global digital creativity research & workshops

The BBC Blast Truck rolled in to Belfast. Hamish Scott-Brown 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’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.

For the first time ever the Ultralab Digital Creativity Summer School programme went international. The project went to Northern Ireland, working as part of the peace process with Catholic and Protestant children to see what could be created using the Summer School model over a three day period within a community environment. The results were excellent. The group were the very first to undertake the ‘Points of View 2 (Squared) challenge. The project lasted three days.

Five excellent movies were created in just three days. The majority of the Summer School Researchers in Belfast had never used video equipment and Apple computers before. The movies are fantastic, the films being about bullying, being a young child, the view of a motorcyclist, a mouse and a blade of grass.

“As youth leaders from across the community divide we knew each other but we had never worked together. Ultralab’s summer school gave us that opportunity.” Stuart (Youth Leader)

“The kids were together, focused on making films rather on what divides them” Kelly (Youth Leader).

View some of the pictures taken during the event.

Watch the completed movies here: