'Notorious' - Film Screening

Last Monday year 13 BDC students saw a free film screening of NOTORIOUS the new film based on Notorious B.I.G. Students also took part in a question and answer session with Biggie Small's mother, also the films' producer, after the film screening. This event was filmed for 1 Extra and is currently on their website, please use the link below to view our year 13 students taking part in the question and answer session (make sure you scroll to the bottom of the page).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/notorious/video.shtml#qa1

BBFC guest speaker

At the beginning of this term Briony Williams organised a guest speaker from the BBFC to come into school and give a seminar to our year 12s and 13s. Mark Piper spoke about how the BBFC operate and their advisory function as well as discussing the role of a BBFC examiner and their daily activites. Students also got the opportunity to take part in classifying films using the BBFC's own guidelines. This was a fantastic seminar where students and staff got the opportunity to take part in a lively disucssion.

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/general/index.php

Prague - 'Pencil to Pixel Conference'

In February the BDC department had orgainsed a 4 day trip to the Pencil and Pixel Conference in Prague, but unfortunately due to the snow the department had to cancel the trip. We are hoping to organise another trip in term 5 to make up for student and staff disappoint.

Slumdog Millionaire

Before Christmas Film Education invited us to a preview viewing of Slumdog Millionaire. The BDC department took all year 12 and 13 students to the free film screening and took part in a question and answer session with Danny Boyle. This was a fantastic opportunity to not only see a fantastic film free and before it was on general release, but to also get the chance to quiz Danny Boyle up close and personal.

MAC Book Pro laptops

Before Christmas the BDC department purchased a set of MAC Book Pro laptops for students and staff to use across the department. These laptops are in constant demand whether for use in classroom based presentations, research, video production blogging or viewing online moving image material.

Channel 4 Work Experience

A couple of weeks ago, 4 of our year 12s and one of our year 10s attended an open day at Channel 4 with the chance to apply for work experience placements at channel 4during the summer holiday. The event was aimed at providing students with media specific career information that can help them on the way to a career in the media industry. Throughout the course of the day students took part in workshops, lecturers as well as 'speed dating' all the departments that make up Channel 4. Lucy Davis, Ryan McClarnon, Jamie Allyn, Sophie Nichol and Wesley Stokes-Mellor now all have to wait and see if they have been successful in gaining a work placement.

The Golden Obies

On Thursday 16th October the BDC department will be hosting The First Golden Obies taking place between 7-9pm. A range of video work across the strand and option classes will be screened along with a range of awards given to students work. Tickets are on sale now, make sure you dress to impress!

Trip to the BFI

On Friday 18th September year 13 students travelled up to London to access the Mediatheque at the BFI on the Southbank. Students were using this fantastic free resource to watch films and TV programmes from the BFI's archive. This trip was in support of students current work for the Final Major Project on British Cinema.

BDC students gain work experience at Channel 4

We are pleased to announce that three year 12 and two year 10 BDC students have successfully gained work experience placements this summer at Channel 4. Our students went through a vigourous selection process including being invited to Channel 4 and meeting with different departments. Congratulations to our year 12 students Samantha Dennis, Jamilla Walters and Jordon Baillie and our year 10 students Natasha Turner-Wray and Timothy Field.

BDC students and BBC London

Yesterday afternoon BDC students past and present were part of an invited audience for BBC London Drivetime live radio special on gun and knife crime. Year 12 students Jamilla Walters, Elliott Saliba, Rasim Tayyar, Robert Lock, Stephanie Rayner, Aaron Hamilton and Vitoria Perez along with year 13 students Yoshi Alemayehu, Jade Hunter, Nicole Corbin as well as ex-student and BRIT FM producer Zaciya Miller and year 13 theatre sutdent William Ackon helped form a constructive debate around this central issue for many young people living in London. The students contributed live on air to the Drivetime show and helped to represent the voice of young Londoners. To listen to the show again click on the link below and follow the links to Eddie Nester on the right http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/05/31/click_of_the_day_feature.shtml

BRIT FM and BBC London

BRIT FM made a welcome return to the BBC London Studios to record a special show exploring the issues surrounding knife and gun crime amongst young people in London. The presenters included BDC year 13s Nicole Corbin, Joshua Osborn, reporters Georgina Oakford, Tanya Eddowes and the production team consisting of Danielle Palmer, Yasmin Stewart and the discussion panel of Anton Maclean, Yoshi Alemayehu and Yinka Koleosho. You can listen to the show by clicking here www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/06/04/yourstories_britmix_audio_feature.shtml as well as be able to listen to a variety of speech packages written and produced by BDC students as part of their BTEC National Diploma in Media Production. Click here to listen to students speech packages on BBC London http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/02/22/brit_fm_feature.shtml

MTV workshop

On Tuesday of this week year 12 BDC and Music students took part in a workshop run by the MTV development team. The students were put into groups to generate ideas for a new and exiciting magazine show centred around one of the following, fashion, film and television, issues, online or music. Once the groups had divised their own show ideas, they then had to pitch their idea to the MTV programme development staff. The workshop ran for 2 hours ending with a question and answer session about MTV, the jobs that they do and how to get a job at MTV.

Visit from Paul Green

Yesterday Paul Green, a talent scout for Skillset visited the department and talked to our Year 12 BDC students. Paul discussed possible routes at University for future filmmakers including undergraduate and post graduate courses. During the talk Paul also screened post graduate film and animation work completed at the National Film School. Students also took part in a question and answer session and felt that they had come away from the talk more informed.

Music Videos

Our A2 Media Studies class have just put the finishing touches to their brillant music videos. Students picked their own original tracks from students across the school in particular from the music department. With the new HD cameras and use of Final Cut Pro, all students have managed to produce a high quality finished product.

Edit Suite

Our new edit suite has been up and running for a couple of months now and has been a huge success for both students and staff. The Edit Suite now houses 7 Apple Mac editing stations with Final Cut Pro and flat screen monitors. So far the amount of work produced on this new system includes Film Trailers, Single Camera Drama productions, Music Videos, Adverts, Thiller Films and Soap Operas. Not only do we have this fantastic new editing suite, but we are also extremely fortunate to have purchased 8 HD Sony V1 cameras for our students to use.

Jeff Simpson talks to year 13 BDC students

On Thursday Jeff Simpson a governor of the The BRIT School spent the afternoon with our year 13 students. Jeff who has previously produced Top of The Pops and continues to make documentary TV programmes for the BBC, specifically talked through his work as a documentary maker. Our year 13s are currently in the process of planning and shooting their own documentaries covering topics such as Autism and Employment, A Day in the Life of A Beauty Salon, A London Black Taxi Driver, an over 60s community singing group, a teenage female boxer, Foyer@Croydon a teenage hostel, Camden Market and St. Christophers Hospice.

MAVERICK TV

Last week Jonnie Turpie head of Marverick TV was at the school and spoke to our year 13 students about how he founded his production company Maverick. The year 13s were especially lucky to have received a talk from Jonnie Turpie as Maverick are the makers of 'How to look good naked', 'How to look ten years younger' and 'Hopsital of embarrasing illnesses'.

VISIONS e-magazine

The BDC departments cross curricular project with the English department is again seeking new articles, creative work, news and reviews from students and staff across the school. The magazine can be read online and offers an exicting opportunity for students to have their work published online. To access VISIONS click on the logo on the department and schools' homepage.

New year 12 students hard at work

Our new year 12 students are hard at work planning and storyboarding ideas for television adverts. The students are working in groups of three to create two adverts for the same product that target different audiences. In a couple of weeks, the students will be shooting footage using the departments new HD cameras and then editing their final adverts using the new to be installed MAC edit suite using Final Cut Pro. This is an exiciting time for the year 12s as they are putting all their new found knowledge into the production of real media products.

Yr12 in the TV Studio

Our year 12s have been working on re-creating scenes from Eastenders in the TV Studio. Yes, some dubious acting was involved, but mainly they were developing their skills in camerawork, floor managing, vision mixing, sound desk control and other roles.