About us...

Who are we?

Young Irish Film Makers (YIFM) is the national film, animation and digital media organisation for young people across Ireland. Our mission is to make filmmaking and animation accessible to all young people. Anyone aged between 9 to 25 years can take part in one of our practical training workshops in schools, youth clubs, summer camps and residential programmes. Young people are empowered to work with professional equipment to make films, animation and digital media content.

Founded in 1991 as a local film club for teens, YIFM now works with over 1500 young people across Ireland annually in schools, summer camps, after school workshops, local training initiatives and also through The National Youth Film & Animation School. These active learning workshops and projects provide much needed skills for the next generation of young filmmakers, animators and digital content creators.

Many young people who attend our programmes use their experience and portfolio work to gain entry into third level film, animation and media production courses in Ireland and the UK. Those who haven’t remained in the audiovisual industries take with them all the life skills they have learned from their time in YIFM. Skills such as teamwork, communication skills, scheduling, critical thinking and problem solving.

Oscar nominated director Tomm Moore of Cartoon Saloon is a former member of Young Irish Film Makers and says this of the organisation:

We train, support and advocate for young filmmakers and animators across Ireland

to make sure all young creatives have the opportunity to engage with film or animation as a means to tell their stories to the workd

Tomm Moore Cartoon Saloon .

Young Irish Film Makers inspired me to become a filmmaker. The easy going, yet disciplined, atmosphere introduced me to the joys of teamwork and storytelling at an early age. I have carried those lessons through my whole career.

THE YIFM TEAM

Garry McHugh – Director & CEO

Veronica Dalton – Finance & Operations Manager

Katherine Kavanagh – Administration and Data

Steven Casey – After Schools Coordinator

Evie O’Brien – After Schools & Social Media Coordinator

Tom Dowling – Outreach Coordinator & NYFAS Project Coordinator

Gareth Hanlon – Creative Media Course Coordinator

Andrejs Ezermalis – Technical & IT Manager

Mairead Kiernan – Network Development Officer

Michael O’Sullivan – Creative Media Course Support worker

THE BOARD

Paul Curran* (Chairperson of the Board)
Education Technologist (IADT Dun Laoghaire)
Alan Slattery
Animation Post Production Supervisor (Cartoon Saloon)
Paul Hughes
Vice President at State Street Finance
John O’Brien
Arts Consultant
Niamh O’Donoghue
Organisation Psychologist
Aoife Anderson
Youth & Community Worker
Claire McGing
EDI Manager (IADT Dun Laoghaire)
Anne Shortall
Retired CEO (Family Resource Centre)
Niall Malone
Accountant – Screen Industry
Niall Murphy
Head of Business Affairs – ShinAwiL / Managing Editor – Scannain
Conor Harrington
Chief Operations Officer (Giant Animation Studios)
Teresa McGrane
Former Deputy CEO at Screen Ireland

What we want to do?

Empower young people to develop their creative practice, produce their own work, explore new ideas and their approach to creating audio visual content.
Embed core life skills such as communication, teamwork, collaborative work, critical thinking, creativity and problem solving through the youth arts practice of filmmaking and animation.
Provide opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalised young people to engage with film and animation.
Support young people in their efforts to tell their own stories, produce and exhibit their own work.
Assist young people to create portfolio work which will assist them on their pathway towards further education or career in the creative arts or audiovisual sectors.
To demonstrate and evidence the impact of our work with young people.

Who do we want to work with?

YIFM work with schools (including DEIS schools), youth groups, youth and community services across Ireland to deliver workshops for ages 9 – 25 yrs.
After school clubs and Summer Camps for young people aged 9 – 16yrs in the Kilkenny area.
16-19 year olds interested in a career or college placement in film or animation.
Youth and community workers who wish to use filmmaking as part of their youth work practice.
Young people at risk such as early school leavers, disadvantaged youth and also the NEET’s demographic (16 – 25 year old long term unemployed persons).

Local Programmes Kilkenny City and County

After School Programme (4 after school workshops per week for 10 -18yrs). Film club for young people, based locally at YIFM Studios in Kilkenny. Film making, digital media production and drama workshops.
Summer Camps (4 week long programmes for 10-16yrs). Young people are given the opportunity to explore all the creative disciplines within film culture. Learning new skills together with their peers in a supported, safe and creative environment.
Creative Media Course (40 Week full time course for 20 Learners @ QQI Level 5) Digital Media training model to provide digital literacy, employable skills and pathways to further education for disadvantaged young people.

National Programmes

- YIFM NATIONAL YOUTH FILM OUTREACH. 3 Day intensive youth arts programme facilitating young people to to tell their own stories, produce and exhibit their own work. This programme primarily focuses on disadvantaged and marginalised young people.
- The National Youth Film & Animation School. 10 Day Residential programme for young persons aged 16-19yrs interested in a career or college placement in film or animation. This programme supports bursary placements for disadvantaged and marginalised young people.
- Young Critics: YIFM has developed a Young Critics Programme to develop a space for young people to critically reflect on what we make, and what is made more broadly in the films and animations that young people love to watch. We invite all young people aged 18 – 25yrs interested in cinema, and critically engaging with and reviewing film and/or animation to contact us at youngcritics@yifm.com