Film-makers shine a light on Ocean City

A group of 14 budding film-makers on a Prince’s Trust course have teamed up with creative professionals to produce a documentary uncovering the views of the local community on the rebranding of Plymouth as Britain’s Ocean City.

The film was created as part of a three-week Truth about Youth course, which helps local unemployed young people gain the skills and confidence they need to find work. It’s the first time the Truth about Youth project has delivered a film course in the city.

The course was run by film practitioner Amanda Poulding of Energetic Films, with support from The Prince’s Trust and Plymouth College of Art. The group of 16-25 year olds learnt how to make a film from start to finish, developing their research, planning, recording and editing skills, as well as building team-working and interviewing skills to help them find work.

The young people spent a week exploring the city and interviewing local community members, ranging from fishermen to marine conservationists and from sea-swimmers to historians and artists. The idea was to capture the passion and connection that Plymouth community members have with the ocean.

The film, called Plymouth – Britain’s Ocean City, was screened earlier this month on the big screen in Plymouth’s city centre, and will be repeated throughout the summer.

David Mandry, 20, from Mutley in Plymouth, who has been unemployed for 10 months, is a very creative person, so the programme was the perfect opportunity to gain some of the skills he needs for a career in the industry. Since completing Truth about Youth, he’s been inspired to start his own business and is looking forward to joining The Prince’s Trust Enterprise course.

David said: “I’ve written stories and poems a lot and I’ve tried music, but film making is turning out to be a true passion. I wanted to learn about camera work with the aim of eventually starting a photography and film business. I know I need the right skills and this course has taught me much of the technical knowledge I’ll need, like understanding shutter speeds, lighting and camera angles. I’m also getting better at working in a team, I’ve been taking the lead a few times and am feeling much more confident.”

Film-maker Amanda Poulding, who led the course, said: “The group worked incredibly well together. They’ve had a busy couple of weeks but have remained motivated and focused throughout. Not only have their creative and technical skills developed, they have made new friends and found a new level of confidence through working as a crew. Everyone we interviewed was extremely impressed by the energy and professional attitude they displayed, really demonstrating the high level of skill that young people in and around Plymouth can offer our changing city.”

In addition to providing the young people with an opportunity to work with a specialist film-maker, the Truth about Youth course also gave them the chance to gain a Bronze Arts Award – an Arts Council level one qualification.

A trailer for the film, Plymouth – Britain’s Ocean City, is available to view here: http://vimeo.com/102919863f