Film education organisation Film Nation UK and the pro-copyright consumer education body the Industry Trust for IP Awareness are teaming for what they describe as a “landmark” collaboration that aims to inspire millions of young people to respect intellectual property. Combining their expertise and experience, they will deliver a series of powerful, sustainable copyright education programmes over the next three years that will engage young people across the UK.

The new collaboration was unveiled by Paul Reeve, CEO, Film Nation UK at the close of the inaugural National Youth Film Festival in London’s West End. By working with young people, schools, colleges and youth groups to educate about the role and value of copyright, Film Nation UK and the Industry Trust aim to encourage the next generation of film fans to choose to enjoy their content from official providers.

Reeve said the organisation was delighted to be partnering with the Industry Trust to ensure that IP education was a central part of Film Nation UK’s activities. “With copyright infringement posing a growing challenge to the film industry, and indeed young people increasingly becoming creators of their own work, it’s vital that they are encouraged to understand and respect the value of creativity and IP. We believe through our collaboration with the Industry Trust we can deliver a meaningful and lasting difference.”

Liz Bales, Director-General of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness, said that with nearly ten years’ experience designing and delivering IP education programmes for young people, the Trust knew that winning their hearts and minds on copyright from an early age could have a significant positive impact on their viewing choices as they grow older. “By collaborating with Film Nation UK we will be able to achieve the same, powerful results we have in the past, but on a much bigger scale.”

Film Nation UK and the Industry Trust also unveiled the first IP education programme to be delivered by the new collaboration, Creating Movie Magic, which will launch in January 2014. The programme will offer teachers new curriculum-linked resources that inspire respect for intellectual property by building appreciation for the film-making process and skills and people associated with it, and reinforcing the positive role copyright plays in protecting film’s future.

The resources will allow teachers to recreate the innovation of the film industry in the classroom and offer young people the chance to become film-makers and IP owners themselves, crafting their own magic movie moments using their design and technology skills. The resources will also invite debate about film piracy and its implications in an open and honest manner.

The roll-out of the resource pack in January 2014 will be accompanied by the announcement of a major new creative competition which will encourage thousands of young people to experience film-making first-hand – many for the first time.

Bales said: “By bringing to life the talent and tenacity it takes to make great films, Creating Movie Magic will encourage young people to make positive choices about IP when they access film, TV, and video content – and inspire the next generation of UK film-makers. We believe it’s a really strong start to our collaboration with Film Nation UK, which we look forward to building on over the coming year.”

In a Festival closing address, Reeve said the pair’s work together would ensure that promoting IP awareness was central to ongoing activities. “We hope to have taken a step towards encouraging Festival participants to understand the value and importance of copyright and intellectual property through the creative process of making their own films and having the opportunity to see major feature films and documentaries on the big screen and the importance of making positive legal choices when viewing films.

He noted that at each of the thousands of cinema screenings and events during the Festival, Film Nation UK had screened a “fantastic” film about copyright awareness – Vin Diesel’s Socks – made with help from pupils at Wey Valley School in Weymouth, Dorset. “It’s been seen by a quarter of a million people,” he advised.

You can view Vin Diesel’s Socks HERE

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