Skye-based TV & Film company Sealladh has held the first in a series of training workshops in its base FÀS, the centre for creative & cultural Industries on the Isle of Skye.  The intensive 2-day workshop last weekend, was led by Sealladh Producer Morag Stewart and Keith Partridge, camera operator on Touching the Void, Beckoning Silence and more recently on the BBC’s Lost Land of the Jaguar.

Six trainees from North West Sutherland, Skye, South Uist, Wester Ross and Islay attended the workshop.  The aim of the “Community Stories” project is to train people not currently in the media profession to produce documentaries from their own communities for radio, on-line & television. With regular support and mentoring It is hoped that trainees will also establish small media projects with community groups and Gaelic-medium schools.

One of the trainees, Sheena MacKellar, who lives and works in Islay said,” I’ve been really inspired by the first workshop. I want to develop these new skills and spread the word in Islay so that we can work together on new community projects.”

Course tutors were delighted with the interest and enthusiasm shown by trainees. Morag Stewart said, “Everyone worked incredibly hard over two days, and although most of the technology was new to the trainees, they were not in the least intimidated by it. They all have great ideas for programmes and are now all fired up and ready to plan their productions. Sealladh will follow-up this workshop with additional training, collaboration and mentoring, here at FÀS and in communities.”