Listen Up! Film Project

A group of our students have spent the past three weeks filming with professional filmmaker Bruce Webb as part of Artswork’s Listen Up! project, an initiative centred on youth voice and leadership.

The journey began in autumn 2025, when students met with Artswork to explore the question: “If adults were really listening, what would you say?” From these discussions, students helped shape a brief and invited professional filmmakers to pitch their ideas. After hearing several proposals, they selected Bruce Webb to bring their vision to life.

Since December, students have worked closely with Bruce and Peta Rainford to develop their ideas. With support, they collaboratively wrote an original drama focused on the importance of young people being heard.

During the filming process, students have taken on roles both in front of and behind the camera, working alongside professional actor Leah Barbara West. This hands-on experience has given them valuable insight into the filmmaking process and the collaborative nature of creative production.

The finished film is set to premiere at Medina after Easter. Later in the year, it will feature in the Listen Up! touring film festival across the Isle of Wight, part of Creative Island’s Can You Hear Us? programme—a six-week celebration of creativity and culture across the Island, funded by Arts Council England.

We are incredibly proud of the maturity, creativity, and professionalism our students have demonstrated throughout this project. Their enthusiasm for future careers in the creative industries has been clear, and this experience has provided them with invaluable skills, knowledge, and inspiration. We look forward to celebrating their achievements when the film is unveiled.