creativity through photography - film and new technology
 

THE NEW STONE AGE ON THE MENDIP HILLS

 

Commissioned by Mendip AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), this project is a photographic investigation of dry stone walls, in minute detail, across the Mendip Hills. Participants from Priddy School and Fairlands School used digital cameras, video cameras and computers to create some of the strangely beautiful images you see here By making photographs of isolated details, in extreme close up, the image-maker can create wonderful compositions of abstract shapes, textures and shadows. Using new technology, the artist can manipulate and enhance their pictures. This is exactly what the participants on this project did, the resulting images challenge the viewers sense of scale and cast a new light on the boundaries.

Images created by the participants were transformed into beautiful large PVC banners. The banners were exhibited upon the outside of the Charterhouse building, where the AONB is situated, for a celebration day in September 2007. Despite the Autumnal weather, the show was enjoyed by all visitors.
In addition to creating some fantastic photographic images the group wrote and recorded poetry inspired by the hills. They also created a hypnotic kaleidoscopic animation. Click the link below.

Groups of young people from Somerset have just completed five amazing short films. The participants have been involved in all aspects of the film making process, from story boarding to script writing, from camera operating to post production. The groups are: Young Carers from West Somerset, Young Mums from Glastonbury, the Care Leaver Group from Yeovil, Hillmead Kidz Club and Project PETE.

This project has been delivered by foreground with coordination from Take Art, a Somerset based arts development agency. The main funders of this project are First Light Movies, Somerset County Council and Connexions Somerset.

TAKE 5 MOVIES
All five films were celebrated in style. Stretch limo's and red carpets were the order of the day for the high profile gala event at the Brewhouse Theatre and Arts Centre in Taunton. Each film received a rapturous round of applause from an audience of over 250 young people and dignitaries.

Click the 'BABY'S RIGHT' link to see movies by young mums

One chapter, entitled 'The Bus Journey,' has lead to the launch of a career in entertainment for two of Glastonbury's newest and youngest actors. Courtney, 15-months, and Josh, 12-months-old, made their debut appearance at the Gala event. Their story tells the tale of a couple of mums who need to use their magic powers to remove an ignorant man from the bus.

Other scenarios include: my baby's first footsteps, my baby's first dance, my baby's first hair cut and the cafe incident!


Whilst the babies are undoubtedly the stars of the show, their mums had an even bigger part to play. Both on-set and off, mums helped make the film, from concept to completion.

The group from Shepton Mallet created a spooky film entitled 'THE PARCEL.' A core group of 20 young people created the film, some as young as 6 years old.

Cameron Edwards stars as the mysterious parcel bearer, with leading lady Charlotte Lintern as the unsuspecting host who receives it and wonders, should she dare open it?

Cllr Pauline Clarke, Somerset County Council's Portfolio Holder for Strategic Children's Services, said:

"This is a wonderful initiative, made possible by excellent partnership working, which has secured funding from First Light, a UK Film Council initiative supported by the Lottery. The project has given this group of young people a fantastic opportunity to put their creativity and energy into something completely different and have fun whilst learning new skills. I look forward to seeing the film and meeting its young creators at the premiere."

Partners involved in this specific film project include: Take Art, First Light, Somerset County Council, Mendip Housing, The Five Estates Community Group and Hillmead Kidz Club.

WELCOME TO SOMERSET

Somerset Early Year Development and Childcare Partnership has commissioned Richt to produce a film that illustrates the rights and responsibilities of families living in, or moving to, Somerset. The film is translated into nine languages including British Sign Language (BSL).
The film features footage made at childcare settings across the County and interviews with Childcare professionals.


This project is delivered and coordinated by foreground. The film has been translated into BSL, Portuguese, Polish, Mandarin, Bengali, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Tagalog and Lithuanian.
To find out more about translations and view BSL film click this link.

Young people from across Glastonbury and Street have come together over the summer holiday period to work on some fantastic new animations. Non of this group had done much previous animation project work before but they have already created some amazing characters and storylines. The group were involved in all aspects of the creative process including: script writing and storyboard writing, designing characters and environments, recording voiceover's and operating computer animation applications.

CLICK ON A LINK TO SEE A SERIOUSLY FUNNY 90 SECOND ANIMATION
SOMERSET RURAL YOUTH PROJECT

Somerset Rural Youth Project (SRYP) is ten years old and to celebrate they commissioned a short film that takes a look at their achievements and aspirations. After an initial period of consultation with SRYP staff the decision was made that the film should reflect the ideas devised when SRYP was first proposed back in 1997. One of these ideas was that SRYP are a kind of task force, a bit like ‘The Thunderbirds,’ who bravely go about setting up innovative youth projects with rurally isolated communities.
Over a six-month period foreground worked with the organisations staff, business partners, board members and young people to create the 20-minute film ‘10 Years and Beyond.’ The film opens with an animated sequence featuring the SRYP reconnaissance team on a mission to interview people involved in SRYP operations. The film then takes the viewer on a journey that illustrates all kinds of SRYP projects that have taken place over the past ten years and hints at exciting ideas for the organisations future.

click this link to see the opening animation of 10 Years and Beyond!
This project was delivered and coordinated by Richt, animation artwork designed by a local illustrator, Georgi Taylor Wills, working with Richt. Score by Mickey Wills.
The moment the SRYP LAND-AIR TRANSPORTATION system launches.
The film features young people working on a range of projects at locations across rural Somerset

an Intergenerational Digital Arts Project for Glastonbury

This project has provided an opportunity for over 200 people to take part in digital arts activities. Since the project began participants of all ages have explored the creative potential of digital photography, video and new technology. Participants have created a range of artworks that explore many different themes. Children as young as three years old have created wonderful illustrations of their school using digital cameras, whilst members of the University of the third age (U3A) have created photomontages designed to challenge the stereotypes associated with older people. Some artwork explores deeply personal issues, for example, mothers from Sure Start have created thought provoking images that explore childhood memories. Some of the groups have created time based artwork, for example, pupils from Saint Benedict's school have made a fantastic animation that explores their hopes and ambitions for their future. Some artwork, such as the skate boarding images made by young Glastonbury skaters, has found a permanent exhibition space in the town.

This project was delivered by Richt, coordinated by Take Art and funded through Glastonbury Single Regeneration Budget.

Glastonbury Mums group worked with Richt to create a series of beautiful triptychs. They started by making studio lit photographs of their children. Either side of this picture they placed bits and pieces from their own childhood. The results are really stunning. A number of these images have been framed and are on permanent display at Glastonbury Children's Centre.

Project delivered by foreground, coordination Take Art.

RESPECT

The Teenage Prevention Strategy identified a need to develop a set of core standards and values for young people's health clinics with an aim of making those services more young people friendly. Working with foreground, young people from Robert Blake School Bridgwater, health professionals and the teenage pregnancy coordinator created the 'RESPECT' name and badge. Young people identified by the Youth Service and by Barnardo's worked with foreground to consult with young people to design a set of resources describing the 'RESPECT' project, these include posters, leaflets and CD-ROMS.  A Respect project worker is currently working with a range of partners to assess and contraceptive and sexual health and young people's health clinics across Somerset awarding settings with either a gold, silver or bronze RESPECT award.

This project was delivered and coordinated by Richt.
Based on the success of the 'RESPECT' project, Plymouth PCT initiated a similar project. Foreground spent time with young people from the city to help them develop the 'SAFE' badge.

BRIDGING THE GAP - projects 1,2 & 3

These projects were designed to provide a creative opportunity for young people from West Somerset to communicate and interact with their wider community. Over three large scale projects foreground worked with young people from across the district, in both rurally isolated communities and in the coastal towns. Participants created clay model animations, amazing manipulated photographic images and short films.

GAP 3 culminated in the film 'STIGGY IN THE MIDDLE' about a ruthless bunch of bullies who terrorise the town of Williton. The heroin of the piece finds her own way of defeating them.

Bridging the Gap projects were delivered by Richt, projects were coordinated by ARTlife, a West Somerset arts development agency.

Williton is one of the larger communities of West Somerset and on the main route through to Minehead. Young people from Williton had commented in previous projects that there is a general lack of facilities and opportunities for teenagers. However, these are not the kind of young people to do nothing about their lack of resources. With help from Somerset County Youth Service they set up Williton Youth Action Group and secured a building in which they could meet twice a week. The venue is not much, a small building on the edge of Williton recreation ground, but it’s theirs. It is in this building the group produced the fantastic film ‘Stiggy In The Middle.’

The title ‘Stiggy in the Middle’ is a cross between the old saying ‘piggy in the middle’ and a local insult used by bullies ‘you STIG!"

Over a nine month period 25 young people met to create their film. The group started by creating a story board. There was no necessity to explore a specific issue, nevertheless the group decided to make a film about bullying. The film tells the story of a young woman who is bullied by her peers and who finds herself with a mysterious guardian angel.

Whilst developing the story this inspired group came up with many fantastic ideas. After creating literally hundreds of drawings the group finally got their hands on some video equipment. After some initial screen tests each participant found their role within the project. Some individuals were very keen to feature in the film, others preferred operating camera equipment and directing behind the scenes.

The project was celebrated at the end in a stretch limo premier at the local community hall.

HEALTH

Over the past few years Richt has delivered a number of health related arts projects working with Somerset County Council, Connexions, Somerset County Youth Service, Barnardo's and a number of other agencies. These projects have culminated in animations, films, posters, magazines, leaflets and CD-ROMS. Though in most cases these projects have been focused on the production of a tangible output, they have also involved elements of participation.
Participants have used these opportunities to raise important issues and create some fantastic resources.

The selection of posters featured here were created by young men who were given the task of designing posters that raised an awareness of health issues. The participants had many great ideas and some were developed into poster designs. These posters have been distributed to venues across the county including schools, colleges, youth centres, pubs and health clinics.
The participants worked as a group to devise the concept for each poster. They created the photographic images, graphics and wrote the statements featured on each poster. The group were keen to create images that challenged stereotypes associated with young men.
These projects were delivered and coordinated by foreground, additional coordination  by Somerset County Council Boys and Young Men’s Development Worker as part of the Teenage Pregnancy Stategy.
A DADS POINT OF VIEW
PHOTOGRAPHS & WORDS BY SOMERSET DADS

These photographs are part of a selection of pictures made by young dads working with foreground. The full selection of images was printed into the book 'A DADS POINT OF VIEW.' The project was funded by Somerset Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board.

Project delivered and coordinated by Richt.

"It used to try my partners patience because I couldn’t get up in the night to see to him. Now he’s getting heavier I can do the carrying and pushing the buggy up the hill. My partner carried him for nine months, I can carry him for the next 18 years." project participant
Young people worked with Richt to create a vibrant and informative youth magazine. This project, developed by the County’s Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator, gave young people an opportunity to create photographs, illustrate a cartoon, and work on desktop publishing. The magazine is packed with useful information for young people.

HEALTH PROJECTS
Over the past few year Richt has worked with Somerset Health Authority on a range of projects including an animation about the fears young people have when visiting a GP surgery and the RESPECT project (featured on the 'production' page). LINK One project involved young people in the production of a series of postcards promoting healthy life styles, specifically around the issue of smoking.

Richt has worked with South Somerset Mind to create a film that gives an insight into the issue of personality disorder. The project was an opportunity to reflect distressing and difficult themes through creative use of film, photography and spoken word.

SSDC
ARTWORK FOR STREET SUBWAY

Young people from Street worked with Richt to create some fantastic permanent artwork for their subway. The participants started by taking photographs of their local environment and community. They then use some clever computer software, marker pens, big roles of paper and a lot of patience to complete their designs. These designs were then put onto a special computer linked to a water cutting device. The final artwork takes the shape of 12 large scale stainless steel panels. One passer by, on seeing the completed installation, said,

"I didn't recognised the place, its like being at the South Bank in London."

Project delivered and coordinated by foreground.

PUBLIC ARTWORK FOR HILLMEAD ESTATE

Young people from the Hillmead estate in Shepton Mallet have used computers, cameras and lots and lots of imagination to create this fantastic piece of public art. The group made literally hundreds of photographs and with them they created a plan view of their estate. They then got to work on using computers to create brightly coloured cartoon images for the map. The final artwork takes the shape of a 12' x 10' panel secured to the wall of their community centre.

Project delivered by Richt, coordinated by Take Art.

PUBLIC ARTWORK FOR YEOVIL SUBWAY
Young people from Yeovil worked with Richt to add a splash of colour to their town centre subway. Using cameras and computers and tons of imagination the participants created over 40 panels representing urban and rural South Somerset. Each piece fits together, a bit like a jigsaw. The entire artwork runs the length of each wall in the subway, transforming it from a place you merely walk through to a place where you behold great artwork!

Project delivered and coordinated by Richt.

This project also received funding from Rainer, Mendip and South Somerset Community Partnership and Somerset Crimebeat

WORKING WITH EARLY YEARS

Over a four year period Richt has worked with playgroups across Somerset as part of the 'Take Part' scheme managed by Take Art. Under 5's have created short films, animations and colourful posters. The participants have used these opportunities to really let their imaginations fly. Within films participants have become dinosaurs, monsters, fire fighters, astronauts, aliens, kings, queens, princesses, and in doing so have laughed their socks off.

Young children can participate in all aspects of the film making process. This process can really help children get to grips with story telling and narrative construction. ENJOYING and ACHIEVING

GALLERY 8

The Gallery 8 project gave 8 community groups from rurally isolated communities in West Somerset a chance to put their mark on the map. Over a one year period groups created all kinds of wonderful artworks using computers and cameras. The groups even dusted off the old darkroom equipment and set up temporary darkrooms. The work is intriguing, amusing, thought provoking and a little contentious and gives a real feel of the current concerns of young people in the district. The project was totally portable, which meant the project could go to the places the participants live and meet.

The artwork produced by the participants was brought together in a CD-ROM and distributed throughout the county.

This project was delivered by Richt and coordinated by ARTlife
 

© 2008 RICHT

Richard Tomlinson is Associate Artist with Take Art Ltd, a Somerset based Arts Development Agency