Local students film shown at Filmworks Manchester

Date published: 09/11/2005

A short film created by 21 young people from 4 Rochdale schools was shown on the big screen at the Filmworks in Manchester last Sunday.

21 Year 9 students from Spring Hill High School, Falinge Park High School, Oulder Hill High School and Matthew Moss High School took part in the 3 day project which was delivered by RYG (Reach Your Goal) and funded by Rochdale Aim Higher.

RYG, which is a local based youth project working in 7 schools across the region, linked up the Year 9 students with tutors and students from Hopwood Hall College as well as professionals working in our local community.  The aim was to create a film which highlights the many vocational opportunities available to young people as they leave school.

During the 3 day project the young people spent a day with media and drama workers learning the tricks of the trade including filming, interviewing and presenting to camera.  This was followed with a full day of filming with staff and students at Hopwood Hall College and out and about in the local community.

Support from the local community came from Rochdale Football Club, Norton Grange Hotel, Hillside Graphics, Dreamscope Productions, Supertots Nursery, Map Hair Company, Sysop and Rochdale Fire Station.

The final stage was the editing and creating the film.  You can see what else our young people get up to by visiting www.reachyourgoal.co.uk

John Shepperd from RYG said, “RYG is about linking young people and the wider community together in new and exciting ways. This is a good example of what can be achieved with this kind of partnership.  It says a great deal about all the young people involved when many of the businesses and organisations that we worked with in this project want to work with us again on further projects.”

Rebecca Fitton, Teaching Assistant at Spring Hill High School said, “This was a fantastic opportunity to work with other schools as well as local businesses, showing the young people how to get into their dream job through the creative medium of film”

Idris Gulfraz, Year 10, Spring Hill High School said, “It was a great opportunity to meet and work with students from other schools and a great experience to make our own film”