Every act of creation is a dialogue – between an artist and their collaborators, a creative and their vision, but also, between an individual and their tools. A painter’s brush, a musician’s instrument, a filmmaker’s camera, they are all active participants in the process. Each artist develops a unique relationship with their equipment, creating work that reflects who they are and how they see the world. Aesthetica has partnered with MPB – the UK’s top camera reseller – to celebrate the relationship between filmmakers and their cameras. MPB: The Next Shot called on creatives to submit a reflective short film, built from archival footage, past work and self-recorded interviews, to recognise the impact a camera has had on their career.
The project is part of Aesthetica Film Festival, one of the UK’s leading cinematic events and a BAFTA-Qualifying festival that champions bold, innovative and independent storytelling. Taking place across the historic city of York and online, the 2025 edition offers an expansive five-day programme featuring outstanding films from emerging and established voices. From narrative shorts and feature-length documentaries to experimental works and hybrid formats, Aesthetica is a global platform for filmmakers whose work goes on to receive recognition at festivals such as Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and the Oscars.
Four filmmakers have been selected from a competitive pool to be part of MPB: The Next Shot. Each of them shares the equipment that has shaped their creative journeys. Their reflections have been made into a series of short films revealing the stories behind the cameras, lenses and gear that have shaped their artistic journeys. Beyond celebrating their creative evolution, the series also captures a powerful act of continuity – as each filmmaker passes their gear on to someone new through MPB, ensuring that these tools continue their journey, ready to inspire the next story in a different pair of hands.
Andi Hampton is a cinematographer based in London. In this project, he offers a glimpse behind the scenes of his thriller short film, Good Game, which is part of the Official Selection at Aesthetica Film Festival 2025. The short was shot on an Arri Alexa Mini camera that Andi had initially sold to a fellow filmmaker. It was only when this person began working as a focus puller, that the item made its way back into Andi’s creative practice. It was a full circle moment: “to have that back in my hands and know the history of what that sensor has captures felt very special, as did the film we were producing.” As part of MPB: The Next Shot, Andi speaks about the emotional and liberating aspects of passing on your kit to someone.
Hilary Powell is an artist and filmmaker. She talks about the beauty of releasing equipment out into the world once a project has finished, allowing it to go on and create other stories. “We recently sold our Hasselblad to a young couple starting out and it reminded us of our younger selves. I love that equipment is serviced and reconditioned and is off into the world to record different times and visions.” Hilary discusses a special project involving the tin industry of South Wales. The final works were created with special tin type concertina cameras, which were then passed on at the project’s ends.
Xiona Li is a filmmaker based in London and Beijing who blends documentary with experimental techniques, using AI, 3D and conceptual imagery. As she often travels between countries, Xiona has sold her kit and swapped to lighter gear. For her, this process has been liberating, enabling her to focus more on what she wants to film and capture. Xiona talks about how it is important to find a camera that is a “good match” and explains how the tools have shaped her way of seeing stories and the way that she thinks.
Theo Tennant has sold a lot of kit over the years in his roles as a cinematographer and director. Frontier Town is a short documentary that has directed alongside his brother Tom. He describes how his Blackmagic Ursa opened doors to the community within the documentary and helped them to make lifelong friends. Theo also won a BAFTA Cymry for the film’s cinematography. “It was great to pass the kit on and give it to someone at a similar stage in their development to me when I first bought it. It’s cool to think about all the other projects and adventures it’s been on.”
The four winning films will be released over the course of a month and showcased at the 2025 Aesthetica Film Festival, both in person and online. This project reflects on the vital role that equipment plays in creativity and storytelling. More than that, it celebrates what becomes possible when we share resources and pass equipment on to the visionaries of tomorrow. An old camera might, like Hilary’s, find its way into the hands of a young filmmaker just starting out. A lens might capture a new story on another continent, seen through the eyes of someone living a completely different life. Each film is an invitation to honour our tools – their memory, legacy and the creative journeys they continue to inspire.
Aesthetica Film Festival runs 5 – 9 November 2025: asff.co.uk
Find Out More about MPB: mpb.com
