The ‘Wee Red Dot’, Renfrewshire’s first-ever Youth Voice Film Festival proved very popular with budding local film-makers and their families when it took place at Paisley Arts Centre on Saturday 1 November.
Billed as ‘the essential young person’s guide to film in Renfrewshire’, the day-long event had something for all kids and young adults aged 6 – 21; screenwriting, animation and directing masterclasses, free animation workshops plus a Q&A opportunity with Youtubers ‘Brucefinity Bruce’ and ‘Infinitecrafted’.
The big screen in the theatre also showcased films created by participants from Renfrewshire Arts & Museums’ Club Animate, students and recent graduates from University of West Scotland’s Creative Industries course, the award-winning youth group ‘Project Z’, Into Film and youngsters from Kibble School.
Kilbarchan teenager Morgan Spence also presented his latest LEGO® animations – fresh from the success of his ‘Brick Wonders’ film series specially created for Renfrewshire Arts & Museums’ LEGO exhibition of the same name, which is currently on display at Paisley Museum. To date, the seven Brick Wonders films have been viewed on Morgan’s Youtube channel over 60,000 times.
The event was supported by CREATE Paisley and LEAP (Local Energy Action Plan) based in Lochwinnoch.
Councillor James Harte, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Sport, Leisure and Culture Policy Board said:
“The Wee Red Dot Festival is a great way to introduce creative youngsters to the world of film and new media.
It highlights the number of local groups and individuals who currently contribute to Renfrewshire’s vibrant film-making scene and gives young people the chance to try out a number of specialist film-making techniques from an early age.”