Moulding Dreams
A film directed by Luke Keeling, with pre-production by Jennifer Obigwilo and Luke Keeling (2024 student film)
The film follows Megan Keeling, a ceramicist who balances her creative business with full-time work in retail. Megan talks about her journey into ceramics, from studying Art and Design at school and 3D Design and Make at university to developing her own creative practice and business.
She explains her process of turning ideas and sketches into ceramic pieces, including the extensive testing, drawing, mould-making and casting involved in creating her work. Megan also discusses the challenges of developing a creative business after university, including the cost of materials, finding time to make alongside full-time employment and the sacrifices this can require.
Megan shares her experiences of taking her work to craft fairs and trade shows across the UK and her hopes of eventually working in ceramics full-time, expanding her studio and possibly running ceramics classes. The film also explores how her journey as a ceramicist has helped her become more confident and develop a stronger sense of identity, as well as the importance of support from friends, tutors and family.
The film was produced as part of Work Placement for Humanities Postgraduates – ENG 40057 and CPA4007 (Professional Practice), supervised by Dr Pawas Bisht.
““I feel like it’s a bit of you that you’re taking to all these shows and selling to people.””
Films produced by Keele University’s BA Media students examining the theme of ‘Workers’ in the context of the city of Stoke-on-Trent and the wider region of North Staffordshire. Examining the nature of modern work; different kinds of workers sharing why they do what they do, what motivates them, and the challenges of work in the current situation in the UK.The films foreground the agency and creativity of the residents of our local region providing a perspective largely absent from mainstream media.