Two non-broadcast educational programmes produced for Cornwall Deaf Children's Society, funded by National Lottery and Lloyds/TSB Foundation. The process of production with Cornwall Media Resource in Redruth involved training a group of deaf teenagers in video production techniques.
The group called themselves "Very Real Productions" and helped with storyboarding, camerawork and editing the final programmes. Launched in 2002 at the Eden Project by producers Phillomena Clifford and Phil Shingler the programmes have been used in schools, colleges and with parents to help trigger discussion around deaf education and the transition from college to the world of work.
One of the featured stories was taken up by the Channel 4 series for young deaf people "VEE TV" and James was interviewed and the video diary material of his work experience trip to a graphics and title sequence company in Los Angeles, " Imaginary Forces" was used for the broadcast item.
The project was an ideal combination of education, training and group work, finally resulting in a broadcast item.
{gallery}stories/graphics/ListenToMe/wm_news{/gallery}Videos promote deaf awareness
(Western Morning News 07/02/2003)
More than 200 people witnessed the first showing of two videos made for the Cornwall Deaf Children's Society at the Eden Project last week.
Produced with the aid of a lottery grant, the videos, Listen to Me - College and Social Life and Listen to Me - Working Lives, highlighted the difficulties faced by deaf young adults as they moved through the education system and then into employment. They showed deaf children's difficulty in lectures and conversations with peers and, later, employers.
Eden chief executive Tim Schmit said: "I found the whole experience warm, human and humbling."
The videos featured Tim Grigg from Bodmin, who studied horticulture and now works at the Eden Project.
Tim, severely deaf, has now worked at Eden for four years.
He said: "This has been an awesome project. Working at Eden is brilliant, but I never dreamt that I would feature in a video which shows my work at the project."
Lady Mary Holborrow, honorary president of Cornwall Children's Deaf Society, said: "It's fantastic to see these youngsters being such wonderful opportunities in the county."
The videos were co-produced by Phil Shingler.
