A call for proposals for the 2010 Newport Animator in Residence Scheme!

Now in it’s 5th year, the scheme provides an opportunity for a professional animation director to work during the month of May to create a 1 minute animated short with the help of Newport students. For further information on previous directors and their projects, and for details on how to apply, check out the web site…

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New edit of Florence Ayisi's Cameroon: Rhythms and Visions

There is a new edit of Florence Ayisi's Cameroon: Rhythms and Visions online. The postproduction for the film is currently taking place at the Newport Film School, using AVID Composer and Adrenalin. Film students are involved in this process. Students edited this 5-minutes trailer. The Sound Assistant for the film, (Toni Schaefer), graduated in June 2009 – he was awarded an International Placement grant from Skillset Screen Academy Wales (SSAW) to travel to Cameroon for the shoot.

See the trailer at: http://vimeo.com/10110209

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Heartstrings update!

As well as being nominated at the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival, Heartstrings by Animation graduate Rhiannon Evans, has won the stop motion award at Animex, was highly commended at Animated Exeter, won the best student film at Stoke Your Fires and the best animation and audience awards at Screentest Bristol.

See an excerpt from Heartsrings at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcls1gJ2M8M

The great news is that Rhiannon has signed with Partizan for representation as a director of adverts and music videos.

Partizan is an award-winning production company with a worldwide reputation for creative excellence. Since its launch in 1991 Partizan has become one of the world’s leading producers of content – from music videos and commercials to documentaries, feature films, animation and online and branded content. The company has offices in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Shanghai and Mumbai.

Watch Chris Morris's movie of the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival

Film students from the International Film School, Wales are celebrating an unprecedented 6 awards, including ‘Best In Festival’, at the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival. The festival aims to promote and celebrate the work of students working with ‘moving image’ and studying within Wales. Hosted by Aberystwyth Arts Centre, the festival ran for two days last week and film students from Newport scooped many of the important film categories.

Fiction film student, Luc Bartlett scooped two awards - ‘Best Music Media’ and the all-important ‘Best In Festival’, for his beautiful and haunting music based short film, “Moments”.

Most of the work entered at Ffresh is graduation work – but another second year film, this time from the documentary course, won the best ‘TV award’ at Ffresh. The film was made by documentary students David Brittain and Victor Ortega and the judges felt the film was good enough to be broadcast.

Other winners from Newport included ‘Best Factual’ won by documentary film students, James Birkett, Michael Howard & Laurence Cameron for their film ‘Tough Guy 453’. MA Film students Nicolas Booth & Cyrus Mirza’Shara won best Post Graduate Fiction for their disturbing short drama - “Birthday”.

The Royal Television Society (Wales) also presented an award at the Festival, for the Best Student Documentary made in Wales during the year. All of the nominations for this important award, came from film students at Newport. This years winners were documentary film students Lauren Muchan and Jo Sharp for their campaigning film “Letters to Angola: An Unlikely Friendship”.

See the movie: http://vimeo.com/10029285

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Rare footage of the early beginnings of Newport Film School has been unearthed

This short film, shot in 1966, shows some of the first film students filming and editing at the Fair Oak Annex (Newport Art College). The students are shooting 16mm film with a Beaulieu camera. The young lecturer overseeing events is ex-BBC editor, Harley Jones – co-founder of the Film Unit at Newport.

See it at: http://vimeo.com/10031679

Music: “Dup'capa” by Alex McHattie

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Newport Film Graduates Hit Big On BBC2

Caerphilly based Zipline Creative is celebrating after news that their BBC Wales TV Series, ‘Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience’ has been acquired by BBC 2 for prime-time network broadcast.

On TV screens from March 10th at 10PM, the series was originally commissioned for Wales but is now being broadcast to the whole UK.  Zipline's core team, Nathan Mackintosh and Rhys Waters were producer/directors on the series and worked with Presentable RDF to shoot the program last Autumn. Nathan and Rhys graduated from the Documentary Film & Television course in 2007 and have flourished ever since – in 2009 the duo were voted ‘Young Welsh Entrepreneurs of the Year’.

"Its like a dream come true, if your making a regional series its your highest aim to have it picked up by BBC London. I'm still pinching myself!" Commented Rhys Waters.  The team, based in New Tredegar, Caerphilly, have worked with Rhod Gilbert before on his Extras for his top selling DVD- Rhod Gilbert and the Award Winning Mince Pie. "We had worked together previously, as the lads had produced video content for my live stand-up shows in 2008 and 2009, they're genuinely brilliantly creative, and their energy and enthusiasm is phenomenal; I was thrilled they agreed to work with me again".

"We were really pleased with the strong viewing figures and great feedback we had when the series was broadcast in January. We hope we can replicate the same success with a wider UK audience" said Nathan Mackintosh. The program will air in a BBC2 slot famous for its comedy, often showing the cream of British talent. "This is the slot where people tune in to see the likes of Mock the Week or Nevermind The Buzzcocks, so it feels like a huge honor to us!".

This may be the Zipline team's first TV series, but they have ambitious plans for the future. "We've met some fantastic comedians throughout South Wales and are currently developing lots of idea's for future projects." Said Nathan, "We see this as the beginning and we're more excited than ever about what's up ahead!"

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Transitions Week

Transitions Week

http://amd.newport.ac.uk/displayPage.aspx?object_id=14110&type=PAG
 
A series of sessions for final year students to help prepare for those first steps after University.
 
Sessions and Events will focus on Enterprise, Employment, Postgraduate Study and coping with change.

A programme of events to help you on your way.

Monday 15.03.10

Start ME Up!  –  Considering Freelance?

Employability Tea Time – C'mon, Gissa Job!

Tuesday 16.03.10

Employer Fest

Employability Tea Time – C'mon, Gissa Job!

Wednesday 17.03.10

Postgraduate Study Fair

Thursday 18.03.10

Psychological Preparation

Financial Planning

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Tough Kids Success

Tough Kids started life as the BA (Hons) Documentary Film and Television graduation film TOUGH GUY 453 by James Birkett, Michael Howard & Laurence Cameron – The story behind the UK Tough Guy competition, which is billed as the most physically challenging, mentally demanding, fear inducing ordeals in the world. This film follows the four time runner-up James Appleton, who dreams of one day being crowned “Tough Guy Supreme”

The film has just won the Factual category at the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival. CBBC has picked this up and it has developed into a children's documentary – and all the students got to work on the project.

Subject: My Life: Tough Kids. TX 20th February 2010

Tough Kids follows three boys from Coventry as they become the first-ever children to tackle the Tough Guy Assault Course in Wolverhampton. The gruelling endurance test is attempted by thousands of adults each year but not all of them complete obstacles such as the Somme Surprise and the Stalag Escape. Each of the 12-year-olds in the film has personal reasons for wanting to complete this rite of passage. Who will make it to the end?

To find out more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r39ky

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Watch "Moments" - ‘Best In Festival’ at the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival

A young girls naivety changes into an overwhelming self awareness when the unforgiving outside world starts to invade her private space.

Watch the film at : http://vimeo.com/9752911

“Moments” won ‘Best Music Media’ and the all-important ‘Best In Festival’, at the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival. The judges were enthusiastic about the thought-provoking piece - “We appreciated the range of ideas in this accomplished piece and it's always refreshing to see a reliance on in-camera tricks and atmospheric lighting.”

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Work in Progress by Eileen Little at ffloc Gallery

Date:
 Thursday, 11 March 2010
Time:
 12:30 - 14:00

This exhibition contains two digital animations forming part of Eileen's PhD by practice.

After showing the two short films there will be an 'in conversation' with Dr Anna Reading, Reader in Arts and Media Southbank University and author of 'The Social Inheritance of the Holocaust'.

Ffloc/Flock Research Gallery,
H7b, Rathmell Building,
University of Wales, Newport
Caerleon Campus
Lodge Road
Caerleon
Newport
NP18 3QT

Newport Film School Students Win Big at Ffresh Awards 2010

Film students from the International Film School, Wales are celebrating an unprecedented 6 awards, including ‘Best In Festival’, at the 2010 Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival.

The winner 2010 and me
(L-R) Chris Morris Head of Newport Film School with Lauren Muchan, Victor Ortega, Jim Birkett, Stephen Thomas, Jo Sharp, Michael Howard and Laurence Cameron

The festival aims to promote and celebrate the work of students working with ‘moving image’ and studying within Wales. Hosted by Aberystwyth Arts Centre, the festival ran for two days last week and film students from Newport scooped many of the important film categories.

Still from Moments by Luc Bartlett
Still from Moments by Luc Bartlett

Fiction film student, Luc Bartlett scooped two awards  - ‘Best Music Media’ and the all-important ‘Best In Festival’, for his beautiful and haunting music based short film, “Moments”. The judges were enthusiastic about the thought-provoking piece -  “We appreciated the range of ideas in this accomplished piece and it's always refreshing to see a reliance on in-camera tricks and atmospheric lighting.”

“I am so please for Luc,” said Christopher Morris, head of the film school at Newport, “the award is especially pleasing for him, as this film was made in Luc’s second year on the Film & Video course and was in competition against graduation work from other Universities.”

Most of the work entered at Ffresh is graduation work – but another second year film, this time from the documentary course, won the best ‘TV award’ at Ffresh. The film was made by documentary students David Brittain and Victor Ortega and the judges felt the film was good enough to be broadcast. “A dynamic and vibrant documentary that brought the energy and colour of Speedway to the screen, and showed a professional flair for storytelling.”

Other winners from Newport included ‘Best Factual’ won by documentary film students, James Birkett, Michael Howard & Laurence Cameron for their film ‘Tough Guy 453’. The 20-minute film takes us into the demanding world of the Tough Guy assault course, where 1000’s of people attempt to complete an absurd obstacle course of fire, wood and water. The film was described by the judges as a blend of ‘Rob Roy’, “mixed with Riefenstahl’s Olympia, and Rocky! It was beautifully shot with energy, style and humour!”  The film has already been noticed by executives at CBBC and remade (with the students) for children’s TV – ‘Tough Kids’ is due to be broadcast on BBC 2 in late February 2010.

MA Film students Nicolas Booth & Cyrus Mirza’Shara won best Post Graduate Fiction for their disturbing short drama - “Birthday” The judges thought that the film achieved a “Dark and mysterious, with a gripping tense tone” through its use of sound and they thought that Nicholas was a directing ‘talent’ to look out for!

The Royal Television Society (Wales) also presented an award at the Festival, for the Best Student Documentary made in Wales during the year. All of the nominations for this important award, came from film students at Newport. This years winners were documentary film students Lauren Muchan and Jo Sharp for their campaigning film “Letters to Angola: An Unlikely Friendship”. The story of an unlikely friendship between a young British woman and an American Black Panther, who has been incarcerated in solitary confinement in Angola Prison Louisiana, for 37 years impressed the judges. “It was a film that kept the viewer thinking long after it had finished. It was slick, beautifully filmed and edited, and fantastically inventive. The music was subtle and compelling It didn’t stray into drama and was effortlessly thought-provoking. Curious, poetic and unique.”

The winning film  - “Letters to Angola: An Unlikely Friendship” will now be entered into the UK wide Royal Television Society student competition to be held in London later in the year.

“Newport documentary students have an impressive record at this event”, said Christopher Morris, “We have made the national UK finals of the RTS student awards with our strong documentary films for the last four years and crucially we have won it for the last two years. If we win ‘Best Documentary’ this year with ‘Angola’ it’ll be an unprecedented RTS triple for Newport!”

The Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival has be held at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre for the last eight years, featuring student work, workshops, master-classes and guest speakers – including Stephen Frears (director), David Morrissey (actor) and Andrew Davies (screenwriter).

Next year however the festival goes on the road  - The University of Glamorgan will host the event in 2011, and in 2012 the Ffresh Festival will come to Newport.

Below is the full list of Newport winners and the judges comments:

Factual

Tough Guy 453
James Birkett, Michael Howard & Laurence Cameron
IFSW, University of Wales, Newport/ YFfRC, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd

Tough Guy get their award

The story behind the UK Tough Guy competition – Billed as the most physically challenging, mentally demanding, fear inducing ordeals in the world.  This film follows the four time runner-up James Appleton, who dreams of one day being crowned “Tough Guy Supreme”

“Unusual and compelling characters on a fantastic, intoxicating journey; I was hooked the whole way! The film was tongue in cheek, with twists and turns, and just the right amount of melodrama. The key to a great factual documentary is to draw in the viewer from the start – and then keep them! It was a documentary that got to the very essence of the “macho” man. It was filmic – think Rob Roy, mixed with Riefenstahl’s Olympia, and Rocky! It was beautifully shot with energy, style and humour – perfectly complimented with the music. Technically, the sound and editing was head and shoulders above the rest. It unfolded brilliantly and the structure was spot on. This film was slick and unabashed. I was drawn into the chaos and tension. The juxtaposition between the main character and event he was taking part in, was captivating. I was swept along by the mix of beautiful stylized shots and frenetic actuality. It left me eager for next year’s event.  A Boy’s Own fantasy for the 21st century!”

Fiction Postgraduate

Birthday
Nicolas Booth & Cyrus Mirza’Shara
IFSW, University of Wales, Newport/ YFfRC, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd

Mary celebrates her twentieth birthday with Leonard, a middle-aged professional in their small suburban home.  However, Mary is determined this will be the last day of her captivity as she dreams of a gruesome escape from her keeper of ten years.

"Dark and mysterious, with a gripping tense tone, 'Birthday' uses sound design and frame composition effectively. Director Nicolas Booth is a talent to watch."

Royal Television Society – Best Factual Film

Letters to Angola: an unlikely friendship
Joseph Sharp & Lauren Muchan
IFSW, University of Wales, Newport/ YFfRC, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd

A documentary story of an unlikely friendship between a young British girl and a Southern American Black Panther, who has been incarcerated in solitary confinement in Angola Prison Louisiana, for 37 years.

“It was a film that kept the viewer thinking long after it had finished. It was slick, beautifully filmed and edited, and fantastically inventive. The music was subtle and compelling It didn’t stray into drama and was effortlessly thought-provoking. Curious, poetic and unique.”

Music Media and Best In Festival

Moments
Luc Bartlett
IFSW, University of Wales, Newport/ YFfRC, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd

A young girls naivety changes into an overwhelming self awareness when the unforgiving outside world starts to invade her private space.

“We appreciated the range of ideas in this accomplished piece and it's always refreshing to see a reliance on in-camera tricks and atmospheric lighting.”

TV

Newport Speedway
David Brittain and Victor Ortega
IFSW, University of Wales, Newport/ YFfRC, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd

victor Ortega collects Newport Speedway
Victor Ortega collects the award for Newport Speedway

We travel down to Newport Speedway for a day at the races, the sounds, smells, thrills and spills of the Newport Wasps vs The King Lynne Stars for the final of the premier trophy.

“A dynamic and vibrant documentary that brought the energy and colour of Speedway to the screen, and showed a professional flair for storytelling. An intriguing documentary that found fascinating subjects, and went to some lengths to get inside their world.”

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New images inside the City Campus

The Hothouse - taken 24 Feb 2010

The Hothouse - taken 24 Feb 2010

The Roof - taken 24 Feb 2010

The Roof - taken 24 Feb 2010

The Roof - taken 24 Feb 2010

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Design To The fore: Lyle and Scott visit Fashion Design

With the 2010 Ryder Cup taking place in Newport South Wales, the BA (Hons) Fashion Design students at the University of Wales, Newport have been set a brief, to produce contemporary golf wear collections. The students‚ challenge is fashioning the future of golf wear for the new age golf consumer.

As part of the University of Wales, Newport graduate business programme the students will be judged at an awards event in May 2010, for the best company concept for future golf wear. Sponsors for the project are Lyle and Scott. Andrew Neale the Golf Wear designer for Lyle and Scott spent the day with the students in the fashion workshops.

The new Golf wear collections will be highlighted at a promotional fashion show event planned to coincide with the Celtic Manor Ryder Cup event. World media and press will be covering the event in Wales so the students hope to produce innovative exciting new golf wear to draw the press and media attention.

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Donovan Wylie in conversation with Russell Roberts, Reader in Photography

Artists Talk at The Photographers Gallery

Donovan Wylie

13 April 2010 19:00


Donovan Wylie in conversation with Russell Roberts, Reader in Photography, University of Wales, Newport. http://www.photonet.org.uk/index.php?pvid=1148

Donovan Wylie (b.1971, UK) is nominated for for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2010 for his exhibition MAZE 2007/8 at Belfast Exposed
(27 March – 1 May 09).

Born and raised in Belfast, much of Wylie’s work is concerned with post-conflict Northern Ireland, exploring notions of identity, history and territory in series such as British Watch Towers (2007) and The Maze (2003 – 2007).

Wylie systematically documented the fabric and physical structure of the eponymous Maze Prison –which became a symbol for the conflict between loyalists and nationalists – and its subsequent demolition. The project is presented in coolly detached images which lay bare the architecture and instruments of power.

Tickets £5.00/ £3.50 concessions.

To book call 0845 262 1618.

16 -18 Ramillies St
London
W1F 7LW

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