WFA New Media

THE WFA Media and Cultural Centre in Manchester is a major player in providing training in digital art, video and animation. It has over a quarter of a century’s experience of industrial broadcasting experience, producing innovation, quality and value for money on time and within budget. WFA offers an extensive range of professional training courses, that are tailored to the needs, income and competitive levels of participants. These courses are supported by the best and most comprehensive range of professional facilities in the country. There are tailor-made courses and further tuition that are designed to suit individual and group requirements. It also has a Training the Trainers package and a consultancy service in every aspect of new media production. It maintains a low trainee to tutor and equipment ratio with all courses being production based to give genuine practical experience. WFA stages a showcase of its activities in December. This event begins with some delicious food and drink, followed by a tour of the facilities. Later it stages screenings of the digital art and new media work that has been produced over the year by the associates, learners and young people of the centre. The recognition and celebration of the achievements of young people is integral to the focus of WFA. It is flexible in its approach offering outreach working and tailor-made workshops.

WFA attempts to provide young people with the interpersonal and educational skills that will leave better equipped to question the staple diet of programmes that they are fed on the television every day. It has worked with a number of creative partnerships to develop creative learning using ICT or CLICT. Students have screen their productions a film and cine festivals throughout Europe. WFA offers a wide range of courses. The ones that I have listed below a just a small sample. There is one on funding for film production, directing for single camera and script writing for film and TV. Other courses include introduction sessions to model animation, after effects, direction MX, Dreamweaver and Photoplus. There are other introduction courses on VJ-ing, motion and Chroma Key production techniques. A two-day intensive course on DV productions skills and a media business skills workshop are both available as is a one-day module on health and safety in the media industries. The jewel in the crown of WFA is the 39 week City and Guilds 7500 level 3/4 Upgraded National Diploma in New Media Techniques course. WFA received a major investment of £250,000 that allowed it to offer an even more comprehensive choice of the latest new media equipment.

Access to both subsidised profession equipment and training has resulted in a major development of new talent. WFA is based on three floors of a Victorian 9,000 square feet warehouse with partial disabled access to its facilities. A temporary wooden ramp at the front entrance to the ground floor is available, though prior notice is needed to set it up. A platform chair lift gives access from the ground floor to the basement workshops. The ground toilets and fire escape from the basement to ground floor have been partial adapted and there is a fully independent mobility access system in the pipeline. WFA is open from 09:00 to 17:30 every weekday with visits by prior appointment whenever possible. It is at 9 Lucy Street with plenty of free car parking there are a number of buses that pass the centre. Further information can be obtained from 0161 848 9782.