From November 2008 RollingSound is launching The Lab; a state of the art music, photography and design suite installed on a fully customised bus, fully supported by Lewisham Council. Touring Lewisham, The Lab will bring you professional multimedia equipment, delivered by industry professionals in a great space to get creative - all on your doorstep for FREE!

If you're a young person in Lewisham looking for professional advice on your creative career path or just want to get to grips with the basics of something new and exciting…. The Lab is for you!

To find out more and get involved visit: www.rollingsound.co.uk/thelab or Test 'Rolling' to 60030

Posted: Friday 31st October 2008

On the back of the Soul Control and Dead Ends Projects for Mediabox and Channel 4, RollingSound has launched Socially Responsible Computer Games company; roll7.

The main aims of the organisation are to provide jobs and oppurtunities for young people in the games sector and to close the gap between serious games and AAA titles like GTA4.

See the new website for details!

www.roll7.co.uk

Posted: Tuesday 28th October 2008

A socially responsible video game created by London youth in association with digital multimedia education provider RollingSound has launched online this week, to promote a new television season from UK broadcaster Channel 4.

 

Dead Ends is a full 3D computer game commissioned by Channel 4 to support Disarming Britain, a major new season examining the effect of gun and knife crime on Britain’s streets.

 

Channel 4 and marketing agency Profero took the bold step to commission a video game instead of more traditional marketing techniques in a bid to engage directly with the key audience affected by this issue: young people. Channel 4 Marketing Manager James Walker explains: “We were looking at ways of engaging young people in the season, and we were extremely excited about working with RollingSound on a socially responsible game.”

 

But can socially responsible video gaming, as RollingSound describe it, reach out to young people in a way that other, more traditional media cannot?

 

One person who thinks so is well-known Channel 4 news anchor, Jon Snow, who makes his digital debut in the game – albeit in 3D form. He said:  “I'm extremely excited; I've never been in any kind of a game before. I think computer games are a fantastic means of communication – everybody plays them and I think they're a terrific way of getting messages through.”

 

Jon Snow is not the only one to recognise that computer games are not only a key part of young peoples lives, but that their interactive nature makes them an ideal medium for young people to explore issues. Last month, the first American female Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, announced that she is working with a team of developers to create a game to help young people understand the intricacies of the American legal system.

 

 

Simon Bennett, who set up RollingSound four years ago as a way to help tackle the growing number of young people in the UK who are not in education or employment said:

 

“Computer games can be a great way of reaching young people but they have to be authentic to their lives or they will switch off. Young people were integral to the production of Dead Ends - they took part in storyboarding, scripting, acting and design of the game. Without them involved in the process, games like this will not deliver.”

 

The Dead Ends project has already given several young people the opportunity to get their first real paid work. 17 year old Ollie Edgington, who worked on the game said:

 

“I’m passionate about programming, and everything to do with games. By taking part in the Dead Ends project, I really feel I’ve set out a starting point for my career.”

 

With socially responsible video games looking set to become the forefront of youth education/marketing, RollingSound now plan to set up a separate youth-led games development company to tap into this growing trend and to enabling more and more young people to develop their skills and gain paid work.

 

Posted: Tuesday 28th October 2008

A team of young people from across London have come together to produce a life-like computer game to warn their peers about the dangers of knife crime. The game, entitled “Soul Control” was created by a group of 20 talented young people from all around London aged 16-19, as part of a youth-led project by multimedia education company RollingSound. The project, which was set up to harness the creativity of young people at risk of social exclusion, was funded by Mediabox, the £6 million Department of Children Schools and Families fund to help young people have a positive voice in the media.

The young people taking part in the project, most of whom who were categorised as NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) were taught skills in top computer game design software – including the same software used to create the movie Shrek – and then used their new-found skills to design and build their own game: Soul Control, which they have now made available as a free download for other young people.

“It’s similar to games like Grand Theft Auto,” explains Stephen Mazonis, 18, one of the games creators and originator of the project idea. “Only in Soul Control, you play a teenager on a London estate, and have to interact with other characters in the street, your family and your mates.”

The game aims to show the longer-term repercussions of criminal behaviour, such as carrying knives or dealing drugs, in a realistic way. Ben Guiste, 17, who helped design the game’s graffiti-strewn environment added: ““We wanted to show what it’s like for young people, as well as showing how easy it is to get trapped in this kind of lifestyle”. In Soul Control, like in real life, the more criminal behaviour you take part in, the more your choices and options eventually run out.”

The young people involved in the project are now putting Soul Control, which also combines film and music which they produced themselves, online as a free downloadable game at www.soulcontrolgame.co.uk from Thurdays 3rd April. RollingSound are so impressed with what they have produced they are now seeking funding for a second phase of the project, to develop a more in-depth game that covers the whole of London.

Simon Bennett, who set up RollingSound four years ago as a way to help tackle the growing number of young people in the UK who are categorised as NEET said:

“Soul Control is an amazing piece of work, by a very talented group of young people. We’re really proud of what they’ve achieved, and hope to take this project much further – we believe Soul Control has real value as an educational tool.”

Soul Control is a rare positive move in a climate dominated by debate over the dangers of video games. In March, TV Psychologist Dr Tanya Byron’s government report into the effects of video games on children recommended the introduction of tougher age-classification systems for games, which the Government is now set to implement.

The Soul Control project has been helped by the fact that some of its creators have first hand experience of the sharp end of the issues explored. Just over a year ago Reepa, one of the young people working on the project, was in a prison cell, facing his tenth sentence for a cycle of violence, robbery and burglary that began when he was fifteen. Now, through his participation in the Soul Control project he has learnt new skills in film making and music production, and is now planning to set up his own record label.

“I’ve seen a lot of bad things on the street,” said Reepa. “But it’s definitely getting worse. I hope young people play this game, and see that there is another way.”


Mediabox is a £6 million Department of Children Schools and Families fund to help young people have a positive voice in the media. It offers disadvantaged 13-19 year olds the opportunity to develop and produce creative media projects, using film, television, print, radio or online platforms. For more information about Mediabox grants for young people, visit www.mediabox.co.uk

Posted: Tuesday 1st April 2008

Mediabox have funded RollingSound to create a world first project. A youth led, anti gun and knife crime Video Game. The game portrays a young person in a South London estate being faced with moral decisions and choices. The player can decide to make 'good' or 'bad' choices, the consequences of which play out throughout the game.

All the concepts, graphics, coding and animation are being created by young people and they are assisted by our tutors who all work within the games industry. This is an invaluable experience for our young people and we will endeavour to get them college placements and work experience once the project is finished.

The final game is intended for use as a teaching aid in citizenship lessons and we aim to develop this throughout the year to create a resource that is not only informative and educational but a playable game to match the major releases for consoles.

The game is due for release at the end of March. Check this link for more info and to download the game! www.soulcontrolgame.co.uk

Posted: Wednesday 7th November 2007