Meet the Team
Meet the Somerset Film Team
Deb Richardson, Creative Director
Deb has a background in theatre. She trained in archive film management with Huntley Archives and has worked on a number of archive projects, particularly 9.5mm.
She is a member of Women in Film and Television and Shooting People.
Ania Niedzielska, Café Manager
Trained in commercial graphics and advertising in native Poland, Ania joined us in 2017. She is a multi-skilled working mum with a passion for literature, history, travelling, art and music. Cooking is a part of her nature.
Pati Wieczorek, Cafe Assistant
Phil Shepherd, Ambassador
Community Engagement & Company Secretary
Phil was born in Minehead, and trained at Dartington Hall and Bournemouth Film School.
He has worked as an independent film and TV producer, including directing children’s programmes at the BBC and co-producing/directing documentaries for HTV.
Laura Bull, Domestic Support
Laura is from Cali in Colombia and is a qualified Beauty Therapy and Holistic Therapy Practitioner. She joined us in 2009, as our cleaner and has worked with us ever since including sometimes helping to run our café. Laura says that “The Engine Room is like a second home for me, I love the culture and have met lots of lovely people here over the years.”
Dan Gale, Technical Manager
An established local filmmaker, Dan has worked with the organisation since The Engine Room opened in 2003. He is patient, enjoys a challenge and is detail orientated. Before becoming a freelancer Dan was previously employed as a media technician at Bridgwater College.
Laura French, Assistant Producer
After graduating from Kingston University, Laura first worked for Somerset Film as Studio and Design Assistant back in 2010, going on to hone her skills in graphic design and marketing and to gain wider experience in the care and education sectors. Laura returns to the company to take up the role of Assistant Producer. As well as her keen interest in film and digital media, Laura is passionate about the environment and animal welfare.
Daniel Birch, Creative Technologist
Daniel spent the first few years of his life in Bridgwater before moving to Nynehead near Wellington. He is an established music composer and sound artist and has collaborated with a variety of creatives such as abstract artist Sandra Beccarelli, Garden Designer Diarmuid Gavin' and Film Director Paul Barbeau.
Daniel relishes unpacking and utilising new technology, his latest passion is exploring sound and the environment using a device called ‘Plantwave’. This device detects slight electrical variations in plants via electrodes placed on the leaves and uses them to create music.
Daniel initially connected with Somerset Film back in 2016 and their support and guidance over the years has played a huge role in his development as a musician and creative practitioner.
Meet our Board of Trustees
Pauline Burr, Chair
Somerset born and bred, Pauline has worked mainly in exhibition design, arts administration and regeneration. She took early retirement in 2018 and now enjoy having the time to pursue my own creative endeavours.
Sue Isherwood, Trustee
Sue Isherwood is a freelance cultural consultant/facilitator and Director of the National Leisure and Culture Forum’s Leading Learning Programme, working with senior managers of culture and leisure services across local government.
She was Chair of the National Association of Local Government Arts Officers (which became Arts Development UK) between 2002 and 2007 and before eleven years in local government divided her career between arts and education, working for such bodies as the British Film Institute, The Arts Council, The Royal Photographic Society, the Open University, Bristol University School of Education and Exeter College of Art and Design. She was a trustee of Voluntary Arts for ten years and is currently on their England advisory group. She is also Chair of Arts and Health South West, Vice Chair of Womankind, Bristol and a board member of SW Forum, Western Community Leisure, Somerset Film and Somerset Trust for Arts and Recreation (STAR).
She has toiled in the cracks and fissures of the cultural funding and education worlds and is still an inveterate optimist who believes in the power of art and the brilliance of people.
Hannah Earl, Trustee
Hannah is a musician and filmmaker who grew up in rural Somerset. She first came to Somerset Film as a bursary student in 2018 and has been returning ever since. She now works for Somerset Art Works alongside working on her own projects and collaborations. She was delighted to become a Somerset Film Trustee in 2021.
Kate Pearce (ARPS), Deputy Chair
Kate Pearce, has a background in finance, photography and journalism. She has always had a keen interest in photography and is member of the Sedgemoor Camera Club and is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society. She has entered Sedgemoor Camera Club competitions, and had photos accepted for the Royal Photographic Society National Print Exhibition on several occasions.
Kate initially connected with Somerset Film back in 2014 for the launch of ‘Capture Burnham’ history project where she met Phil Shepherd, Somerset Film Founder and Ambassador, and Deb Richardson, Somerset Film Creative Director.
Juliet Maclay, Trustee
Alongside a career in copywriting, communications and marketing for industry, and with a strong design background, Juliet founded and operated a community film and arts service and venue in Axbridge, which provided a much needed affordable cultural and community hub in rural Somerset, joining Somerset Film as a Trustee in 2012. Now living in Bristol, she is currently branching out into costume and textiles, training in pattern cutting for film and theatre.
