NI school children accepted on to FILMCLUB talent development programme
Five youngsters from Northern Ireland are set to experience their own cinematic close up after being accepted into education charity FILMCLUB’s Talent Development Programme, where they will learn skills in the areas of film reporting, programming or reviewing.
Nadia McCann (age 12) and Caitlin Power (age 13) from Monkstown Community School in Newtownabbey, Aoife Heverin (age 9) from Ballycastle Integrated Primary School in Ballycastle, Stephen McElhinney (age 14) from St Josephs Boys School, Derry City and Emily Braiden (age 10) from Carrs Glen Primary School, Belfast, who are members of the nationwide charity - which encourages young people to watch a diverse range of films in their school film clubs - applied for the programme in March to further develop their interest in film, and were selected from hundreds of applicants.
The FILMCLUB Talent Development Programme enables pupils with an exceptional passion for film to more fully experience behind-the-scenes elements of the film industry whilst opening up opportunities and broadening horizons. The programme will run for a full school year from September and is split into three different areas (reporters, critics and film programmers) with participants specializing in one area, culminating in an accredited award from AQA – the leading provider of GCSEs and A-Levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Members will be trained as junior reporters - where they will interview film professionals on the red-carpet or during webcasts for the charity (previous members have interviewed some of the most prestigious names in the film industry including Steven Spielberg, Daniel Radcliffe, Emily Blunt, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes and Reese Witherspoon), as film critics - where they shall be sent along to preview screenings of new films and documentaries to review for the charity’s website, or as film programmers - in which members will learn the secrets of how to programme successful film seasons for their school film clubs. In addition members will receive access to career advice, work experience opportunities and mentoring from industry professionals.
Throughout the year the participants will take part in a number of training activities and live assignments. The young people travelled to London to take part at the first training day held at The Barbican, where they took part in a masterclasses in film review writing, film programming and reporting with red-carpet experts Premiere Scene. They also took part in a Q&A session with Phil Wood – founder of one of London’s finest independent cinemas, The Roxy, and with film publicist Margot Lohan from leading film PR agency Feref, to hear first hand accounts of what is it like to work in the film industry.
Julie Walters, Actress and FILMCLUB Supporter says: "What an amazing opportunity FILMCLUB is giving these young people. Learning new skills, putting those into practice and interacting close-up with professionals will raise their aspirations and help them believe in themselves, which could really enhance their lives."
Jane Fletcher, FILMCLUB Schools Support Director says: “There are so many talented youngsters out there who never have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. This scheme – the only one of its type to offer AQA Unit Award accreditation and three different strands – is a real chance for some of them to learn key life skills and will give a wider range of young people the opportunity to start a career in the film industry.”
FILMCLUB, who help schools set up and run film clubs for young people to watch, discuss and review a wide range of films from past and present, are inviting more schools to join the scheme and are looking for more schools in Northern Ireland to participate. Please visit: www.filmclub.org/register for further details and to register for a free online start-up session.
Cinemagic Film & Television Festival and the Nerve Centre will act as the local FILMCLUB managers in Northern Ireland to facilitate the roll-out of the programme to schools, as well as offer support, advice and training. Schools who are already involved through the pilot scheme are using FILMCLUB to support the Northern Ireland Curriculum at Primary and Post Primary level and qualifications such as Moving Image Arts and Media Studies.
To register your interest in participating in FILMCLUB in Northern Ireland, email: Laura@cinemagic.org.uk or eavan@nerve-centre.org.uk