08/12/2011

TV Producers' Masterclass Boosts Univeristy

TV drama producers are to share their knowledge in Northern Ireland next week with the Misfits creators holding a masterclass with young filmmakers.

It is a major coup for the University of Ulster's School of Media, Film and Journalism as it shows the high regard in which the School is held by masterclass organisers, 'Film Nation: Shorts' - a project funded by the London Organisation Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

The creators behind two of the most talked about television dramas in recent years are to deliver their filmmaking masterclass at the University of Ulster's Coleraine campus next Monday, (12th).

Writer/directors Alex Garcia and Wayne Yip, the team behind the BAFTA award winning E4 series, Misfits and ITV's Secret Diary of a Call Girl, will share their skills and take part in a Q&A with up to 200 young people during a Film Nation: Shorts Filmmaker Masterclass at the University.

The event, chaired by Michelle Eastwood (Producer at 104 Films and Escape Films) is free, open to anyone between the ages of 19 - 25 and takes place between 11.15am and 1.05pm in the campus's Barmouth (Room E102).

Along with Film Nation: Shorts it is running in partnership with Panasonic, and includes a filmmaking competition offering everyone who enters the chance to have their work shown around the UK. Winning films will be screened in front of the crowds in venues during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012.

The Shorts project is one of the major Cultural Olympiad initiatives and will introduce young people to film making and support them in developing filmmaking skills.

University of Ulster lecturer, Jim Curran said: "The School of Media, Film & Journalism at Coleraine is absolutely thrilled that the Film Nation competition organisers have selected the University of Ulster's Skillset-approved Media Studies and Production undergraduate course as a venue for one of their UK-wide masterclasses.

"These masterclasses are aimed at encouraging students and young people to enter the Film Nation: Shorts competition 2012, which is a fantastic platform for our students to show off their media skills.

Places can be booked online at: Masterclass

(BMcC/GK)

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