Smithills Workshop

The other week we all went to Smithills School to do a filming workshop. this included working with a director from the TV program, The Bill. Also a professional camera man who helped shoot the scenes, and an actor named Sebastian, who gave us some advice.
Pupils from both Smithills and Cannon Slade joined us there, learning different techniques and aspects of the media industry.
Sebastian helped motivate us, preparing us for the day ahead. We were all included into confidence boosting activities, where we worked on projecting our voices, while mingling with the others that we didn't know. I found this useful as it helped me interact with the pupils, and develop social skills.
Everybody was split into groups having been given the same scripts to work on, helping build our film and media skills. We interacted well as a team, by sorting roles to each person, for example directors and camera people. We looked at using different shots and movement when filming, our acting skills also improved as we got over the nervous introductions.
At the end of the day, we were given an opportunity to ask any question we had about their lives and how they entered the business.
Overall, this gave me a better understanding of what it is like in the media industry and the jobs available. However we as the diploma group found it difficult and awkward around the rest of the pupils in Smithills.

Crosby and Formby Trip

























On Wednesday the 7th the diplma group went along with some of the teachers and Sean (whatever he is classed as!), went to Crosby and Formby beach.
At Crosby we looked at the Antony Gormley work, Another Place. This consists of a number of iron statues spread out along the shore. We didn't have long there but some of us filmed scenes for our films, some people took pictures to use in their sketchbooks or blgs and some people sketched the figures and landscape there. I did a bit of everything, as i wasn't quite sure of my film yet, which kind of scared me as other people were practically filming the whole thing that day and had brought all of their props that they had made.
Alex and I practised using the video cameras and using different shots. We all explored, doing our own things, a couple of us paddled into the sea to get closer to the statues only to find it was sooo cold and i hadnt got my shoes and socks on! It was fun until we realised the tide was coming in really quickly and we were a bit stuck, unlike Katie and Beth who had sunk in the quick sand, i got back on the coach surprisingly clean.

We then drove to Formby Beach, where there is a wide range of different and eerie scenery. There everyone separated to do what he or she needed to do.
Charlotte, Alex, Courtney and me all went to an isolated bit of trees/forest, that was really quiet. All if the tree branches were blown in one direction due to the wind, to make a canopy where we ate lunch and tried not to scare ourselves to much. We then started to film and photograph in the area. After we went to the sand dunes, we didnt do much filming there. We just watched Ben throw himself off the edge, but it was a good view of the surrounding sea and forest below.

The ride home was very entertaining, watching Sean (Mr Bennett) dancing and singing to Car Wash and Is This the Way to Amarillo?!?!

When i got home i realised i had half the beach with me, but it was an excellent trip : )!! I can't wait for our next one.

Gotta Sing Gotta Dance

I recently went to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to watch 'Gotta Sing Gotta Dance' which is a celebration of musicals with a specific focus on Choreographer Bob Fosse, Dancer Gene Kelly, Lyricists Rodgers & Hammerskin and Producer Cameron Mackintosh.

the show was divided into two halves with an interval. The first half incorporated music form the 1940's Top Hat, White tie & tails through to Joseph, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, each with their own unique style.

act two focused mainly on more contemporary musicals. Rent, Wicked, High School Musical and Hairspray with a few old one tunes thrown in. Forty Second Street and Meet Me in St Louis.

there were many more including Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Oliver, but way too many to include in this review.

a highlight of the show was 'Singing in the Rain'. Which in the original movie the singing and taps of the tap dancing were pre-recorded separately. The performers demonstrated this on the night, by one actor miming both singing and dancing, whilst at the rear of the stage one actor sang and the another did the tap routine. It really impressed me and was superbly executed, running close second with a song named, Taylor the Latte Boy. It was very original and had a great story.

i liked all routines and songs, but i did favour some of the Chicago, Aida and Little Shop of Horrors songs.

a favourite of my mum and auntie's was a rendition of 'Lady is a Tramp', putting on a classic performance and then another performer bringing in a contemporary version of dance from the show High School Musical. This collaboration brought both songs together in a unique way, as they fit surprisingly well!

the Palace Theatre was an ideal setting as it is quite compact and allows the audience to hear, see and be more involved with the show.

the stage was spacious, simple with basic props but very effective, with the use of a DVD presentation to expand on various aspects of the Musicals story. It allowed the performers to move around and dance with ease.

music was provided by The GSGD Band which included four musicians on various instruments. They alternated between keyboards, drums and percussion, reeds and keyboard again and bass guitar and double bass. The band was located at the back of the stage behind to transparent screens, instead of the usual format below the stage. The music captured the mood perfectly and added to the overall atmosphere.

six performers held the audience with their all round ability of singing, dancing, acting and comedy. Their combination of individual talent, experience and chemistry on stage ensured a truly enjoyable performance.

Nick Winston is an international director and choreographer who has worked theatre, opera and film. His vast experience ensured all the performers matched their dancing, singing and acting abilities, producing outstanding dance routines. Incorporating tap, ballroom, ballet and contemporary.

overall the show was excellent and very entertaining, my only critism would be the opening scene which seemed very slow, probably as i was not so familiar and did not know much about the 1940's musiclas.

The whole performance was an insight to how musicals have evolved over the generations. From more formal Ballroom style (black and white), to Hairspray with its Neon colours.

Well worth a watch!

the t:mac Art Show 2009

the diploma group went to look at the t:mac art show 2009. it consisted of the GCSE and A level art work.

my first impressions of the show was extremely busy, packed full of bright colours and tactile materials that draws you in.

the displays were well thought out and attractive. With clear and organised layouts that complimented the art work and enhanced the quality.

it was a good set up and use of the room, the art work was everywhere you looked: on screens, on the floor, on the walls and on tables. On all levels!

magnificent work, for all the students to be very proud of!

the creators showed their gradual ideas and the development they used to work and build up to the final piece of work.

there was so much to look at as the exhibition displayed many different pieces with different inspirations and different and unique artists. There was a great variety and a wide range of art with amazing examples of photography, fine art, 3D models, collages and textiles, graphic design and sketchbooks.

the effort put in by the students was evident and it was reflected in the quality of the work.

a couple of the pieces that i really liked and interested a lot of people, were made up of mushrooms and trees. the student had used photographs of the subject, adapted it on the computer to their specific style. This style was based upon the artist Tado, whose ideas they used to create bold and cartoon like designs.

my eye was caught by a sketchbook that i thought was original, on further investigation I realised it was personal to that creator, as were many of the works. it had an underlying theme on all pages, which was music. It was used creatively and used sections and lines to create their effective ideas.

after viewing the exhibition i realised the amount of work, time, effort and preparation that is needed to create such an inspiring show.

Overall a very pleasing and impressive exhibition, that looked very professional with things for everyone to enjoy looking at.

Latest Workshop

Heelloo..

Ive not posted in a while so i apologize......

On friday the Diploma group got together yet again. We had our 2nd Photoshop Workshop which was over pierods 3&4.With Mr Cromptona again, it was very INTERESTING and i learnt so much! I would like to say THANKYOU too!

We have beeen creating a leaflet to promote a building in the Northwest, for our work on SCENE.

The competition for the best leaflet was won by Luke Beech! With a very impressive leaflet (Y)

My leaflet on the Lowry is nearly done so after i have sorted alll my work on to my pen drive. As it all got DELETED!! i will try and put it on here (yn) fingers-crossed!

So first we re-cap on what we done last time. which was resizing pictures and adding effects to an image like changing the color balance, brightness / contast and also the opacity. I was very impressed that i remebered.

Then we learnt loads of new stuff such as how to use the lasso tools, this text thing that iam not sure what its called! the Magic Wand and the clone tool. Which is very very impressive =) .

After the workshop we had an art lesson where 7 of the diploma group along with the rest of the class improved our photography skills, when we had to take dynamic pictures of surfaces. It was very good! (=

Also, as you can see i have added all the other Creative and Media Blogs so feel free to take a look at everyone's. ( Apart form Patrick's who's doesn't work, for some weird reason!! =S ) Iam rather proud..

Byee for noww.. xxxxxxxx

Diploma Wordle

byeee. xx

P.s I love love love the apple mac's
xx

Heelloo!

Well i am at home after a long and rather hot day a school!

this post was suppost to be on a the other day.. Opps! but i got a bit preoccupied (:

this is my first blog so i apologise if you thinks its Rubbish. =S

Yesterday was a very fun and busy day for the diploma group. Mrs James spent the whole day with us creating weird and wonderful BLOGS and POD CASTS!!! So a big thankyou to her. ( : and thank god that room was soo.. Cold!

Its just a shame that i do not have my pod cast due to my BRAND NEW pen drive crashing!! i have lost all my diploma work so far ='( which is a shame as a need to catch up!

iam already looking forward to the diploma next year.. and am glad i have chosen it! =D

xxx