Lead Partner: Sweet Freedom, Australia
Description
This case study highlights the capacity of music and film to strengthen links between vulnerable people as well as offering those experiencing marginalisation ‘a voice’ to positively influence their personal and social environment. Sweet Freedom Inc is a production and promotion organization comprised of music producers, filmmakers and community development practitioners. The organisation works creatively with people from varying circumstances; particularly those who seek solidarity in their quest for social justice and respect for their human rights – absorbing their stories and perceptions, alert to their themes of significance. Sweet Freedom crafts songs, music videos and documentaries, and records them to broadcast quality in collaboration with the project participants (and a little help from ‘kindred-spirit friends). These products are then promoted and distributed throughout like-minded national and international networks to both educate and entertain. Sweet Freedom shares the profits of sales with the participants and their communities.
Community Worker and initiator of Sweet Freedom Productions, Brian
Procopis, has developed creative formulas and behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings essential to the success of such ‘productions’ as:
- ‘Aim High/From Little Things Big Things Grow’, which harnessed the insights and talents of 225 primary school- aged children from the Zillmere State School who delivered an affirming message to their immediate communities and ultimately, via extensive radio play to the entire nation.
- ‘Scattered People’ features asylum seekers, refugees and ‘kindredspirited’ locals (see Case Study)
- Alafiah ’Freedom — Voices of Survival, Voices of Welcome’ features young refugees and their ‘mainstream’ peers
- Red- highlights the value of those with disabilities in nourishing our communities.
It was a simple idea illustrating that music and other art forms can engage people in a non- intimidating way — a simple respectful participatory formula is applied, unplanned outcomes keep happening and none knows where the ideas might eventually go. A simple school song , for example, became a school song ‘out of control’ and key to changing negative perceptions of an area. A song can help people to construct a new, positive image for themselves. It was the ‘pebble in the pond’ — it is the little thing from which a big thing grows.
What advice would you give to people starting a project like yours?
The advice I would give to people is to honour what ordinary people like us have, drawing it out, but then finding somebody who can take it to another level and then allowing that influence to gather its own momentum. There’s nothing new really about the idea of using music to portray themes of significance, it’s been happening for mega millions o years. But to do it in a way which creates a product that is listenable for its music, not just for its purpose, so that there are many avenues into the product, seems to be an essential component of the formula.
More on this project:
DVD film clips from this project will be available to view on this site
Contact Details
Brian Procopisinfo@sweetfreedom.netWebsite: http://www.sweetfreedom.org/