Born in London to Caribbean parents, founder of Quiet Voice Stephen Rudder has a rare and insightful perspective of the world. His vision is to create films that fuse great visual storytelling with a practical function within society at large.In 1997 Stephen graduated from film school. From the start his ability to create and communicate information with a compelling style gained him critical recognition. His film Crisis, a short film encouraging blood donors from the African-Caribbean community was the centre piece to an event he organised to raise awareness for this cause. It was regularly screened on the cable TV channel Black Entertainment Television UK. Since then his further work has also met with success: winning a number of international awards including the Soho Images Audience Award for Best Film and Best Film by BBC Talent and screened on cable and BBC TV. What has now developed into Quiet Voice is the theme that always ran through his work, social consciousness. This met with his belief in the importance of education when he was commissioned to document the costumes at the judging area of Notting Hill Carnival by the Arts Council. As usual Stephen took a simple in house reflection tool to another level and as a result The Arts Council were so impressed with the outcome and creativity of the piece that he was asked the next year to do a series of documentaries for the 40th year celebrations. This culminated in the feature documentary Sequins, Soca and Sweat. 
The film goes behind the scenes of the spectacle to reveal the hidden heart of the Notting Hill Carnival. As well as uncovering some of the tensions involved in an art form that is evolving, It touches on why the first Carnival was so important to communities in London, and looks at the positive effects costume bands have on the young people they involve. All of this is set to a backdrop of the stories of six Mas Camps as they struggle to get the show on the road. After a series of festival screenings the film was then used a springboard for a learning package that included a dedicated web resource and was also toured as a workshop throughout London schools and colleges as part of Black History Month. The success of this project meant Stephen’s work caught the eye of another public organisation Creative Partnerships. Quiet Voice won a contract to document selected programs involving creative practitioners working to enhance the national curriculum in West London Schools. The three films produced needed to operate on several levels: to document; to evaluate working practices; as a training tool for teachers; to raise the profile of CPLW; to share the experience with other pupils; and to highlight the achievements of the individual school. The topics covered subjects as broad as Geometry, Identity and Capoeira. 
Most recently Stephen has completed an installation film for the Museum of London Group. The piece entitled ‘This is your History’ is the introductory film for the new permanent London Sugar and Slavery gallery at the Museum in Docklands. The challenging brief was to create a 3-5 minute film that introduced visitors to London’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade whilst making the film accessible to a range of people of different ages, genders and races and prepare them to take in the rest of the gallery. This commission was more than just making a film we had to also consider how it worked with the rest of the gallery.
The Museum of London director David Spence said that the film “exceeded his expectations” and the director of Anti Slavery International said it was “the most powerful film he’s ever seen on the subject of London and the Slave Trade”. It will also be screened at the UNESCO conference in Paris in December 2007.
 Alongside this Stephen has designed and co-ordinated a range of film and video skills training workshops. From Introduction to Music Video designed for adult participants, to workshops in West London schools to schemes for excluded young people in East London Estates. He is also a consultant for organisations developing strategies to create a truly inclusive British Film Industry and an agent for change, facilitating the collaboration between schools and creative practices within the national curriculum. With all this Stephen feels strongly about giving back to the community. Creating a culture within Quiet Voice that encourages training and work experience for young marginalised individuals to work alongside skilled professionals. |