At London Film School we are dedicated to the development of the next generation of filmmakers – our Outreach department ensures that this is not restricted to post-graduates looking to take on their next big challenge with our master’s degrees. Outreach works with local youths to nurture their creative abilities and introduce them to the world of filmmaking and storytelling.
Running from October to June, young people from Camden are immersed in workshops they have co-created with us through their school. They tell us what they want to learn and we deliver! Continue reading to learn about the latest workshops we have held with Camden’s local youths. We’re currently piloting free taster workshops with youth groups and community centres across the local area, be sure to get in touch with our Outreach Manager, Charlotte Bill to get involved.
Not everything needs to be perfect.Student | Dragon Hall
Autumn
The Living Centre | Holborn Library | Camden Detached Youth Team
The Living Centre team asked us to run an intergenerational workshop on the theme of ‘Climate Change and Heat’ as part of Cop26. We ran drama, documentary and animation workshops with a film made in each category. Participants chose which group to join and worked together to complete the project. It was a fun event with an age range of 8 – 80, families and individuals worked together.
At Holborn Library, we worked on an animation project with the theme of ‘Our London’. The group observed people as they travelled around the city or watched from their kitchen windows – with a focus on arriving, living and passing through London. They drew and then animated their ideas creating a story together using stop motion animation with cut out coloured card and pens. In the film someone is waving from a London bus, the London Eye comes loose and splashes into the Thames, multicoloured rain falls on an umbrella and a fox watches someone dunking a biscuit into a cup of tea.
Camden Detached Youth Team asked us to work with a Girls Group who wanted to create a short film about gangs and bullying set in a school. They wanted the film to be kept offline but shown to their teachers. The film was tough and gritty, the girls felt it was true to their experiences.
I loved that we got to explore every area of filmmaking, even working with actors, which was a field I hadn’t explored at all even though I study media and I found it very useful. I loved that we got to make our own films all the way through. It was an amazing opportunity.Student | Saturday Course
Spring
Dragon Hall Community Centre | Coram’s Fields Youth Centre | Somers Town Community Centre
Dragon Hall Community Centre asked us to help them create a mockumentary about looking for the dragon of Dragon Hall. It was a lovely project with the 10-year-olds throwing themselves fully into the creative opportunities. The children developed the story together and took on all the technical roles of camera and sound. They worked hard at performing their scenes and enjoyed the process. The children loved seeing the film on the big screen and were incredibly proud of what they created. We also had some brilliant youth workers from Dragon Hall who supported the young people throughout.
Coram’s Fields Youth Group had been recording music, working closely with the musician at the centre. We worked with them to make music videos. The creativity and performance of the young people was truly impressive. They worked well through the winter on the shoots.
Somers Town Community Centre asked us to work with their SEND group, with a theme of safety. The SEND group had been learning about how to stay safe in their local neighbourhood. This included learning how to travel independently and how to make good decisions about where to go. They were able to tell us about places that felt safe and what to do if someone asks you to go somewhere you don’t feel safe.
We worked with them to create a film that showed what they had learnt. The Community Centre staff were very supportive; it was good to see the warm inclusive atmosphere they had created there. It was a great project with a huge amount of goodwill from the young men.
Thank you so much for all the work that has gone into this project. It is great to see what our young people have achieved and the finished outcome.Somers Town Youth Group
Summer
Living Centre Coffee Morning Group | Camden Detached Youth Team
The Living Centre Coffee Morning Group wanted to explore themes of women empowering women. During the animation sessions this theme moved into nature and nurture explorations. The women worked together to create a beautiful animation and soundtrack showing plants growing, women working together and responding to the world around them.
Camden Detached Youth Team introduced us to a group of young people who are missing school for a variety of reasons, such as neurodiversity and other issues. Together we are creating a drama about young people exploiting each other, working title: The Party – this is an ongoing project.
The Saturday Advanced Course is for young people who show interest and aptitude, recommended by their community centres and schools. Aged 14-18, students learn advanced filmmaking skills here at London Film School to help them create work for their portfolios to aid with their further education.
