EXCITEMENT ripples through the conversation of Valley Skills for Life Drama Group students as they talk about dressing up to walk the red carpet in Sydney.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
September 9 looms on the calendar as a momentous day for the students as they will travel to the Sydney suburb of Chatswood to gather with other film makers to learn if their film, 'Spoon Jackers', will take out a title at the Focus on Ability Short Film Festival.
Support workers Cess Robinson and Danielle Smith guided the group during the six-months it took to create the short film, and Cess says "they thought it was fabulous!".
It is the group's first foray into film making and Cess says, "it was a group decision to make a movie, not knowing how to make a movie!"
News of the film project was quickly shared throughout the Valley Industries community and Cess says it grew "to involve all the drama group students as well as all Valley Skills for Life service users as film extras."
The film credits list Katherine Carney, Dushka Winkley, Glen King, Daine Burns, Michael Butler, Kristy Muldoon, Mel Palmer, Damien Herring, Sarah Green, Nathaniel Clifton, Sam Thompson and Cathy Lord.
Cess says the students crafted the plot, acted in the film and then helped to edit 'Spoon Jackers.' It is a drama piece that sees the Valley Skills for Life Drama Group decide to take over the Valley Industries administration office armed with spoons, to get money to buy beer, chips and lollies. They restrain Valley Industries staff members in a variety of ways - on a treadmill, tied to a swing and a pole, on an operational treadmill and in a large cage - declaring 'The Ability to take over and party hard'.
"They thought it was fabulous until we had to do the editing part of movie-making process, they thought that was bloody boring," Cess laughed.
"We had to explain that editing and adding music was just as much a part of the process of making a film, but once it was done they couldn't stop watching it."
The Focus on Ability Short Film Festival is a competition that aims to raise awareness of the abilities of people with a disability.
It offers over $100,000 worth of cash and prizes and the competition asks film makers to 'Focus on the Ability' of people with a disability.
In 2014 180 films were entered and the winners shared in over $90,000 in prizes and this year entrants will see their films premiered on the big screen as well as the chance to have their film shown on national television.
ainslee.dennis@fairfaxmedia.com.au