Recently Spectacle has been asked to provide training in digital video production and editing to the communications teams at a number of local and borough councils. After a highly successful session in Watford, we caught up with Angela Farrance, senior communications and engagement officer, to see why she had decided to organise the training, and if it was something she would recommend to other local authorities.

SPECTACLE: Why did you decide to arrange video training for your team? 

ANGELA: We work for a local authority, and want to promote our services, activities and places to visit in the most accessible and fun way, to a wide range of people.

Why did you choose Spectacle? 

I liked the flexbility that Spectacle offered; the training was completely bespoke and reactive to our needs, but still covered everything we wanted to learn.

Did the training meet your expectations? 

Yes, the team had varying levels of experience, and all felt it was a really well spent few days. Everyone is very keen to get started!

What part of the training did you enjoy most? 

The post-production was really good fun; seeing how everything comes together. Everyone really enjoyed the session on interview techniques too – really useful!

What part did you find most useful? 

All the hints and tips for capturing good footage – and then the post-production day. 

How do you plan to use the training now you have completed the course? 

We are going to start building a library of footage from around the town; and will capture each of our events this season. 

Do you think other local councils could benefit from the training? 

Yes absolutely. Local media are increasingly looking to increase their video content online – we have found that the videos we send in are invariably used by local media outlets, and they achieve a fantastic reach on social media.  

Our Video Production Weekend course is always popular: short, sharp and affordable, it’s a great way for anybody interested in filmmaking to get started, to revive old skills or even just to test the water.

We teach comprehensive, ‘future-proof’, transferrable, video production skills that don’t restrict participants to using specific equipment or working under specific conditions. This makes the course accessible to people from a variety of different backgrounds, and suitable for people with a number of different aims.

For some people, the course is the beginning of a journey into filmmaking, that could lead to (or advance) a career or become a life long hobby. For others, it’s just an enjoyable, creative way to spend a weekend and try out something new. We’ve even had participants given a place as a gift.

Regardless of their motivations, signing up for the course is something our participants never seem to regret; we have mountains of positive feedback building up, and many people come back again and again.

Recently, we’ve been working on redesigning the training pages of our website, to make them more user friendly and more informative. We plan to showcase our outstanding feedback on the new website, and in the process of sifting through it we’ve realised just how much we have gathered over the years. Here’s a small preview…

Cat: “It was great to learn so much and excellent to do something different at the weekend.”

Graham: “[The course] covered the essentials of video production with an experienced professional. Certainly interested in taking more courses in the future.”

Masa: “It was very good to learn through practice in a comfortable learning environment, with people who had the same aim of learning. Thank you, it has been a great course!”

Ella: “It is clear and thorough, covers a lot of information without feeling rushed.”

Bethan: “Both the theoretical and the practical parts of the day wound together really harmoniously — it was during the practical that I felt I really cemented my knowledge. It was very good for a beginner, I found the whole thing very informative and interesting”

Katie: “Very practical, good overall. Nice small group and individual attention”

Jason: “Practical, good advice on equipment, fun, entertaining”

Iain: “Hands on, confidence building, very enjoyable, informative, small group”

Zahra: “I found the section on learning the settings very useful, as it has set me up with a basic understanding so I can operate a video camera, which I couldn’t really do in a professional way before the course. I found all my expectations were met, I have learnt a lot and would definitely recommend”

Duncan: “I Found it consistently useful — classroom and practicals were both relevant. for my goals, I believe it provided what I needed”

Rob: “Great, hands on, technical course for beginner/intermediate – great price, very affordable and learnt everything I wanted”

If you are interested in booking the course visit the How to Book page.

For information on other Spectacle training courses

Or contact training@spectacle.co.uk

If you would like more information on future training opportunities at Spectacle sign up for the Training Newsletter – tick the box if you would also like Spectacle’s general newsletter.

We offer video production and editing training suitable for charities, NGOs and community groups who want to learn to produce their own video content to document and promote their work, to raise awareness, fundraise or campaign.

Our Four Day Filmmaking Course is just £500, it’s probably the cheapest option around and we believe it’s the best too, based on the feedback we receive from participants. The course aims to introduce participants to every stage of the documentary filmmaking process, so that afterwards they’re in a position to build on their skills on their own. Once you or your staff have learned to make your own video content you will be able to do this again and again, saving on the cost of hiring a film crew

There is an ever-increasing demand for high quality online video to get your message across and to reach audiences. DIY film making and successful use of no/low budget techniques can slash your production costs and actually improve the content you produce. Training existing staff or volunteers in the techniques of high quality digital film making is far more cost effective than hiring a film crew. But in addition to this, when people working on the ground record their own activities and events, capture client testimonials and document their work you can often get better results than with a hired film crew of strangers. Where your staff have built relationships and trust with your clients they can film more relaxed and interpersonal moments – moments that might elude an external film crew, making for a more direct and powerful film.

If you work in remote locations or developing countries, training your own staff to record their work could be particularly beneficial, potentially saving you a lot of money and ensuring your organisation achieves an end result which accurately reflects the nature of the project.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Mark Saunders is an award-winning independent film-maker, media activist and writer. His expertise in the field spans over two decades.

He is currently running Spectacle Productions, a company which he founded in 1990. Clients have included Amnesty International, Channel 4, the Rowntree Foundation, the Howard League for Penal Reform, Council of Europe, Groundwork, the London Health Commission, and many others.

His films have been broadcast internationally and exhibited at galleries, including Tate Britain, the National Film Theatre, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Musee des Beaux-Arts,  the National Media Museum and the Photographers Gallery.

Alongside production work, in 1990 he was a founding member of INURA (International Network for Urban Research and Action). Mark has also been teaching for over 15 years, and has been a visiting lecturer at a number of institutions, including London School of Economics, the Royal College of Art, the London College of Communications, Bournemouth, Florence, and Coventry Universities. He is currently teaching at Birkbeck College.

For more information please email training@spectacle.co.uk

If you are interested in booking the course visit the How to Book page.

For information on other Spectacle training courses

Or contact training@spectacle.co.uk

If you would like more information on future training opportunities at Spectacle sign up for the Training Newsletter – tick the box if you would also like Spectacle’s general newsletter.