BBC Blast in Manchester

Matt worked this location running stop frame animation classes with young people:

BBC Blast Truck in Belfast 21st, 22nd and 23rd of June 2006

The BBC Blast Truck rolled in to Belfast. Hamish stayed with the truck while it was in transit from its last tour location; Derry to its new home in Belfast. I flew home and flew back to join the truck and run Clay Animation classes.

While in Northern Ireland we’re lucky enough to be working with some of the BBC’s finest, including Michael who works on BBC Northern Ireland’s Newsline programme, editing together some of the news stories. Northern Ireland so far has been fantastic, both Hamish and I are shattered, but there is a real buzz here of activity and creative output…..we’ve really enjoyed ourselves…..and learnt a lot from the people we are working with.As ever, the quality of the content produced by the young people we are facilitating is simply excellent.Click to view a selection of pictures taken in Belfast.

It was also good to have Ultralab (1990 - 2006)’s local Anthony Russell join us onboard to meet the team from BBC Northern Ireland.

One of the best bits aspects I think this truck offers is the ability to leave with any creative work made by young people. Each young person will leave the truck with a CD or a DVD containing their work, and using Apple technology they are also bluetoothing footage straight out of Apple’s iMovie right to their Bluetooth mobile phones.

We’ve been running film and animation workshops while VJ’s and DJ’s mix music and video in the adjoining room. Outside a cheerleading workshop has been teaching young boys and girls how to dance to music.

BBC Blast Truck in Derry 15th, 16th and 17th of June 2006

The Blast Truck arrived in Guildhall Square, Derry on Thursday 15 June. Many young people got on board to get involved in Film, Animation, Dance & Theatre.

Hamish is the lead facilitator here in Derry, Northern Ireland on the BBC Blast Truck Tour 2006. I’ve flown out to support Hamish in his role through the running of clay animation workshops. Hamish and I have had a fantastic time working together with some of the biggest talent in the Northern Ireland circuit.

Here are some of the creative output from the Derry location:

Click to launch BBC Console to watch films.

I’ve really enjoyed the Blast national tour so far, most of all, I’ve worked with some amazing people these past two weeks…. every day I’m answering questions, burning media, fixing equipment and answering seven people at once (which I love)….but wow, what an amazing team….. BBC Northern Ireland are excellent, BBC Liverpool are excellent….the work experience from Liverpool were flown over to Northern Ireland to support the team there because they are so good at their job…..

For years the lab, and BBC Blast have known what young people can do when given the right tools and time to be creative….and its really nice that the lab is supporting the BBC as it embarks on the very important job of showing the nation just how creative young people can be…. I can’t wait till this creativity hub arrives in Belfast.Derry is the hometown of Ultralab (1990 - 2006)’s Martin Doherty, it was good to see Martin onboard meeting the BBC Blast team.

View the pictures taken by Matthew in Derry.

Bromley Summer School kicks off with Hal MacLean

Hal spent the day in the Bromley area working with partner schools on their Summer programme of activities. Bromley Learning Alliance, the organisation behind the initiative hires in Ultralab (1990 - 2006) each year to set the summer challenge for young people with their region. Previously to working with the BLA Ultralab (1990 - 2006) worked with SEEVEAZ (South East of England Virtual Education Action Zone), BLE’s staff moved from SEEVEAZ when SEEVEAZ reached the end of its natural working life.

It was SEEVEAZ that helped pioneer the first ever Ultralab (1990 - 2006) digital creativity summer school back in 2000 so Ultralab (1990 - 2006) are pleased to continue the working relationship withe the BLE team.

Hal worked with a group of 30 young people in the morning, and 30 in the afternoon.

Hal set the young people their Summer Challenge, which is to make a modern day interactive comic.

Initially Hal taught the young people how to animate and here are the first movies created in just one hour on the training day:

BBC Blast Truck in Liverpool 9th, 10th and 11th of June 2006

I have been working on the BBC Blast Truck at its first location ever at Liverpool’s Mann Island. Ultralab (1990 - 2006) are working on board the BBC Blast Truck to provide a facilitation roll, while running creativity workshops for young people.

These past few days on the BBC truck have been amazing. I’m really proud to have been a part of the very first location for BBC Blast on Tour, this project is so important to those it reaches.

I’ve worked with some of the finest users of technology for creative purpose in the UK. In a nutshell, anyone who’s anyone in Digital Creativity local to the truck stops… is being asked to run workshops with local young people….in DJing, VJing, Filming, Dance, Animation, Hip Hop, MCing, Poetry, Creative Writing and loads loads more…. We’ve even had the head make-up artist at Mersey TV’s Hollyoaks programme making up the faces of our young people.

I’ve seen young people writing and singing songs from scratch in just two hours, to a live audience……oh and by the way, they could not hum a note prior to the workshop….

I watched in awe as our Shirley Pickford and Levi Tafari ran an urban poet class in Liverpool …. as young people, who started out shy stood up and read out their creative writing poems with passion and pride to an audience….

I saw tears in a mum’s eye as she proudly watched her daughter excitedly demonstrate her animation to her…

One young lad even ran into town to get some scissors to cut up some card to improve his animation…

Liverpool, an awesome place with an awesome team.

View the photographs taken by me.

Some images from the event: