The Scottish Youth Film Festival took place recently offering practical workshops to young people who want to get involved in film.

As a photographer at any event my job is to compose images that tell the story, and to do that well I think you really need to tune in to the vibe, listen to the conversations and feel a connection with the audience and the speakers as well as the team running things….but I didn’t expect to get quite so enthralled.

This wasn’t some self-congratulatory celebfest, but a practical hands-on series of workshops, panel conversations, outright silly fun and a showcase awards ceremony for the best films created by our young people.

More than 160 travelled from all over Scotland – from Shetland to Dumfries – and were joined by actors, directors, producers, experts and professionals from Film, TV, Theatre and Games. The workshops were across a wide range from sound design, acting for screen, animation, scriptwriting, gruesome make-up, careers advice – but with added invaluable insights from working professionals who would answer ANY questions the kids could think of.

Dave Barras and Scott Mackay founded the Scottish Youth Film Foundation charity and in 2023 partnered with the Connery Foundation to take their work to new heights, into new classrooms and to fill more young minds with the power of the possible.

The vibe at their festival was “Just try it” and the speakers and experts were saying “I’ve done it” and “this is how you can too”.

In a country where a government can just pull away the funding for creative organisations at the drop of a hat we should be very thankful for folk like David, Scott and the charity’s manager Heather Bowry for their relentless encouragement of Scotland’s youth, and for their own creative and persuasive skills in providing such a fantastic free resource for all of our young people.

Being creative is a superpower that we have as kids but is too often drilled out of us by school and conforming to the norms of life. What was so very refreshing was to see creativity being celebrated, hear it being positively encouraged and feel the confidence in these young voices grow as the day progressed.

The messages at this festival were loud and clear. Keep playing, experiment, do daft stuff, film it, write it, record and edit it. Take things you can only imagine and turn them into stuff we can see, hear and feel. Even ordinary folk can make magic.

Scottish Youth Film Foundation can be found at www.syff.scot

Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. Director Andrew Cumming discusses hisnew series Payback at the Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. Director Andrew Cumming discusses his new series Payback with crew members Jonny Kerr and Emily Ritchie at the Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. Director Andrew Cumming discusses his new series Payback with crew members Jonny Kerr and Emily Ritchie at the Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. Director Andrew Cumming discusses his new series Payback with crew members Jonny Kerr and Emily Ritchie at the Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Perth, UK. 30th Sep, 2023. The Scottish Youth Film Festival at North Inch Community Campus in Perth. Youngsters gathered from all over Scotland to participate in workshops and discussion panels covering all aspects of film, TV and performance arts. There was an award ceremony for the best films in their national competition. Credit: Tom Duffin.
Tom Duffin
+ posts