Firestyle Magazine: Issue 6 - Winter 2016

REEL VOICE!
ClapperboardUK in partnership with service user
adults have developed Sefton Creative Hub, a radical
initiative using digital media and film making to tell
stories, give voice to service users and inspire change!
Matt Masison tells us his experience so far….
Sefton Creative Hub members from Southport outside their first meeting place. Many Thanks to Southport Community Fire and
Ambulance Station for their support.
The Sefton Creative Hub is new
initiative offering adults 18+ who
have a relationship with Aspergers
or Autism, the chance to come
together to learn, share skills and
build the foundation of new
relationships, whilst discovering new
opportunities that can lead to a
better quality of life and possibly the
start of a new career or education
route through the medium of digital
media.
It is a radical and innovative
partnership led by service users
and delivered by ClapperboardUK.
We presently have two groups,
one based in Crosby, supported
by Sefton Carers and a group in
Southport who regularly meets in the
Atkinson centre.
I’ve been going to the Sefton Hub
in Waterloo for over ten weeks
now and my experience mostly
has been a pleasant one. The
first week, was an eye opener for
me, albeit an emotional one as I
always wanted to do movies as a
child, but I was keeping that dream
away from myself because I was
too afraid of success. I could never
see myself as a director of a large
group that wanted to explore
the human condition through the
medium of movies and short film
production. I needed to do that
for a long time, because I wanted
to overcompensate for my lack
of verbal speech. I could connect
with people, and interact in a way
that I want, loud and proud, not
being misunderstood, not being
dominated by fear.
I began to work with others like me,
who had a keen interest in the visual
medium and wanted to create
something of our own and learn
the necessary skills to do that. While
others like me may not have had
confidence to use a camera, or
how to work with one, I had some
experience that I could bring to the
group. I found an arena where I
could pass on my experience, learn
what it means to direct someone
and be more confident with my
own voice
The groups meet weekly and
during ten weeks, most of us have
written a synopsis and a script for
our own personal short film, two
of which are already ‘in the can’
and in post production. We take
on either acting or behind the
camera technical roles on each
others short film thus enhancing our
experiences and learning whilst
doing. The films are personal stories
about ourselves or something about
us which we want to share with the
outside world, unafraid and proud
of what we have accomplished,
and through helping each other
have become stronger, more
self aware, and open to the new
possibilities of what’s to come. The
films will be shown on 4th April 2017,
at ClapperboardUK’s annual award
ceremony where we will celebrate
all the films ClapperboardUK has
produced, with all films up for a
Clapperboard award.
Its a very exciting time for myself and
all the members of Sefton Creative
Hub. If you would like to get
involved we are still open to new
members in the two areas of Crosby
and Southport. You can email Jo
Seddon, our project co-ordinator for
more information on; jo.Seddon@
carers.sefton.gov.uk.
Matt Masison is a film maker and
writer for Sefton Creative Hub and
ClapperboardUK
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