Screen Academy and National Council for Drama Training team up for ambitious film training weekend

Following 8 months planning the Screen Academy Wales and NCDT are about to embark on the most ambitious training weekend for film students and acting students ever attempted by the HE partnership.

The packed weekend will take place in Cardiff on the 8th-10th of January and will offer 24 students selected from NCDT accredited drama courses at institutions such as RADA, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Bristol Old Vic the chance to work alongside professional crew and students from SSAW's courses. The weekend will offer those selected an intensive introduction to screen acting.

The culmination of the weekend will be a 35mm film shoot on set at the striking location of the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. The landmark church built in 1808 will host the 24 strong cast and 30 strong crew who will shoot a short film which was written by TAPS graduate Miranda Walker and the director of the film Richard Kwietniowski.

To prepare the students for their challenge on the Sunday, both groups will be put through
their paces on the Saturday. The actors will be having workshops on set etiquette and approaching acting for the screen with Welsh
film and TV professionals Eryl Phillips (writer, director, producer, actor) and Lloyd Ellis 1st AD), as well as filmed actor-director workshops with Richard Kwietniowski (pictured), Pip Broughton and Delyth Lloyd and costume and make up sessions with BAFTA-nominated head of department Carolyn Buchanan on the Saturday.

Those undertaking the highly-sought camera department roles for the Sunday are being chosen on the day before filming by the cinematographer Alan Trow, BSC, who will head up the department during an intensive 35mm workshop. The weekend is being supported by Panavision.

"This is great opportunity for our students to get some hands-on experience with some of the latest 35mm gear from Panavision" said Alan. "Their technical representative, Lee Mackey, will be on hand to demonstrate how the get the best from the equipment and to answer questions. It promises to be a good session."

All those taking part in the training weekend will be invited to a special evening event on the Friday at the ATRiuM, University of Glamorgan, where they will have the chance to see the feature Love and Death on Long Island and hear from the lead of the film John Hurt (pictured) and its director Richard Kwietniowski. The Q&A session is being chaired by feature film and commercials producer Anwen Rhys Meyers.

The weekend will be recorded by a documentary crew and all the students will be given a copy of the filmed workshops and the final film "The Engagement Party" for their showreels.

It is hoped that the weekend will offer those studying acting a flavour of a professionally run flm set with real time pressures and challenges, and will also offer the filmmaking students the chance to work with 35mm and hone their on-location skills.

Selected Biographies for Friday night Q&A

John Hurt

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
An Englishman in New York
Hellboy
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Perfume
V for Vendetta
Dogville
Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Richard Kwietniowski

Owning Mahowney
Regret not speaking
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