For their most recent project our 13+ young writers’ group wanted to look at environmental issues, and were fortunate to receive funding from the South West Peak Landscape Partnership, so chose the theme ‘Local Landscape: Global Future’
We started in October 2019 with three days of activity at White Hall Outdoor Education Centre. With an educational session with a Peak Parks Ranger, Jackie Wragg, young people experienced their local environment and did group research into the local natural world. We have found out about flora and fauna, our oceanic climate and our role in the global picture.
“We walked around White Hall and other walks to places that are new – it makes a change and it feels exciting, especially somewhere – like a woods with a really good atmosphere. It made us have some really good ideas”
In sessions with M6 Theatre’s Caroline Kennedy we watched clips of young climate activists from all over the world speaking at global events in defence of nature, and trying to influence the decisions of international agreements.
In October and in April 2021 we walked through a range of locations, from Corbar Woods, to Solomon’s Temple and Fairfield Low to increase appreciation for and knowledge of local walking routes.
“It would be nice to encourage more young people to go to these places if they’ve not been there themselves – maybe they would get ideas from it”
We found examples of Britain’s ‘Lost Rainsforests’ and tagged them to Guy Shrubsole on Twitter, who is mapping these examples of our oceanic climate at work.
“Mark spoke a lot about UK rainforests and mosses and lychens and that’s sparked an interest”
The young people involved used this information to design characters who interact with the local environment in different ways, with different motivations. These characters were then written into a story which animates the landscape and brings a range of issues to light. Over 4 Saturdays in January 2020 we devised dialogue between the characters which tells the story, before the project was brought to an abrupt stop in March 2020.
During the pandemic we met over zoom four times to refine and edit the dialogue into a script, now called ‘Gone to Ground‘, and finally in June 2021 we shot the scenes.
The older young people then met for ‘edit parties’ over 4 Fridays, working on graphics, sound design, and other video and audio effects.
“For the audience the theme overall gives a warning – an ‘act now’ warning”
One of the adult (amateur) actors we roped in said
“It think it’s brilliant. The young people have done so well – great storyline and some top acting! Well done to everyone and I think they had great fun!”
One of the first people to see the film said
“the end is quite dark, because although we find out what’s happened, it’s not a clear positive message. It’s a complex story”
Huge kudos goes to the core group who stuck with the project to the end and especially the editors who put a lot of time into getting the final result just right!
The finished film now seeks opportunities to screen, get in touch if you want us to bring it to your event!
The dialogue contains some mild swearing, and the content is probably not suitable for a young family audience.
Watch the film here: