Member Article

Northern Young Talent Broadcasts on Channel 4

Monday 9th May will see the re launch of Channel 4’s revamped Random Acts, a 12x30 minute series featuring short films made by some of the most exciting artists and filmmakers in the UK. As well as featuring work commissioned from established artists, the series will showcase films made by new talent aged 16 and 24. Random Acts Network North – a partnership between Tyneside Cinema (Newcastle), True North Productions (Leeds) and HOME (Manchester) – are delighted to announce that a film produced by a young filmmaker from the North is to be included in the flagship episode.

When Standing In A Queue by Thomas Payton-Greene is a semi-autobiographical tale of a man whose acid-sharp inner monologue won’t shut up as he attends a motivational session for people looking for work. Shot in Sheffield in October, the film is one of 24 made as part of the Random Acts education, training and production programme delivered by Random Acts Network Centre North and funded by Arts Council England in partnership with Channel 4.

Many of the other films made by young talent from across the North will be showcased on Channel 4’s online platforms over the coming months.

This is a major achievement for Random Acts Network North - an initiative set up last year funded by the Arts Council in partnership with Channel 4 to identify and develop young creative talent aged 16-24 – and for Tyneside Cinema, which was chosen as the regional centre to lead the project in the North, working in partnership with HOME (Manchester) and leading production company True North (Leeds).

Each regional centre was tasked with finding, funding and developing artists and filmmakers to help the young creatives make shorts for the series. Random Acts Network Centre North offers young people in the region the chance to work with industry experts and film production professionals to produce original, broadcast quality work – fully funded by the network.

Ian Fenton, Creative Director of Learning & Participation at Tyneside Cinema says:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for creative young people in the North to achieve national exposure for their work. Tyneside Cinema already has a reputation for the quality of its work with young people and we are absolutely thrilled that these young people are getting the opportunity to work with professionals in the industry and see their artistic ideas come to fruition and receive recognition.“

The Arts Council has been a partner and co-funder of Random Acts from the beginning. The next phase of the project will boost Random Acts’ role as a place where the latest generation of talent can find its voice.

Between 2015 and 2018 Arts Council England will invest £3 million in five Random Acts Network Centres spread across England. This investment will help provide access to a notoriously difficult-to-get-into sector. By targeting support across the country, including in areas where access to film and TV has been limited it will help to increase the diversity of the new talent coming through.

Shia LaBeouf, Hollie McNish, Martin Creed, Beck, The Chapman Brothers, Simon Amstell, Mica Levi, Reggie Yates, Eddie Peake, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard are just some of the artists and filmmakers whose new short films will be shown as part of Channel 4’s expanded Random Acts strand.

You can catch the show when it goes out Monday 9th May on C4 at 11.05pm and is fronted by Cult comedian Eric Wareheim.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nicky Mckeen .