CWA’s Hot Shots programme

New avenues for communication

Through digital video, audio, animation, illustration, music and more, young people are capturing and communicating their ideas, knowledge, stories and perspectives in ways never before possible. As well, new opportunities now exist for young people to reach local and global audiences through the power of the Web.

CWA developed its Hot Shots programme to respond to the changing world of media production, and to connect this to a learning context.

What is Hot Shots?

Hot Shots is a training programme incorporating hands-on, in-school workshops, on location shooting, and post-production experiences through which young people gain skills to effectively realize their stories through the medium of video.

Working with CWA’s experienced digital media unit, they are introduced to processes used by professional programme-makers. These include storyboarding, questionline development, scripting, shotlisting, researching and recce-ing, casting, producing, directing, editing and mixing. They also operate the camera, and take on the roles of sound recordist, gaffer, production team member, editor and sound mixer.

The vision

CWA’s vision is that one day every school in New Zealand has a Hot Shots trained crew in place.

With a network such as this in place, young people could capture regional stories, cover and present news-worthy events, and share local celebrations, that could enhance the way in which local and global audiences experience New Zealand.

Examples of Hot Shots crews in action

Hot Shots: Creative Capital http://www.cwa.co.nz/our-services/creativecapital/
Hot Shots: Pasifika http://www.tki.org.nz/r/pasifika/hotshots/
Hot Shots: Unesco “Living Future” http://www.livingfuture.org.nz
Hot Shots: NIWA http://www.biotechlearn.org.nz/multimedia/ hotshots_student_videos/wellington_girls_college_niwa_hotshots

Hot shots.