1 day Ago
Three Chichester film students have helped primary school children create five short films about the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. The University of Chichester students, Sam Lynch, Evelyn Orrel, and Samantha Shek, worked with youth arts charity Artswork to guide and support the youngsters from three Littlehampton primary schools. The project aimed to highlight the importance of the rare coastal kelp forests in Sussex.
The collaborative effort culminated in a red-carpet premiere at the Windmill Cinema in Littlehampton. The primary school children, from River Beach and Summerlea Community primary schools, worked alongside the university students and experts from Sussex Wildlife Trust and Sussex Underwater. They explored the ecology of kelp, the history of the local campaign to save it, and various film and animation techniques.
Fifteen young students from years 5 and 6 developed film concepts to express what they had learned. University of Chichester student Sam Lynch said: "I got to talk extensively about animation with the kids and lead a couple of workshops with Sandra at Riverbeach, one where we created sea creatures from plasticine and a second where I taught stop-motion animation and helped each group make their own scenes. "I’m amazed at how well the kids took to it.
"To take part in a project that engaged with a younger generation, driven and aware with a good head on their shoulders, was a breath of fresh air." More than 600 young people worked on producing their films, taking on roles ranging from creating claymation creatures and animation to sound effects and acting. Local artists, including Littlehampton-based Lucy Seeds and Shirley Bloomfield-Davies, supported their work.
This resulted in five ambitious and unique short films, all inspired by the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. Beccy East from Artswork said: "Working with the three students attached to the programme from the University of Chichester has added so much value to this project. "Throughout, they approached their commitment to the children’s ideas and learning with seriousness and care.
"From teaching about practical film techniques, to working out how to turn the young people’s ideas into reality, supporting filming and editing, costume and design, their involvement has been invaluable. "It has definitely enhanced both the experience and process of the project, and its outcomes, to create work of a quality we could not have achieved without them." To watch the videos, visit the Artswork YouTube channel.
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