Two groups of fledgling filmmakers from Exeter and Newton Abbot have been awarded a bunch of cash to produce short digital films alongside proper professional filmmakers, thanks to First Light Movies.

A nationwide organisation which helps young people aged between five and 18 make digital shorts, First Light Movies distributes some £1.1 million of National Lottery dough, through UK Film Council funding, each year.

First Light Movies places the young people at the heart of the creative process. All the ideas must come directly from the kids, and they must be involved with every aspect of the production - from drawing the storyboards, directing and lighting the film to snorting cocaine and sleeping with prostitutes (well, the first couple of things at least).

Twelve youngsters from ISCA College of Media Arts in Exeter have been awarded £4,000 to make their animated science fiction flick Resurrection, Resurrection. Yes, it’s so good they named it twice.

The young people working on the project are from a wide range of backgrounds and include refugees, young offenders, people with disabilities and those excluded from formal education. Sounds like a recipe for fun, don’t it?!

Meanwhile, students from Coombeshead College in Newton Abbot will make two films using £14,000 of First Light Movies funding. In Roots a group of teenagers will take a conservational look at the native Dartmoor beech trees - or should that read ‘conversational’?

The second film, Minnow, is an animated tale focussing on a fish that discovers the beauties and dangers of living under water. Minnow will be knocked out by six children aged six to eight.

Pip Eldridge, CEO of First Light Movies, told D+CFilm: “Now in its fifth year, First Light Movies has helped produce some wonderful films, and this round of funding is no exception.

“We are continually amazed by the quality of the film ideas, the young people’s imaginations and innovative storytelling skills. I’m really looking forward to seeing these ideas come to life on the big screen in a few months’ time.”

Stay tuned to D+CFilm and find out how the First Light filmmakers get on.

Posted Thin White Duke

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 14th, 2006 at 10:02 pm and is filed under Local, News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.