Film students partner with discovery centre for promotional videos

UHI North, West and Hebrides has teamed up with Tarbat Discovery Centre, Easter Ross, to enhance its outreach education and provide filmmaking students with invaluable hands-on video experience.  

First and second year students joining the BA (Hons) Contemporary Film Making in the Highlands and Islands programme were tasked with making a two-minute corporate video inspired by the centre’s fascinating artefacts as part of a practical group activity.

Anna McPherson, Programme Leader, said:

“The activity was similar to our 24-hour film challenge, where the students were given footage of exhibits to spark their creativity and tasked with coming up with a unique story. They had to storyboard, film and edit a short film as part of a production team working for a real client. The experience allowed them to be creative, gain practical filmmaking and interview experience, and work collaboratively. It’s been the perfect project for our new students, enriching their experience but also supporting the needs of our wider community.”

Dr Mairi MacPherson, Centre Manager of Tarbat Discovery Centre, said:

“It was wonderful to work with the filmmaking students and see their unique interpretations of our centre and its artefacts. We were really impressed with the videos they produced and are now looking to see how we can use these to educate people about our Pictish treasures.

“We have been looking at ways to bring our centre to a wider audience and engage young people. UHI was the perfect partner to support our educational ambitions. Many heritage industry professionals in the Highlands and Islands have studied through UHI, and it continues to be a crucial supporter of our efforts to preserve and promote rich local heritage through research, history and collaborations like this.”

Examples of the videos produced can be viewed on the UHI North, West and Hebrides YouTube channel.

The centre is also involved in a number of collaborations including a drama project with students at UHI Inverness and a partnership with the UHI Centre for History based in Dornoch.