Tom reflects on the St.Giles Hopsice project

Progression Over The Weeks

In week one and two, we introduced ourselves to each other and did some ice-breaker games to get to know each other and become more comfortable with each other. On week three, we made the decision to go with Catcher Media for our filming company and so far I personally have had no regrets! during this week we did some workshop activities to get a taste of their profession. On week four, we decided our style of presentation for the project which went well, we latched to the phrase “we’re all here for the same reason.”

on week five, we were introduced to Therese. She came out as an outgoing and cheerful lady who was very creative with the ideas that came to mind. We decided to go with a mask style with meaning behind it to help with our presentation. On week six, which was last week, we were deciding our name and logo, which, in the end, an idea cropped up of a name called Look After, and a logo of a bridge, again, with deep meaning behind it. All in all, I’ve enjoyed every session I’ve had here, and look forward it every session to come! – Tom

Glen’s first post

Hi. I’m Glen Buglass and I’m one of the professional team that has brought the various components of the project together. I will  be helping out with the project and looking after the Arts Award components and am always available if you want to talk. My email is buglassg@Walsall.gov.uk.

G xxxxx

Catcher Media scoops top UK sexual health award

Catcher Media won a national award presented by top comic, novelist and actor Jenny Eclair at a glittering ceremony in central London on March 14^th 2014.

They won the Pamela Sheridan Sex and Relationships Education Award at the UK Sexual Health Awards 2014 for a website called www.easysre.net. The website contains eight films and additional teaching resources to help educators teach young people about sex and relationships education (SRE).

“It’s great to see a company from Herefordshire being recognised nationally. The website is the culmination of a 9-year partnership with the NHS and Walsall Council, and we are especially proud that the website and the films we made are really making a real difference to young people’s lives,” adds Rick.

The website is available to use by teachers and health workers throughout the UK, and covers a wide range of subjects from growing up and puberty, sexual health and relationships, tips for parents, to domestic abuse and mental health.

“What makes the website special is that young people are at the heart of all of the films and resources. They act in them and come up with strong ideas, and we all work really hard to make them relevant to other young people – and not boring or patronising,” says Rick Goldsmith, co-director of Catcher Media, “and the other thing that makes it special is the strength of the collaboration. We work closely with Walsall Council and NHS Walsall to deliver great projects, and we do this by mixing the creative talents of writer, actor and playwright Therese Collins; the cinematography and editing of Neil Oseman, the design of Innes Jones, the sound recording and music of Ian Preece, and last but by no means least, Julia Goldsmith in her role as producer, herds these creative kittens to bring projects in on-time and on-schedule.”

The judges of the award were particularly impressed with the collaborative nature of the project which was centred on young people’s needs, and the overall effect there had been on a reduction in teenage pregnancy rates in the target area of Walsall.

“Some of these subjects can be difficult for teachers to discuss so every film and lesson plan is there to help them deal with SRE in a confident, accessible and friendly way,” says Julia Goldsmith of Catcher Media, “and it’s more important than ever that this subject is talked about calmly and clearly in the context of healthy relationships, with young people having so much exposure to sexual content in the media.”

Showcasing the best creative and innovative work, the UK Sexual Health Awards is the only event of its kind to celebrate achievements in the exciting and influential field of sexual health.

Also picking up awards were Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who was named Parliamentarian of the Year, journalist Louise Tickle for a story about sexual abuse in schools featured in Guardian Weekend, and the long-running BBC soap Casualty for a storyline about female genital mutilation.

www.easySRE.net is a collaboration between NHS Walsall Community Health, Walsall Council’s Creative Development Team and filmmakers Catcher Media Ltd.A full list of the winners can be seen here.

Lots of press for new Catcher Media Social film

In the run-up to the film premiere at Borderlines Film Festival on 11th March , Chewing The Cud from our sister organisation Catcher media Social CIC has received lots of attention from the press.

13/2/14   Hereford Times – Lovely article on the front page of the Farming section

24/2/14  BBC Midlands Today 6.30pm Rick Goldsmith from Catcher Media Social appear to talk about the film premiere, with a clip from the film

26/2/14 BBC Radio 4, Midweek, 9am David Probert, poultry auctioneer, one of our interviewees will join Libby Purves and other guests to talk agriculture, Chewing The Cud and Borderlines Film festival.

11/3/14  BBC Hereford and Worcester Radio – interview with members of the team and audio clips from the film being played throughout the breakfast show.

Chewing the Cud Web Episodes

A quick note to let everyone know about a project from our sister company Catcher Media Social CIC. We have started uploading and sharing clips from the forthcoming “Chewing The Cud” film that we have been making with a group of trainees and volunteers. Hereford’s old livestock market is the stimulus for an exciting new heritage project which brings people to share memories, gain skills and make a film which celebrates our shared agricultural history.

Just check out the YouTube channel to find a selection of clips that will grow week by week. As well as interviews that appear in the film, there is also exclusive web content too. The first two films feature Heather Knight talking about how she used the livestock market as a playground and Philip Price’s memories from childhood of Wednesday trips to the market and Hereford town, with his mother. The third concerns Wendy davies’ Wednesday jaunts to market with her family.

http://chewingthecud.net/

New ACCESS project kicks off for Centro

The first workshops at Walsall Academy kicked off last Thursday. We’re making a project with groups who have special needs about using public transport. A potentially dry subject admittedly but the enthusiasm and the passion of the two groups will help us make something special. We worked previously with Centro to create a whole group of films about sustainable transport for young people – Think Outside the Metal Box and these went really well.

At the college we had an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. Staff and students were very happy and Rick found it exhilarating to work with a group  he’d not worked with before – deaf students from the Deaf Academy, arranged by Louise Timms. People had a go with the camera – interviewing and making up the questions. Lots of ideas came pouring out – about how to improve the service. Lots of smiley faces, and the group even taught Julia and Rick some sign language e.g. “Roll, Camera, Action.”

In the afternoon we had a two hour session with the SSLD group at the college, arranged by Dave Norchi. This group was larger and really enthusiastic too, and together we came up with some really strong dramatic scenes that addressed issues about travelling on public transport. We also talked about the best wide shot, long shot, medium shot and close up for each scene – and created a tagline for each mini-drama’ too.

So both groups were really buzzing by the end of the workshops. Lots of ideas. Next week Therese Collins joins Rick so that’ll be fun.

There’ll be three more sessions with each group and then we’ll start putting the script together. Student from the groups will have the opportunity to be involved in front of camera but also behind the scenes too. We want the process to be engaging, educational and alot of fun for everyone.

Sustainable Travel Films

Our recent project A2B ‘Think Outside The Metal Box’ to promote sustainable travel for young people was announced as a runner up in the Modeshift LA initiated project of the year, 2012. Well done to all the year 10 pupils as Walsall Academy who worked with us on the project.

Every year at the national convention, Modeshift recognises Local Authorities, schools and its partners. The awards are designed to acknowledge those who have developed and / or implemented exceptional, unique and effective schemes, resources, programmes and activities.

‘There was a real buzz at the conference around lots of different initiatives and we received some really good feedback and excellent comments about the DVD and the process of engaging with the pupils during the evening’s award ceremony’ Jacqui Miller – Centro

http://www.modeshift.org.uk/awards

See the films on You Tube

The project was managed by Walsall Council Creative Development Team and Funded by Centro.

Behind The Scenes of GET IT ON

Hi all

Here’s a rough edit of some of the behind the scenes footage that’s been shot over the course of the GET IT ON project. We’ve got some shots from the actual shoot to add but we thought people might enjoy a sneak preview to whet the appetite for the main film. Ian Preece the sound man created the music for this film, and for the actual drama.

https://vimeo.com/46827008

Hope you enjoy! Rick

Thanks to Nick Duffy

Many many thanks to Nick Duffy for letting us use his great music in our recent Race for Life video which we made featuring out girls running the Hereford Racecourse (and for all the other music we’ve used over the years) – check out his beautiful album ‘Sapphire Stylus’: http://tinyurl.com/cfb9khd

Rick

P.S. Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAG8Sorcud0&feature=plcp

Queen re-opens Cathedral Close in Herefordshire

There were big celebrations today in Hereford as the Queen re-opened the newly refurbished Cathedral Close. It reminded us here at Catcher of that great project we made – The Close in Living Memory. The packed theatre of the Courtyard when it first screened to over 350 people & also when it was screened to over a thousand people on the Close last autumn. Some great memories of the many people who contributed to it and their fascinating insights and stories. Rick