Media Workshop 4 - Pix

Pretty much a full house today, and a full day too! About 30 dads, partners and children...

The fourth media workshop was originally planned as a day to make promotional postcards using photoshop. But plans change and the idea for a Dads Matter Too calendar emerged a couple of months ago, and won top place over the postcards...

One of the really great things about the extra media workshops overlapping with the film project has been having flexibility to follow what people are interested in, and their new ideas. So today we checked over the designs from the last workshop - for the CD and DVD covers and logos, and saw how it all fits together, along with the new music track, in the final edit of the film which we watched along with some of the extra material that will go on the DVD. Then it was plans for the people doing their bronze Arts Award - including a proposed visit to the Tate Modern, arts heroes and heroines - who inspires you and why? - and some more fantastic arts apprenticeship tasks.
Marcus gathered quotes from all the Dads, choices for fonts and colours, to go on the calendar. Terri calmly rose to the challenge of taking pictures of Dads and children on location at the park, and back at the Link Centre - with really stunning results! Well done everyone! We had time for a picnic in the park - part of Mike's money management course. And of course a bit of time to play! We had such a good day the last of us didnt leave til 6.30pm!!

CD Coming Soon!

DVD Coming Soon

Music, Art & Design Workshops

Yesterday's double-workshop with music , art/photography & design was very productive, and good fun...

5 dads, 5 partners & 5 children all contributed loads to the day, and a new track, designs for a Dads logo, CD label, DVD label and box print were all agreed.

Some of the people doing their Arts Award planned or led activities - ranging from teaching beat-boxing to taking photos for the logo design (very challenging, as it involved 2 toddlers standing still at the same time!) to leading a team-game "Art or Not Art?" that generated some interesting discussions and the observation that the boys  team and girls team worked quite differently as groups! We're still thinking about where/what to go and see for our visit to an arts event... and whether to go for a family day or parents evening activity.

The CD will soon be duplicated, and the film in about a month's time. Next workshop (May) we'll be watching the final version of the film, and producing the promotional postcard/flier and the Dads 2009 calendar. Quite a few people would like to go for a picnic and take photos out in the park/fields. Markus is looking for possible sponsors to help with printing - so if you know anyone who may be able to contribute or help in exchange for a bit of publicity for their own business or organisation, then please put them in touch! 

Music Workshop -Video Preview! - 'Proud to be a young dad'

Yesterday's music technology workshop with Alex Lupo saw several Dads working on a second track about life as a young Dad. Lyrics were written during the day - there's a preview of some of the vocals being recorded. (But blogger doesn't seem to be working to upload videos - I'll try again another day...)

Meanwhile, in another part of the room, other Dads & partners were busy designing the cover for the CD of the 2 Dads Matter tracks.... coming soon! 

Other websites & resources for Dads

I've just added several new links to websites with lots of really interesting info and resources for and about young Dads. Scroll down to look at the section 'links' on the side of the blog's front page. Click on the links to go straight to those websites. If you come across any other useful sites please leave a comment with the website name/address and I'll add it to the links! Thanks.

More good news

I spoke to Asha yesterday at the Prince's Trust and learnt that our bid for a grant to run the workshops has been successful. Just as well really as we've already run two of them! So thanks Marcus for putting the bid together, and to the Prince's Trust for supporting our work. We're hoping that at least half a dozen dads and mums will eventually gain an Arts Award from the workshops.

Nickolas arrives

Congratulations to Mark and JJ! We knew they had a good excuse for missing the rough cut last Saturday because JJ had to go into Great Western at the start of her labour. Well, it took rather longer than expected for Nickolas to emerge into the world. He did so around 9.20am this morning, weighing in at 5lbs 14oz. Both JJ and the baby are fine and Mark says he's "the most beautiful baby in the world". A proud dad!

Feedback from the dads

Now that filming has finished the dads who attended the first film session back in November have completed evaluation forms. These show how much their confidence levels have increased and their comments show how valuable the experience has been:

Den It was very good and am glad that I had the chance to have the opportunity to share this lifetime experience with the other dads.

John It's been a good experience and a chance to meet other young dads who are in the same boat as me.

Marcus The experience is really helpful. It helps you to understand what's what and helps you to get along and work with others. I would say to every young dad to do it.

Rob Dads need all the support they need and the film helps to explain this.

Chris I thought that filming the film was fun, and I hope that the film makes a difference to people.

Steven It's been an amazing experience and has made a huge difference to how I feel and my perceptions about being a young dad and meeting others.

New Dates for music & artwork

The next couple of dates for the diary are:

Music Technology 2 & Photography and CD/DVD design

Saturday 5th April 10.30-4.30, Link Centre

Music - bring any new lyrics/ send ideas to Den for another rap

Design - we'll be making designs for a U-Too Dads Logo, DVD and CD covers

- you can take part in both

Print Design 2 - Promo (postcard/poster/flier or similar) and the Dads Matter Too Calendar 2009!!

Saturday 3rd May 11-4.30, Link Centre

- bring photos you'd like included in the calendar, or we'll take them on the day...