Hollywood director's visit marks ‘exciting new stage’ for Windsor filmmakers

An independent filmmaking group in Windsor is celebrating an ‘exciting new stage’ after receiving a special visit from a Hollywood director.

Richard Loncraine, whose career includes working with stars such as Robert Downey Jr and Morgan Freeman, spent time with Notice Productions at Dedworth Middle School this month.

He shared his decades of industry knowledge with the teenage cast and crew, offering feedback and guidance on the youth-led films currently in development.

Notice Productions youth trustee Poppy Knowles, 16, said: “It was inspiring to work with such an esteemed and famous director. We certainly learnt plenty from him, and he embraced our unique and inclusive way of working.”

Loncraine, known for titles including Band of Brothers (2001) and Finding Your Feet (2017), was put in touch with Notice Productions through their earlier partnership with Ian McKellen.

The national treasure had featured in the group’s LGBTQ+ history project Dragged Through Time and joined them at its first public screening at Windsor and Eton Pride this summer.

Loncraine, who has long been friends with the veteran actor, having collaborated on Richard III, said: “They call themselves ‘Notice Productions’ and, trust me, these young people and the team who support them deserve to be noticed!”

The group currently has several projects underway. Two films, already in post-production and receiving Loncraine’s support, are scheduled to premiere in January.

Bruises is a poetic black-and-white piece tackling childhood trauma, while The Ballad of Mallory Opfer blends gritty realism with surreal fantasy to explore maladaptive daydreaming, a little-known psychological condition.

Youth trustee Samuel Horsfall, 16, added: “Despite him having worked with every A-list actor you could think of, our value systems were deeply aligned.

"He really brought our inclusive and youth-led model. It is exciting to think about how this relationship will develop.”

Pictured: The cast and crew of Notice Productions hearing from Richard Loncraine about his life in film.

Notice Productions co-ordinator, Brad Day, said the director’s visit marks an 'exciting new stage' for the organisation, as he is keen to continue supporting future shoots, promoting their work and providing expert insight.

"Richard's visit on November 8 marks another chapter in our organisation's short but exciting history," Brad added.

"He spent the day giving detailed feedback on two projects currently in early stages of development, giving feedback to the actors on how they can improve their performance.

"He spoke about everything from choosing your cast carefully to how to avoid the nuisance of aeroplane noise while filming.

"We are thrilled he will be joining us on one of our filming shoots in the new year, offering more of his expertise."

Founded in 2022, Notice Productions grew from a school project into an independent community group with an inclusive and participant-led model.

The group focuses on social issues they feel are overlooked or misunderstood, creating innovative films on subjects ranging from eating disorders to radicalisation.

The group’s work differs from traditional youth drama activities because young people lead every stage of production as actors, directors, producers, composers and technicians.

Their inaugural project, Notice Me (2022), dealt with County Lines child exploitation and received backing from the regional Police and Crime Commissioner.

A public screening of Dragged Through Time will take place on Friday, January 16 2026, at The Old Court, Windsor.