Oska Bright On The Road
Oska Bright On the Road began with a trip to Penzance in November 2007 and continues until the end of 2008.
June Hall and Stephen Firshman from Oska Bright Committee at The Cutt Arts Centre in Halesworth, Suffolk
We are the Oska Bright steering committee and we want to tell you about taking our film festival across the UK and abroad. Last year the festival happened over two days at the Old Market in Brighton and was an outstanding success. You can click on the following link to read a review of Oska Bright 2007.
Last year over 1000 people saw our films. We are all very excited about Oska Bright On The Road which promises to reach a much bigger audience as it travels to 21 venues. And it’s not just the UK that sees the potential and artistic value of Oska Bright. Matthew Hellett, film-maker and chair of Carousel’s board of directors, has just returned from the 'Picture This' film festival in Calgary, Canada, where two films picked up awards. In May, two more Oska Brights are being screened at the Sprout Film Festival at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Carousel is discussing a link-up with Normal Fest in Prague and actively seeking other international partners to work with, sharing its experience and understanding of making films with learning disabled artists.
Oska Bright’s programme includes narrative drama, animation, documentary and musical films. Some are rooted in the lives of their makers, others are pure imagination or fantasy. From the gothic and haunting The Raven’s Tale by The Shystershadows, to the quirky animation of Why I Hate Art by Glasgow’s Project Ability (both award winners at the 2007 festival), Oska Bright on the Road presents a real alternative to the mainstream for an audience of passionate film-fans.
For a full list of tour dates and masterclasses take a look at the website at www.oskabright.co.uk You can also read about the next Festival, which takes place in 2009, and how to enter a film.
Glasgow Film Theatre, May 2008
By Andy Kee and Matthew Hellett
Andy Kee and Matthew Hellett standing outside Glasgow Film Theatre
We showed the Oska Bright films at the Glasgow Film Theatre – a very old cinema built in the 1930’s. People came to see the Oska Bright screenings over 2 days. They were very enthusiastic and we sold lots of Oska Bright T-shirts and key rings.
On our last day we ran a Master Class at Project Ability. 12 people took part in the workshop. We showed them how to make a short film for Oska Bright. The film they made was about “Dr Jones”. Quite a few people at the Master Class said that they wanted to enter their films into Oska Bright 2009.
This was a very successful beginning for Oska Bright in Scotland.
Inverness at Eden Court Cinema and Theatre, May 2008
By Andy Kee and Matthew Hellett
Andy and Matthew sitting on the ground under a film still from The Royal Bite at Eden Court Cinema in Inverness
After our work at Glasgow had ended, we drove up to Inverness.
We were based at Eden Court Cinema and Theatre in the centre of Inverness by the river. This new venue was superb. There was a great size cinema and the staff were really helpful. This helped put us at our ease to deliver great screenings. 110 people from across the Highlands came to see the films. We sold lots of T-shirts and key rings here too. The audience feedback was very enthusiastic – they said that they were excited to have this chance to be involved with Oska Bright.
The next day we ran the Oska Bright Master Class at Eden Court in the old part of the building called “The Bishop’s Palace”. We had a nice size group of very enthusiastic people with loads of ideas. The film that they made was called “Gerald the Giraffe”. We think that these guys will definitely make more films for Oska Bright 2009 – it seems like they have got lots of ideas!
This was a lovely opportunity to take Oska Bright to Inverness. It was great to meet Scottish film makers face to face.
Lancaster Screening at Beaumont College, May 2008
By June Hall and Stephen Firshman
Oska Bright Masterclass participants with June Hall and Stephen Firshman
The drive to Lancaster took a long time, when we got there we went to our hotel and met Jenny from Beaumont College for dinner.
The next day we showed our films to over 260 people at Beaumont College and then showed them again in the evening to lots of visitors from organisations in Lancaster.
June worked with Luke from Junk TV to make a film of what people thought of the films and Stephen worked on introducing the films.
The next day we ran the Oska Bright master-class with 14 people, the local newspaper came and took our photo. Everyone was very excited about the workshop and lots of them were talking about making films for Oska Bright 2009, one person wanted to make a film like 'Taggart'.
Stephen met a girl called Emma who he really liked.
Beaumont College said that they were going to make lots of films for Oska Bright 2009 and asked us to go back in 2010 to do more work with them at a cinema in Lancaster.
Wolverhampton Disability Film Festival, April 2008
By Matthew Hellett and Richard West
Richard West and Matthew Hellett
We left Brighton at 8am to drive to Wolverhampton stopping at Oxford Services for a coffee and a bite to eat on the way. When we arrived in Wolverhampton we arrived at a very nice arts centre called Newhampton Arts Centre; Matthew gave a brief interview on Wolverhampton Community Radio about 'Oska Bright - On the Road' and then we ran the master class with 15 people. After the master class Simon went to pick up Richard from the train station whilst Matthew and Mark gave an interview to Wolverhampton Community Radio. On the radio we talked about Oska Bright 'On the Road' and about how great Brighton is. In the evening we ate a gorgeous dinner at a Jamaican restaurant. The next day we showed the Oska Bright films at a place called The Light-House. Altogether 120 people came to see the films during the day. We enjoyed taking Oska Bright to Wolverhampton and we may go back in 2010.
Belfast Film Festival, April 2008
By Richard West
Oska Bright Masterclass participants pose in The Black Box
Andy Kee and I arrived at London Gatwick airport by train where we met Simon and Mark. Then we flew to Belfast City Airport. In Belfast we got a taxi to our flats which were brand new and very nice and better than a hotel. We had a look around and then took a Chinese Take away back home . The next day we took a taxi to The Black Box, a cinema. We set up the film screenings and then waited for the audience to arrive. On the first day 150 people came to see two of the Oska Bright screenings, then afterwards Andy ran the master class with 15 people whilst I rode my bike around Belfast. In the master class there were three film makers who asked very good questions about editing. The next day we took a taxi back to The Black Box and showed screenings three and four. Richard presented the films with Andy to another 150 people. We did a question and answer session at the end of the screenings. It felt very important for Oska Bright 'On the Road' to be part of the Belfast Film Festival because now they know how to partner with people with learning disabilities.
Borderlines Film Festival with DASh, Hereford April 2008
By Stephen Firshman
When the mini bus arrived at my house to take me to the Borderlines Film Festival I was still in bed and feeling very sleepy. We were taking Oska Bright 'On The Road' to be part of the festival at The Courtyard in Hereford. It took five hours to get to Hereford and when we arrived we got everything ready for the Oska Bright master class. 20 people came to the workshop which went very well. After the workshop we went to the hotel which had nice big rooms. In the evening we went into town to a pub where we ate food and drank beer. The next day we went to the cafe in Sainsbury's to eat breakfast, I had bacon and eggs and sausages. We went back to The Courtyard to set up the film screenings and then the audience arrived; the first screening was sold out so when I introduced the screenings I spoke to 127 people. Luke and Chris were making a small film about the day, everyone who talked to them said that they thought the festival was very good and that watching the films made them want to make their own films for Oska Bright 2009. In total 315 people saw the festival in Hereford which felt excellent.
Halesworth, Suffolk February 2008
By June Hall and Stephen Firshman
June Hall and Stephen Firshman from Oska Bright Committee at The Cutt Arts Centre in Halesworth, Suffolk
We hired a taxi for us to drive to Halesworth in East Anglia, this is the only OSKA BRIGHT 'On The Road' screening in the East of England.
We had a nice meal and a pint in a pub and then went back to our beautiful hotel.
The next day we went to 'The Cut' which is a theatre. We showed our films and Stephen and I did jobs like giving out leaflets, selling T-shirts and keyrings, introducing screenings and talking to people.
There was dancing in between the film screenings because Oska Bright was part of a bigger festival called 'Travelling Light'. We thought that was really good. Over 300 people came to see the films and they said they want us to come back in 2010.
At the end of he day we went to a very nice Italian restaurant with a local artist called Sophie.
The next day we went back to 'The Cut'and ran the Oska Bright master class. We made a film about a dog who wanted to go to the moon; everyone had a good time and learnt alot about film making. Three people who came to the workshop said that they were going to make films for Oska Bright 2009.
London, February 2008
By Andy Kee and Richard West
On Saturday 16th February Richard, Andy, Matthew and Stephen went to the British Film Institute Cinema on the South Bank in London to show three Oska Bright film screenings as part of the London Disability Film Festival.
Andy and Matthew presented the films to about fifty people; the audience all enjoyed the films.
We were able to meet someone from Skillset who are going to be sponsoring some of Oska Bright 2009.
It was great to be able to show our films in one of the most important cinemas in England.
Dublin December 2007
By Andy Kee and Stephen Firshman
Photograph of the Oska Bright team
We had a warm welcome after a bumpy flight and stayed in a hotel in Temple Bar.
On 3rd December we went to Filmbase to prepare for the festival. The first thing we did was run the master class with 16 students from Trinity College. They had lots of questions and lots of ideas for new films. The group made a film about Max the dog.
In the evening we launched Oska Bright in Ireland. We showed films and had a question and answer session about Oska Bright. People asked interesting questions and we talked for a long time. Afterwards people could talk to us as we had wine and snacks.
On 4th December it was Stephen’s Birthday. The students who were helping us to run the Festival gave Stephen a present and sang Happy Birthday. Afterwards we introduced the films to over 150 people who said it was good to have such a range of films shown together.
Afterwards we had a meal with people from Arts and Disability Ireland. We talked about future of Oska Bright in Ireland and coming back to develop the Oska Bright and film making opportunities for people with learning disabilities.
In the evening we went to a pub called The Porterhouse where we drank Guinness and cider to celebrate.
Penzance November 2007
By June Hall and Stephen Firshman
June and I went to in Cornwall with Mark and Simon to start Oska Bright ‘On the Road’.
It took a long time to get there but after a nice meal and a sleep in a comfy bed we were ready for work the next day.
Not very many people came to the film screenings on Tuesday which was a shame, but on Wednesday lots of people came to the master class. People said that the master class was very interesting and made them want to make films for Oska Bright 2009. We made a film together about a Hippo. BBC Spotlight came to the workshop and interviewed us for the TV.
This was the first time we had shown films in Cornwall and we hope to show more there in the future.
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Crippen (daveluptontoons[at]aol.com) said on 2008-02-02 19:22:
Hi guys, had a look at your web site. Youve managed that rare thing of being both accessible and interesting. Other site users could do worse than follow your example! Best of luck at this years film festival. Warm regards, Crippen
Paul Darke (bt55wxm[at]yahoo.co.uk) said on 2008-04-28 14:28:
oska Bright in Wolverhampton were excellent: it was a pleasure to have them and those who did the Masterclass thought it brilliant. Equally, Richard discussed on the radio how wonderful Brighton is whilst i pointed out how horrible it was; hopefully, you will be able to listen to the interview on www.outside-centre.info fairly soon.
Thanks Richard and all from Oska Bright who delivered an excellent film festival on the road as part of the Wolverhampton Disability Arts Festival - see my blog on DAO. Hope to see you in 2010. Paul Darke
last updated: 2008-01-11 11:05:53
tags : learning disabilities film festival