3 new films for Scarborough CAMHS

These are 3 films we've just completed with some brilliant young people who contributed their experiences and understanding as well as creative and technical skills, to make some really powerful films. They were made for Scarborough CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and TEWV NHS foundation trust, see them on their website here.

The films all feature genuine experiences and voices of young people who have used CAMHS, with a lighter tone than most mental health films, and an emphasis on recovery.

Animating Constantine for the Yorkshire Museum

Our film for the Yorkshire Museum will be seen by 90,000 people a year as part of the Roman York: Meet The People Of The Empire exhibition. Over 2 weeks during the summer we worked with a group of young people to create this piece which explains the story of Constantine's head, which has recently returned to York from Italy. It was a great couple of weeks, we had fantastic support from the Museum staff and a team of really talented young people.

Psychosis - Steps to Recovery

A short film made by people who have experienced psychosis. This film illustrates some of the different aspects to psychosis that they and their families went through. It also seeks to show that anyone could be affected by psychosis at some point in their lives, but that there is help available. Made with www.commlinks.co.uk

"This has been a fantastic and rewarding experience for everyone that has taken part. We devised a plan of what we wanted to do, were supported developing those ideas and given the tools and guidance to make the animation. It's given us a wonderful film which will raise awareness about psychosis and the challenges that can be experienced. Everyone who took part in this work has been given a sense of ownership of their service, valuable work experience and also had a great time! The film was used at our launch event and will continue to be used within the service and online."

Chris Rose, Support, Time & Recovery Worker, Community Links York Early Intervention Team

One Small Step... Making friends in new places

Making friends when you arrive in a new place can be very difficult - especially when you are an Alien! Our latest film offers some simple and useful tips for people moving to new countries or communities, on how to start to find your feet and to make friends. Featuring some extraordinary looking extraterrestrials! Made by young people from the AWS in Strensall.

Feeling Down?

Many of us will experience low mood or depression at some point in life. This is a lively and creative film containing lots of simple and effective practical advice for getting through it. Created with a group of young people affected by low mood and alongside our local CAMHS service, we hope this will be of great help to anyone feeling down. Part funded by the NHS International Nurses Day Initiative 2012.

STRESSED!!

Created for York Youth Council, this is a short animation which gives practical help for understanding what causes stress, and how to deal with it. Featuring 1000 blue paper balls!!

"Just so I know" - film for Looked After young people

 

A short film made by young people who are Looked After in York, about what it is like and what you can expect to happen if you become Looked After. Made for primary school aged children, this fun and accessible film clearly explains the care system and what they should expect and demand from it and the adults around them. It was an absolute joy to work on, and we took the creative decision to make the entire piece 'old school' - no digital post or graphics for a real hand-crafted feel. See if you can spot the lesson about swingball!!

Children's Society film about friendship, for BBC Children in Need

A film about friendship, we've just made with young people on the Fun and Friendship scheme run by the Children's Society in York. Made to show how difficult it can be to make friends when you are a young person. This film was funded by BBC Children in Need.

Deaffest 2012 film festival

Great news - our films "Communication Street" and "Top Tips for Health Professionals" have been shortlisted for Young Deaffest 2012.  They will be screened along with the other nominated films at the festival on Saturday 26th May (please see the Deaffest website for forthcoming information on screening times, www.deaffest.co.uk)

Jorvik Viking Centre animation

This is the short animation commissioned by Jorvik Viking Centre to be screened throughout their Viking Festival. Watch it to witness some truly shocking Viking behaviour - you'll never think of them same way again!! Thanks to the Production Assistants who helped us with making it.

Jorvik Viking Festival, York

Come and meet our latest characters including this hairy fella at the Jorvik Viking Festival 'Animating the Past' from 11th Feb onwards....

Communication Street: Deaf children and communication at home

Our latest film has finally been completed! Communication Street is a film about problems Deaf young people have communicating at home, with parents, brothers and sisters. In a fun and entertaining way it looks at things such as being woken up; not being told what's going on; communicating in the car; not hearing someone calling for you; and the age old arguments over subtitles. For each problem a solution is also suggested by our Communication Street voiceover pigeon

NHS 60th Anniversary animation

One from the archives, which we dug up recently and thought it would be good to show here. This is a short animation to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the NHS made at York Hospital. Members of the public as well as NHS staff were invited to come along and fill in a square and record one word or phrase to describe their experience of the NHS. Simple but effective

Mutesounds Film Festival

The Mutesounds film festival in The Netherlands has asked to screen our Survival Tips for Deaf Teenagers film. We wish we could head over there to see it, it should be a great festival. http://www.mutesounds.nl/

Post-production begins

We're back from Manchester now and about to start work on the post-production for the latest Biomation film. It was a successful week, with lots of hard work, creativity and great ideas from the young people involved. The film will show what it's like as a Deaf young person living at home - dealing with parents, siblings and the occasional pigeon!! For the time being here are a few photos, and we'll post more once the film has been finished.

Films made available on course at York University

Our films will soon be made available to students at York University in the Department of Health Sciences. Established practitioners in CAMHS will get additional insight into the experiences of young people with mental health issues from viewing Biomation films as part of their course.

Top Tips film used as part of an e-learning course for The Royal College of Psychiatrists

"A clip from Top Tips has been included in the CPD Online module “Mental health and deafness” as the animation offers a light-hearted approach to communication strategies for communicating with deaf children and was designed by the young people themselves. It brings to light some of the barriers that they face daily and offers simple remedies to address these."
Nicoletta Gentili, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

and Dr A Holwell National Deaf CAMHS The Royal College of Psychiatrists

3rd Deaf Communication Film

We are just beginning post-production on our latest animation for Lime Trees, about Deaf young people's experiences of using medical services. We had a very successful week at Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People, working with a group of Deaf young people to come up with ideas for the film, then script, voice and animate it. As part of the film we need to create an animated fish - these are some shots of the work in progress. More to follow soon...