Here's something that is ideal for all you young budding film makers out there. Well those of you in this neck of the woods anyway!
The inaugural HeadsUp Movie Awards, which aim to encourage creative expression around mental health issues, were today launched by RTÉ Young Peoples presenter Sinead Kennedyand Paul Walsh of RTÉ’s Two Tube. The Awards are being organised by HeadsUp, a mental health promotion project run by Rehab, with the support of RTE Two’s Two Tube and the National Office for Suicide Prevention’s “Let Someone Know” campaign. The aim is to encourage young people across Ireland to create their own mini-movies around mental health stories as part of efforts to reduce stigma and develop more open and receptive attitudes around the issue.
Fantastic prizes are on offer with a €5,000 prize fund, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shadow a leading filmmaker or animator for a day and – in what could amount to a real break for an aspiring director – the winning entries will be showcased on national television. Entries will be judged by industry experts, including filmmaker Kirsten Sheridan of The Factory, animator Nicky Phelan of Brown Bag Films and Sheila de Courcy, Commissioning Editor RTÉ Young Peoples Programmes.
Entries will be accepted in two categories – for those above 18 and under 18 years – with members of the public having the opportunity to vote online for their favourite shortlisted entry. The winners will be announced in late December. For more information on the Awards, and to download the entry form and terms and conditions, log onto www.headsup.ie/movieawards . Entry forms must be posted to HeadsUp Movie Awards, Rehab Group, Roslyn Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4 and received no later than Friday October 28 2011.
It is estimated that one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. HeadsUp aims to help prevent youth suicides using a mental health promotion approach by intervening with the target group of 15-24 year olds early and before they reach a point of crisis. HeadsUp’s focus is on supporting people in understanding mental health where people realise their own abilities and have the resilience to cope with tough times when they happen.
Collette Ryan, HeadsUp project manager, comments:
“Mental health is such a key part of our lives and is connected with everything we do – how we think, how we feel, how we work, how we live and how we love. There can be significant stigma associated with discussing mental health issues and all too often this can impact on a person’s willingness to seek help. Lack of information and fear contributes to these attitudes and so the aim of these awards is to get our creative juices flowing in challenging negative attitudes and in creating a better understanding of the issues surrounding mental health. So if you are interested in mental health, have a budding talent for filmmaking or animation, and want to get your work noticed by the leaders in the industry, not to mention many thousands of RTÉ Two Tube viewers, then get filming today.”
Kirsten Sheridan, filmmaker with The Factory and member of the judging panel, says:“Mental health is one of the taboo subjects in Ireland, and the more that we can create a dialogue about it, the less people will feel alone and that’s paramount. Being as loud as possible about these things is the only way forward. What I will be looking for from entries is honesty as I feel this is at the heart of storytelling. For me the more human and personal the story is, the more likely it is to connect with people, and honestly is what always connects. It’s also important that we see natural performances from the subjects or actors, and that the story is told through good use of imagery and that we see entrants express themselves with a bit of visual flair. I want people to stamp their own personality and their own uniqueness on the entries.”
Paul Walsh, presenter RTÉ Two’s Two Tube, adds:“I am delighted that Two Tube is involved in the HeadsUp Movie Awards. It is a great opportunity for our viewers to make their own mini-movies and get them showcased on RTÉ, plus the prizes are brilliant. It’s so important to raise awareness of mental health issues as we often overlook the pressures that young people face on a daily basis and the impact on their mental health.”
Entries submitted can range from 30 seconds to two minutes and must focus on one of the following areas: · looking after one’s mental health· having the ability to get through tough times· seeking help when going through tricky situations and unsure where to turn· reducing stigma around issues of mental health· personal story around mental health or difficult periods· factors influencing our mental health or other mental health topics
Submissions can be made using any video recording device such as mobile phones or HD cameras. Entries can be in either live action or animation formats and can be drama, comedy, reality, documentary or other genre. For the full list of terms and conditions, see www.headsup.ie/movieawards
The inaugural HeadsUp Movie Awards, which aim to encourage creative expression around mental health issues, were today launched by RTÉ Young Peoples presenter Sinead Kennedyand Paul Walsh of RTÉ’s Two Tube. The Awards are being organised by HeadsUp, a mental health promotion project run by Rehab, with the support of RTE Two’s Two Tube and the National Office for Suicide Prevention’s “Let Someone Know” campaign. The aim is to encourage young people across Ireland to create their own mini-movies around mental health stories as part of efforts to reduce stigma and develop more open and receptive attitudes around the issue.
Fantastic prizes are on offer with a €5,000 prize fund, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shadow a leading filmmaker or animator for a day and – in what could amount to a real break for an aspiring director – the winning entries will be showcased on national television. Entries will be judged by industry experts, including filmmaker Kirsten Sheridan of The Factory, animator Nicky Phelan of Brown Bag Films and Sheila de Courcy, Commissioning Editor RTÉ Young Peoples Programmes.
Entries will be accepted in two categories – for those above 18 and under 18 years – with members of the public having the opportunity to vote online for their favourite shortlisted entry. The winners will be announced in late December. For more information on the Awards, and to download the entry form and terms and conditions, log onto www.headsup.ie/movieawards . Entry forms must be posted to HeadsUp Movie Awards, Rehab Group, Roslyn Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4 and received no later than Friday October 28 2011.
It is estimated that one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. HeadsUp aims to help prevent youth suicides using a mental health promotion approach by intervening with the target group of 15-24 year olds early and before they reach a point of crisis. HeadsUp’s focus is on supporting people in understanding mental health where people realise their own abilities and have the resilience to cope with tough times when they happen.
Collette Ryan, HeadsUp project manager, comments:
“Mental health is such a key part of our lives and is connected with everything we do – how we think, how we feel, how we work, how we live and how we love. There can be significant stigma associated with discussing mental health issues and all too often this can impact on a person’s willingness to seek help. Lack of information and fear contributes to these attitudes and so the aim of these awards is to get our creative juices flowing in challenging negative attitudes and in creating a better understanding of the issues surrounding mental health. So if you are interested in mental health, have a budding talent for filmmaking or animation, and want to get your work noticed by the leaders in the industry, not to mention many thousands of RTÉ Two Tube viewers, then get filming today.”
Kirsten Sheridan, filmmaker with The Factory and member of the judging panel, says:“Mental health is one of the taboo subjects in Ireland, and the more that we can create a dialogue about it, the less people will feel alone and that’s paramount. Being as loud as possible about these things is the only way forward. What I will be looking for from entries is honesty as I feel this is at the heart of storytelling. For me the more human and personal the story is, the more likely it is to connect with people, and honestly is what always connects. It’s also important that we see natural performances from the subjects or actors, and that the story is told through good use of imagery and that we see entrants express themselves with a bit of visual flair. I want people to stamp their own personality and their own uniqueness on the entries.”
Paul Walsh, presenter RTÉ Two’s Two Tube, adds:“I am delighted that Two Tube is involved in the HeadsUp Movie Awards. It is a great opportunity for our viewers to make their own mini-movies and get them showcased on RTÉ, plus the prizes are brilliant. It’s so important to raise awareness of mental health issues as we often overlook the pressures that young people face on a daily basis and the impact on their mental health.”
Entries submitted can range from 30 seconds to two minutes and must focus on one of the following areas: · looking after one’s mental health· having the ability to get through tough times· seeking help when going through tricky situations and unsure where to turn· reducing stigma around issues of mental health· personal story around mental health or difficult periods· factors influencing our mental health or other mental health topics
Submissions can be made using any video recording device such as mobile phones or HD cameras. Entries can be in either live action or animation formats and can be drama, comedy, reality, documentary or other genre. For the full list of terms and conditions, see www.headsup.ie/movieawards
