Free Spirit Film and TV returns from Ethiopia with charity documentary

The two youngest members of Midlands based Free Spirit Film and TV have returned this month, after giving up their time and talent to produce a charity documentary in Africa.

Alexander and Elliot Weaver, aged 20 and 23, spent 10 days in Ethiopia with members of Birmingham charity 'Life Uplifted by Change in Africa', LUCIA.

The one-off documentary will help demonstrate to current and potential investors how LUCIA's fundraising is helping women's self-help groups, individuals, orphanages, schools and businesses in Ethiopian villages.

It also explains how LUCIA raises money and awareness in the UK with footage of events such as auctions and concerts.

Since 2005, the charity has raised money to help villages that have fallen victim to poverty, especially assisting women and children who have the added cultural issue of being treated as second class citizens.

Elliot commented: "We are delighted to help LUCIA in any way that we can to support their work; we approached them with our idea after learning about the charity from a friend.

"It was a humbling experience and one that is impossible to walk away from without affecting your perspective.

"We were welcomed by everyone there and impressed with the way LUCIA is helping people.

"LUCIA believes in helping people to help themselves and in a way we have taken the same motto with the charity, by teaching them some basic camera skills, so that they can continue video blogging on their own!

"However we now feel like we are a part of LUCIA and hope to help whenever we can in the future."

Alexander and Elliot have recently received support for one of their upcoming projects from the Oscar and BAFTA winning company Double Negative.

They are Europe's largest provider of visual special effects for film and they are also responsible for the special effects in films such as the Harry Potter films, Inception and Paul.

However at the moment, the boys are hard at work on Free Spirit's monthly two-day digital camera operator's courses - and will be discussing their experiences in Ethiopia on the upcoming course on 19^th and 20^th March.

Elliot added: "We were trained by our parents and fellow directors Chris and Lesley Weaver, who have over 40 years experience with the BBC, and we want to utilise our knowledge and experience with LUCIA to explain how to make a good documentary.

"We hadn't done anything like this before in a country with such issues, but it clearly shows that when you can spot a story that needs telling, you just need the skills to make it work."

Limited places are available on the forthcoming course; for more information contact

Chris Weaver at chrisweaver@freespiritfilm.co.uk or call Chris on 07860 306589.

For more information on the work of Lucia visit: www.luciacharity.org.uk.

ENDS/

Notes to Editors

Photography shows:

PR 1: Alexander filming in Ethiopia

PR 2: Elliot and Alexander filming in an Ethiopian village

PR 3: Young filmmakers Alexander and Elliot