Into the Dragons Den

Another project, another trip out for the green screen... and the ironing board, to make sure it is nice and smooth... This time the brief was to make an exciting and colourful film about careers choices aimed at young people about to enter the world of work.

This project was made in collaboration with Small World Productions and features advice from the formidable Theo Paphitis.

Watch the film here...

Cardiff Design Festival

Look, there we are... yes, that's us, the rowdy looking bunch in the corner.

And, why the smiles and broad grins? Well, we won an award for a project of ours...

Despite stiff competition, from the likes of Ethos Creative, Tantrwm ran out eventual winners in the Social Media category at the Cardiff Design Festival.

The project that won was our Stay Safe Online film, made with Dyfed Powys Police and aimed at educating young people about Online do's and don'ts.

Tantrwm drew upon their considerable experience of online social media, facebook and frenetic X-box Live deathmatches to make a film that spoke directly to its intended audience.

The film can be seen here...

Libraries for Life

Libraries have a long and illustrious history as one of the cornerstones of democracy, but lately the rise of the internet and the dominance of Google have brought unprecedented challenges.

But now libraries have a new champion in their corner... us.

Tantrwm have been asked to produce some adverts and promotional posters to get people using their libraries more. And we are, of course, rather excited.

Broadcast Standard

Tantrwms Creative Director, Stephen Hanks, had a rather busy summer... as well as his regular work creating eye catching videos for the web he also went off and made a bit of telly...

As one of the directors on the BBC Wales new talent scheme, It's My Shout, Stephen made a short TV drama about the sort of adventures children get up to when they hang out at holiday camps. The show was broadcast last night as part of the Made in Wales series and will be available to view on BBC iPlayer until the 20th of December.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00w13r1/Made_in_Wales_Series_3_First_the_Worst/

As well as being broadcast, the film was well received at the It's My Shout premiere and awards evening, where it picked up Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor and Best Film. The evening was covered by the S4C programme Wedi 7. Which led to the odd co-incidence of two Tantrwm employees being on the same show, as Tantrwm's very own in-house Diva, Catrin Southall was a guest on the show talking about her burgeoning singing career.

Protecting Children

Sometimes you work on projects that you feel can really do some good... and Tantrwm have just completed one such project...

A series of films for the Child Protection Services, that will be used to train professionals who come into contact with children, on how to spot tell tale signs of a child who is being abused.

The project was tough, and at times the subject matter was harrowing, but of course, it will be well worth it if it can help stop real children from having to live through the sort of things we have dramatised.

Make iT!

About to enter its 6th year, the Make iT media project, which Tantrwm has been involved in since the beginning, is going to have a big shindig, down at the Muni in Pontypridd on Saturday 30/10/10.

Featuring some great young bands, we highly recommend going...

If you are aged 14 to 19 and are keen to get involved, then make sure that you apply to participate in the 2011 sceme, it's a great learning experience and well worth it for anyone looking to pursue a career in film or television.

Here is a link to one of the videos made last year...

RAISE me up!

We do a lot of work with schools; teaching kids how to make films, to make music and of course get them writing for Wicid.tv... but we've just finished work on a project that aims to teach teachers, new ways of teaching!

The Raise project looks a a number of local primary schools who have implemented innovative ways of teaching children to love reading and writing... suffice to say that the Tantrwm crew were suitably impressed and hope that the techniques get rolled out to all schools.

Panda Car goes global!

It seems that Panda Car, our film about a struggling dad trying to avoid financial ruin and bank charges, has struck a nerve with the wider public...

Three days after being released online, it has been picked up and is being featured on Daily Motion's UK home page! So yesterday we picked up over 3000 views!

Popular appeal...

Stories, that's what it is all about... that's what made us here at Tantrwm want to start making films in the first place... and so of course as well as all the other great stuff we've been making, we've been producing dramas.

Just wrapped finally complete is Magpie, a UK Film Council funded short film, starring Johnny Harris, whose menacing performance in the Channel 4 smash hit, "This is England '86" has been receiving rave reviews up and down the country... more news on this to follow.

Also, Panda Car, a drama directed by Tantrwm's Creative Director, Stephen Hanks has just been released online, and was this morning top of the popular now list on Daily Motion, maintaing a full five star rating... and we just got a phone call from Salford Film Festival saying they have selected Panda Car to be screened at their festival...

Panda Car can be seen here...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf281w_panda-car_shortfilms#hp-b-l

http://www.salfordfilmfestival.org.uk/index.asp

Please spread the link far and wide, so we get as many views as we can!

Panda Car
Uploaded by acadanda. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.

Pino's Cafe Site now live!

We are pleased to announce that Pino's Cafe site has just gone live at http://www.pinoscafe.co.uk.

Pino's is well known in the Cynon Valley for producing one of the finest cups of Italian coffee around, and the great conversation!  If you haven't yet visited Pino's, make sure to stop by next time you're passing through Mountain Ash...

PIno's Cafe Website

Under development as we speak, Tantrwm are working on the design of a new website for Pino's Cafe in Mountain Ash.  Pino's are renowned for their yummy coffee, chips and the mysterious "Manchester Pie"...  Keep an eye out for it, coming soon at www.pinoscafe.co.uk

Health Benefits

The techie bods here at Tantrwm have gotten their Green Screen out again to create a snazzy video clip for the Department of Health... Using a heady mix of After Effect, Illustrator and Final Cut Pro, a series of interview pieces were jazzed up by animating keywords to reinforce the messages.

The films were made in collaboration with our friends at Small World Productions, and were delivered both on DVD and on the web, as well as being used in conferences and keynote presentations.

Cardiff Design Festival

Tantrwm have submitted our "Stay Safe Online" video to the Cardiff Design Festival.  We are into the social design category, check out our entry page here.

Tantrwm in Business in Focus News

The Business in Focus news supplement of the Western Mail featured Tantrwm last week.  Click on the image to read it.
Business in Focus were looking for businesses that were trying hard in a recession to maintain employment and keep a positive outlook. Tantrwm were thought of instantly. Our positive mindset, and the famous fresh coffee and chocolate hob nobs were a deal clincher.
Check out an interactive copy of the supplement here!

Bon Voyage Eleanor!

Sadly, today is the last day at Tantrwm for Eleanor - our super organised production manager, camera person & editor for the last 2 years. She's off to Uganda on Thursday to volunteer as part of the "Great Primate Handshake" team. Travelling overland across the country the team of volunteers will be producing video and multimedia content to promote primate conservation in the local communities.

Despite the sunny weather here in Aberdare, we're all massively jealous! But we know that Eleanor will do a great job and have an absolutely fantastic time, so the remaining Tantrwm crew wish you all the best on your travels, and hope you manage to get some monkey pictures as good as this one:

Bon Voyage!

Tantrwm News and Views straight to your inbox

Tantrwm will shortly be launching our new-look email newsletter. As well as up to the minute updates about new films we are releasing, we will also be sending out useful video tips, funding advice and industry news. Keep up with it all by signing up for the mailing list with the form in the right hand column!

Interlink Volunteer Awards 2010

Friday the 11th June 2010 was the presentation evening for Interlink RCT volunteer awards. The evening was held at Abercwmboi Rugby club and was attended by 150 volunteers and support staff from around Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Tantrwm was there to support the event with three large screens to present three special films for the "Nora Huxley Award". There were three nominees. "Stella Wheeler" won and was presented a crystal rose bowl by Jane Davidson, the Welsh Assembly Minister.

If you are having an awards presentation and would like to make it special then why not get in touch with Tantrwm.

STELLA WHEELER


LUKE BELMONT


DYNEA NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

Just Launched - Stay Safe Online Video

Just launched! Be one of the first to see this new animated video about online safety. This project was recently completed by Tantrwm for Dyfed Powys Police and will be circulated far and wide to teach young people about online safety... well online sensibility really!

As a media company we of course know that it's great to get involved in online conversations but think it's important that people realise the consequences of posting certain things to the world wide web as you can't always control who sees them. So avoid those potentially embarrassing/dangerous/job-at-risk situations by watching this video now and think twice before you post online. It's certainly made us think...

Stay Safe Online from Tantrwm Limited on Vimeo.

A Wicid Competition - JLS!

Everyone in Rhondda Cynon Taff is already looking forward to Ponty's Big Weekend on 24th July - how do we know this? Well, all the tickets are sold out... But the Wicid.TV website is giving away a pair of tickets to the Saturday event. Enter the competition here: http://www.wicid.tv/en/news/win-tickets-ll-out-event/02071.html

Make IT Project 2010

At Tantrwm we are proud to present this year's Make It videos!

The Make IT project is organised by Rhondda Cynon Taff Council's Cultural Services department, with Tantrwm as the media crew helping young people to write, produce and edit music videos. Each year 2 great young bands are selected from the RCT area, as well as a whole team of enthusiastic media students. After 4 weeks planning, an intensive week of filming & editing takes place in February half term. We then add the finishing touches to the video, and voila! Here are the finished results.

The videos were launched at an event at the end of April, and have gained great acclaim so far. Thanks to everyone involved in the project, the bands, media students and the organisers, we hope you are very proud of the result as we are!

Ladies Love a Superhero

Ladies Love a Superhero from Tantrwm Limited on Vimeo.

Sweet Manics

Sweet Manics from Tantrwm Limited on Vimeo.

Live streaming from IATEFL Conference in Harrogate

The whole team's in Harrogate at the moment, filming sessions at the IATEFL conference, to stream on the Harrogate Online site. Check out the live feed below.

** update the live player is now offline because the conference is over, but you can check out the videos we filmed in sessions & the live show by visiting the Harrogate Online site: http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2010/ **

U for Upside Down

Andy Cummings shows how he climbs upside down using a unusual technique to overcome weaknesses and work with his strengths.

X for Xray

Climbing is a dangerous sport, and accidents can happen, Andrew talks you through the components required for a good first aid kit to take out with you.

Job Opportunity

Job opportunity.
Office manager/ pa required. 10am to 3pm for 4 days per week initially. Based in Aberdare. Must have experience of running an office, be driven, capable and ready to work as part of a vibrant and busy team.
Get in touch for more information.

S for Shoes

Andy Cummings talks about the range of shoes available for climbing and what to buy when you are looking to invest in a pair.

T for Top Rope

Andrew talks about what top rope means and when it is used.

M for Moves

Andy Cumming demonstrates some key useful moves used in climbing.

V for Volcanic

Andrew Price talks about the different types of rock that you might climb on as a climber.

Q for Quickdraw

What is a quickdraw and how to use it when lead climbing.

N for Nuts

How to place and choose the right sized nuts for protection whilst lead climbing.

L for Lead

Andrew & Andy demonstrate lead climbing where you place your own protection as you go along and choose your route up the rockface.

J for Jamming

Andy Cummings demonstrates the technique of jamming, an essential for getting yourself up a natural rockface.