YOUNG URBAN ARTS:Still in its infancy, Young Urban Arts is giving budding actors and film-makers a chance to learn the trade on the job
IT’S DIFFICULT to break into the world of TV and film. Acting or production classes can be followed by a long period of stagnation, trouble finding experience, and little in the way of employment opportunities.
One initiative from Young City Arts, an inner-city Dublin-based project, has given power back to budding actors and film-makers.
Working as part of "Crew TV", which was developed by YUA in association with Dublin City TV, 14 young people produced, directed, and acted in their own TV series. The result, Happy Pizza, consists of three half-hour TV programmes.
The action centres on disillusioned and world-weary pizza delivery boy John and the lives of the customers he visits, offering comic shorts alongside a strong narrative thread.
Sixteen-year-olds Stacie Kelly and Padraig Thompson, along with 17-year-old Barry Keoghan, were amongst those who took part in the project. "Our first challenge was to create a two-minute short," says Stacie, who acted in and directed part of Happy Pizza. "This was a chance to make lots of our own mistakes. When we watched the short back, then we were really ready to learn."
From January to June 2009, the participants were trained in all aspects of film and TV production. In July, funding from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland enabled DCTV to employ the group for one month of post-production work. Young Urban Arts is still in its infancy, but it shows real promise.
The young people clearly have both loyalty to, and ownership of, this project, and they’re not hesitant about their goals. “Every Wednesday, we’d get training in scriptwriting, acting, directing, and being part of the crew,” Barry recalls. “I loved it, and I really want to keep up acting. I want to go as far as I can.” He laughs: “Sure, yes, I’d definitely like to win an Oscar. Why not? But it’s hard to be spotted. Producers should come around to projects like this, and look for talent, and give young people a chance.”
Niamh Geoghegan, YUA programme co-ordinator, says: “Young Urban Arts wants to put the young people at the centre of the planning and production process, and empower them to take on the responsibilities inherent in that role. Through their engagement in the arts young people are given a voice and an opportunity to culturally and creatively participate in society.”
The premiere of Happy Pizzatakes place on December 12th at The Base, Ballyfermot from 3pm-5pm. Happy Pizzawill also be broadcast on DCTV on the weekend of December 12th. DCTV can be found on NTL digital channel 802 or www.dctv.ie.
For more information, see cityarts.ie/yua and crewtv.ie.
YUA grew from an informal partnership between CityArts, the City of Dublin Youth Services Board and Dublin City Council, and this relationship became official in 2008. YUA has delivered and supported a number of programmes, including:
Reel Youth 2008– a cross-city and cross-cultural programme involving young people in creating short films for public screening; Action Research Drama Programme– this linked three youth projects across the city with drama facilitators for a 12-week programme and the young people directly feed into research and evaluation carried out by the National Association for Youth Drama; Action Research Music Researcher– Jane Hughes is investigating the need and demand for music provisions in the city, which will inform the future work of YUA; and Future Projects– YUA intends to plan a city-wide multi-media performance for next July where young producers will work with professional writers and directors to develop a final show.
