Selkirk’s scary movie wins plaudits for youngsters
A SHORT movie about ghostly goings on at The Haining this week won a standing ovation – and special awards – for six gutsy and talented teenagers from Selkirk, writes Andrew Keddie.
The occasion was the premiere of three films which were conceived, produced and performed by youngsters who had been referred to the lottery-backed Chance 4 Change project.
The befriending scheme, which aims to ease the transition of young people leaving secondary school and already facing additional challenges in their lives, formed three film clubs – in Selkirk, Hawick and Jedburgh – at the beginning of September. The idea was to bring the youngsters together as a team, behind and in front of the camera, to improve their confidence and life skills and, in the process, inspire them how to think creatively and raise their aspirations.
Monday’s ceremony, at which the three films were shown for the first time on the big screen in front of a 100-strong audience, was proof positive the clubs had achieved these aims.
“We wanted to stretch the young people out of their comfort zone and develop a can-do attitude, and the results have far exceeded expectations,” said Chance 4 Change co-ordinator Lisa Cowan.
She acknowledged the assistance of the VOMO (Voice Of My Own) film production project in supporting the clubs and it was fitting that VOMO’s film-maker Robert Sproul-Cran was on hand to present special Oscar-style statuettes to every participant after each film had been screened.
Readers of The Wee Paper may recall that we reported the two days of filming at The Haining, courtesy of the executors of the late Andrew Nimmo Smith, at the end of November. Featured was the spectacular contribution to the shoot of Lanton-based stunt-riding team Les Amis d’Onno with their highly-trained Andalusian and Friesian horses.
At that time, the Selkirk group – comprising Ashleigh Macrae, Emily Forbes, Justin Deans, Liam Ramsay, Macaulley Hislop and Sophie Grieve – were keeping details of the production under wraps.
But all was revealed on Monday with the screening of Family Portrait which follows a group of teenagers as they find an eerie house at the end of some windswept woods.
Each has a distant family connection with the building. One of the group disappears and, when his friends try to find him, they are pursued by some very nasty ghouls. Two ghostly horsemen, courtesy of the stunt team, provide some extra spine-chilling moments.
Lisa told us: “The smiles on the faces of the audience and the constant applause throughout the evening said it all. After this successful first run we are hoping the project will continue across the Borders.”
Any community group wishing to organise a screening of the Selkirk film should contact Lisa on 01896 754613.
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Wednesday 22 February 2012
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