Press Releases

Reading plays major part in educating youngsters about safe driving – University of Reading

Release Date : 27 November 2009

The University of Reading's Department of Film, Theatre and Television was recently commissioned to produce a short film for the Thames Valley Safe Drive Stay Alive road safety campaign.

This informative and gripping piece lasts just under half an hour, with the Department's alumni and current students involved in its production and performing the main character roles. It tells the story of four teenagers who set off for a night out in a car and the horrific events that unfold.

The film forms an integral part of an innovative theatre education project being shown in venues across the region in November. The theatre show combines the film with first-person testimony from road traffic accident victims and emergency services personnel, in order. to increase awareness of road safety issues in young people. It is estimated that the show will reach 13,000 school children of driving age this year alone.

The filmmaking team was able to work closely with Thames Valley Police and local services including Fire and Rescue and paramedics during both planning and filming.

Dr Lisa Purse from the University of Reading's Department of Film and the project's co-ordinator said: "We were delighted to be commissioned to make this film for such an important local campaign. It was also a great way to provide some of our students with the opportunity to be part of a professional film crew, while giving some of our alumni the chance to pass on their industry experience and develop their portfolios."

This film production follows last year's Act of Knives film, which the Department was commissioned to produce for Reading Borough Council and Reading Youth Offending Service, as part of their local schools anti-knife crime campaign.

More information about the Thames Valley Safe Drive Stay Alive campaign can be found here http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/rdsafe/rdsafe-drsafe/rdsafe-drsafe-safealive.htm

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For all University of Reading media enquiries please contact James Barr, Press Officer tel. 0118 378 7115 or email j.w.barr@reading.ac.uk