North West students in Olympic film production

21 December 2011

North West students in Olympic film production tackling the issue of bullying.

Media Professional Studies and Film Studies Students from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) are supporting pupils at South Cheshire College in Crewe, by turning their BT Big Voice Project Competition winning entry into a film that will be screened during the build up to the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The film is called 'Score High' and will be a short drama, which looks at how people can become socially excluded due to bullying. The story follows the lives of two boys - one who is confident and socialises with friends playing football, the other is a boy who has become withdrawn and reclusive and stays at home playing computer games, for fear of imitation and bullying.

This competition aims to build collaborative links between students aged eleven and nineteen and students on film and TV production courses around the country. Schools and colleges developed ideas for films based on improving their local community. The winning entries were then passed onto 'Production Partners', of which, The Liverpool Screen School was chosen to produce two films, based on the ideas developed. The films will be shown on outdoor screens around the country during Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The public will be able to vote online for their favourite film and prizes will be awarded at a national film festival and ceremony for the project in the summer of 2012.

A student-led team from the Liverpool Screen School, are also making a documentary on the BT Project, by following the progress of each of the LJMU production groups involved.

Eleanor Murray, an LJMU Media Professional Studies student and Production Manager said:

"This project really appealed to me because the finished films would be screened nationally and shown to large audiences around the country. It has also provided me with some valuable experience working as part of a crew on a real-world brief. I am the Production Manager for our team and this is the type of work that I would like to go into after leaving University."

John Mcgimpsey who wrote the screenplay and is studying a Masters in Screenwriting at LJMU also commented:

"As a second year MA Screenwriting student at LJMU, being involved with the BT Big Voice campaign has been fantastic. To be able to write both pieces has not only been a challenge but an honour to do this on behalf of LJMU. The support from all the LJMU staff has helped me so much and would like to thank them all."

Julie Hindley, BT learning and skills manager, said:

"Big Voice is a national competition for students, created by BT as one of three educational programmes that BT is running as a London 2012 sustainability partner. BT believes there is a great opportunity to harness the excitement building ahead of London 2012 by encouraging people to get involved in education projects that develop communications skills which can be used to help them achieve goals that are important in their lives. Big Voice gives students the opportunity to highlight and address issues that are important to them and their community. Through opening up channels of communication, Big Voice aims to empower young people through the project and help them develop key communications skills that will be vital in achieving their life goals in the future."

Keith Marley, a lecturer in Film Studies and Media Professional Studies, is the mentor for the project. He commented:

"This is an excellent project for Liverpool Screen School students to participate in. It provides students with the opportunity to work to a professional client brief, as well as developing their technical and creative skills. Projects such as BT's Big Voice provide our students with invaluable vocational experience and help to show how our students are being prepared for the world of work."


Coverage highlights:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/12/13/a-digest-of-education-news-from-across-merseyside-100252-29941791/ 


Pictured (top right)  left to right:  Hayley Robinson (Director, level 6 Media Professional Studies student); Eleanor Murray (Production Manager, level 5 Media Professional Studies student); Rob Godfrey (Camera Operator, level 6 Media Professional Studies student); John McGimpsey (Script Writer; MA Screenwriting student); Colin Ambrose & Laura Harrington (Documentary Film Crew, both level 5 Media professional Studies students) and Keith Marley (Project Mentor, Senior Lecturer in Media Professional Studies and Film Studies).