“Nana Bonsu” Oral History – new website by Kooj / Metaceptive Media now live

NanaBonsuWebsiteHomePageKooj at Metaceptive Media was commissioned by First Cut to design and build the website for the HLF-funded ‘Nana Bonsu Oral History Project‘, which he has been working on for over 6 months beginning with a short training course he delivered in autumn 2013.  Finally, the website has now gone live and will be officially launched at a vibrant event at Manchester’s Z-Arts on Saturday 21st June 2014.

Nana Bonsu, also known as Beresford ‘Berry’ Edwards, was of huge importance to Britain’s African community, especially in Manchester which became his home. This oral history project highlights his role in initiatives such as the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination, trade unions, social justice and equal opportunities. Nana’s work, committment and contribution is now nationally recognised by his inclusion in the list of 100 Great Black Britons.

Full details about the project and the event this Saturday are available from the website itself (of course!), at www.nanabonsu.com – please leave some comments on the site if you visit it, or send Kooj a message if you like.

Short film “No Trace” starring the late great Brian Morgan, now on YouTube

Brian’s very recent and terribly tragic death is a loss to so many of us, he was a remarkable man and actor – probably the best I have worked with.  I have now put the short film I directed, written by Peter Kalu and of course starring Brian Morgan, on to YouTube so its hopefully easier to find.  (Up until now its only been on Vimeo).  Here it is, hopefully a fitting tribute:

No Trace

A short drama film which explores the abuse and haunting of the city, the daily struggle to maintain a shred of integrity amidst the pathetic cycles of people who need to run away and cover their tracks as the only way they can gain some control over their future.

These cycles are a mirror for Darryl Johnson, a black low-life private detective forever haunted by his previous abuse when in the army. He is addicted to his job specialising in finding other people’s children who have run away from home to escape their own hidden and secretive problems that threaten to engulf them. These sordid cases overlap with his own past, in a city where he is always painfully aware of the back-street disposability of all the characters he engages with. But there’s this case about a girl called Emma that gets to him, just one case too many, or maybe he just can’t hide from himself any longer… Continue reading