Menindee

Willyama- Crew

WILLYAMA HIGH SCHOOL

BROKEN HILL

Well, here we are at the end of our 2nd week. We are in Broken Hill, at Willyama High School - one of the two secondary schools in the town. The school sits at the north-eastern corner of the town. Open, flat bush-scrub borders the school grounds with a stunning contrast of colours - the red earth against a myriad of greens and greys with the elegant beauty of the occasional ghost gum. We saw exceptionally beautiful landscape last week as well, across several towns and the countryside in between, but unlike at Coomealla High, our twelve Willyama students are all 'towny' kids. Our group here consists of three Year 10 girls - Lucy, Sam and Letisha; one Year 8 boy - Tom; and eight Year 8 girls - Jasmine, Riannna, Bianca, Keanna, Amanda, Shannon, Sharna and Catherine.


                                          Preparation

We used the same starting point with the kids here as we did at Coomealla. We have looked at the idea of place in relation to identity and we started by discussing what Broken Hill means to each of the kids - who they live with, how long they've been here, what they love about the place, as well as what they are not mad about. Due to logistical considerations and also because the students here are not from rural properties or neighbouring towns, we then centred our attention on the school and its grounds. This became our world and we asked the kids to choose their special place within this world.

Initially, we found our Willyama students quiet, but when we embarked on drama games and activities that required a lack of inhibition, that is exactly what we found. These kids were happy to dive into the world of imagination, and were already doing a great job of making that world real to the onlooker - their potential audience. And, by the way, in most cases, quietness didn't last long!

By the end of Tuesday we had got to know each other a little, talked about the town and made a map of the school. We played a lot of games that exercised our ability to work as a team, we talked about and worked at opening ourselves up to new ways of seeing, learning and understanding. Fred told the kids that this week, in our room,

"2 + 2 could = 5 … if they wanted it to".

While science is a great and important thing, drama is not a science. Drama is an art and like all art, it is subjective.

We asked one major thing of our students: that the work we did together was true and important to them. This was to be a time to explore their own thoughts and feelings.

By Wednesday most of our kids had decided on their special place. They had articulated what this place meant to them and why - what it made them think and how it made them feel. Some had also started to plan how they would show these things in their film piece: Would it be made in a documentary style? Would there be dramatic elements - scripted or improvised? Would their story be told in a less linear / conventional way - would it be more abstract? How would they use basic camera moves, editing and sound (possibly music) to communicate their feelings about their special place? How ever they decided to do it, it would be their story.

The 'owner' of each special place would be the director of that film. They would need to think about whom, within the group they would ask to be their key crew members. The crew would be instrumental in helping the director carry out his/her vision. So on Wednesday morning we set the protocol for our shoots and then headed off to our first location.

                                                  Shoot Days

                                                   Wednesday

Jasmine had a very clear idea about how she wanted to shoot her piece. She had described it to me, and in fact, taken me to the location on Tuesday afternoon. She had shown me exactly how she wanted the piece to start. She would be the presenter within her documentary style film. So here we all were, on Wednesday morning, up on level 3 at Jasmine's special place - Room 3.6. This is where Jasmine comes to do reading and other schoolwork. But most importantly for her, it's where she can talk to people who help her in times of trouble - people like Uncle Darren, who appears with her in the film. Jasmine showed strength, warmth and honesty in inviting us into this very important part of her world.

Next location was the fire escape on level 3. This is where Lucy's film was shot. Lucy's connection with this place started with a photography assignment, but the place went on beyond that to mean much more to her. She used four of the other girls - Amanda, Catherine, Sharna and Shannon to be her actors. They would be playing the roles of Lucy and her friends. The girls were directed by Lucy to improvise - there voices would not be heard but the feeling they portrayed would set the mood for the piece. The piece will have a voice-over, recorded by Lucy that describes her feelings for the place and what went on here. Having a strong visual sensibility, Lucy loves being behind the camera. She was asked by a number of the other students to be their DP (director of photography) and shoot their pieces, a job she took on with enthusiasm and responsibility.

Next cab off the rank was Letisha's piece. Here again, our director chose to use other students to be her actors. Letisha's story sprang from her special place - the crossbars of the awning over the walkway. Letisha also had a strong plan. Her piece would have two parts - the first naturalistic (set in a classroom), then moving into a more stylised communication of the story, (at the crossbars). It is the story of a special friendship, but during the shooting of the piece, Letisha was surprised by what was emerging. It seemed the simple story had a life of its own. To her credit, Letisha embraced this and went with it, allowing the organic, inner-life of the story to shine. The whole group also found, in shooting the drama, how many technical aspects arise and how difficult it can be as an actor, to 'hit your mark' in lots of different ways while still appearing natural. This piece required a lot of its actors. The cast - Tom and Catherine - were very focused. They took the responsibility of embodying Letisha's characters seriously and giving them the heart that they deserved.

We were still shooting Letisha's film when the bell went for lunch. Tom's piece was set in his special place - the court - at lunchtime. The whole lunchtime feel, with kids doing what they do in their own time, was intrinsic to Tom's vision. So we put Letisha's shoot on hold, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and embarked on shooting Tom's footage before the bell sounded to send the students back into the classroom. Tom's idea was simple, clear and true to himself. Essentially, he wanted to capture his own P.O.V. (point of view) in the place he felt comfortable and relaxed, where his friends were and where he came to have fun. We shot 'The Court' from a number of different angles, and then shot Tom from different places watching the action. Tom also recorded a concise and thoughtful piece of voiceover to convey his feelings.

We ended the day back at Letisha's second location. After our brave actors had nailed a couple of confronting moments we called it a wrap for our first shoot day. "In the can!" - as they say in the movies.

To be continued . . .

Willyama- Identity and Place

Well yesterday we finished up the workshop in Broken Hill and it was a huge success. This time we had 12 drama students from Willyama High School and thery were all just so fantastic. The students very quickly demonstrated that they possessed excellent and highly developed skills in drama and storytelling and so we knew that when introduced the camera we would have no trouble achieving a really memorable and satisfying outcome.

Once again the theme of the workshop was IDENTITY AND PLACE. a PERSONS SENSE OF SELF WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THEY INHABIT. It sounds pretty heavy but really it's just about exploring a place that you feel safe supported happy private or just a place where you have fun. Once you work out where that is then we go there and we try to reflect that feeling in a short film.

Everyone had a go. We all worked with the c amera and we created small crews that made the filming process feel as close to the real thing as possible. It was great fun and the kids just revelled in the newfound responsibilty and creative freedom.

The films were all very different and unique. Very original thinkeres out here in Brioken Hill and they all took risks and tried new things which was very satisfying to witness.

Fred.

To Broken Hill

It's saturday morning and sarah and i are both having a break in mildura.

The workshop this week was fantastic. The kids were great and we covered some really interesting work. They had a wonderful time and produced some deeply considered films and stories. They enjoyed it very much and learned a lot about a lot of things - not just film-making.

We encouraged more responsibility, freedom and risk-taking within the work, giving them permission to 'fail', showing them that 'getting it wrong' sometimes leads to the artistic answer they may be seeking. We also encouraged them to think and feel in a different way, see things with fresh eyes. In this way they could explore places that they considered commonplace in a new way. I think the experience taught them the difference between looking and seeing - something they all understood by the end of the week.

So it's been fun and i'm sure ity will continue to be so.

- fred.

Friday, August 21, 2009

OUR WEEK IN COOMEALLA

Continued ...

Where were we? That's right ... just heading off for our first Shoot Day.

First stop was Aidan's special place. We headed north-west from Dareton to the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers. On the bank of the Murray, surrounded by majestic, towering gum trees, we found the observation tower. For Aidan, this is a place of serenity. He likes to come here to enjoy the beautiful view of the converging rivers and have his own quiet time and a sense of peacefulness. This is the feeling he will try to put across in his film. Our first crew did very well and led the way for the rest by showing focus and respect for Aidan's strong and sensitive vision.

Next stop was the Sand Hills. We shot two pieces here. The first was Keely's. For Keely, her special place is also somewhere to enjoy solitude. She loves the aloneness she feels out here - just her and nature. Keely's keen eye and affinity with visual arts meant that she was very specific about what she wanted the camera to capture. She also loves the quietness of the place and for this reason she has decided to have no soundtrack at all - absolute silence. She will use a slow-motion effect to communicate the freedom she feels at the sand hills.

Next on the agenda was lunch. We'd brought it with us and sat under the corrugated iron shelter by the sandy car park, then we took the cars to another spot not far away to film the next piece.

Kara, Melinda and Laura had decided to make their piece together. Though the location was still the sand hills, the feeling that the girls wanted to communicate in their film couldn't have been more different from Keely's. Though, both pieces had a sense of happiness at the heart of them, Kara, Melinda and Laura's film was about being together. For them the sand hills is somewhere they associate with friends and family. The energy and rhythm of their film is fast and noisy and fun. They call out each other's names and the names of family and friends. They will also use an up-beat song mixed in behind.

Our first shoot day was great fun. It was a big day and we all went home feeling happy, with sand in our shoes and our pants!

Thursday

We started Shoot Day 2 by going out to Jake's place at Curlwaa, just north-east of Wentworth. We picked up his BMX bike from his house then headed to his actual location in the bush nearby. Jake and his friends had built a dirt track with and ramps and jumps. It was impressive! This is Jake's special place where comes to ride and hang out with his friends. With a very clear idea of what he wanted to achieve, and a carefully thought out plan, Jake led his organised crew as well as being stunt rider. It took concentration as well as energy. It was great fun and a very different way for us all to start our day.

From Jake's, we headed back south to Mildura and Apex Park. This was Tori's special place. Tori just loves to swim and for her fun is all about water, water, WATER! This very pretty location was Tori's pick right from the start. She loves to get in the water and splash around. She also loves to chase birds. This very pretty location had everything Tori needed and well as a well-timed paddle steamer.

And what better place to have lunch - under the trees on the banks of the Murray.

Next and final stop, we'd headed back out of Mildura to Gol Gol, again, to the banks of the river, but this time at The Boat Ramp. This is the special place of Molly, Taylah and Brittany. So our last film to be shot was another group effort. Their piece is called Memories and they also used Tori and Laura as extra cast members. These girls have a big group of friends that are very special to them and this is where they often come to hang out together. Here, with yet another different crew, the girls showed themselves talking and laughing and mucking around together. They intend to have the shots dissolve softly from one image to another to give the impression of happy memories.

Friday

On our final day, back at the hall in Dareton, the kids met James - one of the marvellous organisers of this great project - from West Darling Arts. James talked about the virtual festival that will screen the finished films and provided lots of other info. including details of this website and blog. Our main activity on the final day was to view all the footage that we had shot and make detailed notes regarding editing. It was really great to see what had been achieved.

Fred and I also did a short interview with each of our students. We finished the week feeling very happy about our time here. The Coomealla kids have been just fantastic! They showed focus and maturity. They worked together on each other's films and took their crew positions seriously. At the very beginning of the week we had asked them to open their minds and hearts to seeing things afresh and working in new ways. They rose to the challenge and we are very impressed.

Thanks Coomealla kids! I had a great week with you all and I look forward to seeing your finished films.

Sarah.x.

Sarah

ARTSTART DIARY - Sarah Woods

Western Storylines

Fred Copperwaite and I will spend a week in each location - 5 days, 9.30am to 3pm - with a group of high school students. These kids have been chosen, based on their interest - and their suitability to take part in our workshops. What the kids think they have signed up for seems to vary. A number of them say they thought they were coming to do an "acting workshop", whereas Fred and I were under the impression that we were here to facilitate the kids in making a short documentary based on the theme of Isolation. This has not really been a problem - we have tried to incorporate all ideas as well as extend the isolation theme to include everything and anything about where these kids live that they wish to explore. Fred and I are no techno-wizards. Our backgrounds are in acting and directing (in the theatre as well as TV and film). Our expertise in story telling is what we have to offer here, as well as an understanding of the creative process. We hope to show these kids ways to open their hearts and minds, bodies and voices, to enable them to express what is important to them. We have 2 handi-cams and the results - a short piece from each student - will be edited after Fred and I leave, and then exhibited on the internet.

Coomealla High School

Monday

Our plan was to take it gently for the first day with our group of kids here in Coomealla. We didn't want to over-whelm them with tasks, but rather engage them in a number of discussions that would lead us to the areas we wished to explore together. With Tim and Sandie at Monkey Baa, Fred and I had already created more than a sketch of this workshop, and certainly had lots of material with which to draw out and help develop certain skills within the kids. Nevertheless, we felt that during this first week in Coomealla, a blueprint for the following two weeks would emerge.

We used drama warm-ups and games to get to know each other and demonstrate the importance of working as a team - something we would come back to in relation to working with the camera. We focussed in on the use of the body and the voice; we did activities to open up the imagination and more than anything, give the kids permission to make this workshop THEIR OWN.

We talked about how the location of our homes has a bearing on who we are, who we become. And as we had expected, from the kids' point of view, this 'isolated' life was not necessarily a bad thing. They were opening up to us very quickly and keen to tell us what they LOVE about living where they do. This is at the very heart of what was to come …

Tuesday

First thing Tuesday, we made a big map of the area, stretching from Trentham Cliffs south-east, of Mildura and following the highway north-west, taking in the Murray and Darling Rivers, Gol Gol, Mildura, Buronga, Coomealla, Dareton and Wentworth, pointing the direction further north to Melinda's place in Pomona and west to Keely's rural property. All the kid's homes were placed on the map. In our group discussions, almost all of the kids had chosen a real location - their own "special place" - where they would film their piece. These special places were also placed on the map.

After lunch on Day 2 we hit the streets and surrounds of Dareton (adjacent to Coomealla and where our workshops are held in the Senior Citizens Hall). Fred took one camera and 5 kids: our two Year 10 boys - Jake and Aiden and our three Year 9 girls - Kara, Keely and Melinda. I took a camera and our five Year 8 girls - Laura, Taylah, Molly, Brittany and Tori. We worked through a number of specific camera exercises: interviewing locals, catching some real life moments that we came across, creating abstract tableaux based on specific themes and filming them in a number of contrasting settings. The afternoon was a hands-on experience of using the camera within specific perimeters. We were making the point that ultimately, the kids needed to crystallise their ideas and present them concisely.

By the end of day 2, we had got close to pinning down the specific content of each piece. Fred and I had been reinforcing the idea that whatever they DID or SHOWED in their piece, it should reflect what they THOUGHT and how they FELT about that place. We were also delighted that a number of the kids had come up with very specific shot lists. In the case of some, this detailed planning continued overnight. They were finessing their ideas in preparation for our shoot days.

Wednesday

Days 3 and 4 had been allotted as our shoot days. First thing on Wednesday morning we talked about organization. We returned to the importance of working as a team and created our first CREW for a practice run in the hall. A protocol was set as to how we'd proceed. Each crew would consist of director, DP (director of photography - camera operator), 1ST (1st assistant director, shot list recorder and cast - a simplified version of how it works in the real world of professional film making.

The kids seemed be not only excited but very focussed. So we hit the road.

More to come …

Fred

so ... we are at the end of day 3 of the western story lines workshop. It's been a huge week so far and we have had an enormous amount of fun as well an some very well considered thoughtful work.

On monday morning my colleague Sarah Woods and I met 10 students from the Coomealla High School who signed on for the workshop. Thy are a fantastic group of young people who have a wide range of interests and who come from really different experiences within the local community. They are all interested in storytelling which is fortunate for us because that exactly what we are doing this week.

Monday and tuesday were spent doing drama and acting exercises and playbuilding activities. This work is always a lot of fun but it also has a serious side in that it gives people more confidence and sense of self. It gives people a voice about their own lives and allows them to think and feel in a deep way about what they want from life.

We worked with the kids talking about stories from the area from their own lives, special places that they felt safe in or felt connected to. Places that gave them a strong sense of belonging and identity. Our plan was that each young person would develop these ideas into a short film about themselves and their relationship with their special place.

This morning, armed with cameras and tripods, we set off for some of these places. We filmed on the banks of the Murray and Darling Rivers, in the Perry sandhills near Wentworth and on a homemade bike track just out of Wentworth at Curlwaa. At each locations a young person told a story about their lives and gave us a insight into what it is like for young people growing up in the country today. What they feel, think and want.

Tomorrow we go to three more locations and on Friday we edit and create soundtracks in the form of music or narration.

It's been a fast exciting but deeply rewarding process. and we all learned so much about ourselves.

More tomorrow, Fred Copperwaite

Will have photos then!!!!!