Cwmni Da is delighted to announce its success in securing production funding from the British Film Institute through the Government funded Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF).
Cwmni Da’s new series, Hei Hanes! joins the exciting multi-platfform teen drama Person/A as the company’s second production to receive funding.
Hei Hanes! (Hey History!) brings history, drama and vlogging together in an anarchic social network inspired format for 8-13-year olds, bringing Welsh history to life in an engaging and contemporary way. Young historical characters from the Celtic age right through to the 1990s will give personal accounts of their lives in the guise of YouTubers, which will connect to our audience in a language they understand. Every episode will focus on a different character, giving the impression of having been filmed entirely on smartphones or webcams by the characters themselves. The series will examine a number of improtant historic Welsh events such as the imprisonment of Princess Gwenllian in 1283, the Cardiff Race Riots of 1919, and the drowning of Cwm Celyn in 1965.
As part of the commission, Hei Hanes is offering a job in the production team to a person from a BAME background who is new to the creative industries.
Cwmni Da has become recognised for its innovative children’s productions with award-winning series such as Deian a Loli, Swshaswyn, Sblij a Sbloj, Cer i Greu and Ynys Adra. The drama productions, Hei Hanes! and Person/A promise to be an exciting addition to the list.
“We’re delighted to win YACF funding”, said the show’s co-producer Angharad Elen. “It’s important for the children of Wales to hear their own history. At the moment, this doesn’t happen in our schools as the curriculum doesn’t offer it. We hope this series will go some way towards redressing the balance.”
According to Dafydd Palfrey, the project’s co-producer and director, “it’s great to have the opportunity to bring history alive. We’ll see characters bringing the drama of their lives to the screen in a modern and familiar way. By doing this, we hope that Hei Hanes! will connect to the viewers and encourage them to learn more about their history.””
Sioned Wyn Roberts, Commissioner for Children’s and Learning, S4C, said:
“The fund enables us at S4C to constantly improve quality and breadth of our offering to children and young people of all ages. The BAME mentoring scheme on Hei Hanes is a new and exciting development that would not have been possible without the fund.”
