Karoonda SA, Aug 2007
CHALLENGE: The Karoonda community commissioned the Hero Project team to work with a group of local youth to produce a documentary about the impact of drink driving on small rural towns.
PARTNERS: Arts SA Health Promotion Through the Arts; Country Arts SA; Karoonda Area School; Murray Mallee Community Education Network Inc; Mallee Health Service Inc; Tallstoreez Productionz; Apple Australia
Film: 9 Steps to Become a Successful Underage Drinker
Click on the image above or the link to watch - 9 Steps to Become a Successful Underage Drinker.
If your device can’t play the clip, click here to watch it on Vimeo.
A fabulous discussion starter about underage drinking: ‘9 Steps to Become a Successful Underage Drinker’ is a comedic take on ‘how-to’ videos and drug education with a high impact ending that will have your students talking for days. Goose bumps guaranteed!
OUTCOMES: Initially the group discussed interviewing the local police officer and locals to create a documentary about the issue. When the Hero Project team asked if they would watch this film, they admitted they find ‘educational’ videos boring. So their task was to make a film they would watch. After lengthy debate from the young people and adults in the room, the Hero mentors suggested the team work with a satirical reversal to get the message across. They brainstormed all the stories ‘everyone shares about their youthful exploits’, and so the conversation began… The team drafted the 9 steps in the first session and then shot them over several sessions working with the Hero mentors. It was fantastic to work with the youth team and the Karoonda community, who all pitched in to support the project, from offering locations, making props and acting in the film.
Using humour and a satirical reversal this film drives a serious punch and comes with an urgently needed resource pack to support teachers and youth workers to tackle the issues of underage drinking.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS:
2007 WINNER State Area Schools Best Practice Award.
2008 Screened at the national ‘Arts At The Heart’ Regional Arts Australia conference in Alice Springs September 2008.
IMPACT & FEEDBACK: The film has been used in hundreds of introduction sessions and conferences throughout Australia.
It has become an invaluable discussion starter to address drug and alcohol issues and a great example to highlight the difference between relevant (peer-driven empowerment) projects and poorly received projects (top-down educational projects, despite their good intentions).
Jeremy Head, Youth Pathways Officer, Whyalla SA
Hey guys thought I would say Hi and see how you were all doing.
The kids here are still talking about Abby’s Rocket and look forward to future workshops.
I have shown the drinking DVD to a local police officer and he would like to use it in an underage drinking program here. What are the costs and is he able to use it?
Regional Arts Officer, Arts Upper Hunter
It went really well and they loved the films, especially the 9 Steps! [...]
Thanks Bridget