80 young filmmakers shine at the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts Leeds East film screening
Eighty young performers from the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) Leeds East celebrated their creativity at a special red-carpet film screening held at Temple Moor High School.
The budding filmmakers from the ages four to 18 took on a variety of roles, from sound operators and scriptwriters to directors and actors, bringing their original stories to life on screen.
The showcase featured an exciting range of films and series developed over the past year, including an academy sitcom set in a school, where the youngest group, the Poppets (aged four-six), played the role of teachers. Students even created their own version of the ‘Friends’ theme tune, ‘I’ll be there for you.’
Scarlet, a young filmmaker at PQA Leeds East, said, “Planning and making our own films is so much fun, and we get guidance from the staff team on how to use the same equipment used on professional sets. It’s so exciting when we get to see our work on the big screen with our friends and family!”
All young performers also benefited from professional training delivered by the PQA team, including guidance from Dean Smith, a star of ‘Through It All Together’, currently playing at Leeds Playhouse.
Laura Nicholson, PQA Leeds East and PQA Leeds North & Bardsey Principal said, “We’re so proud of the creativity and dedication our young people bring to every project. Events like this showcase not only their talent but also the valuable skills they develop along the way.”
The screening also featured their five-week film challenge – a creative task where they were given a single prop and challenged to produce a complete short film entirely of their own making. In addition, the young performers put their musical theatre skills to the test by creating original music videos with self-choreographed routines.
Looking ahead to next year, the young performers are set to appear on stage in the West End at His Majesty’s Theatre with ‘Across the Line’, a bold new action-adventure show written by Will Brenton (best known for The Tweenies, Melody, Coronation Street) and inspired by hit series like ‘Stranger Things’.
Before their West End debut, singers from PQA Leeds East will also perform alongside The Voice UK soprano singer Nadia Eide at Bradford Cathedral for their Christmas show.
Laura and her team of teachers are dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive space for young people to discover themselves whilst learning the latest techniques in performing arts as well as skills for life. Creativity at PQA isn’t just about singing and dancing, there are also opportunities for all young people to explore comedy, story writing, and as mentioned above, filmmaking.
If you’re interested in booking your child a free trial session at PQA Leeds East, please visit the website at www.pqacademy.com/academies/leeds-east/.