April 2004

Red carpet treatment for young film-makers

A group of young film-makers walked the red carpet at Ballarat’s Grainery Lane Theatre for the premiere screening of their films.

Under the FutureFilm 2003 program, the group produced 13 films, demonstrating each of their interests, each’s unique view of the world and their developing talents.

There were nine participants with mild intellectual disabilities in the 2003 program.

Film titles included The Private Investigator, Goosebumps, Alien Extraction, Friends in Lurve, Pressure Down and Brady’s on Broadway.

Members of the group took on the various film-making roles and the works were shot around Ballarat, including Ballarat railway station, Newlyn Cemetery and Kryal Castle.

The premiere included the Future Art visual arts exhibition and performances by BRRR theatre and Future Music, who created soundtracks for the films.

FutureFilm is a one-day a week session for young adults with a mild intellectual disability, funded by the Department of Human Services’ Grampians Region Futures for Young Adults program.

Participants learn to use film-making equipment, write scripts, design sets and study marketing.

The FutureFilm program is conducted by BRACE Education Training and Employment, which provides a range of education, training and employment services, includes disability services.

BRACE works in partnership with Yum Productions to deliver the program.

Yum Productions is a registered training organisation.

As well as making individual and group films, the FutureFilm participants studied for their Certificate 1 in Film and Certificate 2 in Screen.

FutureFilm works have been shown at the Art of Difference Festival in Melbourne and at Horsham’s Awakenings Festival.