About me

Amber Akaunu is a Nigerian-German filmmaker, artist, and community arts worker from Liverpool. Her work explores themes around identity, belonging, and Black culture. Amber is a current MA Screen Doc student at Goldsmiths which was made possible through her being awarded the BAFTA Kirsch Scholarship. She is also the co-founder of multi-award winning magazine, ROOT-ed.

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Projects

• 21

  New Creatives North - BBC Arts x Arts Council EnglandI have been commissioned to direct a short 5 minute film on an idea I pitched which is on the theme of afro hair as well as the sense of community and intimacy it brings upon Black women as well as the idea that the process of doing afro hair is like a sacred ritual that has been performed for thousands of years and is still the same. Afro Hair Rituals can be viewed on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p08gj953/new-creatives-afro-hair-rituals
• Liverpool and Slavery: A map for remembrance, healing and empowermentI created 15 1 minute films for the international slavery museum's interactive map that exposes the many locations in Liverpool that have connections to the transatlantic slave trade. You can view the map and the rest of the videos here �� https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/c4c8e42ca17f6a7edf5df5aa414fe28f/liverpool-and-slavery-a-digital-map/draft.html
• CHOKKADigital Identity for 20 Stories High's CHOKKA audio play.
• 1

  BTS Photography for Levi's Music ProjectI was hired by Warner Music UK as a behind the scenes photographer for Levi's Music Project 2018.
• 7

  Illustrations of Keith Haring Quotes with TateI was commissioned by Tate to create four illustrations of Keith Haring quotes to celebrate the artists' exhibition at Tate Liverpool.
• Past: Race and Criminal JusticeA photography series commissioned and acquired by the magistrates association that explores the school to prison pipeline by comparing the architecture of educational and criminal institutions.

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Work history

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Trainee Digital Community OrganiserThe Labour Party
Jan 2019London, United KingdomFull Time
I am a trainee digital community organiser at the Labour Party. My role is the perfect mix of community organising and creating digital content for social media in the form of videos, photographs, infographics and more.
Co-founderROOT-ed Zine
Nov 2017Liverpool, United KingdomFreelance
I started a magazine with friend and classmate Fauziya Johnson. We know publish a new issue every quarter and in between we host events, lectures, talks, workshops and more with the likes of Tate, Walker Art Gallery, FACT and ISM.

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Skills

• Adobe Photoshop
• Premiere Pro
• Photographic Direction
• Photography Editing
• Photography
• Video Advertising
• Video Campaigns
• Video Editing
• Adobe Illustrator
• Content Admin

Education

MA Filmmaking - Screen DocumentaryGoldsmiths, University of London
Sep 2020 - Aug 2021London, United Kingdom
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BA Fine Art- First Class Honours Liverpool Hope University
Sep 2015 - Jun 2018Liverpool, United Kingdom

Awards

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Student Inspiration AwardLCR Culture & Creativity Awards
Kirsh ScholarshipBAFTA
Amber Akaunu is a Nigerian-German artist from Liverpool. She is awarded the Kirsh scholarship of £10,000 towards an MA in Filmmaking (Screen Documentary) at Goldsmiths, University of London.