Glasgow autism organisation receives Lottery film cash boost

Project Ability, the Glasgow-based visual arts company which works with young people with autism, has received a new National Lottery funding boost of £7000 to make two animated films, the UK Film Council has announced.
Project Ability will work with ten young people aged between 10 and 14 years old to produce the two animations. The funding has been awarded by First Light, the UK Film Council's filmmaking initiative for young people.
The Glasgow-based organisation has previously made an award-winning film with First Light entitled ‘The Story of Geordie Wirral’, which scooped the Best Animation award at the 2003 First Light Film Awards ceremony. First Light enables young people between the ages of 5 to 18 to make short films under the guidance of professional filmmakers, helping youngsters to learn filmmaking skills including scriptwriting, producing, editing, acting, sound, lighting and directing, and improving their communication and team working skills.
John Woodward, the UK Film Council’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The UK has some of the most talented filmmakers in the world but we’ve got to develop the next generation of film talent now to achieve even greater success in the future.
“First Light represents the biggest push in the UK today to give young people the chance to learn new skills and develop their creativity through making films. This funding will give young filmmakers from Glasgow the opportunity to project their ideas and imagination on to the big screen.”
First Light enables young people between the ages of 5 to 18 to make short films under the guidance of professional filmmakers, helping youngsters to learn filmmaking skills including scriptwriting, producing, editing, acting, sound, lighting and directing, and improving their communication and team working skills.
Films Minister Estelle Morris said: "Young people from every walk of life and every background enjoy watching films. First Light takes that enjoyment one step further and gives children the technical know how to create movies from scratch.
“The successful future of our film industry depends on projects like this which nurture talent and inspire the next generation of British filmmakers.”
Pip Eldridge, First Light Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to be able to fund Project Ability once more. Not only is the organisation’s work of an award-winning standard, but the effect it has on the lives of young people with such serious disorders is remarkably positive.”
First Light enables young people between the ages of 5 to 18 to make short films under the guidance of professional filmmakers, helping youngsters to learn filmmaking skills including scriptwriting, producing, editing, acting, sound, lighting and directing, and improving their communication and team working skills. Over the forthcoming months, 14 projects in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will use First Light grants of between £3,500 and £20,000 to make 21 films involving 302 young people. First Light was launched in May 2001 to fund and inspire the making of short films, reflecting the diversity of young people's lives.
To date First Light has enabled almost 8,000 young people to work with organisations and filmmakers to write, act, shoot and produce over 500 films, covering a myriad of topics and genres, using digital film technology.
(GB/SP)