THIRD LEVEL CREATIVE students have been invited to submit film and mutlimedia pieces exploring Irish drinking culture and ways in which people can ‘pace’ their drinking.
The competition, organised by DARE2BDRINKAWARE.ie, is aimed at promoting the responsible use of alcohol – particularly amongst students, many of whom are away from home for the first time, and offers a €5,000 cash prize.
Fionnuala Sheehan, chief executive of drinkaware.ie, said that in overall terms Irish people are drinking about a fifth less alcohol than a decade ago and also drinking less often than their European counterparts, including those in the UK and Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, she noted that when Irish people do drink, they drink more: “This pattern of heavy, episodic drinking is particularly prevalent amongst young adults, including students attending third level institutions in Ireland,” she said.
Binge drinking
Research undertaken by Millward Brown Lansdowne in January 2012 found that the average number of drinks consumed by Irish drinkers on their last visit to a pub or club was 5.6 – almost three times the amount of most EU consumers. Figures showed that about 69 per cent of drinkers in the EU drink two or fewer drinks per drinking occasion.
Sheehan said that peer pressure remained a “significant driver” in the drinking patterns of young people.
“We want to empower young people to resist the pressure to drink, or to drink more. If you are drinking, the best pace to drink at is your own,” she said. “By pacing our drinking – that is drinking less and more slowly on an occasion of drinking – we enable ourselves to get more out of our nights and our weekends.”
Through the film and multimedia competition, students will be encouraged to explore Irish people’s relationship with alcohol, Irish drinking culture, and Irish people’s pattern of drinking. In doing so, it is hoped the finished pieces will carry messages considered relevant by young people, Sheehan said.
Exposure to the industry
The competition will also be a way for young film and multimedia creatives to gain exposure to industry insiders, network and make important industry links, said Sheehan.
DARE2BDRINKAWARE.ie is open to all third-level students over the age of 18. Entries for the competition can be produced in the form of a short film or interactive website, and must focus on the theme of “pacing our drinking” – aligning the competition’s aim of promoting the responsible use of alcohol and challenging anti-social drinking behaviours.
Students must submit a short proposal outlining the idea behind their entry by 23 November and will have until March 2013 to develop and complete their multimedia or film project.
Entries are judged by a high-profile panel of industry experts, and offers a prize fund of €5,000.
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