A group of people with learning disabilities who helped to make a film about complaining for a charity’s website will receive the red carpet treatment when it has its premiere later this week.
All 21 people with learning disabilities who helped to make the short film How to Complain for learning disability charity Advance will attend the golden ticket only film premiere at Witney’s Cineworld, which is donating the facilities for the event, on February 21.
The film’s stars, Advance service users Antony O’Dell, Claire Crombie, Paul Ward and Theresa Brind, will be joined by 17 others who were involved in the project by helping to write the script, providing sound effects or producing art work shown on the animated backdrop to the action.
“We’re delighted to make a special event of what is a very special and beneficial project,” said Advance’s operations manager, Steve Wright.
How To Complain explains how service users tell the charity when it gets things wrong.
“Recent scandals, from Winterbourne View to the on-going Jimmy Savile inquiry, are rooted in people feeling unable to speak out,” says Advance’s communications and appeals manager, John Kay. “The underlying wider message [of the film] is that everyone has the right to voice their concerns, whether it’s about a repair Advance hasn’t carried out properly, or something more serious, like hate crime.
“It’s very creative, quirky and takes engagement to a whole new level. Most importantly, everyone is very energised by it, which means the all-important message is being broadcast loud and clear.”
Firebird Films director Ross Mackenzie has produced all of the films on Advance’s website, but says this is his favourite.
It took 17 hours of filming to produce the 7,200 animated frames alone and Ross had to create 25 drawings for just one second image, but he says it was worth it.
“We all had such fun the production team was very sad when we called it a wrap,” he said. “We wanted to do something really special so that even in the credits you don’t want to look away.
“Advance people are a joy to work with, and everyone was really excited when I told them the camera we were using came from the same company, Sandstorm Studios, whose kit was used on the James Bond Skyfall film!”
