oc events

FRAMED #05: Screens For Change

Artists have a long history of active engagement in the cultural life of communities. Since the advent of film and now the Internet, filmmakers and digital media artists are contributing to what has come to be known as "sustainable community development"... and doing so right across a vast spectrum of social issues.

At FRAMED #05 we introduce two hybrid-media artists, fusing filmmaking and the digital arts in their work with remote and Indigenous communities, estranged youth and international cross-cultural projects.

Speakers: Adrian Symes (artist/filmmaker) and Adam Whitbread (composer/filmmaker)

When: Thursday June 28, 12.30 - 2.00pm
Where: Digital Harbour Theatrette,
The Innovation Building, 1010 Latrobe St, Docklands
Cost: Free

Please book here...

Presented by Open Channel, Digital Harbour and the Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS).

About the speakers

Adam Whitbread's varied background in media and education includes 20 years teaching experience in Australia, the UK and the US, where he has also worked widely in the film, TV, radio and multimedia industries as a writer, composer, director and producer.

In 2005 he founded the "Armed and Dangerous Youth Arts and Media Forum" - now an annual showcase for schools within the St Kilda Short Film Festival.

Adam's work with young people in Arts and Media, weaves together narrative, visual and performing elements with digital storytelling techniques to create projects that work on a variety of levels for students, teachers, filmmakers and communities.

Adrian Symes is a filmmaker, multimedia producer and community arts worker. He has mainly worked in regional and remote areas since 1995, assisting disadvantaged groups, as well as educating young people in new technologies. As a TAFE and Community College teacher he was instrumental in developing project based learning methods for young "at risk" clients, involving multimedia and filmmaking. In partnership with literacy and numeracy teachers, Adrian worked with young people in Outreach and Links to Learning projects, as well as correctional centres, assisting them to produce relevant and creative films and exhibitions. Adrian began a collaborative partnership with people with disabilities and their support agencies at the same time, developing a performance group called Think Big in the Central Western area of NSW. As a director he facilitated regular stage productions, involving volunteers from several faculties at Charles Sturt University. In recent years Adrian has continued to work with these groups in the area of new technologies, producing films and multimedia resources. Adrian has continued to be involved in community cultural development, taking up artist in resident positions, producing regional community television and radio, as well as collaborating with local artists to produce media for Arts OutWest and NSW Regional Arts.

In recent years, Adrian has continued his commitment to remote and indigenous communities, assisting young people to develop skills in producing their own media. Forming partnerships with Barnardos Australia, Centacare, Anglicare, TAFE NSW and Regional Arts NSW, many creative digital products and valuable community resources have been produced. There continues to be a great demand for these projects coming directly from the young people involved.

• Director of Think Big, Bathurst performance group for people with disabilities 1995-2000
• Director Lithgow Youth Festival 1999
• Awarded Foundation for Young Australians grant to coordinate regional video project Shoot the West 2001
• TAFE Project Officer employed to coordinate a regional video competition 2000
• Artist in Residence for the Ashfield Council in Sydney, working to produce a wide range of media and performance with the local community 2004
• Director of Ashfield Community Film Festival 2005
• Artist in Residence at Yirrkala school in East Arnhem Land, assisting students produce a range of multimedia 2006

Adrian Symes' web site