Breaking into the Film Industry: Making the Final Cut.

The creative industries are notoriously difficult to get into and to get your work noticed by the right people. Whether it is Film, Photography, Advertising or Illustration, a lot of people aspiring to be a creative are met with the same reaction. "You're best getting a proper job". "Too many people want to be one of those". "It's too hard to get into." And that's just your careers advisor at school! You're family will be concerned as there is not a lot of money to be made starting out..if any at all. But that is no reason to give it all up if it's something you really want to do.

But they are right. If you're not willing to graft then it is better to get a 'proper job'. They're also right when they say too many people are trying to get work. There are hundreds of courses that dump a load of graduates each year into the world of job seeking. Not to mention the countless freelancers. And they definitely weren't wrong when they tried talking you out of it for financial reasons. It is very costly to have the appropriate equipment. Filmmakers need a high spec camera, a tripod, editing software, Lighting equipment, Sound stuff...the list goes on and on.

Signals Media Arts Centre provides award winning expertise in filmmaking, scriptwriting, photography and post production through their range of adult courses and professional workshops. They can also give a helping hand when it comes to equipment hire and studio space. But before you take a look at our website-http://www.signals.org.uk/

Here are a few tips for budding Spielbergs, Tarantino's and Theroux's.

• Immerse Yourself: Practice making as many short films as you can. A great film can be 15 minutes long or 15 seconds long. Watch as many films of all genres, of all styles for inspiration and knowledge of the kind of stuff being made out there.

• Market Yourself: "It's not what you know, it's who you know". Well in truth, the more you know and the better you are then naturally more people will get to know you. Enter into competitions, go to local film festivals and screenings, collaborate with other local creatives. Do what you can to get your name about.

• Better Yourself: Do a course to improve on areas you're not as competent in. If you're a great scriptwriter but feel you can't put your ideas into action, attend a camera workshop. Or you may be brilliant at shooting and editing but don't have the skills to make a script exciting enough to show off your filmmaking talents. Signals Media Art Centre have courses to make you a master of all trades. Click here to see more info.

Good luck!

10 things to do in Colchester

Colchester is the oldest recorded town in Britain. Once the capital of Roman Britain, it is now home to a much fiercer army - Colchester United. Sons of the Colchester area include the band Blur, Dermot O'Leary and singer Olly Murs. But what is there to do in the town? Here is a list of 10 things to do in colchester to keep everyone entertained whilst School is out for Summer. It's in no particular order...except for number 1... which is an absolute must.

10. Get your skates on at Rollerworld

9. Get your swimming cozzie on at Leisure world

8. Colchester Castle

7. Row a boat down the River Stour in Dedham

6. Watch a Colchester United game

5. Castle park

4. The Beach: Walton, Frinton and Clacton are only a short drive away.

3. Go Bananas

2. The Zoo

1. A signals Media Arts workshop. Click here for more information

A summer of fun, film and photography

The Summer Holidays are fast approaching and for many people it will mean sun, sea and sand...for a short while anyway. Closer to home, the British Summer never fails to disappoint. The expected heatwave never arrives. The kids are under your feet. "I'm bored mum." "I'm bored dad" they moan. There is only a certain amount of times you can visit the zoo, go to the cinema or take them to the beach before they become 'boring' too.

If you're short on ideas and looking for things to do in Colchester, then Signal Media Arts Centre has a variety of workshops that will not only keep them occupied doing something new, fun and interesting but it will give them skills in new areas that they never knew they could do. If you were impressed with the drawing you've got stuck on the fridge door then you'll be blown away when they come home with their very own comic book, which they created themselves in the Comic Book Heroes Workshop (7+)

When its mid August and it starts raining, instead of sitting indoors watching Wallace and Gromit boxsets with the kids, wondering

"how do they make those little plasticine figures walk, talk and eat cheese?"

let your child spend the day at our Claymation workshop and they can come home and inform you on how it's done! Our most popular workshop teaches them the basics of stop frame animation using modelling clay to create a short animated film.

Signals Media Arts also provide a Five Day Film School that will really give them something to talk about when they head back to normal school in September. Taking them through storyboarding, scriptwriting, camera work, sound skills and editing, the Five Day Film School gives young people aged 12+ a real hands on experience in filmmaking.

So you're probably feeling a bit left out now. Your Summer sounds boring compared to the kids. But you can get the whole family involved with our Family Photography and Family Claymation workshops. Then you can tell all your neighbours how your family feature in your very own film. Take a look at the full list of courses and workshops here

Now, who said there aren't things to do in Colchester?