Young filmmaker Zackary Roeth dreams of hitting the big time in the film industry.<\/p>\n
“My dream is to hopefully in the near future venture to Hollywood, become maybe the next Steven Spielberg.”<\/p>\n
Roeth hopes to one day see his work projected on the silver screen. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
This year, he took strides towards that goal, taking part in an Accessible Filmmaking Program run by Bus Stop Films.<\/p>\n
The program invites Australians with disabilities to receive training in filmmaking from industry professionals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In partnership with TasTAFE, participants spend 40 weekly sessions learning various areas of the screen sector and working collaboratively to create a short film.<\/p>\n
“Scriptwriting, storyboarding, lighting, cinematography, sound \u2026 we learned about everything,” Roeth said.<\/p>\n
“By the time we were on set, we were ready to go.”<\/p>\n
After 40 weeks of training, program participants recently spent a day on-set shooting their cohort’s short film. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
Hobart program tutor, Tashi Higgins, said she has seen “huge growth” in the workshop participants.<\/p>\n
“They’re gaining these practical skills that are also transferable because you’re not just learning about filmmaking, you’re learning about how to communicate your ideas, organisation, how to make decisions,” she said.<\/p>\n
“They are things they can take and put into their own life.<\/p>\n
“Even in something like confidence and voicing an idea or voicing an opinion about something.”<\/p>\n
Ms Higgins wrote and directed the film ‘Lost Treasure’. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
At the beginning of September, Roeth and his fellow participants spent a day on set shooting their cohort’s short film Lost Treasure.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Behind the scenes with participants and crew members. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
They were joined by 16 crew members from Tasmania’s local film industry who helped bring the film to life and mentored the participants in various crew roles.<\/p>\n
“This is giving [the participants] a working experience alongside people within the industry, and that’s huge because you’re treating them with respect as a worker and as a storyteller,” Higgins said.<\/p>\n
Annalise Haigh, who was mentored in production design and lighting, described the program as “life-changing”.<\/p>\n
“Lights and camera work. That’s my top priority,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It’s a great opportunity to join in and find your own confidence and give it a go.”<\/p>\n
Haigh has a particular affinity for lights and camera work. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Roeth was mentored as a camera operator and assistant director.<\/p>\n
“[My mentor] got me involved, to write down continuity logs after each take,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I even got to call the last cut and say to everybody ‘that’s a wrap’ at the end of shoot.”<\/p>\n
Roeth fulfilling his crew duties. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)<\/p>\n
Creating employment pathways<\/p>\n
Roeth lives with autism, something he said has been a barrier to employment.<\/p>\n
“I have applied for a few businesses before. I’ve always explicitly put on the resume ‘look I’m autistic, but I can still do things’ and then boom \u2026 nothing,” he said.<\/p>\n
“You try so hard and [to see] you didn’t get it, or it’s given to someone else. It just feels heartbreaking.<\/p>\n
“I’m not afraid to say it’s not nice. It’s disappointing and discriminating.”<\/p>\n