Congratulations to Michael Cavanagh and Kerstin Ãœbelacker from Sweden: They have been selected to present their project Ghost Rockets at the documentary filmfestival Nordisk Panorama Oulu 2012 in Finland in September. Ghost Rockets, one of the 2nd call projects supported by First Motion, is making great steps forwards. From 29th August to 3rd September the team is filming an expedition to investigate one of the latest ghost rockets sightings. The case, based on a previous classified report, will take them to a lake located deep in the forests of northern Sweden. The expedition will be the grand finale of the documentary. The German based project YooWeeDoo.org, initiated and set up by Christoph Corves, has announced a Young Challengers Meeting in Vienna on 7th November 2012, the day prior to the Global Social Business Summit, to network and discuss the concept of social business among young leaders. Anyone under the age of 25 and interested in social business is invited to apply. YooWeeDoo.org is an online community for changemakers, social innovators and social entrepreneurs. It has been supported by First Motion as one of the 2nd call projects.

In September 2012, the MA programme “Crossmedia Production” at the Baltic Film and Media School in Tallinn is entering its second round with new students. The MA has been created and installed as part of the First Motion project. The course blends the studies of audiovisual production for multiple platforms, of management of creative industries businesses and development and of applications for interactive media in an innovative and stimulating programme, which is very practical and follows the hands-on, minds-on approach. Building up on its success – 17 students from six countries have taken part in the two rounds of MA programme – a BA programme “Crossmedia Production” is being launched in addition, combining the areas of IT, management and audiovisual media production, offering both theoretical grounds and exciting practical assignments. The 3-year-programme will also start in September 2012.?Check out more on the MA and BA programmes.

Download two brandnew reports on the Latvian creative industries, launched by First Motion partner National Film Centre. Report 1 “Development Potentials for Films, Crossmedia and Interactive Games” summarizes information about the existing situation and develops and provides recommendations about the necessary measures of state support for further activities. The goal is to ensure that new audiovisual, interactive game and cross-sectoral projects and products get developed in Latvia, cross-sectoral cooperation is promoted and new forms and frameworks of cooperation are developed. Report 2 is a compilation of articles by different authors which gives an overview on the history and present trends on Latvian film. From “A Brief Look at Latvian Film History“ via “Narrative Trends in Recent Latvian Fiction Film” through to “Making Films in Latvia: Producers’ Challenges” many aspects are touched on.

20 young media talents have already been chosen for the new “Talentfactory”, initiated by the Danish First Motion partner Filmby Arhus. Started in August 2012, they will receive an educational training for one year, aiming to develop new talents in the audiovisual media business. The participants have the opportunity of inspiring and challenging each other creating new stories across media. Filmby Arhus offers not only mentorship and teaching but also financial development to support new projects which occur at the Talentfactory. Further, the initiators plan to establish a network with similar initiatives in other countries and provide opportunities for foreign talents to join the programme in Arhus.

Future Media 2.0 starts now! 2012 Riga Meetings. How to tell and sell a story in a digital world: AV-companies, game developers, film schools, film funds, public institutions, government departments, universities and students are called to join us. From traditional film production to future media - learn, network and grow in crossmedia and transmedia production.

Key notes | panel discussions | case studies | networking | get together

Participation is free of charge. Sign here to receive further information soon. The 2012 Riga Meetings function as closure conference for First Motion. They are organized by the National Film Centre of Latvia and First Motion.

Between 19th and 21st September 2012, Lodz (Poland) will host the second edition of the Filmteractive Festival, an event focusing on films made with new media in mind. The Festival provides a thriving space where film, interactive, advertising and marketing businesses can exchange their experience and seek new networking possibilities. Involved are the Polish First Motion Partners High-Tech Accelerator, University of Lodz Foundation and Lodz City Council.

First Motion activist Bernd Günther Nahm from Filmfund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) will represent the project at a panel discussion on 26th of September 2012 in Tallinn. ENGAGE is a training programme for new and emerging writers, writer/directors and producers, designed to foster international creative collaborations. It is organized by four institutions, one of it is First Motion partner Baltic Film and Media School in Tallinn.

There was a great lot of work to do when the ten partner organisations of First Motion met in Helsingborg (Sweden) in June, perfectly arranged by the First Motion partner Boost Helsingborg. The partners collected and discussed the progress on the different fields of ongoing activities: research and development in the projects of 1st and 2nd call, the collaboration and distribution platform Baltic Universe, educational and training supplies, business tools, guidelines, recommendations and baseline research. On top of that, the partners started preparing for the closure conference “Riga Meetings 2012” and the final documentation going to be issued at the conference. At the end, everybody was exhausted but happy about the progress we’re making. First Motion is coming on and producing interesting results. More to be heard of at Riga Meetings 2012, so come and get involved!

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