TRIO SOUGHT FOR DRAMA DIRECTION COURSE

THE WELSH College of Music and Drama, in association with the film, television and new media vocational training providers Media Skills Wales, are to run a film and television directing course with a difference.
Aimed at first time film directors who have no previous experience of directing, the ‘On Your Marks - First Time Directors Course’ will provide three trainee directors with the opportunity to direct a short ten-minute fiction film of their choice in a training environment. They will be under the guidance of highly experienced industry professionals in key supervisory roles. The cast and production teams will be students from the Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Sion Hughes, Chief Executive of Media Skills Wales and the Skillset NTO training partner in Wales, said: “This training course is an unique collaboration between industry and education which will serve to bridge the best of both experiences and expertise. Our support for this course also demonstrates the commitment of Media Skills Wales to the development of film talent in Wales, and will make a positive contribution to the increasing strength and success of the Welsh film industry.”
The ‘On Your Marks - First Time Directors Course’ will take place in Cardiff between February 26 and March 24 2001. In addition to actors from Cardiff, the production office will be located in Cardiff Bay. Locations for the three films will also be in the city.
Potential trainee directors applying for a place on the course must either have the basis of a film script or treatment in mind that is capable of being developed into a completed script prior to the start of the course on 26 February 2001, or will work on a brand new idea.
The trainee directors may also choose to write their own scripts, nominate someone else as writer, or ask that a suitable script be provided. All scripts must be original and never filmed previously.
‘On Your Marks - First Time Directors Course’ starts with pre-production training on 26 February 2001. Each film will then be allocated four consecutive shooting days between 12 and 24 March 2001. Post-production dates will be scheduled by mutual arrangement.
The fee for participating in ‘On Your Marks - First Time Directors Course’ will be £1,000, which has been reduced as the course has received funding from the Skills Wales Fund, which is administered by Media Skills Wales. The Skills Wales Fund is funded by Skillset NTO and the European Social Fund.
Application forms are available from the Cardiff office of Media Skills Wales, tel: 029 2046 5533. Completed forms should be returned by 18 January 2001.
Candidates short-listed for the course will be interviewed on 24 January 2001. (CD)