Screen School is blockbuster success with young Borderers
Friday, October 27 2006
A five-day International Screen School held in Evanton, Ross-shire earlier this month has been hailed a resounding success by the 10 Borders youngsters who took part.
One of them, Daniel Pauley, 15, of Berwickshire High School, called it “the most productive week in my life”. “I can’t wait to share my new-found skills with other young people and work with the other members of the Borders film group to produce more films,” he said.
The Borders group joined 18 other young film makers aged 13 to 20 from the Highlands and from Sjuharad, in Sweden, to hone their skills in an intensive course with film specialist Arts in Motion at its multi-media production and teaching centre 15 miles north of Inverness.
The challenge was to convert a plot from story-board to screen in just five days. And the young people, divided into groups, had to do everything themselves, including script-writing, acting, lighting, props, costumes, sound and filming.
The result was at least ten short films, plus a host of smaller exercises including animation and ‘blue screen’ special effects. One group also worked on a documentary of the week’s activities.
The residential course included a visit by Trish Shorthouse of the Highlands and Islands Film Commission, who spoke about the importance of locations in planning a film project. Trish helps film companies from all over the world source ideal locations in the Highlands, including the Harry Potter production team.
Eddy Charlton, 17, from Peebles, said, “As well as making films, we had a great chance to link with other keen film makers from Scotland and from Sweden, and this also gave us a great perspective on what it’s like to work in a group of people we haven’t worked with before. I’m sure that everyone who went on the course was able to leave with a piece of film they were proud of and several new friendships.”
The Borders film makers are all involved in VOMO (A Voice of My Own), a video project to help young people build their confidence and communication skills through creative film-making skills and other opportunities. They were accompanied by a youth worker from Duns who has trained with VOMO, bringing the Borders contingent to 11.
VOMO Project Manager, Mary Morrison, was deeply impressed by the quality and variety of the work, and the way that groups assessed and analysed each other’s work, showing with a real understanding of how a film is constructed.
“One of the key elements of the project is the importance of team work in film making,” she said. “The 28 young filmmakers demonstrated real focus and commitment across all the roles – from great acting to perfect lighting.”
Tim Flood of Arts in Motion said after the course, “I really enjoyed the week. I'm passionate about empowering young people to be creative in groups and in video-making, in particular. The immediate payoffs are clear and obvious to participants and observers, but I am also interested in what they might produce in five years’ time.”
Olly Farrell, 17, from Peebles, had “a fantastic time”. He said, “I learnt lots of new skills and met some brilliant new friends from Sweden, as well as from deepest, darkest Scotland!”
VOMO is a partnership project, funded by the Scottish Borders LEADER + Programme, Scottish Borders Council, Changing Children’s Services Fund and Regeneration Outcome Agreement (Scottish Executive). The IYMP Project in the Borders was part-funded by VOMO and LEADER + and coordinated by Borders Voluntary Youth Work Forum.
A key aim is to give young people a voice and ensure their films are seen as widely as possible through an annual Film Festival, which this year was held in April at the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles. VOMO films have gained awards and critical acclaim at a number of national festivals since the scheme’s inception. Locally made titles such as the frank and moving ‘Teen Mum’ and ‘Losing It’ (which deals with the themes of rejection, loneliness and self-harm) have explored difficult issues through the highly accessible medium of film.
For more information, please contact: Mary Morrison – VOMO Project Manage. Tel: 01750 724 901. Email: enquiries@vomo.org.uk
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