Mobile Media works again with First Light

Mobile Media once again secured funding from First Light, The Film Council’s Young People’s Film initiative, to work with two North Swindon Primary Schools on a film project titled 'Pioneers'.

The new project has been made possible as a result of support from Artpoint, the Public Art Agency overseeing the Art Programme for the PFI development of seven new schools for Swindon Borough Council.  The Art Programme is in direct response to the Council’s Percent for Art Policy.

Director Keith Phillips and Cameraman Phil Ball worked with primary children from Red Oaks and Orchid Vale on locations in and around the schools, to create an 8 minute film called 'Step into the Dark'.

This initial part of the project saw the children learning script writing skills in a series of workshops run by David Collier of Granada TV’s My Parents are Aliens fame.  They then went onto to look at how to portray their characters in an acting workshop run by Chris Garner of Sixth Sense Theatre Company. A music to film workshop with Barry Andrews from XTC and Shriekback fame provided the finishing touches to arm the children with the tools needed.

The children wrote with David Collier a seemingly innocent film about newcomers to a brand new estate making friends with some of the local children ... but nothing is as innocent as it seems, as there are dark secrets in the old woods behind the brand new school.  ‘Step into The Dark’, named by the children is a story about brothers, sisters and new friends.

Click here to see an excerpt of the script for 'Step into the Dark'

On being asked about the project one of the Orchid Vale pupils said, “We’ve had a brilliant time and have chosen a name for our film and I loved doing the film posters”.  Her father also commented, “She comes home every day excited about what she has done.”

Bill Orford, Teaching Assistant at Red Oaks said “The children are full of it and the different skills they have learnt are brilliant.  They can’t wait to see the final version up on the big screen!“

Elise Hurcombe, Assistant Director of Mobile Media said “This project is a unique opportunity for the children to collaborate with top industry professionals, experiencing all aspects of filmmaking from using the camera, managing sound and setting up props.”

The 2nd stage of this project will see Mobile Media make another short film, more documentary based, with some of the new intake for the Isambard Community School in Spring this year, which will culminate in a grand premiere at the Empire cinema of the two films!

Click here to see the film 'Step into the Dark' (opens in a new window)

Click here to see images from the 'Step into the Dark' film project

The Children were asked to produce pictures as an evaluation of the project. Click here to see these pictures.