From famous Welsh actors like Robert Wilfort (Jason) from the television series Gavin and Stacey to up and coming talent, this year’s Its My Shout Awards celebrated its anniversary commemorating years of supporting new talent by giving them a foot in the door of the filmmaking industry.
What does a mother do when her child tells her their dream is to make movies like the ones they would watch together every weekend? Does she take him seriously or does she consider it a phase? Because in the North of Wales, if this is not a phase, it is an unrealistic dream with no rhyme, reason, or merit to pay the bills. Yet all it takes is that one opportunity to get them from a confined living room behind a television to the red carpet among other filmmakers.
“To get that opportunity, to be involved in this event, and to unexpectedly to be nominated, it’s an honour,” said Deborah Kelty after winning the award for Best Script supervisor. “Things seemed uncertain with my future and everything. That was kind of a big question on my mind. Sometimes it feels like you are not good enough, so to go past all that and to kind of have the courage to keep pursuing it and seeing where it leads.”
Deborah was one of the many young adults who had a creative passion but did not know what to do with it. After hearing about the independent film production company and its training schemes to help people like her gain experience in the filmmaking industry, she decided to apply for it with no idea of where it would take her.
This 25th anniversary of Its My Shout brought together nominees to showcase their short movies, as well as some already established names in the creative field that were there to give back to their Welsh community.
Phil Williams, a former professional actor and a presenter for BBC television educational programmes, came to support for the event as well as for his son who followed in his footsteps of being an actor. “I think sometimes in Wales we achieve a lot, but we undersell ourselves and I think this is a great platform to help Wales,” said the former actor.
“I think my shout is brilliant. I think everyone knows that, everyone who knows of it, because it’s had such an impact on so many people’s lives in terms of career opportunities. I think the big thing is how it gives opportunities to people in Wales to share their creativity and their interest and their love in different aspects of production such as costume design and production and so on, and I don’t think they would have that anywhere else maybe in the UK. But to have it here in Wales and it’s a very Welsh based project, it does nothing but great things for Welsh culture.”
Another actor who came to the event to show his support, Stuart Broad said, “Quite often in society today, Wales and beyond, doors are shut in people’s faces. What it’s my shout does and continues to deliver is the opportunity a platform to open those doors or at least knock on them at the very least.”
Yet this event would not be possible if it wasn’t for the man who created this organisation 25 years ago, Roger Burnell.
“There’s been times where you’d be surprised that the effect that it has … even one conservation I was just having with somebody who is now an actor, who said I would never even have thought of doing this without an opportunity through Its My Shout. They come back and share their experiences. So, I think it’s about making sure that people have shared experiences together rather than just an egotistical selfish way of living I suppose. … So that was surprising, but I think those are important moments when you can see that it has made a difference to people. So that is what keeps you going.”
But it was not a straight forward process for Mr. Burnell, as similar to many people in the creative industry, his vision was not understood by most people until, of course, it became the success it is today.
“It’s been tough, every time I tried to develop something people, especially in the early years, just didn’t understand what I was trying to do. What I was trying to create, what avenues I was trying to open. But I think that as life has gone on people have understood it by the evidence I suppose. The effect that it has had on people and on communities. Communities that are socially deprived … and any community. People have the need to feel pride in their communities … to go back to their communities and say I have some pride in what I’m doing because of you and where you’re from.”
More than ever, this year’s awards stand as a symbol to the importance of the art when the government thinks otherwise. During the ceremony, the presenter of the award for the best production designer said in his speech, “In the midst of funding cuts, to keep this going is an extraordinary achievement.”
When asked about how he deals with the budget cuts, Mr. Burnell said, “It’s a fight all the time. Constantly, I’ve got to go out and find money to keep it going and to extend the opportunities and that’s not easy. This environment right now, where you know money is hard to come by when people have difficulties in their own lives. So we try to support each other and also support the schemes that in 10 years’ time 15 years’ time somebody else can do what I’m trying to do. There are other people who will do what I tend to do, which is inspire people to take the help I suppose. It’s a legacy. There are lots of lives that are there that have been affected, lots of films that have been made and lots of communities … they have a right to speak their mind.”
And speaking their mind they did, as winning their awards that night was only the start of their journey. Elilidh Carver, the winner of best screenplay, was excited to share her future plans. “At the moment I’m writing series called Lemon … it’s a comedy series set in south Wales so obviously promoting Welsh culture Welsh voices, and I would love to rhyme all things about rural Wales, kind of similar dynamic to where I’m from,” said the writer. Yet the confidence in her plans was not something she saw coming.
“I was just graduated uni, I was studying writing. And before I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, and I tried the screenwriting module and gave it a go, and I thought yeah I’m really enjoying this,” said the Elilidh. ““It’s been like a whirlwind. When you first start, you’re like god what am I doing? Is this right? Is this not right? But everyone was so supportive … I really had a good support network. It really gave me confidence, and I feel like I know now a bit more of what I’m doing.”
The event was successful in many ways. Roger’s effort was shown as everyone in the room was proud of Welsh culture, and the one thing that resonated from Welsh culture was a selfless sense of community.
“I would encourage people who wouldn’t normally think that they can do those sorts of things, I would actively encourage it because they can then find something that maybe unlocks something within themselves or open a door to go somewhere else, exerts a passion within them. Not everyone thinks that they are creative, but everybody is creative in one way or another so it’s a question of finding that key I suppose,” said Mr Burnell. “There are people here who’ve made a film with us in a very deprived area two or three weeks ago, they would never have thought about making a film … but now they have made an effort to come here … and to me that is maybe more important than people who are really important in the industry. On the other hand, of course they show that they really support what I’m trying to do so that’s really important as well.”
