Digital Eden was created by Eden Court Theatre and Cinema to introduce and improve access to digital media to potential film makers and audiences throughout the Highlands. The project was funded by Scottish Screen through the Digital Media Access Fund and the Scottish Highlands and Islands Film Commission.

The project was set up with three main strands:

• To provide an opportunity for new film makers with support, training and mentoring provided by experienced professionals
• To provide training in digital media
• To present the films at both cinema screenings and on a dedicated website

Overall there were 11 individual applications and 9 group applications from all over Highlands. From these six projects (two groups, two young participants and two adults) were selected to be developed in to short films. The criteria for selection were the strength of the ideas and use of digital media.

The successful young applicants were:

• Ruth Brain, age 16, from Glenelg, Kyle of Lochalsh
• Oliver Smith, age 11, from Fortrose

The chosen groups were:

• The Janny’s Hoose, Healthy Living Centre based in Merkinch, Inverness
• Highland Muslim Educational Association based in Inverness and Dingwall

The selected adult projects were:

• Vicky Stonebridge from Lochcarron, Wester Ross
• Rachael Mill from Muir of Ord, Ross-shire
  

Working closely with their mentors the six film makers gained experience in the fields of animation, direction, working with sound and camera crews, musicians and editors. It has given them an insight into managing their budget, script writing, storyboarding, arranging timescales, copyright, and using the required technology.

The film makers also gained experience of hiring venues, writers, actors, drivers, transport, costumes, equipment and catering.

The Digital Eden Films were premiered at the Inverness Film Festival in November 2006. The screening proved so popular two more screenings were added as part of the film festival with a further screening hosted by film director Don Coutts later that month. Over 300 attended the screenings.

Following the sell-out premiere of the Digital Eden Films you can now see excerpts of all six films on this website.

The films are now being requested to be shown at other film festivals and various celebratory arts events.

Eden Court Theatre and Cinema

The Digital Eden Project was created and administered by Eden Court’s Out of Eden Education Department.

Eden Court is the only large scale arts and entertainment venue in the Highlands and Islands. Currently undergoing a multi-million pound redevelopment project, the venue will reopen in late summer 2007 as one of the best and largest arts venues in the country complete with two state-of-the-art cinemas and two theatres. Eden Court has also developed ‘Out of Eden’, widely recognized as the best arts education programme in Scotland and hosts both the Inverness Film Festival and the Inverness Book Festival. To find out more about our exciting plans visit www.eden-court.co.uk

We would like to repeat the Digital Eden project again in 2007/08 if you would like to register your interest in the next Digital Eden project contact: rnicolson@eden-court.co.uk