BLACSPICE MEDIA believes in heightening the media awareness, amongst teens and adults, by conducting various enrichment programmes. By conducting enrichment programmes in creative writing, theatre and media, BLACSPICE MEDIA aims to contribute to the local media and arts scene, by grooming potential film makers in Singapore into competent ones who produce quality work.
Workshop
In this programme, students will get to understand how local short stories can be adapted for screen. Students will learn scriptwriting techniques using multiple script formats. There are so many great local stories that are waiting to be brought to stage and screen. This programme shows the many possibilities of how filmmakers deconstruct short stories into films. Students will be trained to see text with a visual lens
Workshop
THEATRE 101:ACTING is an introduction theatre workshop, specially focusing on acting, especially on stage. Using the inputs from various local and overseas theatre directors during actual performance rehearsals and workshops, this programme encapsulates the basic essentials any performer needs to know to present himself or herself confidently, in front of the audience. Students will also be introduced and are required to apply the NAVARASAS or 9 core emotions, in their final mini performance. This highly charged workshop breaks one from their comfort zones and pushes them to realise that they have what it takes to perform.
Workshop
Come, Let's Act! is an acting-to-express acting course that trains any student with no background in stage performance. Students will learn about all the internal and external tools an actor uses to perform and in performance – mind, face, body, voice, nice core emotions, and expressions. Students will learn how to use themselves as tools in performance and also to work with text. Students will understand space and how to react when it changes. This highly hands-on course, promises to make the students more confident and equip them with the essential performance knowledge they need to get on stage and perform. Students will stage mini skits in pairs or in groups in classrooms, as a closure to the entire programme.
Workshop
Stable internet connection. Students are to have mobile phones with sufficient memory. An external device such as 1GB 2GB USB or an external hard disk is highly recommended to ensure data protection. For the editing sessions, the devices given to the students must have the softwares. Teacher(s) who are interested in taking this programme for their students, must inform the trainer on all the gears students will be using (if they don't have their own phones) and editing softwares they are proficient in. We will be using CAPCUT for editing as it is free and most of the students are very familiar with the platform.
Workshop
STORYCRAFT — Find Your Voice, is a refreshing introductory story creation programme where students will come up with a short film idea based on the materials they are exposed to every day in society – Facebook posts, Whatsapp messages, Instagram posts, STOMP and news articles. These materials will act as catalyst in story creation. Designed with the understanding of students’ exposure to media today, this programme brings about awareness amongst students to understand how films and society are connected. They will understand how films are also reflections of the society and the people we live with. Using the materials from social media, students are to be creative and come up with a narrative. Through this engagement with social media, this programme stresses the importance of being a socially responsible director. Students will hence develop their skills in story development, research, characterisation, creative presentation and public speaking.
Talk
In this new programme, students will get to understand the integral role Tamil language played in the life of Saleem Hadi, a filmmaker, theatre practitioner, writer and media-arts educator. Aimed to inspire youths to use existing local Tamil literature to create new works (for theatre and film productions), this programme will also educate and entertain students as Saleem Hadi shares his creative journey using pictures, videos/films, poems, scripts and discussions. At the end of the session, students will get to fully understand the impact Tamil language had and is still having in the life of an existing media-arts practitioner
Talk
SG Short films: Let’s watch & Discuss This is a warm invitation to students to enter the world of short films, a medium that has gotten a mass appeal in the past 5 years till date. Students will first be introduced to how short films are made and why short films are more effective now than ever. Students will be watching the films produced and directed by Saleem Hadi. Having completed 22 short films till date , the award winning local director and TV Producer/Director, will also go through his journey as a short filmmaker. Students will be treated to an array of Saleem Hadi’s short films, ranging from experimental to drama narratives. Saleem Hadi aims to also awaken the reasoning abilities amongst the students, on why they are liking/disliking what they viewed. Students will also be able to discuss issues addressed in the films shown and engage in Q & A with the filmmaker himself. This programme promises to inspire the young minds to create more local content.
Talk
REEL LIFE : Learn Filmmaking, Tell your Story aims to educate students on films and inspire them to be visual story tellers. The programme starts with testing the students' understanding on cinema/film industry. It then goes on to inform them of the pioneers of films, and more focus on Singapore filmmakers and their films. Films, being a very powerful medium, is being consumed now more than ever in Singapore and all other neighbouring countries. Films are also a reflection of the society we live in. Students will be introduced to both local and international short films. By watching 2-3 short films, which is backed with discussions, students will get to realise what type of films cause an impact in them and the reasons behind it. Film genres and stages of production will also be covered.
Course
ACT-PRESSO is an acting-to-express acting course that trains any student even without prior knowledge in theatre performances. Students will learn about the internal and external tools that an actor uses to perform – primarily would be mind, face, body, voice, core emotions, and expressions. Students will also learn to analyze texts and work it to their advantage. Students will understand space awareness and how to react appropriately in different situations. This highly hands-on course promises to develop the students’ confidence and equip them with the essential performance knowledge and techniques they would need to display their acting skills. They will stage mini skits in pairs or in groups, in classrooms, as a final showcase for the entire programme.
Workshop
THIRAIYARAI © is an intensive short-film making workshop series that is very different from any other short filmmaking workshops conducted in Singapore amongst the Tamil speaking teens. THIRAIYARAI © is mainly anchored on the concept of THINKING-WITHIN-THE BOX. Highly inspired from the special training conducted for the inmates by Saleem Hadi, this programme highly challenges one to tell stories with the limited resources at hand. Unlike the iCAPTURE© / iTHIRAI©, this programme makes one to tell stories within four walls in a very short duration, making them conjure ideas and putting it to action. THIRAIYARAI © was first launched in 2017 when Saleem Hadi was awarded the ‘KALAI CHUDAR’ award in 2017 by Tamil News Department (Mediacorp, Singapore) for his wide range of contributions across few arts. The first run of the programme was conducted at the National Library for the Tamil students from the local universities and the response was overwhelming and positive. In the first run, students were asked to pick anyTamil poem of their choice, written by a local poet and were tasked to interpret it in their own perspectives. As a group, the students scripted, shot and produced short films based on the poems they had chosen earlier. In 2020, with the support of Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee (TLLPC), THIRAIYARAI© was carried out on ZOOM for the JC and PRE-U students where students created short films single-handedly, based on quotes they believed in their lives.
Series
Supported by Lifelong Long Council, this programme was specially designed to get youths to be involved in original content creation. YOUTHS IN ACTION is a series of free filmmaking workshops that are aimed to inspire young minds to create their opportunities to learn life skills such as teamwork, confidence building, critical thinking skills and many more.
