FILMS made by aspiring creatives from North Wales are now being screened in Vue and Odeon cinemas across the UK, with Clwyd North MP Gill German hailing the achievement as proof that local talent can thrive when barriers to opportunity are removed.
The films are the latest success story from TAPE’s groundbreaking Supporting Shorts project, an innovative initiative led by the Old Colwyn-based community arts charity that is helping reshape access to the creative industries.
Supported by the University of Leeds, the project was developed to tackle exclusion within filmmaking and create more accessible pathways for people whose voices are often underrepresented on screen.
The initiative emerged from conversations with aspiring creatives who identified complex industry language and processes as significant barriers to participation.
As a result, TAPE collaborated with screenwriting software company Final Draft to help develop the Easy-Write Template, a tool designed by diverse end users to make screenwriting more accessible. The template has since been incorporated into Final Draft 13, one of the industry’s leading screenwriting platforms.
The project has already produced two films now screening ahead of mainstream features in cinemas nationwide. Race to the Start Line is a comedy following a young man’s journey to a mountain bike race, while The Return of James Vincent is a horror story centred on mysterious events in a hotel.
Gill has supported the project since attending the Supporting Shorts launch, where she met cast and crew members and witnessed first-hand the impact TAPE is having on aspiring filmmakers across the region.
The success of the initiative has also attracted national industry attention, with members of the TAPE team and participating filmmakers working alongside the British Film Institute’s Inclusion team. Gill joined representatives from the project during visits to the BFI headquarters in London, where they showcased their work to leading industry professionals. She has also featured in a documentary charting the project’s progress.
Speaking on her work with the TAPE team, Gill said: “I was so proud to welcome the team to London and to see their work being recognised at such an influential level within the industry. TAPE is doing extraordinary work to break down barriers in filmmaking, and it’s inspiring to see them leading the way in making the industry more inclusive, accessible, and representative.
“Their commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices is not only transforming lives locally, but setting an example nationally for how the sector can and should evolve.”
She added: “It is really important we look at developing skills for everybody, particularly those with abundant creativity who have not had the opportunity to tap into that potential.”
Gill also highlighted the importance of support from the Department for Work and Pensions to help people overcome obstacles to employment, including initiatives such as the Right to Try Guarantee, the Connect to Work programme and dedicated work coaches, which aim to give more people the confidence and opportunity to access meaningful careers.
She said: “TAPE provides the perfect spaces and support for this. I cannot wait to see their hard work pay off in these new films, where these brilliant stories will be platformed and heard.
“Talent exists in every community, and organisations like TAPE show what is possible when we invest in people and remove the barriers that stop them from participating. Everyone should feel a creative career is something they can aspire to.”
Founded in Old Colwyn in 2008, TAPE has supported more than 20,000 people across Wales and the UK through opportunities in filmmaking, audio production, virtual reality, design, podcasting and creative writing.
Its work focuses on inclusion, with tailored training, flexible entry points and long-term support helping people from all backgrounds develop skills and build careers in the creative sector.
Steve Swindon, Founder and Creative Director of TAPE, said: “Genuine co-creation can inform and inspire change in the most meaningful of ways for individuals and communities.
“This work requires proper funding in order for the screen industries to make the changes it is sighted on. Having Gill’s support for the Supporting Shorts initiative has been hugely impactful in amplifying the project and the voices of those involved, for whom lasting change is most needed.”
