YOUNG creatives from Tameside have seen their work on the big screen after taking complete control of producing three original short films.
Members of Guide Bridge Theatre’s Bridging the Gap group premiered Double Act, Give In and Unscheduled Maintenance during two special screenings at the Audenshaw theatre on September 17 and 18.
The films marked a departure from the group’s usual stage productions, with the young adults spending 12 weeks learning how to take an idea from the page to the screen.
Bridging the Gap was launched in 2024 for creative young adults aged 16 and over, giving members ownership of all aspects of theatre and film production, from writing and directing to technical work and marketing.
Having already created original stage productions including Welcome to Little Toplea Bottom and Rest in Cheese, members turned their attention to filmmaking with the support of Manchester filmmaker Essence Aikman.
Working in three teams, they conceived, wrote, storyboarded, filmed and edited their own short films, taking inspiration from the history of Tameside Hippodrome.
And rather than relying on professional cameras and expensive editing suites, the films were produced using mobile phones and freely available editing software.
Essence’s aim throughout the project was to demonstrate that filmmaking does not necessarily require expensive equipment – and that strong ideas, creativity and accessible technology can be enough to produce impressive results.
The finished films were unveiled to audiences at Guide Bridge Theatre, followed by question-and-answer sessions which gave those involved an opportunity to discuss how they had brought their ideas to life.
Double Act tells the story of a former childhood star who reaches an artistic breaking point before being given the unexpected task of helping an aspiring actress achieve her ambitions.
Give In explores the boundaries between reality and escape, while Unscheduled Maintenance tackles themes of survival and tradition.
The project gave the young participants experience across the entire filmmaking process, from developing their initial concepts and storyboarding scenes to directing, performing, filming and editing the finished productions.
The premieres represented the culmination of three months of work and another step for Bridging the Gap as its members continue to explore different areas of the creative industries.