Film Access Scotland News | February 2023
February may be a short month, but there’s certainly no shortage of exciting updates to share with you! In this newsletter, you can find out more about the first Film Access Annual National Conference which will take place in June, as well as our latest event in the Film Access Workshop Series on Outreach and Engagement. As always, we’ll also give you a roundup of all the inspiring projects our members have been busy delivering over the last few weeks.Film Access Scotland Programme – Upcoming EventsNew members & associatesMembers’ highlightsUpcoming events and opportunities
Save the Date! Film Access Sector Annual National Conference The first Film Access Sector Annual National Conference will take place on 7 June 2023 at Summerhall, Edinburgh. Film Access Scotland is proud to be organising this 1-Day programme which will explore Film Access work across the country; it will highlight the Sector’s important place in our society and culture and its positive impact in terms of social inclusion, personal development, education, employability, health and wellbeing, active citizenship and social, community and environmental justice. Keynote speakers, workshops and screenings showcasing the work of Film Access Scotland’s members and associates will provide examples of good practice as well as a space for discussion on the potential role of the Sector.Please email info@filmaccess.scot to register your interest and receive an invitation when it is launched online. Film Access Workshop: Outreach & Engagement + Networking In this Workshop we will look closely at current outreach and engagement strategies of Film Access Scotland members and associates for their projects. Through presentations and discussion groups, the session will assist Film Access practitioners to identify the challenges in outreach and engagement and offer examples of activities and strategies that have proven to work across the Film Access Sector. Date: Tuesday 14 March 2023Time: 1pm – 5pmVenue: Media Education, Edinburgh Find out more about the event here. To join Film Access Scotland and access our full range of services, click here.
We are pleased to welcome 2 new associates this month: Mobile Film School Sarah FairbrotherIt’s great to have you join our growing network!
SCREEN PROGRESSION PROGRAMME 2023 KICK-OFFScreen Education Edinburgh’s new Screen Progression Programme began in early February, developing a diverse range of learners from 17 to 55 years. This exciting programme will give the 14 selected learners the opportunity to develop their craft through the study of the SQA National Progression Award (NPA) in Film & Media level 6. The Screen Progression Programme is open to anyone over the age of 16 and is designed to give learners the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in film, TV, and wider media industries. The course covers a range of topics from film craft skills to industry engagement. The learners will also gain invaluable experience in collaborative film production, which will provide them with the skills and knowledge needed to enrol in further studies or employment in the sector.
50 SCREENINGS ACROSS ARGYLL As part of 50 Screenings Across Argyll, funded by the Scottish Government, Screen Argyll’s Jack Lockhart has travelled from Tiree to Jura to screen Tomm Moore’s Song of the Sea and delivered a filmmaking workshop with the children at Small Isles Primary, Craighouse. This is the second time that Screen Argyll have been able to make it across to Jura with their mobile cinema kit. Other films in the 50 Screenings series have been held by local film clubs around Argyll who are part of Screen Argyll’s Argyll and the Isles networks. Jack’s further adventures on this project will take him to Bunessan on the Isle of Mull and the Isle of Kerrera in the coming weeks.
SYFF AT SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
In January, Fiona Hyslop MSP hosted an event at the Scottish Parliament to celebrate the work of the Scottish Youth Film Foundation. The Scottish Youth Film Festival was started in Armadale in 2015 by Scott Mackay and David Barras when Fiona Hyslop was Culture Secretary and as the local MSP, Fiona has taken a keen interest in SYFF and how they have developed in the last 8 years. The event was attended by representatives of Scottish film education organisations, film industry representatives and young people who have benefited from the programmes run by SYFF over the years. It was also the official announcement of SYFF’s partnership with The Sean Connery Foundation.
SCREEN START UPDATES GMAC Film’s Screen Start trainees are getting off to a great start on the programme. They have started working with their industry mentors, researching training to support their career development, and are currently participating in BECTU Vision’s New Entrants training. On top of this they have been networking at the BBC, and have also had a tour of the Outlander production at Wardpark Studios. If you would like to know more about the trainees or have an opportunity for them on a production, please get in touch with screenstart@gmacfilm.com. UNIVERSITIES SCOTLAND RECEPTION GMAC Film recently had the pleasure of going along to Holyrood with their partners at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, to celebrate the Higher Education Sector’s contribution to Scotland. It was a wonderful opportunity to appreciate their shared commitment to diversifying Scotland’s thriving film and TV industry!
COMMUNITY TV: INSIGHTS Community TV recently released their first show recorded in the TV Studio at shmu. Made by volunteers as part of their introductory training, Insights, presented by Mike Arthur, reflects on the Create-Express-Transform project ran online during lockdown in 2021. The project saw first time filmmakers make short films on their phones about a personal journey while receiving feedback and support over Zoom. Mike meets the filmmakers and staff, and discusses the challenges of remote filmmaking, the benefits of the course, and what the participants are doing now. Insights can be seen now on shmu’s Community TV YouTube channel.
Watch Along Wednesdays with Screen Argyll Screen Argyll is currently hosting a new programme of Watch Along Wednesdays! Join, wherever you are, on Zoom every Wednesday at 8:30pm for a post film discussion, to meet new people and share ideas. Every week a different film will be chosen from the collection on Stream Argyll, and a different host will lead the online discussion. After watching the film you can join Jen and Kirsteen from Screen Argyll, a special guest and other viewers at 8:30pm on Zoom to chat about your take on what you’ve seen.Follow Screen Argyll on Facebook for information on forthcoming screenings.
GMAC Film festival takeover! GMAC Film is delighted to be a part of both the Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow Short Film Festival’s Industry Programmes! Little Pictures 2021-22 films will be shown at both festivals, and Café Flicker films will be also shown at the Glasgow Short Film Festival. March is going to a busy and exciting month for GMAC and their brilliant filmmakers – we can’t wait to see their films on the big screen.
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