This year, experienced television director Gillian Arnold, FTI video production graduate Locky Patterson, Postcards DOP Anthony Hanson, editor and fine artist Andrew Christie and MMR coordinator Alison James travelled by four wheel drive to deliver filmmaking workshops to remote communities across the state.

Gillian, Locky and Alison spent a month on the road visiting the Kimberley communities of Kadjina, Yakanarra and Balgo. With the Roadshow truck loaded up to maximum capacity with camera, sound and editing equipment (not to mention a portable cinema screen) taking the crew five days to get to the first location!

Kadjina community created three films including a short animation called Mankankarta, telling a local Walmajarri story of a man who tries to take a mermaid as his wife from a nearby waterhole but he has to deal with a water serpant which protects her.

Yakanarra elders and school kids combined forces to make a powerful documentary called The Way it Was, about a masacre which happened to the Walmajarri tribe during white settlement.

In Balgo, a community four hours south of Halls Creek, young residents created a short drama about breaking down in the bush in addition to a documentary about their community.

On the second trip, focusing on the Pilbara region of WA, Anthony, Andy and Alison (dubbed the A team) visited Port Hedland and Wakuthuni Aboriginal Community, just outside Tom Price.

In Port Hedland, year 10 drama students created 3 films, including an extreme television show and a world championship ice cream eating competition.

In Wakuthuni, workshop participants created a film looking at the two different styles of education offered to their community – traditional bush learning and modern education. The community involved everyone in the film – even getting the youngest kids to learn how to get ready for primary school.

Earlier this year, the Roadshow made a guest visit to the Keela Dreaming festival in Kellerberrin to host a one day animation and screening program. Crew will return to ‘Keela’ early next year for a further 5 day workshop.

Kimberley
Kadjina
Yakanarra
Balgo

Pilbara
Port Hedland
Wakuthuni

Wheatbelt
Kellerberrin

If you would like the Making Movies Roadshow to visit your community in 2007 / 2008, please contact the MMR Coordinator, Alison James (Ph) 9431 6702, (Fax) 9335 1283 or (Email) alison_james@fti.asn.au or roadshow@fti.asn.au for further details.

Watch Rawa Lakeside Girls from the 2006 Tour.