A film project for young people exploring identity, home, community and self-image
IN MY SHOES: THE FILM
IN MY SHOES: BEHIND THE SCENES
About the project:
In My Shoes is a film project for young people aged 10-16 years, exploring themes such as identity, home, community, self-image, and place.
In My Shoes is a companion project to our immersive audio installation In Her Shoes, touring in 2022.
We are woking with community organisations with up to 20 young people in each group. Running from March 2022, the young people will work with drama facilitator, filmmaker and teacher George Morgan and award winning director and filmmaker Jamie Weston to co-create a short film about what it means to be a young person today.
We’ll make a difference to our community by:
◉ Building confidence and empowering participants to express their identity.
◉ Encouraging positive self-image.
◉ Instilling a sense of belonging.
◉ Encouraging community cohesion.
◉ Combatting social isolation to improve wellbeing and mental health.
◉ Representing them in the creative sector.
◉ Building confidence to participate in future arts activities.
This project will enhance our community outreach scope, developing new and existing relationships and partnerships with organisations and communities which will strengthen engagement in future work.
We are always seeking to expand our reach and form new relationships with community organisations.
If you would like to book the ‘In My Shoes’ workshops for your organisation’s young people, please get in touch with project manager Alison Garner below.
Why is it important?
Young People have been most adversely impacted by lockdown & the COVID-19 crisis: "1/3 of 8-15 year olds experience feeling stressed & worried more now than before the pandemic," (Barnados, 2021).
Now, more than ever, there is a need for Young People to have support to find their voice, and build their self-confidence and positive self-image.
Group workshops will build strong relationships in and across communities by:
◉ Amplifying voices of Young People who are often hidden or under-represented within the wider community.
◉ Encouraging intergenerational communication.
◉ Combatting social isolation.
Workshops will help Young People reach their potential by:
◉ Supporting and developing literacy and oracy skills.
◉ Increasing their sense of achievement and belonging, and building aspirations.
◉ Developing communication skills.
Young People will be involved in the development and delivery of the project by:
◉ Leading conversations about their own identity and relationship to home during the workshops.
◉ Having their writing and voices represented in the final short film through interview and video documentation.
‘In My Shoes’ is supported by public funding from the National Lottery Community Fund
PROJECT STAFF
ALISON GARNER
PROJECT MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF ELEVATOR ARTS
Ali is a creative producer, theatre maker and director of Elevator Arts CIC. Through imagination, play, and intervention, her work breaks boundaries - making the everyday extraordinary.
In 2020 Alison established Elevator Arts, a CIC devoted to delivering life enhancing, transformative and empowering arts projects with young people in Southend & South Essex.
In My Shoes was delivered in partnership with Elevator Arts.
CONNECT WITH ALISON
→ Website
George Morgan
facilitator, director & Filmmaker
My name is George Morgan and I’m an Essex based writer/producer and video artist who has been commissioned by RADA, BBC Arts and Arts Council England. I was recently selected for the BFI NETWORK South East producers programme in addition to being invited as one of seven writers to take part in the Mercury Theatre playwright programme led by Kenny Emson.
My passion for inclusivity and diversity within the arts in relation to young, underserved members of the community is evident in both my teaching and facilitation work. I regularly work as a writing facilitator with the BFI Film Academy, provide filmmaking projects as part of Essex Visual Arts as well as being a qualified secondary school drama teacher with a BA in theatre & performance studies and an MA in Acting for Screen from Royal Central School Of Speech And Drama.
CONNECT WITH GEORGE:
→ Website
Jamie Weston
Multi award winning Director & Filmmaker
Hello! I'm a multi award winning, British born English / Caribbean, Director & Filmmaker with 10+ years in the industry. I have directed 3 features which gained worldwide distribution and my debut feature Foxtrap in 2016 was distributed by Sony.
My latest film WINGS has been shown is over 21 festivals including BFI Flare and has won 17 awards, it gained a years contract with Channel 4 2020 which gained almost 1 million views and is now available on BFI player.
CONNECT WITH JAMIE:
→ Website
→ IMDB
Jamie is also the Education Coordinator & Film Producer for Signals.
Signals is a centre for creative digital learning. who specialise in film education, digital art and use media production for social, learning and creative outcomes. A multi-award-winning arts and education charity that provides courses, workshops and projects across the region. Their community projects enable disadvantaged groups to work on production projects, giving participants digital media skills and most importantly a voice. They work with groups through the whole production process helping participants realise their potential and share their stories
They support creativity and learning at all levels, including working with schools, community groups, the cultural and third sector and new talent. I have been working with them since 2014 before working part time and have produced and made over 200 films with them, notably 50 since 2020
VISIT SIGNALS:
