We listened to people tell their stories as First Out serves their last orders.
The well loved café bar, First Out, served it’s last orders at the end of October 2011. The VolVentures and Whipped Cream Team went to listen to the fond memories and stories told by some of the hundreds of loyal customers and staff that gathered from all over the world to say their goodbyes.
When we heard that First Out was closing at the end of October 2011 we rushed down there at short notice with our kit and captured what we could in amidst the joy, tears and chaos. First Out was a London, UK and World phenomenon – a safe but fun place for LGBT community – an alternative to Clubland and all the crazy drama of the scene – a place to meet and organise – a second home. We felt a strong need capture the memories and stories and we were grateful to be welcomed by the staff and customers.
Whipped Cream Productions is the banner for an alternative women’s media production entity and portal. We are a group of women interested in making short films, feature films, dramas about and for women focussing on portraying an alternative, more empowered, image of women. Not only the guys can kick arse, save the world and ride off into the sunset. Our aim: “Rewrite our history and our future though fiction!”
This project was one of the first, in hopefully many, that aim to raise the profile of the gay and lesbian culture, media, film and narrative.
Wollie has had a rich and diverse background starting with an English degree, a post graduate in Artificial Intelligence, ranging to experience in New Media and 3D Virtual World R&D. She is a successful Writer, Director, Producer and Film maker with a growing portfolio of short and feature scripts and films. These include a quirky animated Star Wars spoof called "Fruit Wars" and an experimental short which provides a new perspective on women’s surfing called "Surf Footage". "The Red Rose" is the first of a series of shorts which belong to "The Colourful Things" collection, which depicts those powerful moments when seemingly ordinary objects gain meaning and significance beyond themselves. "Caught in Amber" is a touching story depicting a woman’s secret communion with her unborn child. She has a number of exciting projects currently at various stages of development and production. These include: an animated feature called "High Rack" which is the story of a chicken and a fox who fall in love, a live action short called "Yellow Tandem", a Vampire feature, a human drama about Comfort Women and a gritty short film called "Girl Fight". Wollie also makes music videos and web based commercials for corporate clients. She is a keen photographer, and is developing her animation and computer graphics skills, which she believes complements making and directing films and other visual stories such as music and commercial videos. In her spare time Wollie is completing a novel called "Agents And Assassins" and collaborating with other fellow film makers on their exciting projects as Writer, Director and Cinematographer.
Andy Demetriou was born in Poplar, East London and now lives in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. He is married with two children. On leaving school Andy embarked on a career in photography working as a Fleet Street Runner for a top London press agency Fox Photos, moving through the ranks of the agency he became a photographer in his own right. Andy specialised in commercial and travel photography travelling the globe to capture on film far flung destinations such as Antarctica, Vietnam, Africa and the USA. Taking a break from photography and being a keen musician Andy formed a band of which he was the drummer. After touring different parts of the world with the band and enjoying brief success it was time for yet another change and with the satellite industry beginning to take hold Andy decided to start his business enterprise specialising in satellite TV broadcasting and production working for and with leading national and International Broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4, Fox News, Sky TV, CNN & CNBC. The company became an industry leader and grew to employ some 100 employees. After a successful sale of the business, Andy returned to photography and his lifelong passion for films and film making; with a keen eye behind the camera a new venture beckoned becoming a Co-Founder of Red Creative Media, an independent producer of short films. Red’s objective is to make short, gritty realistic films that tell a good story.
Jude Dempsey has acted in and helped in the production design of few quirky short films to date. She is passionate about developing story-telling as a medium for exploring new voices. She wrote and performed rant poetry in South London in the 80s and her Ballad of Brixton Town was published in the political press. She is currently completing her first novel and doing the research for a screen play whilst editing her poem collection Dark City. Jude is currently constructing a mental 3D map of Tottenham in oils, balsa wood and canvas. She has a degree in Economics and a postgraduate in Architecture.
Helen’s passion for film started early in her life after receiving her first camera at the age of eight. After studying photography and enjoying the magic of story-telling through her writing, she became interested in merging her interests and her love for film was born. She recently discovered the art of film making and is now fulfilling her ambition with like minded women at Whipped Cream Productions where she is enthusiastically gaining both skills and experience.