By Community Correspondent Lucy F. J. Pope With the availability of incredible technology ever growing, it is easy for anyone to produce an amateur piece of footage, using anything from a complicated camcorder, to a basic smart phone. ‘ Founded in 2007, ‘Filmsteps’ runs programme that enables children aged 7 to 16 years old create anything involving moving images; animation, advertising and even pop videos fall under this category.

‘Filmsteps’ runs schools in Belsize Park, Maida Vale, Teddington, Maidstone and Poole, where children attend two hour sessions either after school or on the weekend. Other programmes included summer schools and workshops, with their produce bringing great opportunites; in November 2009, after producing “Alvin themed Stop Motion animations”, children were invited to publicly screen their pieces at the Odeon Maidstone alongside the new Alvin movie.

The filmmaking company’s aim is to “encourage our crews to take ownership, to enjoy and to give everyone a voice”, something which is extremely important for those within this age range as it promotes self confidence that when learnt at this age, will transcend throughout their lives.

You can find out more about ‘Filmsteps’ and their programmes at http://www.filmsteps.com/