Film Projects 2007
First Light Movies
Since launching in 2001, they have enabled over 12,000 budding young filmmakers to write, act, shoot, light, direct and produce over 800 films. Working with filmmakers and organisations, First Light Movies films cover a diverse range of topics and genres, and make use of accessible digital film technology.
Our latest films as part of this project include:
The Sound of the Drum
A group of young Africans living in Cardiff worked with us in this short drama which explores their identity. In the film, Annie, who has lived in Cardiff for more than six years, meets Nahimmana who has only arrived from Congo a short time ago. As their friendship develops they realise how different their dreams and values are. Annie and Nahimmana meet at the Cardiff MAS Carnival and the film is set during the workshops leading up to the carnival.
This project is linked to the Voices of Congo and the African Youth Association in Wales. This organisation is being set up by young people to empower young people of African origin and to promote racial equality.
Watch Sound of the Drum now.
Being Small
This is a dance and film project based at St Mary the Virgin School in Butetown in Cardiff. The first phase of the project which started in April 2007 enabled the young children to look at what being small meant to them, and how this affects their relationships to each other, their family and the world.
We worked with a small group of about 5 children, and helped them to film each other, write poetry and create a dance piece and the group were really creative. As well as the final film there was also a performance for family and friends at the school.
Watch Being Small now.
Viva Elvis
Valley
and Vale worked with students at Coleg
Gwent in Pontypool on the production of their 10 minute First
Light film Viva Elvis. Viva Elvis was filmed in September and
part of the film is set at the Viva Porthcawl festival.
The group worked with a script editor to develop their story ideas and characters and also worked with a musician from Community Music Wales to write their own Elvis-style songs which will be recorded by an Elvis impersonator. The young filmmakers took part in weekly drama workshops to improvise their characters and work on dialogue and they also been worked with a choreographer on dance moves for Prez and his dad Glyn (stage name Pelvis Esley) as they start work on their new act.
The young filmmakers showed a great deal of commitment and enthusiasm for the project, meeting in their own time during College holidays. They learnt new skills in camera work, drama and script writing. Their college tutor Bev Crouch said that having the opportunity to take part in this project has had a really positive impact on the young filmmakers, who seem so much more engaged, confident and enthusiastic as a result.
Watch Viva Elvis now.
Lord of the Ring
In December 2007 we worked with a group of teenage boys from Betws on a short drama about two brothers. Since his mother's death Ethan does not feel part of the family anymore. His brother Jack and his dad are into boxing. Ethan used to be a good boxer but feels more and more alienated and finds it easier to hang out with his friend Tom. Tom and Ethan are looking for more excitement in their lives and start to experiment with different drugs. Jack watches helplessly as Ethan drifts further and further away from him.
A group of fourteen year-old boys from Betws met over half term to develop the characters and the script. This film shows the journey of a young boy and how he manages to break his drug habit in order to be there for his younger brother. This film was shot on different locations in the South Wales Valleys.
Watch Lord of the Ring now.
Valley and Vale First Light Film Projects 2006/7
'These projects have been a fantastic opportunity for young people to express themselves creatively through film, learning new skills including scriptwriting, camera work and drama to make new short films by young people living in Wales. Thanks to First Light for having faith in us and the young people and for funding this large-scale youth media project'.
Tracy Pallant, Film Development Worker, Valley and Vale
'Sea of Bitterness' with Fitzalan High School
Young People from Fitzalan High School in Cardiff spent part of their Whitsun holidays 2006 shooting their 10 minute drama Sea of Bitterness. They spent 3 months writing their script in their own free time after school and at weekends.
The first few days of shooting at Atlantic College, in St Donats in The Vale of Glamorgan, became a real Sea of Bitterness at times when continuous rain made it very difficult to film. The main actor played 2 characters so she had the added difficulty of lots of costume changes, the damper and more miserable she became added to the atmosphere of the film. The group is very creative and resiliant however, and when filming on Penarth sea front, unphased by members of the public coming over to find out what they were doing, they managed to create an illusion of someone falling off a building. We won't tell you anymore - you'll have to come to the premier or come back in September to the website to watch clips from the film. The whole group worked really well together and we think the film will be a good one.
Watch Sea of Bitterness now.
Valley and Vale First Light Film Project - The Next Step
The second film in the First Light Studio Award project was 'The Next Step' which was written by young people from Eastmoors Community Centre in Cardiff. This film was shot on locations around Cardiff and on the Pontypridd to Cardiff train. The performances are been amazing. We were also lucky to have a professional actor working with us.
Watch The Next Step now.
Out of Port Talbot
Drama Development Worker Ali Franks and Film Development Worker Katja Stiller worked on another First Light Film Project with young offenders at the Youth Offending Team in Port Talbot. The young people filmed and interviewed the magistrates in Port Talbot, looking at their lives and talking about their hopes and fears for the future
Project participants:
'Some people have two different personalities, one for offending, and one for their friends' (A, 16 yrs old)
'We have nothing going for ourselves, when I am drunk I think I can fight the world and no one can stop me until I get arrested' (M, 16 yrs old).
