News - March 2010
Cass Alumni tackle Vigilante Britain
The latest film by MA Film Production Alumni Daniel and Jesse Quinones is being screened this week on Current TV (Sky 183/Virgin 155). Vigilante Britain is a hard hitting documentary investigating the rise in vigilantism across Britain.
The brothers drove over 2,500 miles across Britain meeting vigilantes over 3 months to produce the film. Vigilante Britain was commissioned after the brothers won the Current TV Pitch at the 2009 Sheffield Documentary Film Festival.
The film is the latest success for the brothers who have won awards and screenings all over the world for films including Cagefighter, Cold Calling and Surviving History since they graduated in 2007.
Jesse and Daniel are now joined at their company Woolfcub Productions by director of photography Fabio Dominguez, himself an alumnus of The MA Digital Film and Animation course at the Cass.
Vigilante Britain next be shown on
- Friday March 12 at 12am
- Sunday March 14 at 10pm
A trailer for the programme can be seen at the Woolfcub website, alongside clips of their other films.
March 12, 2010
Cass Upholstery students exhibit with top manufacturer at NEC
Three Upholstery students from The Cass (The Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design) won the opportunity to showcase their work on a stand at the Interiors exhibition at the NEC.
To promote the launch of their exciting new Powder Coated range of decorative nails, leading supplier Heico Fasteners UK teamed up with the London Metropolitan University and the Association of Master Upholsterers & Soft Furnishers (AMUSF), to launch a competition for upholstery students to design and make a chair incorporating these innovative new nails. The winning design was by Hannah Stanton with Helen Wilding and Carol Mandeville collecting the Runner-up awards.
The winners were selected by the Joan Milton, former president of the AMUSF, and the prizes were awarded on the Heico stand, on the opening Sunday of the exhibition, by the current President, Bob Bishton.
With the three designs taking pride of place on the Heico Fasteners UK stand for the entire duration of the exhibition, the students were provided with a great opportunity to showcase their work to a broader audience at this important exhibition.
Dave Read, General Manager of Heico Fasteners UK, said of the competition, “It has been a great experience working with the AMUSF and the staff and students of the London Metropolitan University and the quality of the designs submitted by the students was of a very high standard”, “The chairs drew a lot of attention during the exhibition and the innovative qualities of both their designs and the nails themselves drew much positive comment from visitors to our stand.”
Malcolm Hopkins, Upholstery Course Co-ordinator at the London Metropolitan University added “It was a really good experience for the students to work with a company like Heico Fasteners UK and to get the opportunity to showcase their work at such a prestigious event, the students have put in a tremendous effort and time and in doing so have done themselves, there fellow students and the university proud”.
March 12, 2010
Cass lecturer named a Jerwood Contemporary Maker 2010
David Gates a Senior Lecturer in Furniture at The Cass (The Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design) has been named one of the Jerwood Contemporary Makers 2010.
Selectors Hans Stofer, Richard Slee and Freddie Robins – three of the most inventive names in the visual arts have chosen 29 makers from across the UK to take part in a major exhibition in June this year, and each artist will get a share of the £30,000 prize fund.
Established in 2008, Jerwood Contemporary Makers is a three year initiative developed to support the applied arts and encourage new and stimulating ways of showing work across a range of disciplines. It replaces the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize, which was run in partnership with the Crafts Council for 11 years.
The Jerwood Contemporary Makers Exhibition, ‘Exploring new perspectives in making’ will take place from 17 June–25 July at the Jerwood Space.
David is currently showing work at Innovative Crafts at the Dovecot in Edinburgh in a national touring show, Taking Time; Craft and The Slow Revolution. He is also taking part in a self-curated collaborative project called ’Intelligent Trouble’ at Contemporary Applied Arts in London until the 20th March.
See David Gates' Website | Blog
March 11, 2010
Cass Students’ provide research for safe sex campaign
Sex scenes on TV could have a big impact on young people’s attitudes towards sex but just seven per cent reference safer sex, according to a new report, which includes research carried out by MA Communications Management students at The Cass (The Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design).
The report, called 'Mis-selling sex' published on the 21st February, was commissioned as part of the Government’s Sex. Worth Talking About campaign, and identifies a mismatch between sex on screen and real life advice to young people.
Between March and April 2009, the Cass students conducted an audit to understand how sex is represented in UK television programmes aimed at young adults. Using a specially designed questionnaire, the students coded the content according to the type of sex that was shown, how sex was talked about, what safer sex messaging featured, and how frequently it featured. The research undertook careful analysis of 350 episodes of programmes ranging from soaps including Eastenders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street, to comedies such as The IT Crowd, and dramas such as Casualty and Skins, and revealed:
- only 7% of sexual content featured discussion of safe sex or safe sex in practice of the 102 encounters of actual sex, only three couples used condoms
- just 13% of sexual encounters where contraception was not featured dealt with any kind of consequence (such as pregnancy or contracting STIs)
- of the 99 instances of unsafe sex (i.e. without condoms), just nine characters regretted their behaviour, which contrasts with polling that suggests 41% of people have had unprotected sex and worried about the consequences
- in 74% of instances of unsafe sex, women were the ones who dealt with any issue
The research in the report shows that almost half (41%) of young adults say they would feel more confident about using condoms if they were discussed more openly in the media and more than a third (37%) of young people turn to television for guidance on sex and relationships. Some programmes already go some way towards addressing these issues, but overall, a lack of contraception in sex scenes, depiction of unsafe sex, and underplaying the need for sexual safety on screen, could be having a bad effect on young people’s attitudes towards safer sex, contraception and condoms. The report concludes with a a five point plan developed with Hlath Advisory Charity Brook setting out recommendations for broadcasters to consider helping ensure plotlines do not promote risky behaviour and including the suggestion that actors who play popular characters promote issues around unsafe sex by working with charities in real life.
The student involvement was initiated In February 2009 course leader Dr. Jeremy Collins was contacted by Blue Rubicon (an award-winning PR consultancy) where one of the associate directors, is an MA Communications Management Alumnus. The students were then trained by Blue Rubicon to conduct the research, with guidance form Dr. Collins. Talking about the research, Dr. Collins said, “With large numbers of young adults seemingly unable to have completely open and informed conversations about sex and relationships, television can play a key role reinforcing positive social norms. The Mis-selling Sex report identifies an important opportunity gap, and suggests programme makers can do more to educate their audiences about safer sexual practices as well as entertain.”
Read full Mis-selling Sex report
Links to story in press: Mirror | People | Telegraph
March 10, 2010
Cass student shortlisted for national RSA design award
Wu Jui Yao, a final year BA Graphic Design Student at the Cass (the Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design) has been short-listed for the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (RSA) Design Directions award. Wu Jui will be interviewed by a panel RSA on the 11th March before the final winner is decided.
The RSA's student annual awards scheme, Design Directions, offers a range of challenging projects that comment on the changing role of the designer in relation to society, technology and culture. Wu Jui Yao has been short-listed for his response to the A Matter Of Life project brief, developed in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline. The winner will be given an internship at the company.
The brief asked the students to propose a design-led solution that would improve patient compliance with their prescribed treatment. Wu has responded with an innovative booklet that puts the theory of ‘Self-Determination and Motivational Interviewing’ into practice. This will be used as an interactive communication aid between the doctor or practice nurse and patient during the first treatment session then given as a practical gift to the patient, including ‘reminder stickers’ and a notes section for patient reflection. The overall process is intended to bring the patient nearer to their caregiver and establish a stronger relationship. The patient feels more understood, supported and engaged with, which should hopefully lead to better health behaviour and medication compliance. The caregiver benefits from a deeper insight of the patient’s difficulties.
Talking about his work for the competition, Wu Jui Yao said " At first it was a little bit confusing how this project had any relation to graphic design; how to use or work as a graphic designer in such a socially based and especially unfamiliar issue. The process of investigating the subject and applying graphic design (in my case the medium of print) was what made this challenge interesting-it has given me new perspectives of how design can tackle and improve other social based environments."
Senior Lecturer Frances Bloomfield said, “We are really pleased for Wu Jui Yao. This is the 3rd year that BA Graphic Design has had students enter work for the RSA Design Directions Competition- and we have had successes each year. This year’s brief was particularly demanding as it required in depth research into a range of areas which would be very unfamiliar for graphic design students- which makes his success all the more impressive.”
March 3, 2010
Cass Lecturer’s movie debuts in LA
‘Anyone You Want’, the debut feature film by Campbell Graham, a senior lecturer at The Cass (The Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design) will receive its world premiere at the Cinequest Festival in Los Angeles on the 3rd of March. It will show in competition in the New Visions Program, sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Campbell, who teaches screenwriting and working with actors on the BA Film and Broadcast Production course wrote ,directed and produced ‘Anyone You Want’. He has previously made several short films, music promos and commercials. His extreme comic short 'Dare' (which you can see online) premiered at the Yahoo Film Festival in L.A. and was picked up by Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard for their film website Pop.com. Campbell is also an experienced actor, and you can catch a glimpse of him as ‘Hamish’ in both Bridget Jones Movies and as a wizard in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
In the ‘Anyone You Want’ a young businessman befriends a troubled homeless girl on the streets of Sydney and is drawn into her secret fantasy world. Over a lost weekend they try out new personalities - from hippies to grunting cavemen. But as these games bring them closer together they are forced to confront the frightening reality of each other's lives. In turns touching, edgy, and funny, 'Anyone You Want' features rising Australian stars Socratis Otto (The Matrix Reloaded, X Men Origins- Wolverine), Tabrett Bethell (The Clinic) and veteran comic actor Max Cullen (Australia, Jindabyne).
The Cinequest Film Festival where the film will debut is now in its 20th year celebrates the work of maverick and innovative filmmakers. The 2010 event will feature more than 200 film screenings, including 76 U.S. and World Premieres from 45 countries, and 80,000 attendees are expected.
Michael Upton, Academic Leader at The Cass said, “It’s very important to us that , whatever their chosen discipline, our students are taught by experienced practitioners. We’re proud to have a talent like Campbell on the team- and delighted to hear about the film’s LA launch. If you are a Facebook user please support the film- and Campbell- on the Anyone You Want page”.
Follow 'Anyone You Want' on Facebook
February 25, 2010
MA Photography Alumnus wins Societás Award
David George, who recently graduated from the MA Photography course at The Cass (The Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design) been named joint runner up in the Societás Creative Graduate Static Art Prize 2009. He shares the prestigious accolade with Japanese illustrator and New York School of Visual Arts graduate Yoko Furusho. David’s winning work examines the existence of “The Sublime” in the Western post-industrial landscape. His images explore how such terrains posses a physical and intellectual exclusivity for a general observer and how they, due to the nature of the industries that create and maintain them, have a built-in obsolescence.
The Societás Creative Graduate Prize, now in its fifth year kick-starts the careers of talented visual arts graduates globally, bringing their work to the attention of leaders in the creative industries - a platform to recognise the best emerging illustrators, photographers, painters, graffiti artists, animators, short filmmakers and installation artists worldwide.
The awards jury is made up of innovators from the international creative industries including contemporary artists Stuart Semple and Tessa Farmer, Penny Martin of the London College of Fashion, photographer Ellis Scott, Design Laboratory/Jotta.com, Director Yann Mathias and Melissa Sterry founder and CEO of Societás.
The Societás award follows a string of recent successes for David. In November, Korean photography magazine PhotoArt presented a 6 page showcase of his work. In December he was a finalist in ‘shots’ magazine’s 2010 global photography competition. His work is currently being exhibited on both sides of the Atlantic- at New Directions : 2010 Down and Out in Portland, Oregon and at The Open West at the University Of Gloucester.
February 24, 2010
Cass Alumna leads BBC/BFI Future Film Festival
Sandra Kazlauskaite a 2009 graduate of BA (Hons ) Music Technology (Sound for Media) at The Cass (The Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design) has the key role of co-ordinating the 3rd Future Film Festival, which takes place from 5th to 7th February at the National Film Theatre.
Presented by the Bristish Film Institute (BFI) and BBC Blast and aimed at 13-25 year old film makers, the festival is an exclusive weekend of free screenings, workshops and a chance to get up-close to on-screen stars and behind-the-scenes talent. This year’s exciting line up includes previews of new movies such as ‘The Scouting Book for Boys’ and ‘Heartless’, workshops with the casting director of ‘Skins’ and the sound design team from Doctor Who, the opportunity to compose for the BBC Symphony Orchestra and a Q and A session with Joe Wright, the director of ‘Atonement.’
The festival is Sandra’s first big project in her new role as Young Film maker’s organiser at BBC Blast. She visited the department recently to tell current students about the festival and opportunities to participate.
Sandra is no stranger to success. At the Graduation ceremony in 2009 she was awarded the ‘University prize for academic excellence, best First Class Honours Award - first place. This recognizes her First Class degree as the top degree across the whole of London Metropolitan University for 2009 on the basis of academic achievement.
During her time at The Cass, Sandra, from Lithuania, was also involved in numerous extra-curricular activities. One of her projects was selected for an arts festival in Chemnitz (Germany) in Summer 2008, where she was invited to work in residency. Another of her compositions was part of a showcase of surround sound works at the Electro-Acoustic Music Festival in New York in 2009.
Michael Upton, Academic Leader at The Cass said, “We are really proud of Sandra’s academic success and professional progress since graduating, both of which are a testament to the creativity, hard work and commitment she consistently demonstrated as a student here.”
February 2, 2010
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