14 Gaelic programmes from BBC ALBA and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal have earned nominations for this year’s Celtic Media Festival awards, which are to be held in Llanelli between the 2nd-4th of May.
Amongst the television programmes nominated are Eòrpa, with a special report from Ukraine; Gàidhlig Obar Dheathain by Midas Media; and, with a programme about women’s football, Breab agus Buaidh by Matchlight.
Produced by BBC Gàidhlig, Eòrpa won an award at the Scottish BAFTAs five months ago and another prize would set another milestone for a programme which is just about to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Speaking about the nominated programme, Eòrpa: Ukrainian Paralympians, producer Rebecca MacLennan said: “This is a very personal report and we need to give special thanks to Anton for telling us his story. This shows the recognition and worth that Eòrpa has in bringing audiences these fascinating stories.”
Production company Bees Nees Media saw three of its BBC ALBA series shortlisted, including two music series, Port and Seirm and their new series Scotstar – Teasairginn Èiginneach, which followed the Air Ambulance teams that offer a life-saving service to the remotest parts of Scotland.
Iain MacLeod from Bees Nees said: “Bees Nees are delighted that three of our series – Port, Seirm and Scotstar, have been shortlisted for the Celtic Media Awards. It’s a great honour for us and we’re eagerly anticipating the awards ceremony in Wales.”
Gàidhlig Obar Dheathain by Midas Media was nominated in the History category with its examination of the history of the Gaelic language in Aberdeen, speaking to Gaelic speakers from the area but also those in the city who are opposed to the language.
Producer, Patricia MacLeod, said: “The north east is not generally known as a Gaelic area, and it is very rewarding to produce a documentary that not only shows that Gaelic is thriving in Aberdeen, but that it also has a very long history in this region.”
In the Sports Documentary category, Matchlight earned a nomination for Breab agus Buaidh, which followed the international women’s team as they prepared for Euro 2017, building on the already strong relationship between women’s football and BBC ALBA. Breab agus Buaidh will compete against Rocky Ros Muc, another programme which was seen on BBC ALBA, which was made in partnership between different countries and production companies.
Margaret Mary Murray, BBC ALBA’s Head of Service, said: “It’s amazing to see internationally minded programmes like Seirm, Port and Eòrpa getting recognition like this – showing that BBC ALBA appreciates, and is appreciated in, the wider world. Our Scottish programming though is at our core and it’s promising to see programmes like Gàidhlig Obar Dheathain getting considered alongside other excellent content from our Celtic Media Partners.”
In the radio categories, Seumas MacDonald from Gaelic news was nominated for Radio Presenter of the Year and Radio nan Gàidheal was once again shortlisted for Radio Station of the Year.
Marion MacKinnon, Managing Editor of BBC Gàidhlig, said: “I’m so proud of the teams that are creating and delivering exceptionally good programmes. We’d be delighted to win an award or two, to prove again the value of BBC Radio nan Gàidheal to its loyal listeners.”
Amongst the other radio programmes to be shortlisted are: Balach à Borghastan and Canada 150 will compete against each other in the documentary category; Mac Ille Mhìcheil (Sorbier for Radio nan Gàidheal) and Rapal are both shortlisted for music programmes; and Beag air Bheag and Coinneach MacÌomhair were both nominated for best magazine show.
Both Lisbon ’67 agus Spòrs na Seachdain are nominated for best sport radio show, with Spòrs na Seachdain hoping to win the award for the third consecutive year.
For more information go to www.celticmediafestival.co.uk
Some of the winners of the #vlogamhòid competition met in Glasgow to collect their prizes from competition judge Hannah McKirdy.
The second iteration of MG ALBA’s #vlogamhòid competition took place this year – aimed at increasing user generated content in Gaelic. Entrants to the competition were to create short video blogs (vlogs) about the Mòd from anyone participating in any way, whether it be as a performer, TV viewer, radio listener, competition adjudicator or Mòd supporter. Each category winner received the prize of a GoPro camera.
Hannah McKirdy, one of the #vlogamhòid competition judges said: “I think that this year’s winners are a great example of how creative you can be in Gaelic using just your mobile phone. They successfully represented the Mòd in Lochaber, even if they didn’t make it there, and they made us laugh while doing so.”
In the adults’ competition for single vlogs, the winner was Ross Wilson from Glasgow. A member of the band Tide Lines, Ross created a comedic video in a famous Glasgow furniture store about how he was missing the Mòd this year. According to the judges, Ross’ ingenuity made him a worthy winner. In the adults competitions for a vlog series, the winner was Fiona MacKenzie from Canna. Not only did Fiona give a sense of how she prepared for the Mòd, how she travelled to the Mòd and how she competed; she also made though-provoking observations on issues arising at the Mòd.
Fiona was clear about the opportunity the GoPro prize creates for herself and Canna in general: “This GoPro camera will mean that I will be able to publish a weekly high quality vlog of ‘The Changing Face of Canna Through the Seasons. This will include Canna House and Gardens, the shoreline, the sky, lobster fishing above and below the waves, and also the establishment, with the cooperation of my dogs, of the CannaCollieCam vlog.”
In the children’s competition for a single vlog, the prize-winner was Andrew from Gairloch for his vlog following his week at the Mòd. With instrumental competitions, singing, recitation and conversation, Andrew had a very busy week which clearly came across in his vlog. The runner-up in this competition was Andrew’s brother Eoin.
In the children’s vlog series category, the winners were Katie and Breagha from Inverness for the second year running. That means they now have a GoPro each and the opportunity to make even more videos. They sent in a series of vlogs that effectively told the story of their Mòd in an energetic and fun manner.
Iseabail Mactaggart, MG ALBA’s Director of Strategy and Partnership, said: “Increasing Gaelic user generated content is a key aim for MG ALBA and #vlogamhòid is one way in which we’re seeking to encourage that. It is hugely encouraging to see the wit and confidence of this year’s winners and we look forward to seeing more of that, with or without competitions!”
BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs series Eòrpa has won the Current Affairs prize at the 2017 Scottish BAFTAs.
The awards ceremony took place on Sunday night (Sunday 5 November) in Glasgow, hosted by Edith Bowman.
2017 marked Eòrpa’s third consecutive nomination in this category, with their special half-hour programme on former detainees of Guantanamo Bay getting the nod this year.
The Eòrpa team travelled across Europe to interview these terror suspects who are now residing in European countries to which they have no connection or affiliation. Exiled from their homes and families, without ever facing official charges, these men have been released to a life anew whilst still dealing with their own personal traumas from their detention in Guantanamo Bay.
Eòrpa is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and has just begin its new series broadcasting weekly on BBC ALBA, BBC2 Scotland and BBC Parliament.
Covering stories across Europe and the UK, Eòrpa has earned plaudits for its platform of European issues and human interest stories. This year’s nominated team consists of producer Rebecca MacLennan, reporter Angela MacLean, director Maureen MacLeod, camera operator Stephen Hughes and researchers Murdo MacSween and Neil MacIsaac.
Eòrpa reporter, Angela MacLean, said: “We are delighted to have won the award and proud of the team. We would like to thank the contributors who gave us their time and told us their stories. Were it not for them, there would be no Eòrpa.”
Producer, Rebecca MacLennan, said: “As Eòrpa celebrates its 25th anniversary, our BAFTA win for our Guantanamo Detainees report was the icing on the cake! It was very unexpected as, alongside Eòrpa, STV and Maramedia/BBC Scotland were equally strong contenders in this category. The Eòrpa team work hard to find stories/reports that often don’t get the same kind of profile that many others do, but are still worthy.”
MG ALBA’s Chief Executive, Donald Campbell, is delighted that Eòrpa has again received recognition for its current affairs reporting.
Mr Campbell said: “Eòrpa is currently entering its 25th series and is still winning awards. The reports the team bring to our screens are hugely important and more relevant than ever before. BBC ALBA is thrilled to have such a strong and acclaimed brand representing it both home and abroad.”
Shortlisted nominations for the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2017 have been announced today (Tuesday 7th November). Heralded as the most prestigious award ceremony in the traditional music calendar, the winners will be revealed during a glitzy award ceremony on Saturday 2nd December, at Paisley’s Lagoon Centre as Paisley bids for UK City of Culture 2021.
Organising body Hands Up for Trad today unveiled the shortlist via Facebook live, and will hand out a total of sixteen awards to the best trad talent throughout Scotland’s bustling industry. Voting for the shortlisted acts will be open from today, Tuesday 7th November, until 24th November and votes can be cast online via www.scotstradmusicawards.com.
The night will be jam-packed with live performances from The Shee Big Band, who are roping in honorary Shees from throughout their eleven years to join them on stage, as well as performances from nominees Elephant Sessions and Siobhan Miller, making it a must-see event. Tickets are available now, and can be purchased by calling 0300 300 1210 or visiting www.paisley2021.co.uk. They can also be bought directly from Paisley Arts Centre.
The Album of the Year (sponsored by Birnam CD) is one of the most sought-after awards and competition is stiff this year, with 10 nominees all vying for the top spot including Elephant Sessions, Mànran, and Ímar, alongside Ryan Young who last year won the Up and Coming Artist of the Year award.
Oban Live and the Killin Music Festival are among the nominees for the Event of the Year category (sponsored by VisitScotland), while Community Project of the Year (sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust) nods to Tiree Songbook and EPL Events, among others.
Elephant Sessions, Ímar, Tide Lines and Skippinish make up the shortlist for Live Act of the Year (sponsored by Greentrax), and Gnoss, Hò-rò, Heron Valley, Inyal and Brighde Chaimbeul all compete for the Up and Coming Artist of the Year (sponsored by the Royal Scottish Conservatoire) category. A full list of nominees is below.
Hands Up for Trad exists to promote Scottish traditional music through education, information and advocacy to artists, audiences and participants throughout Scotland and beyond.
Event founder and promoter, Simon Thoumire, said: “A massive congratulations to all of our shortlisted nominees – we can’t wait to welcome them to Paisley for the ceremony. We want to say a huge thanks to everyone who has voted – with such a wealth of amazing Trad talent in Scotland, we’re sure it wasn’t an easy task. Hands Up for Trad are dedicated to showcasing the level of talent in this country, and the awards are a real highlight in the calendar each year. We can’t wait for an unmissable night of live music on Saturday 2nd December – make sure you get involved!”
Murdo MacSween, Communications Manager for the event’s title sponsor, MG ALBA, said: “The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards showcase Scotland’s world-class musical talent. We at MG ALBA are immensely proud to support that – and delighted that Scotland’s talent gets the broadcast platform it deserves on BBC ALBA.”
Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming the MG ALBA Scots Trad Awards to Paisley for the first time for what I am sure will be a memorable evening.
The town already has really strong links with the Scottish trad scene – several of the shortlisted acts played sell-out shows at our annual Spree festival this October, and we recently found out we are due to welcome the Royal National Mòd back to Paisley in either 2021 or 2022.
December’s awards night couldn’t come at a better time for us – with the announcement over whether we will be named UK City of Culture 2021 expected later that month. Our congratulations go to everyone who has made the shortlist and we look forward to offering a warm Paisley welcome.”
Alan Morrison, Head of Music, Creative Scotland, said: “At home and abroad, this has been a fantastic year for Scotland’s traditional music scene. Our finest artists have had festival tents jumping and radio airwaves buzzing, winning awards and embracing new audiences everywhere they go. Stars of the future have taken big leaps forward while the veterans who paved the way have enriched our culture even further. The sheer breadth of their talent is celebrated at the Scots Trad Music Awards, which Creative Scotland is delighted to support through Hands Up For Trad. Best of luck to all the nominees.”
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES:
Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CDs
Community Project of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust
Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music
Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings
Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association
Up and Coming Artist Award sponsored by Royal Scottish Conservatoire
Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland
Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna
Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Sound
Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Box and Fiddle Clubs
Scottish Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by The Glenturret Single Malt Whisky
Club of the Year sponsored by Tradition Arts and Culture Scotland
Instrumentalist of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland
Trad Music in the Media sponsored by Skipinnish
Venue of the Year sponsored by Musicians’ Union
Gaelic media is key to both supporting Gaelic learners and initiating Gaelic learning according to authoritative research published today.
The research conducted by Meriel Young Consulting and commissioned jointly by MG ALBA and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, found that nine out of ten Gaelic learners are watching BBC ALBA and almost half of those motivated to learn Gaelic, credited their enthusiasm to Gaelic media.
The research is published as MG ALBA’s Chair, Maggie Cunningham, confirmed the urgency of the organisation’s efforts to develop new language learning resources for Gaelic learners, and the imperative of further engagement with young Gaelic speakers.
“This research gives MG ALBA the evidence needed to progress the development of new learning content, as promised in our strategy document Lèirsinn 2021. The research is complete, we have carried out an audit of current learning resources, and we are now ready to create a new multiplatform language learning resource across LearnGaelic, BBC ALBA, Radio nan Gàidheal, social media and other platforms in partnership with the BBC and others. The new operational licence for the BBC published last week by Ofcom reaffirms the importance of this content for BBC ALBA. We know the BBC will support us given their commitment to Learning, and the vital role of Gaelic media in facilitating that.”
Allan Macdonald, Chair of Bòrd na Gàidhlig said of the research findings: “Bòrd na Gàidhlig works closely with MG ALBA across a number of different areas in relation to Gaelic development and the results of this survey serve to emphasise the importance of BBC ALBA and indeed BBC Radio nan Gàidheal to the long-term future and well-being of the Gaelic language and culture.
Attracting people to learn the Gaelic language and supporting them to do so is critical to building a secure future for the language and needs continued investment to enable the production of new content for broadcast and the resources that support learning.”
Ms Cunningham also highlighted MG ALBA’s efforts around targeting younger people, including the positive start to its comedy writing initiative: “Younger audiences are vital to the future of Gaelic and we need to ensure we are delivering compelling, bold Gaelic content for them, on the platforms they are watching. We are therefore commissioning ambitious content that will work for both BBC ALBA and for digital. New research shows this audience’s desire particularly for drama and comedy and we’re delighted that our new partnership with BBC Writersroom Scotland for Gaelic sketch writing has drawn over 50 submissions from writers and writing teams. This is a phenomenal result – and is on a par with major UK-wide schemes. The Scottish government’s recent announcement of £50,000 to develop Gaelic drama writing talent is enormously welcome as we continue to invest in the ability to tell our own stories on screen.”
Ms Cunningham continued: “Gaelic is fighting for its survival. Major interventions are needed and we ask communities, institutions and bodies throughout Scotland to work together to increase access to Gaelic learning opportunities. We need Gaelic speakers and learners to raise their voices and we appeal to everyone in Scotland and across the UK to see Gaelic as precious to them and to the nation, not just as a cultural asset but a vibrant part of a modern diverse society”.
MG ALBA and Bòrd na Gàidhlig team up with The Glasgow School of Art to offer a new “LearnGaelic” Scholarship
MG ALBA and Bòrd na Gàidhlig have teamed up with the School of Simulation and Visualisation (SimVis) at The Glasgow School of Art to offer a new “LearnGaelic” Scholarship it was announced today, Tuesday 4 July 2017. The scholarship is offered as part of a new commitment to developing interactive tools for learners of Gaelic, and will support a Gaelic learner to study on the MSc Serious Games and Virtual Reality at SimVis starting from September 2017.
Serious Games and Virtual Reality represent a large, and actively growing, industry, and this MSc will provide students with the skills to become key innovators in an exciting and rapidly developing area. As part of their programme the successful students will develop games and other virtual reality products to help support the learning of Gaelic.
“Serious Games and Virtual Reality are now multi-billion dollar global markets, not just for entertainment, but with huge impact and potential in education and training, and connecting people internationally and in remote communities,” says Daniel Livingstone, Head of Postgraduate Programmes at the School of Simulation and Visualisation. “We are very excited to team up with MG ALBA and Bòrd na Gàidhlig to offer this opportunity for a student of Gaelic to also learn how to develop new immersive virtual and augmented reality applications that will help support Gaelic learners.”
“MG ALBA is not only passionate about the development of Gaelic across traditional forms of media such as radio and TV but is determined to ensure that the language has a role in the development of new forms of creative media in the 21st century,” adds Donald Campbell, CEO of MG ALBA. “We are thrilled to be supporting the scholarship scheme which will allow someone who is passionate about both Gaelic and virtual reality to enhance their education and career prospects within this hugely important sector. We are also pleased that our LearnGaelic platform will benefit from the knowledge the successful candidate will gain. Serious games and virtual reality is a global industry and we want to ensure the vibrant Gaelic language can play a part in that.”
“Promoting the Gaelic language and encouraging people to learn and use it is at the heart of Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s work and we constantly strive for new ways in which we can achieve this,” says Shona MacLennan, CEO of Bòrd na Gàidhlig. “We are keen to explore how games technology and virtual reality can be used to support learning and usage and we are excited to be a partner in a scheme that can foster new digital learning tools for Gaelic. This is a superb opportunity for an individual to enhance their gaming technology and Gaelic language skills, whilst making a potentially ground breaking contribution to how people learn, use and perceive Gaelic in the 21st century.”
The MSc in Serious Games and Virtual Reality offers students the transferable skills to design, develop and analyse games and simulations for a range of application areas and to conduct interdisciplinary research in the applications of games technology, particularly in healthcare, education and training.
The LearnGaelic scholarship will be awarded to one person, resident in the UK or EU, who is actively engaged in learning Scottish Gaelic, or who has a genuine interest and desire to do so, and who will join the MSc programme in September 2017. Applications need to be submitted before 4th August 2017.
For more information on the Masters in SERIOUS GAMES AND VIRTUAL REALITY and how to apply for an MG ALBA scholarship visit: http://www.gsa.ac.uk/learngaelic
MSc In Serious Games and Virtual Reality: http://www.gsa.ac.uk/seriousgames
For further press information on GSA, contact: Lesley Booth; 0779 941 4474; press@gsa.ac.uk @GSofAMedia
For further press information on MG ALBA, contact: Viktoria Marker; 0141 422 6582; viktoria.marker@mgalba.com
For further press information on Bòrd na Gàidhlig, contact: Murdo Morrison; 01463 225 454 / 07983 445158; murchadh@gaidhlig.scot
-Ladbrokes Premiership, Championship, League 1 and League 2 action plus IRN-BRU Cup ties to be shown on BBC ALBA for another three seasons-
Scottish football fans from across the country will be able to enjoy live and ‘as live’ SPFL action on BBC ALBA for the next three seasons after a new agreement announced today.
Minister for Public Health and Sport Aileen Campbell MSP joined MG ALBA’s Director of Strategy and Partnership Iseabail Mactaggart, SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster and Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor at Hampden Park to unveil the new deal.
The Scottish Gaelic language digital TV channel will show both live and deferred broadcast Scottish league and cup football during seasons 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20.
For each of those seasons, BBC ALBA will enjoy the rights to show:
Minister for Sport Aileen Campbell said:
“Football is Scotland’s national game and we want to do everything we can to open it up to as many people as possible. This deal with BBC ALBA continues the great support the BBC has shown to the SPFL as well as the continued desire to promote the Gaelic language.
“As a football fan, I know that being able to watch my team on the television is a huge bonus if I can’t attend the game itself and I look forward to another three seasons of Scottish football coverage on BBC ALBA.”
SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster said: “This is a great deal for Scottish football and good news for Scotland overall. The SPFL has enjoyed a terrific partnership with BBC ALBA to date and we are excited to extend the relationship by a further three seasons, ensuring Scottish football shown live on TV can continue to be enjoyed by as many supporters as possible.
“BBC ALBA has always been a very committed supporter of our game and the latest agreement takes into account club and supporter feedback, particularly in the Ladbrokes Championship. We are all looking forward to another three successful seasons with BBC ALBA.”
Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Strategy and Partnership at MG ALBA, added: “Scottish football coverage has been extremely popular with viewers since the channel launched in 2008 and we are delighted to extend the partnership between BBC ALBA and the SPFL into its tenth year and beyond.
“The new package continues a great mix of action from across the divisions and the IRN-BRU Cup and we are pleased we can offer the spotlight to clubs who contribute so much to the domestic game outside the top flight. We are committed to coverage of Scottish sport, especially at the grassroots, and we are delighted to be working with the clubs and the SPFL in the seasons ahead.”
A new four-year deal for the production of drama content on BBC ALBA has been agreed, it has been announced today.
Funded by MG ALBA, the Gaelic Media Service – one of the partners behind BBC ALBA – the new contract with Young Films secures the future of the channel’s drama series, Bannan and marks a significant investment in drama for the channel.
Filmed on the Isle of Skye, and produced by The Inbetweeners’ Chris Young, 23 episodes of Bannan have been produced since 2014, with five of those due to be aired on BBC ALBA in the autumn. The success of Bannan has led to an international deal being signed for the series with DRG, one of the leading independent distributors of programmes in the world.
The new contract, running until 2021, will lead to at least 20 episodes being produced for the channel. The announcement was made prior to a screening of Bannan at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and coincided with the launch of MG ALBA’s annual report for 2016/17.
Maggie Cunningham, chair of MG ALBA, said: “The development of drama was a key milestone for BBC ALBA and since it was first broadcast in 2014, Bannan has proved popular with both our core Gaelic audience and non-Gaelic speakers alike.
“We’re pleased to announce a four-year deal with Young Films, which will provide longer-term certainty for Bannan’s ongoing development. In recent years we have awarded a number of multi-year volume deals to producers for other genres and seen resulting cost savings and collaborations which in turn has allowed more new programmes to be made. Whilst drama production comes at a significantly higher cost than other genres, MG ALBA believes longer-term planning for Bannan can bring similar benefits and also, that such strategic investment in drama enables us to create a strong creative foundation that benefits the future of Gaelic on screen, by strengthening the skills vital to telling our stories.”
Chris Young, of Young Films, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we are entering into this new four year deal for Bannan. My dream was always to create a popular and successful long-running Gaelic language drama that works for Gaelic, national and international audiences. Thanks to support from MG ALBA, Creative Scotland and Scottish Government as well as the outstanding contribution from everyone in the Bannan team, this has now become a reality.
“With this new deal we have a unique opportunity to take our storylines and characters in unexpected and exciting directions. It also gives us scope to develop our training programme on a more strategic basis, continuing our ambition to create a new generation of Scottish and Gaelic film and television talent. We hope to do this in partnership with MG ALBA and agencies such as Skills Development Scotland, Creative Scotland, BBC, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and others. We look forward to providing exciting new TV drama over the next four years from Bannan’s growing team of talented new writers, directors and performers.”
Launching MG ALBA’s annual report, Ms Cunningham added that many of the challenges that faced BBC ALBA were still present in the wake of the Charter renewal process, and that MG ALBA was still pressing the case for more new content.
Maggie Cunningham continued: “A key tenet of MG ALBA’s strategy is to encourage international co-productions from our producers. This has involved significant work with our independent producers and we are now starting to see this work come to fruition, with £950,000 of added value for the channel already coming from current long-term deals as a result of collaboration. A fine example of this is Port, a musical series presented by Julie Fowlis that has enjoyed significant acclaim from audiences in Scotland and Ireland. With the advent of the new BBC Scotland channel, we will explore opportunities that this may give us.
“Whilst we are determined to ensure every pound we spend works as hard as it can for the BBC ALBA audience, it must be acknowledged that there is a limit to what can be achieved with our current budget and that more investment in programming is required.
“The BBC Charter has now been agreed for the next 11 years and whilst our ask of 10 hours of original programming per week for the channel has not been met, we have had some assurance that there will be progress towards this target over the next few years. The BBC has committed to weekend news bulletins on BBC ALBA from Autumn 2018 and we will continue to work closely in partnership with the BBC to ensure that there is continued investment in the channel.
“Our future work will also be particularly important in engaging younger viewers, with our research showing that BBC ALBA is being challenged by new digital platforms in much the same way UK network channels are also experiencing. It is vital that we are equipped to provide a service to our younger demographic in a way that is accessible and engaging, and we will be bringing forward new initiatives to address this over the coming months and years.”
The national Gaelic film competition, FilmG is celebrating its tenth year, with some famous faces in the world of Gaelic broadcasting launching this year’s competition in Wester Ross.
Fiona MacKenzie, the face of BBC ALBA, and journalist and footballer Calum Ferguson were on hand with pupils from Gairloch High School yesterday (Thursday 22 June) to launch the tenth FilmG competition.
FilmG, MG ALBA’s Gaelic short film competition, was established in 2008 as a means of developing Gaelic filmmaking talent and encouraging grassroots Gaelic storytelling through film. Over this time a bank of more than 650 Gaelic short films has been created online and the competition has become a springboard for young people keen to carve out a career in Gaelic media. These youngsters include two Gaelic children’s TV presenters, Megan MacLennan and Kerry Anne MacLeod who were both shortlisted for their wonderful performances at the first ever FilmG awards ceremony and who now appear regularly on BBC ALBA.
As well as individual successes, schools across the country regularly participate in the competition and the benefits have been wide-reaching. Gairloch High school became the focal point of this year’s launch due its success the previous year, with pupils taking home a hoard of prizes, including ‘Best Mobile Short’, ‘Best Script’ and ‘Best Animation’.
Gaelic teacher Iain Cumming said:
“We’ve had a great afternoon here in Gairloch, with the whole school as well as members of the community attending the launch and celebrating the excellent films made by Gairloch High School pupils. Over the last few years we’ve learned a lot about film-making and it was great that all that effort paid off in FilmG 2017. We’re very much looking forward to getting involved again this year, in fact some of the pupils are already developing their ideas and beginning work on their scripts!”
As ever the FilmG competition kicked off by announcing the competition theme and unveiling the three images/posters that illustrate the theme and give entrants a starting point for their ideas.
This year the chosen theme is ‘Fìrinn’(truth) and Fiona MacKenzie and Calum Ferguson unveiled the three dramatic images, one of which was initially designed by Plockton High school pupil Lucy Small as part of the FilmG 10th Anniversary poster competition.
Having been at the helm of the project since its inception, Project Manager Floraidh Forrest is delighted the competition has reached this important milestone. “FilmG has been such an exciting project for me and our talented team at Cànan Graphic Studio to work on. Over the course of the last ten years we have seen dramatic developments in the way video content is created and distributed and I’m pleased that within the Gaelic media sector, FilmG has been at the forefront of these developments. FilmG continues to engage with young Gaelic speakers and encourages them to make their voices and unique stories heard in what is a very crowded cyberspace environment. Roll on the next ten years!”
As well as the main competition, this year sees the introduction of some ‘flash’ mini-competitions to help entrants prepare for the competition and generate a buzz throughout the year.
These include the ‘Summer Stop Motion’ competition, which is open children of all ages to make a one minute animation on any subject. The winner of last year’s ‘Youth Animation Award’, Gairloch High School pupil Ruairidh Alexander was on hand to encourage is peers to get involved, he said: “I started making animations about a year or two ago, and when I heard that there was a FilmG competition, I was very excited. My whole experience working with FilmG has been great, and it’s given me the confidence to keep going. This is my first animation using voice over, but I don’t think it will be my last!”
The ‘Summer Stop Motion’ competition is open until the 18 August and other flash competition will be announced throughout the year. The main competition is open until the 8 December 2017 and entrants are asked to make shorts up to five minutes in length in Gaelic. All films from previous years are available to watch online at www.filmg.co.uk. If you’d like to make a film and want to know more about the competition, please contact the team at fios@filmg.co.uk.
MG ALBA, Solus Productions and Sorbier Productions are searching for new acting talent for two dramas aimed at children and young people.
Solus Productions will be holding auditions in Skye, Benbecula, Glasgow and Stornoway between 19-24 June looking for two young male actors to take part in an international drama-documentary series Small Hands 2, produced by LOOKSFilms. The series will features stories based on letters and diaries from the WW2 interlaced with documentary and archive for transmission on BBC ALBA in 2018/19.
Jim Webster from Solus said “Solus are delighted to be involved in Small Hands 2 and we look forward to seeing what talent the auditions yield. Anyone unable to attend an audition can get in touch via our email address and we can look at submissions online”.
Sorbier Productions have also been busy in the last few weeks auditioning for a lead young female actor and young male supporting lead actor for a children’s drama that is also part of an international project operated through the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) aimed at children aged 6-9. The Gaelic film will be seen across Europe and beyond and in exchange children’s films from across Europe will be available for transmission on BBC ALBA in 2018.
Patsi MacKenzie from Sorbier added “It’s exciting to embark on production of an original Gaelic film for youngsters, within a European framework, where the cinematic legacy is so rich and inspiring. Sorbier aims to produce a highly crafted, stand-out story that will resonate beyond Scotland. We’re especially thrilled by the enthusiastic response we’ve had during the casting process, from primary aged Gaelic speakers interested in performance. Lots of fresh, young talent is coming to the fore”
Margaret Cameron, BBC ALBA, said “To have not one but two short drama productions with opportunities for young Gaelic actors is such a fantastic piece of news. We hope young performers come forward and help us put our Gaelic dramas on the map in Europe”.
Small Hands 2 is produced by LOOKSFilms with production support by Solus Productions. The EBU drama film is produced by Sorbier Productions.
Further details on auditions are available at mail@solusproductions.tv or 0141 353 2502.
