Pop Series: Shorts that Speak Out!

MEDIA RELEASE | April 2009

“Pop Series” – Western Sydney Film Idol!

Pop Series: Shorts that Speak Out! An intensive film making training course held for 19 participants at the end of 08 will have their final products launched, screened and pitched in front of an audience and a team of industry professionals at the Fairfield School of Arts on May 8 at 7pm.

“Pop Series” was developed for culturally diverse young people from Western Sydney that promoted the developing screen culture that is emerging in the area. 19 young persons were selected for a course of 12 intensive weekends were trained by industry film makers Craig Anderson (TV Series “Double the Fist” co-director/writer) and Amin Palangi (director/ writer) in aspects of film that can be pitched to TV.

Budding young filmmakers gained experience and work collaboratively to produce a series of short films that use creative means to share stories for and by young people.

They develop their skills in video production, directing, editing and post-production, using the cutting-edge facilities at ICE’s Switch Multimedia & Digital Arts Access Centre.

The crew’s films range from exploring topics of urban space and landscape, public safety and digital cultures to issues where comedy means realism.

Recent winner of the 2009 Tropfest Short Film Festival, 22, Gen Clay will be one of the panellist judges for the evening. Also a budding film maker from the west Gen states that “film making is a powerful device that young people can utilise speak out into the world.”

Project Coordinator Maria Tran and an emerging filmmaker says, Pop Series is designed for young people wanting to use filmmaking and new media as a platform to voice their opinions on issues that are relevant to them. “It’s a form of community activism and a medium to lobby and present issues in a creative way”, says Youth Digital Cultures Project Coordinator, Maria Tran.

AN INTITIATVE OF THE INFORMATION & CULTURAL EXCHANGE (ICE) YOUTH DIGITAL CULTURES PROJECT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUNG AUSTRALIANS AND SUPPORTED BY FAIRFIELD CITY COUNCIL, ARTSTART NSW AND NSW FILM AND TELEVISION OFFICE. ICE RECEIVES CORE FUNDING FROM THE NSW GOVERNMENT THROUGH ARTS NSW & THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH AUSTRALIA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS, SWITCH MULTIMEDIA AND DIGITAL ARTS ACCESS CENTRE IS MANAGED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARRAMATTA CITY COUNCIL.

When: Friday, 8 May
Time: 7pm – 9pm
Where: Fairfield School of Arts
19 Harris St, Fairfield 2165, NSW

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Contact Maria on 9897 5744 or maria.tran@ice.org.au