well, that's all folks for another year... :( it's sad but we will all be having a good rest after straining our eyes with all those films! The closing gala saw BAFTA shorts hit the big screen but, even more exciting, all the workshop footage and animations that the young people created showcased! And what a fine collection of plasticine it was! The jury results were also announced, with the winner of the older jury being 'Starring Maja' and the younger jury choosing 'Orps The Movie' as their top film. Check out our website in the next few days to see which film won your audience vote as the best film!

It's been an amazing few weeks and we've had some great chances to meet people from the industry (producers from Japan, a director from India and some of the Harry Potter cast to name a few) which has given everyone an idea of what it takes to make the finished product which we see in cinemas.
A big thanks to Hyde Park Picture House for letting us use the best independent cinema in Leeds as our venue and Martin, Debbie, Rose and Lucy who organised the festival!

And it's over and out until next Easter... peacex

The festival is now in full swing... it started with a blast, a sell-out opening gala with the author of 'How to Train your Dragon' introducing the film. It was a bit hectic but the fish were prepared! Some people said it was their best ever cinema experience ever! The workshops are also on the go and are, as always, very popular. I;ve just been on the young reporters workshop where we got the chance to interview festival directors and young people about their festival experiences. (But this is not exclusively a festival thing; visit lslive.co.uk to find out how you can get involved in other projects they are running).
Very exciting however was the networking event this morning which took place at Hyde Park Cinema. Young people form 'Future Film' in London and the director of the young people's film festival in Dundee called 'Discovery' also came. We shared our experiences of running film festivals and are planning to develop a working network of young people who are involved in these types of projects or want to get their films into other festivals. Although it's on;y at the facebook page, we are planning to meet again in August and set up a website, as well as spread the word to other young people about our idea and organise quarterly meetings ... it's all go go go and looking up for young people's place in the film industry!

A last word... I'm, setting off to see Chocolate Underground and meet the producers who have come all the way from Tokyo!

peacex

long time no speak and toooo much travelling (5am start - mini-bus/aeroplane/train over the sea/taxi...ah!) It's almost a week since we've all been back to reality, landing on British soil with a bump (4 essays and a festival to organise). Bu we had an amazing time, roaming the streets of Malmo, Sweden in search of films (we saw over 7 in 3 days!) and reveling in the presence of industry professionals and another culture. It was all very insightful. The highlight for me (as well as others I'm sure) was 'Mary and Max', a surprisingly adult and hilarious animation tackling such issues as loneliness, friendship, the art of coincidence and mental illness. It will be coming out on general release so I won't reveal too much more... just see it!
Another benefit of our trip was the that shoal is now much closer after spending 4 days in each others company... and hopefully was can bring new ideas and a fresh outlook to our festival after seeing how another one works...

But for now, it's back to business as usually (well a little more stressful) as we have only 4 days to go until the festival... peacex

OMG!!! i love orange Wednesdays!!! I went to see The Lovely Bones last night (on a full stomach, thanks to pizza express 2-4-1). I have to say, it's the best film I've seen in a looooong time. The acting was spot on. I actually love Saoirse Ronan, she has certainly grown up since Atonement. Surprisingly, I would say this is a film you HAVE to see on the big screen for the visual effects of the 'purgatory' which Susie Salmon (a young girl who is visually murdered by a neighbour) becomes trapped in before she can reach her heaven. The title is a little philosophical in the sense that, by the end and from beyond the grave, Susie has surrounded the people she loves with the essence of her 'lovely bones'.
Just see it, I can't stop thinking about it. Fine, I'll admit it, I even cried at it.
The story has affected me so much that I'm off to buy the book right now ... peace x

this week.... hum. well we didn't do all that much because the festival office is so busy confiming films/finishing brochures/ doing all kinds of official, confusing stuff which we try and steer clear of :s
we did go through some designs and talk more about Buff! but thats old new now... but if there's any new, i'll keep you posted!

Ok I'm going to give this blogging thing a go! Another week closer to visiting the Buff Film Festival I cannot wait! We were minus a few fish this week as it was the holidays but some of the shoal were present, the ones that had nothing better to do :). We looked at more options for the brochure background, a watery one and a starry sky a few of us were unsure about them but the others can pass their judgement next week! We also started the dreaded task of writing one liners for the brochure (saying what we thought of the films in one sentence). I found this more than tricky realising I have an obsession with describing the 'journey' a character goes on in a film! Oh dear I think it's safe to say I have not yet mastered film criticism or blogging but I shall try! And the new websites coming along a treat, the animations working, thanks to the help from one of our new skilled fish. Hopefully it will be up and running very soon! So till next time bye! A x

Here's an update from the last meeting...
basically, we talked about London some more... looked at revised design for the fest brouchure and filalised some exciting events. We have now confirmed that there will be a Harry Potter day at the fest!!!! so get out your broomsticks and join us to see the first 4 films on the big screen once again :) also we're having an environment day, with eco-stalls and ways you can get yourself involved in the saving of our planet. This day will include a guest appearence from the council's environment mascott; THERMO... a real life superhero! unmissable.
One exciting opportunity whuich came out of the meeting was a visit from LSLive. This is an opportunity for us, and any young people, to get involved in becoming a young reporter, reporting on event in Leeds, gaining experience with a camera and building up skills for the future. If your interested, anyone can sign up so visit www.radiowaves.co.uk/lslive to get involved!
peace x

MediaFish at the BFI

We had a great time on Friday at the BFI in London - check out the slideshow to see what we got up to.

LONDON BABY! Just got back from the big city and I miss it already! Why is everything so much smaller and seemingly boring here compared to London (even though, in reality, its pretty much the same brand of coffee or film wherever you drink or watch it)...

We started by visiting the BFI (British Film Institute). It's a huge glassy (made of glass and classy :s) building which backs onto the river and, as art and nature should go hand in hand, this pleased me. Inside (besides a big open space in the middle) was a rather bohemian yet sophisticated cafe/restaurant/bar with lots of arty people going about their arty business, there was a gallery space which was pretty cool, collar berating film with other art forms, and some screening rooms. Interestingly, there was a also a media room which was filled with plasma screens and, amazingly, anyone can go in and watch films for free if they are stored in the BFI's archives... now that's something to remember!

At present, the building is hosting the 'Future Film Festival', which is 'For 13-25 year olds who love film'. We took full advantage of this, splitting our separate ways, to check out some of the different events.

We witnessed 'Total Storytelling' which involved looking at how to make audio description, this is audio commentary of the film for the blind. This gave and insight into a section of the industry you might not always be aware of...
We also saw some short films. Two of the best consisted of a documentary about children's relationships with their parent; asking questions like 'what superpower would you give them' and a film looking at a set of allotments which has been paved over to make way for an Olympic building in Britain. This documented the negative impact on residents lives and community which was centred amoung their garden space.
Finally... I witnessed a masterclass into the criteria for programming films for festivals which gave me some good tips for this Leeds Young People's festival ....

How we managed to fit all that into a day (plus 2 train journeys and 4 tubes) I don't know... but I do know that I can now hardly keep my eyes open ... still, I think it's time to go and watch a film. Over and out.

MEETING

just had our next meeting and things are hotting up as it get closer and closer to the festival... we're still tweeking the brochure design but it looks set to be more colourful than ever this year!! more talk on possible films to programme... as if we don't do enough talking about films anyway. we also talked all things INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL (what we think of the marketing and general views on the fest in november), quite exciting to be involved in the grown-up version!!

and finallyy.... our trip! mediafish has been invited to attend a networking event held by the bfi in L.O.N.D.O.N!! we'll be meeting lots of other groups like ourselves and seeing what goes on in the world of professionalism (workshops and screenings by the BFI will be put on to give us a taster)so it should be a great chance for the fish to go out into the deep ocean and see who we meet :)...

went to see the new film BROTHERS this week, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Toby Maguire aka mr spiderman himself... but it was a bit more serious than webs and comic books... the basic plot is a love story betwwen two brothers and a woman (played by Natalie Portman)The brother married to her goes to fight in Afganistan whilst she falls for his brother... its a little ,more complex and serious than that but i won't give too much away!! go and see it, its definately worth an orange wednesday...

थिस वीक!!

with this weeks meeting over, we've looked through some possible designs for the festival brochure and viewed some more creeepy films (one starring a baby with wings :s!!) we're also revaping our website, adding reviews and updating our information. now you can see trailers and videos of our past workshops in the run up to this years stuff...
we're moving forward with out trip to Buff! film festival and looking ahead to this weeks meeting to complete our exciting volunteer award... busy busy busy!!