The problem? How could Marion take the interactive fun and learning from a playgroup setting and transfer it to the flat screen of Zoom and YouTube?
It was certainly a challenge and we were keen to support Marion. Take a look at the first part of her Molly Whuppie story.
As she says about her first video story:
“The Bridge of One Hair that I’ve had to cross, was the big move to telling stories online. Live storytelling in the early years is a conversation. Young children respond to stories with their whole bodies: not just joining in with actions and rhymes, but pointing, laughing, moving the props around, deciding how the characters are feeling and what they had for breakfast.
I had to take a leaf out of Mollie Whuppie’s book, and make a virtue of a small screen.“
A photo of Marion’s makeshift set at home using household objects.
Marion persevered, tried out techniques and collaborated to bring in film skills.
“I struggled to learn so many things – lighting, set-building, framing. Then my film-buddy and mentor, Inés Alvarez Villa, came on the scene. Working remotely, she patiently taught me how to focus a shot, film close-up sequences of props and many other skills.”
You can read about Marion’s experience in her recent blog here.
If you are interested in finding out more about the use of storytelling in Early Years learning contact Marion via her website.
Here are the rest of the Molly Whuppie adventure series.
This case study is part of our project evaluation for 2019/2020.
In this case study we’re looking at the Young Producers Programme developed in partnership with 20Twenty Productions C.I.C. 20Twenty use creativity and participation to build essential life skills in young people and provide mentoring and career opportunities for them within the creative sector.
Through this project, 20Twenty supported two young artists to develop skills as creative producers through co-designed activities for and with young people.
The Young Producer Programme has been established to build the skills of young artists into audience focussed art producers, whilst increasing the relevance of cultural opportunities for young people, particularly those based within March. 20Twenty Productions supported two young producers to develop and deliver programmes of activity whilst working towards the Gold Arts Award.
Right: Image from the Tagged & Filtered project [Description: A young girls photo is obscured by writing of negative words like “ugly” and “loner” across the image.] Left: Logo from the Viral project [Description: An image of a virus cell with the word “VIRAL” across a background of blue social media icons.]
Tagged and Filtered
Young producer Nicola Baxter was commissioned to develop her ongoing artistic themes into a co-produced series of workshops across Easter half term with a group of young people identifying as female. Tagged and Filtered was a series of workshops developing photography skills through the exploration of identity, selfies, online safety and engagement to inform a new interactive digital exhibition. This mentoring project was to develop Nicola’s work further through an audience focussed approach.
Young Producer Libby Ward was the second commission in this partnership. Libby has a BTEC in performing arts and had been a performer with the Connexions youth group in March. Libby’s proposal was a theatre in education offer exploring mental health issues in local schools. This project plan changed in response to the pandemic and through inspiration from a shift to digital productions.
Watch the Spell for Understanding video presented by Centre 33.
A SPELL FOR STANDING IN ANOTHER’S SHOES
Stir with a spoon and drink in the first light of dawn.
Take the sight of an owl on a long-distance flight
The sound of Gorillas, chest-beating at night
The companionship of one hundred dogs
The patience of badgers who cross roads in the fog
Inside this spell is the shape of our days
All that we are, not all that we say,
This spell must include all that is true,
So stir in a unicorn’s miracle horn,
the noble heart of a lion, the smile of a snake
A giraffe’s dream of the stars
And make no mistake,
Most important of all, hidden away,
a spider’s web, broken, and mended again.
Drink our potion, hear our spell, look us in the eye
Put on our shoes and walk by our side.
These screenshots from the video show the young carers taking part in art activities during these Zoom sessions with the artists.
We commissioned artist Hilary Cox Condron to collaborate with a group of young carers and Centre 33, Cambridgeshire charity supporting young people. Together they did creative activities and tried different artforms with guest artists Bel Greenwood, Dan Donovan and MarketPlace Creative Agent Colin Stevens. Their responses became a poem, expressive paintings and a short film that was shared as part of Young Carers Action Day on 16 March 2021.
Amanda at Centre 33 said about the project:
“The art project has been amazing and having the opportunity to work with some amazing talented people has been really inspiring for the Young Carers. We can’t thank Hilary, Colin, Bel and Dan enough for their great work in putting together the film clip for Young Carers Action Day. The reaction to the clip from parents and the Young Carers was “wonderful”. The clip has also been shown in school by some Young Carers Champions. Thank you to everyone involved.
The Young Carers wanted their voices heard about what it is like for them, what their life is like and what qualities they have which they carry forward into their day to day work.
The Young Carers produced some wonderful art work, drawing and painting. They got to look at animation, putting clips together with sound effects as well as working with a writer to put together a spell/poem to get their voices heard. Hilary, Colin, Bel and Dan were so good with the Young People, they engaged them, gave them confidence and really inspired them to continue with Art in its different forms. I am feeling so proud with what they have achieved, that they worked so hard and we’re really pleased with the end results – their engagement has been brilliant.
We have Young Carers that have grown in confidence thanks to everyone. Young Carers that at first wouldn’t have their cameras on as they were shy and then they completed sessions with the camera on and enjoyed showing their art pieces. We had a Young Carer that was so quiet she didn’t speak to them by the end of the sessions she was chatting most of the time in the session and putting across her views more in speech.
Excellent Project, amazing people I look forward to the next one.”
Thanks to Emily, Erin, Pheobe, Lennon, Paige, Kezia, Amber and Sophie
Supported byCentre 33 Amanda Cawthorne and Richard Cross
![Right: Image from Tagged & Filtered project [Description: A young girls photo is obscured by writing of negative words like "ugly" and "loner" are scralled across the image.] Left: Logo from Viral project [Description: An image of a virus cell with the word "VIRAL" across a background of blue social media icons.]](https://www.cppmarketplace.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Case-Study_YPP-Viral-Tagged_Infographic.jpg)
