Our Experience
In 2008, 42 school pupils from nearby schools
– aged 13 to 15, worked together over the summer to produce their
very own short horror film, The Sweeper. Pupils were
involved in every aspect of the production process including script writing,
film making, editing and scoring music to the film, which got the red carpet
treatment at its own screening at the New Street Odeon, Birmingham.
The following year, the scheme ran as Sound It Out,
which gave 16 gifted pupils the opportunity to become part of
production team learning to create, produce edit and stream their own radio
feature online. Each student gained hands-on experience of a specific role,
such as producer, DJ/Presenter, news reader or managing adverts and jingles.
BBC Broadcast Bootcamp
The Gifted and Talented BBC Broadcast Bootcamp course gave students in
Year 9 and 10 the unique opportunity to learn key journalistic and broadcasting
skills with one of the biggest public broadcasting organisations in the world.
Pupils worked in teams of five to create their own news and current affairs
radio packages at this year's Bootcamp.
The programme providing students with
hands on experience in identifying stories for a particular target audience,
news-writing and production, interviewing and presentation techniques, editing
and other technical skills required to create professional news worthy
programmes and entertaining features. Take a look for yourself below:
BBC Broadcast
Bootcamp from Sam Coley on Vimeo.
Gamer Camp PICO
Gamer Camp PICO is a 5 day course aimed at giving talented individuals in years 9 & 10 an insight into the Games industry. Taking a highly practical approach, students will look at the fundamentals of games design, user interface design, games mechanics, play testing and iterative development to create successful (and sometimes unsuccessful games). These are useful skills for those looking to learn more about how games are developed.
The workshop will work around these key themes:
- Understanding gaming platforms - consoles, mobile, handheld, PC, browser
- Play it and critique it
- Turn ideas into reality, working along side high tech concept artists
- Developing a game to be fun, creating for a player
- Produce an interactive ‘sports’ board/card game
- Analyse the immersive side of games
- The future of the games industry
Over the course of 5 days some of the UK’s most experienced video and computer games experts will teach the students gaming principles. Students will learn how to work as part of a production team to create ideas and produce concept art for new video games titles and they will develop their own non digital game. They will learn how to problem solve and evaluate game ideas and game play as well as learning how to pitch and present concepts.
For the last few years, NTI Birmingham (and its predecessor Screen Media Lab) has helped put together a number of exciting summer schools for children as part of the UK Government’s Gifted and Talented scheme.
Visit the West Midlands Gifted & Talented Regional Partnership website
Young, Gifted & Talented is the result of a collaboration between Birmingham City University and The Excellence Hub.
If you would like your school to be involved in any future Young, Gifted & Talented schemes, please speak to Alexa Torlo on 0121 202 4817, email alexa.torlo@bcu.ac.uk.
iDentity Mobile Marketing Boot Camp 
This is a 3 day course aimed at giving talented individuals in years 9 & 10 an insight into the mobile marketing industry. Taking a highly practical approach, numerous case studies will look at how brands have used messaging, the mobile internet, apps and other technologies to create successful (and sometimes unsuccessful campaigns).
The course will cover key themes around:
- How to engage and retain current customers
- Demonstrate the role of apps in direct marketing
- Illustrate the value of user generated content
- What lies ahead? The future for mobile marketing
Over the course of 3 days some of the UK’s most experienced mobile marketing experts and university experts will teach the students the principles around mobile marketing and social media. Students will learn how to work as part of a production team with specific roles, how to choose relevant topics for a designated audience and how to pitch and present concepts.