Berlin Mobile Exchange

FIVE young Northwest movie makers are to fly to Berlin later this month, to take part in a unique film making project – using mobile phones.

In the first exchange programme of its kind, the mobile filmmakers will spend three days in Germany, learning new techniques and creating clips and short films.

“This is the first time we’ve embarked on such a unique project, which will give media producers the chance to practice and develop new skills, using equipment which they wouldn’t usually have access to,” says Lynne McCadden, Managing Director of Northwest Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the region’s TV, film, radio and digital content industries.

The Berlin Mobile Exchange will partner five Vision and Media trainees with five of their counterparts in Germany. Together, they’ll develop skills and techniques for producing mobile phone content.

“This is an opportunity for an exchange of ideas and practice, and will hopefully produce five confident, mobile media developers of the future,” says Lynne.

“Many potential media producers don’t have the budget to own, or even rent, the type of hi-end broadcast technology needed to make movies. What many do have, however, is a mobile phone equipped with a video camera and sound recorder – so we’ll be showing participants how to make best use of the equipment they already have.”

There is increasing demand for on-the-spot reportage and entertainment-on-demand delivered across mobile networks, with The Berlin Mobile Exchange designed to exploit those openings for Northwest producers.

“The project will teach high production values which can be easily transferred to higher resolution broadcast technologies, as the new producers advance in their careers,” adds Lynne.

Over three days from August 24, the mobile group will learn how to work together, and alone, to make mobile films. There’ll also be the opportunity to hear from Berlin's home-grown mobile talent. Participants will learn the basics of capturing, transferring and editing footage so they can make their own films.

The production process will also allow them to try different production roles, in collaboration or alone. Testing the films on a variety of handsets will then allow them to experience differences in screen resolution and audio quality.