SS21 - Kryolan Make-up. Look 4. Production company: Realm Video DOP: Paul Bates Spark: Simeon Geyer Edit: Paul Bates & Gabrielle Milanese www.paulbatesstudios.co.uk Filmed in London with the Canon C300MKIII

‘Expecting Art’ was a project to explore, develop and create an artistic outcome with a group of local pre-natal individuals that examined their experiences and expectations of parenthood through workshops that lead to a collaborative artwork that discovers and draws together everyone’s individual experiences in one, big, shared experience. As part of the project, a documentary with filmed to capture this innovative project as it developed and it delve beneath the surface.

A performance piece created in collaboration with performer Maisie Armah, discussing racial injustice through movement and dance.

Artists: Larry Achiampong, Sophia Al-Maria, A.S.T. (Alliance of the Southern Triangle), Diann Bauer, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Caspar Heinemann, Leyla Pillai, Tabita Rezaire, Himali Singh Soin, Emilija Škarnulytė, Rosie Grace Ward This online tour introduces the works exhibited in 'To Dream Effectively', through insights into the artists' narratives and visualisations of speculative futures. These offer powerful alternatives to the mainstream histories that dominate our past and present realities.  Discover the inspirational writer Ursula K. L Guin and how her novel The Lathe of Heaven, 1971 influenced the ideas behind the exhibition. 'To Dream Effectively' brings together international artists whose varied work offers cautionary reflections on a future that can still be influenced by how we dream it to be. This special tour was recorded in October 2020 to celebrate the works in 'To Dream Effectively' and features Gallery Director, Katharine Stout, Assistant Curators, Laura Bowen and James Ravinet and Gallery Assistant, Ruth Jones. Filmed and edited by Gabrielle Milanese and Paul Bates.

Celebrating diversity through the use of Makeup; created with Realm Video.

A campaign event with Animal Aid and Lush to raise awareness and help ban animal snares. Event held on Lush Oxford Street in central London.

SS21 - Kryolan Make-up. Look 3. Production company: Realm Video DOP: Paul Bates Spark: Simeon Geyer Edit: Paul Bates & Gabrielle Milanese www.paulbatesstudios.co.uk Filmed in London with the Canon C300MKIII

Showreel showcasing videos created by Realm Video. Gabrielle Milanese, Head of Post Production.

Focal Point Gallery and South Essex Homes have partnered up to explore the experiences of elder residents during lockdown and the digital connectivity available to them. Filmmaker's Gabriella Milanese and Paul Bates were commissioned to make a pilot video with three householders, each of Kestral House, Shoeburyness, Norman Harris House and The Brambles, Southend expressing their individual life achievements, interests and hopes for the future. From a variety of backgrounds the three interviewees, Hilda Berry, Sally Robinson and Phyllis Ward voiced the benefits of remaining connected and their willingness to be digital ambassadors to fellow elder tenants. The Contemporary Elders film will be screened on the Big Screen from 25 August to 10 September.

Want to be included in this film? Working alongside Southend 4 BLM to create a film consisting of interviews, poetry and performances. Our films aim is to create change and evoke understanding while discussing racism, racial injustice and racial inequality. The final film will be screened to the public later this year. Filmed with support from Metal Southend and Focal Point Gallery. Let's work together to create change and keep the conversation going. Be the change.

Created for Instagram TV showcasing the summer trends for Kryolan International Makeup.

Social media make-up promotional video showcasing the Digital Complexions make-up range.

Artist Rosa-Johan Uddoh introduces a video tour of her current solo exhibition. ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ explores the relationship of childhood education with popular ideas of the British nation, and how this forms British subjects. This develops Uddoh’s practice exploring the effects of black British popular culture on self-formation. Responding to the current debates about black history within the National Curriculum and urban space, Uddoh has approached the creation of new work for this exhibition as therapeutic ‘wish fulfilment’ in a time of uncertainty in education and wider racial tension. 'Practice Makes Perfect' continues at Focal Point Gallery until 29 August 2021. Find out more here: https://www.fpg.org.uk/exhibition/practice-makes-perfect/ Filmed and edited by Paul Bates and Gabrielle Milanese.

Animal Welfare Party, Election Campaign Film for London Mayoral Election.Filmed on the Canon R5.

Million Dollar Vegan campaign showcasing incredible young people who want to change the world.

Documenting the powerful voices of Black Lives Matter Southend. We stand with you.

Cruelty Free Science Campaign created for Animal Aid

Documenting the powerful voices in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

Fashion collection video for Saville Row's Chester Barrie for Spring Summer 2017. Director of Photography, Paul Bates.

Created for Instagram TV showcasing the summer trends for Kryolan International Makeup.

Kryolan Professional Makeup Autumn Winter 2017 trend look; Earthed Satellite. Created for promotional use with Realm Video.

A promotional video created for Hairbuy to promote a line of their new products.