Karl Steel

BUDDING filmmakers from Walney are being offered the chance to learn from industry professionals in a series of free creative workshops.

Signal Film and Media, a charity-funded art, film and media training company based in Barrow, are offering free workshops for communities living on Walney Island.

Last year they were successfully awarded funding from People’s Health Trust using money raised by HealthAble through The Health Lottery. This funding has helped their Window on Walney project gather and celebrate stories from right across the Island and all ages through workshops and community events.

For 13 months Signal have up-skilled, motivated and guided different communities on Walney through creative projects and have worked with North and South Walney Primary schools, Walney Secondary School, Eamont Close Sheltered Housing, plus other small groups. They’ve now organised a schedule of workshops over the Summer, starting this Wednesday for people living in on the Island.

The free workshops for adults and teens will run on Wednesdays at the CDC adult education centre in Mill Lane with Signal’s professional digital media practitioners. There will be young people’s digital workshops for ages 11 to 16 from 2pm to 5pm, and adult drop-in sessions running from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

The sessions are on offer for all abilities from beginners to experts, and will cover skills in photography, video editing, sound recording, design and music.

Residents will have the chance to learn at their own pace in a very welcoming environment and the freedom to tailor the workshops to their individual needs.

Project manager Stephanie Bryant says: “We’re really looking forward to working with people and meeting new faces and we’re keen to show them what we have to offer.

“Working with communities on the Island has been fantastic and people are really welcoming and vibrant. We’ve helped some people with little or no knowledge of how to use a computer and these people have shown significant progress but at the same time we’ve guided individuals with their own projects who already have proficient digital skills.”

Walney residents interested in the project can book a place on the workshops, which start this Wednesday, by contacting Stephanie Bryant on 01229 838592 or via steph@signalfilmandmedia.co.uk

http://www.cumbrialive.co.uk/home/islanders-have-chance-to-learn-about-film-industry-for-free-1.1223029