Talented young North East filmmakers invited to take part in British Film Institute’s national masterclass programme

Three young filmmakers from Tyneside Cinema’s film academy programmes have been invited to take part in the British Film Institute’s (BFI) Film Academy Craft Residential course for 16-19 year olds at the National Film and Television School from Sunday 6 – Thursday 17 April 2014. Local teenagers Caitlin Ivory (18), Joe Walton (17) and Katherine Hanratty (17) are three of 66 young people from across the UK to secure a place on the exclusive 12-day residential course in Buckinghamshire, which will give them the chance to make their own short films, develop specialist filmmaking skills and work with leading industry professionals. The prestigious course will conclude with a premiere screening of the short films they have made at London’s BFI Southbank cinema. Joe Walton, one of the young filmmakers invited to attend the course, said “Being accepted to the course was a dream come true. I cannot wait for the experience. Being with so many other young people with a passion to create is wonderful.” Caitlin, Joe and Katherine have all previously taken part in Northern Stars, Tyneside Cinema’s award-winning training programme for young filmmakers, where they took their first steps in learning how to make original and exciting short films. Some of the films they made at Tyneside Cinema are available to watch now at www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/your-tyneside/news/talented-young-filmmakers-invited-to-take-part-in-bfi-s-national-masterclass-programme. Ian Fenton, Creative Director for Northern Stars at Tyneside Cinema, said, “We’re thrilled that Caitlin, Joe and Katherine have been invited to take part in the BFI Film Academy Craft Residential, which is a real testament to their talent and the hard work they’ve shown while making films with Northern Stars. We’re fantastically proud of their success in being selected for this incredible opportunity, and we can’t wait to see what films they make next.” Since Tyneside Cinema launched Northern Stars in 2006, more than 150 young people have taken part in the Northern Stars Filmmaking Academy programme and learnt how to make their own short fiction films and documentaries. Their films have won awards at festivals across the UK, and graduates from Northern Stars’ filmmaking academy programmes have used their experience to secure places at university, gain employment in the film industry and make their own independent productions. Tyneside Cinema has also employed several graduates at Northern Stars Production, a video service which provides businesses and organisations with professional films made by young people aged 16-21. For more information, please visit www.madebynorthernstars.com/academy.