A young filmmaker has produced a series of short films exploring the science of skin colour and pigmentation, to be premiered at Birmingham's ArtsFest on Saturday 9 September.

Featuring a mix of drama, dance, poetry and documentary film, the 'Colour Coded' DVD has been designed for use in personal, social, health and science education to stimulate discussion about skin colour, and to deepen understanding of the science of pigmentation from a young black perspective. It will eventually become available for secondary schools throughout the UK.

As part of his research for the DVD, aspiring filmmaker Matthew Walters, 22, worked with the Birmingham Children's Hospital and dermatologist Celia Moss.

The project was funded through the Wellcome Trust's Pulse scheme, which supports arts projects throughout the UK focused on engaging young people with biomedical science issues.

Image credit: Alistair Hume, Medical Photographic Library, isolated melanin-producing cell (a melanocyte) showing the melanosomes (vesicles that hold the melanin granules) in yellow, the actin in red and the microtubules in blue. The melanin gets transferred from the melanocytes to the epidermal cells, giving colour to the skin and hair.

See also

• Pulse
• Press release (full details)

External links

• ArtsFest 2006