WEDNESDAY, 12 OCTOBER, 2016

EMBARGOED UNTIL PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: 11.30PM, THURSDAY, 13 OCTOBER, WOLFSON THEATRE, QUEEN MOTHER BUILDING, UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE, BALFOUR ST, DUNDEE

PHOTO ATTACHED: ANIMATION MODELS DURING FILMING

iPad Animation Film Screening and Celebration

An animated film about people living with aphasia was screened today (Thursday) at the University of Dundee.

Participants took part in the film project and used iPads as a communication tool and as filming equipment to carry out the project.

Aphasia is a complex language and communication disorder resulting from damage to the language centres of the brain. This damage may be caused by a stroke, a head injury, a brain tumour or another neurological illness.

The iPad animation project is run in partnership with Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust’s ST/ART Project and the Tap and Talk aphasia iPad group, based at the University of Dundee.

The iPad animation project gave the Tap and Talk group a new way of working with their iPads and the opportunity to use the equipment to create a film about their experience of aphasia.

Andrew Low, animator and lead artist, worked with the group to develop a number of short animation sequences, using different animation techniques, illustrating key points about aphasia. The group also contributed commentary and short interviews to link the various elements.

Project coordinator for THAT, Chris Kelly said, “The original intention was to give the group a chance to use their iPads in a new and creative way because we are great believers in the value of enjoyment and fun as part of the learning process. It was the group themselves that decided they wanted to make a film animating the experience of aphasia.”

Andrew Low said, “The group were so enthusiastic about the opportunity to put a message across and, at the same time, keen to use the humorous side of their experience as a way of engaging other people.

“We all had a lot of fun making the various parts of the film and that comes across clearly in the final production.”

Rolf Black, researcher and Tap and Talk group co-ordinator, added, “This has definitely moved the group forward in their interaction with their use of the iPad.

“We have had video conferencing with Canada, picture and animation sharing and new apps being used. The motivation to communicate about their shared experiences has taken the group to a new level of joint working with an enormous amount of peer support and development. It’s been fantastic!”

As well as the animated film that the group has made, film maker Steve Soave has also been making a documentary of the group’s progress during the project. Once both films are completed, they will be shared online.

The Tap and Talk aphasia iPad group was set up in 2013 to support people with aphasia to use iPads as part of their rehabilitation process. The group was set up with support from NHS Tayside’s Speech and Language Therapy service and the University of Dundee’s computing department.

The ST/ART project, which has been in place since 2004, provides creative engagement opportunities for stroke survivors, using participatory arts as part of their rehabilitation and recovery.

Contact:

Debbie Huband

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740134