05/10/2007
GLITTERING PREMIERE FOR YOUNG STARS to be held in Porthcawl

Talented young people from across South Wales are set to celebrate ‘silver screen success’ at a star-studded premiere and awards ceremony for 6 short films produced by the pioneering ‘IT’S MY SHOUT’ Film Training Scheme, on Saturday, October 6th at The Grand Pavilion Theatre, Porthcawl.

The talented youngsters will be joined at the showcase event by a host of experienced industry professionals including acclaimed actors Owen Teale (ITV’s Island at War), Jason Hughes (ITV’s Midsommer Murders), Keiron Self (BBC’s My Family), Mark Lewis-Jones (ITV’s Wire in the Blood)  Zoe Lister, Jennifer Beddall and Garnon Davies (C4’s Hollyoaks) and Coronation Street director, Terry Dyddgen-Jones.

The films, shot on location throughout Wales will also be screened on ITV Wales in November / December 2007 together with a ‘behind the scenes’ style documentary focusing on the premiere and awards night.

IT’S MY SHOUT is the brainchild of Roger Burnell Co-Executive Producer alongside Peter Edwards at ITV Wales.  Originally established as a means of offering socially-excluded young people an opportunity to express themselves through film, the scheme today offers a range of training opportunities to those interested in the arts, film and media. Many former trainees have since gone on to work on numerous TV and Film projects including the latest big budget film shortly to be shot in South Wales; ‘I know you know’ , with film star actor Robert Carlyle.

Having nurtured some of Wales’ greatest acting talents, including Michael Sheen, Rob Brydon and Ruth Jones, Roger has been the driving force behind this inspiring and innovative scheme.

Throughout the scheme, the young people work alongside respected industry professionals across a diverse range of areas including acting, set design, camera, scriptwriting, producing, location management, hair and make-up, marketing, sound, music, event management, chaperoning, directing, costume design and editing.  Trainees, most of whom are BA and MA students chosen from the Skillset Screen Academy Wales, are also given the opportunity to receive advice from the schemes highly respected business partners, and many students go on to form their own companies within the media industry.

“Young directors have to be supported in the early stages of their careers. The tools that they require to realise their vision are not easily acquired. This scheme goes some way to providing those skills and to enable the truly gifted to flourish,” said Terry Dyddgen-Jones, Director, Coronation Street.
Jill James, Executive Director of TAPS Cymru explains, “The most important factor in any film is the quality of the script and story. TAPS Cymru has trained 94 new writers this year, a number of whom were chosen for this years It’s My Shout films. TAPS Cymru will run 3 more writer training courses in January/Febuary 2008 to help find the scripts for next years It’s My Shout.”

Since its launch 4 years ago, in excess of 4000 young people have been engaged in the project which is run by Bridgend County Borough Council’s Arts and Culture Services in partnership with ITV Wales, Barclays, Hugh James Solicitors, Arts and Business Cymru, Cyfle, Skillset Screen Academy Wales, Creative Business Wales/ Welsh Assembly Government, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, SONY, CIRIC (Creative Industries Research and Innovation Centre), TAPS Cymru (Training and performance show case),  and Barcud Derwen Studios.

For more information on Its My Shout log on here