Young People’s Film Council
One of the most innovative developments over the past
few years has been the Young People’s Film Council (YPFC) an informal, self-help network of young people engaged in film-making, animation and digital media which has become a dynamic and effective vehicle for mutual support and self-expression.
YPFC was informed and supported in its early stages
by the SMILE moving image education initiative with help from SW Screen...
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Hosted by Somerset Film at The Engine Room the
YPFC has received funding through Mediabox / Creative Partnerships / Somerset County Council Youth Opportunity Fund.
Projects to date included:
• Centipede | Widely shown 25 minute drama
production in the South West
• Chew It Up and Spit It Out | Marketing media
event with Chew TV
• Big Media | One year programme of film-making in Bridgwater, Frome, Glastonbury, Minehead, Street, Taunton, Wellington and Yeovil – click below to see Rush one of the bursary films made on this programme, funded by Mediabox and local authorities.
For more info about developments please contact:
Josh Randall or Paige Copsey 01278 433187
SMILE
Somerset’s Moving Image Lifelong Learning & Education hub kicked off in 2005 with support from SW Screen.
Representatives from schools. colleges, independent providers (including Forkbeard Fantasy, Trilith Video and Somerset Film) met at the The Engine Room and subsequently at various other venues in the county. A network was put in place via the SMILE-E website with a commitment to work together in the future.
The object was for Somerset moving image learners, educators and trainers to strengthen links, to share best practice, to establish a critical framework for future provision.
A series of peer learning workshops were scheduled to ground the theory in practical action. Venues included Somerset College (Taunton) and Frome Community School.
Through an initiative led by SPAEDA (Somerset’s Arts and Education Partnership) film and digital media production and training programmes ran in four schools supported by Arts Council SW and by SW Screen.
The increasing engagement of younger learners culminated in a SMILE workshop dedicated to exploring the future role young people could play in structuring future activities and direction. This workshop led to the setting up of the young people led YPFC (Young People’s Film Council).
The practice identified and strengthened through SMILE has informed input into key strategic developments in the county including our JUMPcuts partnership work with the learning disabled. SMILE's legacy also includes collaborative learning based projects on subjects ranging from climate change to youth crime, from binge drinking to local food and farming. Our current family learning and inter-generational work has also been informed by the groundwork laid through this programme
