Meet Frank Turner. Passionate punk, travelling troubadour, songwriter extraordinaire and the enigmatic star of The Road – the first film of 2011 for Short Stories.


A platform for young filmmakers, this, the latest five-minute Short Stories film is the vision of East London based photographer-turned-filmmaker James Henry. Since graduating from Hertfordshire University, the young creative has honed his camera skills for underground bands, fashion brands and magazines.

"It’s Frank’s story so who better to tell it than him himself?"

The Road is the first entry in the second year of Relentless Energy Drink’s film making competition Short Stories. Via probing interviews, behind-the-scenes shoots, and upfront live performances at sold out shows, James reveals the person behind the Frank Turner enigma, and how he personifies Focus, the shared theme for all this year’s Short Stories films.

We follow his journey from DIY punk frontman (with post-hardcore quartet Million Dead) to struggling songwriter, to today’s festival-headlining hero. A musical poet for the protest generation, Frank’s drive personifies the ‘No Half Measures’ .

Like previous Short Stories films, Frank shares his story in his own words and how, determined to restart at a grassroots level, he endured sacrifice, suffering and struggle: from gruelling tours, indifferent audiences, financial difficulties and self-doubt, to critical acclaim, adoration, awards and blanket peer recognition.

 “There’s a lyrical honesty that comes through in Frank’s music - a real sincerity,” concludes James. “I want to explore who he is at his core: it’s Frank’s story so who better to tell it than him himself?”

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