Digital Technology networking event: Into Film



Teachers, Professionals and STEM Ambassadors welcomed



Dundee Science Centre - STEM Programmes Team , Thursday, 29 October 2015 from 16:30 to 18:30 (GMT) 



Teachers from Art, Design, Technology, Computing and more are encouraged to attend! This is suitable for both Primary and Secondary levels.



Book Now to attend this free event.



The creative industries are one of the UK’s great strengths. British films, video games, animation and television are enjoyed by audiences around the world. The Government’s tax relief opportunities for film, high end drama, computing gaming, amongst other sectors, means that many international productions and companies find the UK an extremely attractive place to do business. The Harry Potter franchise put the UK’s visual effects industry on the international stage and the recent VFX Oscars awarded to Gravity, Interstellar and Inception (won by Framestore and Double Negative respectively), has meant that that accolade continues. 



However, certain sectors of the visual effects industry are facing skill shortages. Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that jobs like 3D Supervisor, Compositing Artist, and Matte Painter are included in the Government’s Visa Bureau Shortage Occupations List, meaning that companies are having to recruit beyond the UK to fill vacant posts. As we look to the future, this will become more acute as VFX are no longer restricted to entertainment (commercials, corporate films, pop videos, TV indents, online content, etc.), but it will be used even more in jewellery design, recreation of anatomy, architechture, art installations, and product design to name but a few examples.



The Skills Fusion project is a careers outreach programme, funded by Creative Skillset and delivered by Into Film. Its objective is to illustrate and explain that the UK's film VFX, animation, games and associated industries faces a skills shortage of new entrants with strong backgrounds in STEM and computing science. Young people concentrating on these areas very often do not know, or realise that rewarding careers based on STEM subjects are possible in the creative industries.



This talk by Yen Yau (Talent Development Manager), from Into Film will provide a context for Skills Fusion; she will give an overview to how a feature film is made; where the job opportunities lie and provide signposting so that the audience has a list of useful resources to use with students to help them explore potential careers in the vfx industry. Then to cover the gaming side, and industry professional from the region will be invited to give a summary of what the sector looks like from their viewpoint.



Melissa Knox, Blazing Griffin

Since 2013, Melissa Knox has been a Producer at Blazing Griffin, overseeing the development of four PC and mobile titles including the studio's current project, The Ship: Remasted. Previously, she worked as the Partner Relations Manager at Reloaded Productions, liaising with the company's international partners and licensees of the PC game APB: Reloaded. She also holds a postgraduate degree in Strategic PR & Communications Management from Stirling University. Volunteering as a Video Game Ambassador, Melissa prepares young people for careers in the creative industries by encouraging the study of STEM subjects and raising their awareness of game development career paths.



Lorna Gibson, Code Club Scotland

Code Club is a nationwide network of free volunteer-led after school coding clubs for children aged 9-11.



They create projects for our volunteers to teach at after school coding clubs or at non-school venues such as libraries. The projects teach children how to program by showing them how to make computer games, animations and websites. Our volunteers go to their local club for an hour a week and teach one project a week.

Each term the students will progress and learn more whilst at the same time using their imaginations and making creative projects. Terms 1 & 2 use Scratch to teach the basics of programming. Term 3 teaches the basics of web development using HTML and CSS. Term 4 teaches Python and so on.



They have also created online training for our volunteers, to make sure they have all the info and know-how they need to run a successful Code Club.



Please let us know if you are planning to attend and you have additional access or dietary requirements: ambassadors@dundeesciencecentre.org.uk