Students' mobile film challenge

The project aimed to show the versatility of new generation phones

Producing films for the smallest of screens - mobile phones - presented a big challenge for media students at the University of Wales, Newport.

The shortest of shorts and animations each had to be no more than 30 seconds long but this was not the only problem.

First year student Alex Rainish said: "You've got to ensure the main action is big enough so it can be seen on the display of a mobile phone".

The films have been showcased at a mobile phone shop in the city.

Chris Bennewith, multi-media programme leader at Newport's School of Art, Media and Design, said that the new generation of mobile phones were versatile but still faced challenges for showing film.

He said: "The mobile screens are still quite small and it's very difficult to see detail - this project has shown that up.

"Phone technology is moving rapidly and with the advent of holograms, holographic images and roll-out screens, this could make more and more stuff available on hand-sets.

Students had a week to write, film and edit the pieces

"The major problem is not interfacing with the device, it's displaying the information. Once someone overcomes that, the possibilities are pretty limitless."

Students were given just a week to script, film and edit the films - and kept the ideas basic.

One involved a beach scene in a golf course bunker and Wallie the Whale, which mixed live action and animation on the theme of violence in the world.

"We had a shelf full of objects we could use as the subject of our video," said 19-year-old Carlie Tanner from Newport.

"In the end we chose a plastic whale from the National History Museum and wrote a script around that.

"It's been great fun making the film, and with only a week to complete it the pressure was really on. We've all set our sights on careers in computer-based design."