A selection of ground breaking films produced on an innovative film training programme were previewed at The Screen on the Green cinema, Upper Street, Islington last week (Tuesday 20 September.)<br><br>The training programme, MakeTV II, run by two Islington Online Centres and funded by London Development Agency and the London Borough of Islington, was designed to help people take a step further on their path to employment in the media industry. <br><br>Twelve filmmaking teams from Islington’s King’s Cross and Finsbury Park, areas rich with media companies yet with high levels of unemployment, took part in this latest programme.<br><br>The 24 budding filmmakers were asked to come up with their own film idea and story. Once approved, the filmmakers were given a budget and access to professional production equipment. <br><br>Islington Council’s Executive member for health and social care for adults, Councillor Meral Ece, said: “Islington’s Online centres offer a range of courses and opportunities to get qualifications free of charge. This is an excellent course because it gives locals experiences and skills in an exciting industry that has real employment opportunities in our borough.”<br><br>MakeTV II participant and Islington local, Farnaz Bradley, said that: “When I went to the course I had quite low self-esteem and I didn’t think they would take my film idea very seriously, but they did.”<br><br>Iranian born Farnaz’s film – a self described “visual and audio pastiche” – focused on a sleepless Iranian girl who in her minds eye embarks on a personal journey until rest comes. <br><br>The film, ‘Sleepwalk’, explores the differences in interior landscapes that people experience when they move to London.<br><br>“The course was very validating, it was just what I needed – a wonderful experience.”<br><br>The project was designed and managed by The Film & Video Workshop and Platform1, two Islington Online Centres that specialise in digital art, information and communications technology, music technology and digital video. <br><br>The MakeTV II films will also be screened on SKY Digital later in the year.<br><br>Islington Online is the council's neighbourhood learning network of 20 neighbourhood learning centres and a mobile computer bus. It is one of the biggest in the country and the centers are in a range of locations including Arsenal FC, the council's libraries, schools, housing estates and community centres. The centres also offer a range of activities such as homework clubs, after school activities, health programmes and community activities. The centres also support a range of regeneration projects such as Sure Start, Family Learning and Out of School Hours learning as well as using the mobile computer project to support Islington Council's Summer University.<br><br>Notes to editors<br><br>Photography and interview opportunities with Farnaz are available. For further information contact Nicola Quinn at Islington Council on 020 7527 3376.<br><br>Images: <br>· Learners using the editing suite (editing at FV.tif)<br>· Stills from ‘Sleepwalk’ (sleepwalk.tif and sleepwalk 2.jpg)<br>· Still from the Jason Greenwood and Orla MacCormac film ‘Crack Babies’ (crack babies.tif). A documentary that interrogates the media spectacle of the ‘crack baby’ controversy and examines its legacy in the UK and United States drug policy.<br>· Still from the Louisa Strange and Sophie Smith film ‘Positive Lyrics…Voices United’ (positive.tif). An educational and entertaining film that follows musician Lyrickal as he visits St Aloysius Junior School at the end of final term to work with the children to prevent bullying.
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009