Children And Filmmaking

2012 has marked an already promising start for young people in Britain to get well and truly stuck into filmmaking.

2012 has marked an already promising start for young people in Britain to get well and truly stuck into filmmaking. For the Cultural Olympiad this year Bristol based animation group Aardman have made a film for the Tate Movie Project that has involved 34,000 children, an event that is reflective of the masses of workshops, festivals and awards bashes that are being held to make sure that children and teenagers are understanding what it involves to make a film and how to get an idea onto the big screen.

Earlier in March the BFI Southbank hosted the 2012 First Light Awards, a ceremony that celebrates young filmmakers of various ages from across Britain. All of the nominees turned up in their finery and got to rub shoulders with the likes of Sally Hawkins and new bond girl Naomi Harris who showed up to present the awards.

“I think this sort of event is important because I didn’t have this sort of experience when I was young and it really gives you the inspiration you need to get into the industry,” said Harris on the red carpet. “Everywhere wants a good level of experience to get into filmmaking now and to have this sort of opportunity is great.”

Harris presented the award with Attack the Block star John Boyega.

“It’s so vital to stay motivated,” explained the actor, who hasn’t long been in the film industry himself.

“It’s always hard to be a young person or teenager who wants to be an actor, so it’s good for industry professionals to be here to tell you if your work has potential. It keeps you going, you never want to stop and it means you don’t have to miss out on your dreams.”

First Light is an organisation that helps anyone up to the age of 25 break into the film industry by holding workshops and events held by industry professionals. You can find out more about the organisation and their upcoming events HERE

If you’re in Peterborough and own or know a wee one, there’s the annual Children’s and Young People Film Awards that is taking submissions from the very tiny (reception) to the bigger kids (years 5 and 6) for their exhibition on July the 10th. The awards this year have an Olympic theme, and anything from documentaries to music videos will be considered. Fun’s not fun without rules, and guidelines for all the categories can be found HERE

Get your work in for the 25th for the chance to see it on a big screen. Full details of the event can be found HERE

If you want a more hands on approach to the Easter holiday and live in the Brighton area, their Children’s Festival is holding a community filmmaking session focusing on the ideas of Michel Gondry. Responsible for not only Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind but also music videos for Radiohead and Kylie Minogue, this workshop is aiming to embrace the weird and wonderful as you’re taken through the stages of imagining, creating and showing your films.

The workshop is running on the 9th to the 12th of April, with further information HERE

The Children’s Festival will be held between the 6th and 15th of April across Brighton and Hove, and as well as taking part in making films, you can also sit down to a screening of the creepy stop motion feature Coraline in a button factory, where visitors are encouraged to make their own art with the materials. Find out more about the festival and what it’s got on HERE

A bit further into the summer you’ll find the BBC Norfolk Children & Young People’s Film Festival, which is currently taking entries for its 2012 programme. Back for its third year, the festival is looking for films from schools, individuals and youth groups to show on the big screen, with anything from dramas to documentaries accepted. Entrants have to be under 18 and the closing date for submissions is the 31st of May, with the festival running from the 16th to the 27th of July. The event is part of the BBC Voices organisation, a production and media unit that help young people with the basic training that they need to get involved with film and other outlets. Voices runs school workshops and runs a magazine for those who want to get stuck into making movies.

You can find out more about BBC Voices and the Norfolk Children & Young People’s Film Festival HERE

With the film and media industries packed as it is experience can go a long way and doesn’t have to cost anything at all, and the organisations involved continue to bring as many opportunities to young people as possible. It’s never to early to start making films, just ask the likes of Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams who honed their craft making small Super 8 (main picture) films in their back gardens.