Media Degree show -
University of Sussex - 2009

Challenging and original work by final-year Media students goes on show to the public at their annual degree show at the University of Sussex from May 23.

The Fuse 2009 Media Practice and Theory Degree Show features 31 projects by 43 students, including photography, digital media, film documentaries and screen dramas. Also featured are radio documentaries and scriptwriting projects - both new to the MPT degree course.

Visitors will have a chance to create a digital art work, listen to the real-life story of an obsessive-compulsive woman tortured by a fear of glitter, watch new drama and pore over photographs framing everything from scenes of violent crime to credit crunch landscapes and women rugby players.

The show opens to the public on Saturday 23 May following a special preview night, where invited guests will enjoy a reception, a sneak preview of the work and a chance to meet the artists.

The talented undergraduates cover a broad range of subjects on themes such as identity, modern culture and mental and emotional anguish.

Projects include:
" My Obsessive Life - a radio documentary by Sian Curtis that analyses "the secret illness" known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) through the eyes of real-life sufferer Wendy, who was confined to a room, unable to touch anyone for fear of contamination from glitter. "

Scarred Landscape - Their Final Moments a series of nightscape photographs by Russ Edney depicting sites in London associated with acts of violence "

Silent Voices - a documentary film by Jamie Franklin, Kate Cloke, Tom Milner and Dan Sartain examining the plight of failed asylum seekers in the UK through interviews and observational footage. "

Erasing the Process - an interactive digital media installation by Jonathan Blackburn, which involves visitors erasing a canvas drawing using a rubber fitted with a motion sensor, to create a new, digital work of art. "

Retail Wasteland - a photography project by Laura Bardell, explores the human tragedy behind the rising number of abandoned and boarded-up shops in the wake of the credit crunch. "

Firebird - a screen drama by John Russell and Calvin Archbold, tells the story of a young man haunted by the death of his girlfriend, examining themes of loss and incorporating a sound design inspired by the Darren Aronofsky-directed film Requiem For a Dream.

Student coordinator Lucy Lyon, who also curated the student-led exhibition of former Chancellor Lord Healey's photographs at the University, said: "I think that the show will be a great success, and the perfect opportunity for local businesses, the general public, staff and fellow students to view the amazing work of the 2009 Media Practice and Theory finalists."

The Fuse 2009 Media Practice and Theory Degree Show runs from Saturday 23 May to Friday 29 May (except Monday 25 May), in the EDB Building on the University of Sussex campus, from 10am to 5pm.

Encounters Short Film Festival teams up with YouSendIt to encourage digital submissions

In a bid to decrease waste and make life a lot easier for Filmmakers, Encounters International Short Film Festival, Bristol, for the first time has teamed up with the number-one secure digital file delivery company, YouSendIt, to accept festival submissions digitally. With YouSendIt, filmmakers can upload an entry directly through the Encounters web site, without having to generate a domestic DVD and send it the post. By making something as complex as video file delivery a simple three click process, YouSendIt is helping filmmakers and Encounters save time, money and resources while being gentler on the environment.

Many of our nine million registered users hail from the creative community, trusting YouSendIt to quickly and easily share their work – a complicated task when dealing with large media files,” said Angela Sanfilippo, Director of Product Marketing, YouSendIt. “We are delighted to power digital submissions for the Encounters Short Film Festival, a renowned annual showcase for some of the world’s most talented creative professionals. It’s a great way to highlight the benefits that YouSendIt brings to filmmakers by making the submission process as fast and as easy as possible.”

Encounters Managing Director, Liz Harkman said, “I’m very pleased to be developing this partnership with YouSendIt and be given the opportunity to move the festival forward by offering digital submissions. YouSendIt embedded into our website really does provide filmmakers with an easy and secure way to upload their films. It also allows us to cut down the amount of standard DVD’s we receive into the office which in the end cannot be recycled cheaply and are not very environmentally friendly. I hope that filmmakers begin to realise this is the best way of submitting their films to the festival.”

The call for entries opened in April and so far over 40% of the submissions received have been digital via YouSendIt. Proving that the developments in technology and file transfer services online are changing the way filmmakers think about submitting their work. The submission deadline is on 30 June. Films under 30 minutes of any genre are accepted, see the website www.encounters-festival.org.uk for full terms and conditions.