Police and Crime Commissioner invests in film makers of the future
Children from Blaenau Gwent are working with an award-winning media company to create a series of short films, thanks to funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent.
The children are working with Tredegar-based Cymru Creations to create films based on experiences from their own lives and have chosen to focus on topics such as dangerous driving, anti-social behaviour and hate crime.
They will be responsible for every part of the process, from developing the stories, writing the scripts, acting, filming and editing.
At the end of the project, they will receive a level one and two NVQ in film-making, and the films will be entered for an Arts Award at Trinity College London, which is seen as the equivalent to a GCSE.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, said: “I am delighted to have been able to fund this project.
“As well as encouraging the young people to explore serious issues such as crime and anti-social behaviour through the film making process, we are also giving them a fantastic opportunity to learn and develop skills that will benefit them in the future when they are looking for work.
“It is also giving young people something positive to channel their energy into, helping to keep them away from potentially becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour.”
Kevin Phillips, of Cymru Creations, said: “Film courses like this are usually extremely expensive, so this funding is giving these young people an opportunity that they almost certainly wouldn’t have had otherwise.
“They are all working incredibly hard, making new friends and learning new skills, and it is a fantastic to watch them develop and grow as individuals and as a team as the weeks progress.”
Tre Summers has been working with Cymru Creations since the project launched in January. He said: “I come every week and really enjoy it. If I wasn’t doing this I would just be watching TV, and I like the fact that I get to do a bit of everything like acting and camera work.”
For details on funding available from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office, visit www.gwent.pcc.police.uk