Paul O'Connor filmmaker

Paul O'Connor, documentary maker

Paul O'Connor has been involved in independent video production since 1993. I picked up a camcorder to both record and support the thriving counter-culture in the UK. I have produced history documentaries, filmed many direct action protests and produced news features
I smuggled a hidden camera into an Israeli prison to expose corruption, and I have recorded many alternative life-styles.

Some of my short films have also been shown on Channel 4 and BBC and in the Tate Modern. My drive is to distribute stories rarely heard within the mainstream.
I won the Digitial Hero award and also an award from BT for my media work. My films have gained awards in Germany, USA, Canada and the UK.

I co-founded Undercurrents in 1994 as an alternative news agency. Together we established a unique independent distribution for videos produced by grassroots environmental and social justice campaigners. My archive images are broadcast regularly on most TV channels including Channel 4, ITV, CNN, Netflix and BBC in various news and current affairs programmes. I have trained human rights and environmental campaigners in video skills across the World. I co-founded the annual BeyondTV international film festival and The Sol Cinema, a unique solar powered mobile movie theater.

You can contact me via paulo@undercurrents.org or Telephone 07973 298359

Filming Palace Theatre 2022

Filming a survival series

Get in touch with Paul O'Connor

You can contact me via paulo@undercurrents.org

Telephone 07973 298359

I also write a Blog for undercurrents

Training young people

Read more...

I wrote an article in the Guardian about my work.

MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH PAUL
New Internationalist magazine
Video exhibition at BFI
BBC about filming protests
Read interview with me in a film industry magazine
Read interview with me in Oxford Mail
The Guardian on producing Undercurrents

Filming Reclaim the Streets 1997

Filming in Nepal 2001

Filming interviews in Spain 2010

Making Television

Filmography

I have produced many films with a diverse range of topics. They include;

Breaking News- (1999) documentary exploring how the police control the news
agenda. Winner of best documentary British BAVA Awards 1999

If I had a Hammer (1996)- Exploring the story of how four women disarmed
British war-planes sold to Indonesia using household hammers.

Major Resistance (1998) – directed 2x 30minute programmes exploring dissent in Britain. Broadcast on Channel 4 television

Alt World (2001)- directed an investigation into the arrests of journalists in Britain. Broadcast on Channel 4

Landless Workers' Movement (2001) -cameraman in Brazil for feature on Channel 4

Globalisation and the Media (2001)- how the mass media shape public opinion. Winner of best documentary. Winner Tokyo video festival 2003 / Winner One World Canada 2002,

Evolving Minds (2002)- Producer-A documentary exploring alternatives to the Mental health system

The Village (2002)- How life has changed in Islip, Oxfordshire

Reach for the Sky (2004)- Documentary exploring links between Climate Change and Aviation.

The Only Clown in the Village (2006)- how a British-Asian entertainer helped Tsunami victims. Winner:best Welsh Independent Film 2006.

Bike2Oz- (2008) Cycling 12,000km rather than damaging the climate by flying

.Aberdulais Falls (2010)- site of the Industrial revolution in Wales

Tewkesbury Medieval Fayre (2007) Reenactment societies converge into one field

A-Z of Bushcraft (2010) Online video series about woodland skills

Adventures in Welsh (2010) Swansea group promoting Welsh speaking for young people

Inside Israeli prison (2011) Smuggling a camera into a prison to expose how Israel lock up internationals wishing to visit Palestine

Roundwood Timber Framing (2011) A step by step guide to eco-building with Ben Law

6 sculptures in 6 weeks (2012) Following 2 artists creating in the Welsh valleys. Produced for Neath Port Talbot council

Spannabis (2013) Video reports on the largest Cannabis industry event on the planet.

Cannafest (2013) video reports from Prague at a Cannabis trade event.

Community Food Growing (2014) A resource for people in South Wales.Produced for Creative Rural Communities

Pride in our Farming families (2014) Helping farmers to diversify. Produced for Creative Rural Communities

End to Coal (2016) The largest UK direct action protest to shut down an open cast coal mine

Trident (2016)- Report about a month of protests to stop nuclear weapons in UK.

Open Cast Coal (2016)- A video report from Germany about mass occupation of coal mine.

Anti-Fracking Gathering (2016)- Manchester held the largest UK rally against Fracking

Yarlswood Detention centre (2016) Mass protest in support of detained refugees

Power Trip (2018)- the frontline resistance to the Fracking industry in the UK

Thanksy (2019) Artist leaves food and clothing as street art. Produced for WalesOnline

Hedgelaying (2021) How to make a sustainable hedge

Swansea Palace (2022-23) In production- a history of Swansea and the last music hall