WARD OF STATE by Claire Marshall

(Below a visit to the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne - where the idea began)


I am trying to raise funds to a part of the cost of my next dance film project, "Ward of State” about girls who were raised as wards of the state in Australia.

There's a number of dancers involved. It's a high quality film production with a lot of direct costs and is a costly project to make. There's also a lot of people who are giving their time in-kind or paid at reduced rates. I’m not paying myself, and in fact am investing a lot of time and my own money in it.

If I don’t reach the funding target, the project receives no support. If you are able to support the project even a dollar this would sincerely be appreciate.

This is a work I believe whole-heartedly in. It is also a very personal work - connecting with my family history. I rarely ask for help, but this is something really important to me.

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ABOUT:
Ward of State is a dance film set in the 1930’s - 1940 about a young girl who was taken from her parents and put into care as a “ward of the state”. Ward of State is a dance film in narrative form. It follows the life of the girl as she moves in and out of convents and foster care over the course of a few years.

Ward of State is inspired from research and interviews of numerous girls and young women who were in state care.

- It examines why they were taken (even stolen) from their parents.
- It details some of the conditions that girls had to endure during these times.
- It aims to present insight into what it was like for the mother of the girls taken.
- It looks at the social stigma of girls who were wards of the state, and how that impacted on living a ‘normal’ life afterwards.

In addition to drawing from this research, Ward of State draws from researching the direct maternal lineage of my family history: of my Nan (a ward of the state in Queensland in the 1930’s), her mother, and her mother (a ward of the state in Victoria in the 1860’s). The work is a result of my quest to understand the “whys” of things that happened – in context to how different things were then.

Ward of State is also inspired from a visit to Abbotsford Convent in Victoria (examining the space). It draws heavily from subsequent reading and research into the lives of the women who worked (unpaid) in the laundries there.

Ward of State is a collaboration with filmmaker Sarah-Jane Woulahan. It features a cast of highly skilled, sophisticated, and hand selected dancers, who do justice to this important work.

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WHY IS THIS AN IMPORTANT WORK TO MAKE?

- Ward of State is story drawn what happened to thousands of girls and women in Australia.

- Due to my family connection, it is something I feel very emotionally connected to (being so close to my Nan, and learning there's similar stories repeated in generations before). It is a story that I feel compelled to tell.

- Human aspect: Ward of State is a story about things unspoken about and covered up. It is not so much interested in exposing the things that happened (although that is an important component), but it is also interested in presenting the human side of the story and presenting the characters in depth.

I understand there's a huge responsibility to make a work like this, but I believe that I am at a point in my career where I am ready to make such an important work.

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WHY DANCE FILM AND NOT STAGE?:

- Film is a highly transportable medium. To made a work like this with such a large cast and try to tour it would be unrealistically expensive.

- Dance Film is a niche genre. There's many new platforms that exist for this work to be show - many dance film festivals, dance showings, and non mainstream film festivals.

- This film does not need words in the form of spoken dialogue. Dance and film are two very powerful mediums which are perfectly suited to delivering such a powerful work. Dance is an appropriate expressive form to communicate the story (rather than words), especially being about things that were unspoken.

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WHY POZIBLE?:

I have applied for funding (to government arts funding bodies) 3 times in an attempt to make this work, but I have not been successful. I know it's competitive, and there has been funding cuts, but I've been told that my work 'slips through the cracks' in terms of eligibility. There are no actual specific funding categories for dance film.

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I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH

- Collecting stories of many women who were wards of the state in Australia.
- Speaking first hand to women who were wards of the state.
- Reading books, articles, reports (recent and from earlier in history)
- A trip to Abbotsford Convent.
- Two subsequent trip to Melbourne at the beginning of the year.
- 5 visits to the Public Records Office of Victoria.
- Time retracing footsteps (staking my ancestors).
- Researching my own family story.

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ALMOST HARD TO BELIEVE:

"Most were not orphans. They were removed from their families when poverty, parental separation or neglect resulted in family breakdown, or because their parents were not married, or because they were deemed by social workers and police to be in ''moral danger''. - Kate Gaffney - The Age October 29, 2009.

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THE IDEA:


Over a year ago, I visited the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne (images above). I found it to be an incredibly eerie place. I was shown around various parts of the convent (which is now in use for artists and community groups). I wasn't interested in the newly refurbished spaces, but the older ones that were decaying and smelt old and musty.

The visit played on my mind a lot, as I knew that my Nan had been raised as a ward of the state in Queensland and had spent time in convents as well as in foster care.

I also learnt that my Mum's Great Grandmother "Sarah" was also raised as a ward of the state in Victoria in the 1860's and 1870's and had spent her childhood in numerous institutions in Victoria. It was an aptly timed discovery- because my Mum only learned that at the time was visiting the Abbotsford Convent.

I became increasingly curious in my Great Great Grandmother's life, and also about my Nan's history. This curiosity essentially was ignited from the visit to Abbotsford Convent, but it has developed significantly beyond just being inspired by the space there.

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CONCLUDING:

This is a culturally relevant work, addressing broad community agendas. People need to know what happened to these girls and young women. This story needs to be told - to create awareness about the past for the sake of the future.

Ward of State articulates ideas about Australian history and our culture as well as changes to morals and values. It also has an international relevance with Ireland’s Magdalene Asylum and children who are stolen/ and neglected in “care”.

Dance is a universal form of communication. Ward of State will leave a legacy long after it’s made as a powerful and relevant piece of art. For Australians this story is a landmark of our past.

Ward of State is the most important piece of work in my career to date. It is a work that I am ready and brave enough to make. And, it is a work I am truly excited to make.

Your support of this project would be sincerely appreciated.

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Note on "rewards": This project is very a very serious work. However I thought it was ok to be a bit creative in my approach to how categorise and labeled these rewards.

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ONGOING RESEARCH:

As my own family research and curiosity continues, as does my quest to read more stories from people. Whist in pre-production mode, i work about 18 hours a day, don't even have time to keep a tidy place (an offence back in earlier times), but I will do my best to keep immersing myself in research at all stages of the project.

(New) August Blog regarding family history research here: "A Theatrical Family History"
http://www.clairemarshall.com.au/blog/

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KEEP IN THE LOOP:

See http://www.clairemarshall.com.au/current-projects/ for general info about this project
See http://www.clairemarshall.com.au/blog/ for blog updates

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THIS IS THE TEAM OF TALENTED ARTISTS INVOLVED:

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CAST:
Ward of State features highly skilled dancers whom I have shared the journey of my research with includes:

Richard Causer:


Richard began his professional dance training at the age of 17, completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at Queensland University of Technology in 2004. He was sure his career was over before it began, failing to place in the inaugural television broadcast of ABC's Strictly Dancing in 2004. However, having never danced outside his living room before QUT, his choreographic work Delirium opened the national design conference 4um? Advertising and Design Asia Pacific in 2005 and was presented at the Malaysian Dance Festival in Kuala Lumpur the same year.
In 2006, Richard performed as part of Expressions Dance-In-Education team, touring regional Queensland. As well, he performed and was a featured choreographer in Cheryl Stock's Accented Body for the Brisbane Festival.

In 2007, Richard joined Expressions Dance Company and performed principle roles in Maggi Sietsma's On Thin Ice (2008) and Natalie Weir's where the heart is (2011), earning nominations for both an Australian Dance Award and Helpmann Award. He toured extensively, both nationally and internationally with Expressions Dance Company and in 2011, choreographed his own solo Wilhelm's Scream for EDC's Solo Festival.

He has choreographed for The Aboriginal Centre of Performing Arts (ACPA) and for the Queensland University of Technology's 2nd and 3rd year graduates. He continues to work regularly with Brisbane independent dance artist Claire Marshall, most recently in her acclaimed SlowDive. As well, he has appeared in music video clips for John Butler Trio, Sleepy Jackson, Megan Washington, Powderfinger, The Living End and Darren Hayes, all choreographed by Claire Marshall.

In 2012, Richard performed in New York legend Penny Arcade's renowned Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore! in London and in Bridget Fiske and Joseph Lau's revolve for the Manchester Urban Moves Festival. And, he still dances around his living room.

Chafia Brooks:


Chafia began her performance experience in 2001 with the QL2 Youth Dance Company in Canberra and graduated from QUT in 2004 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. As an independent artist Chafia has experience as both a choreographer and performer working throughout Australia and overseas with; Claire Marshall, Joseph Lau, Ricky Sim and Dancers (Singapore), Opera Queensland, Rebecca Hilton, Sela Kiek, Expressions Dance Company, Brian Lucas, Lisa Wilson, QL2 Youth Company, James Welsby, The Firkin Crane (Ireland) and was involved in the 2008 World Dance Alliance Coreolab under the mentorship of Boi Sakti (Indonesia)
and Lloyd Newson (DV8 London).

Chafia was a founding member of Brisbane’s Phluxus Dance Collective, performing and choreographing for the collective from 2006 until 2009. An excerpt of their full-length work ‘The machine that carries the soul’ was awarded ‘critics choice best choreography’ at Sydney’s short and Sweet festival, 2007.

Chafia has also enjoyed working on more commercial projects appearing in music film clips for; Darren Hayes, Little Birdy, The Living End, The Sleepy Jackson, Youth Group, Powderfinger, Ben Lee, Skipping Girl Vinegar, Direct Influence and Timothy Coghill.

Through her experiences working within contemporary dance and collaborating with others across different art forms, Chafia has developed an interest in assisting the arts as a dance and movement consultant. She specializes in movement coaching for performing artists and choreography/ movement direction for niche projects. In this role Chafia has had the pleasure of working with; Tina Stefanou and band 'Planet Love Sound', Direct Influence, CIRCA contemporary circus, digital media artist Sean Healy for band 'TZU', Kathy Hinch and Simon Sullivan of 'Keshie', composer Timothy Coghill, singer songwriter Ray Mann, contemporary music
series 'Trans Local', and advertising agency CumminsRoss for Deakin University.

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Libby McDonnell:


Libby McDonnell - is a versatile artist working as a designer, performer and a choreographer throughout Australia and abroad.

Libby is a Creative Associate with Circa, and recently Co Directed Ballet Theatre of Queensland's Peter Pan, with Timothy Brown. Libby is also a resident choreographer with Blue Roo Theatre Company, a company specializing in making performance with adults who experience disability.

Libby specialises in costuming for contemporary physical performance. Previous costume design credits include Immunity, How Like an Angel, On Air, Strange Familiar Angel, Wunderkammer, Nocturne, and Circa ( Circa) and Propel, SOLO- a Festival of Dance, Launch Pad ( EDC). Additional production design credits include Propel, Launch Pad (EDC), Sugar Cane Ball (Blue Roo) and Boiling Point (Phluxus 2). She was costume designer for Gavin Webber and Regurgitator's Rockshow, and has assisted Claire Marshall in costuming selected productions. She is a graduate of the Queensland University of Technology (Associate Degree in Dance.)

Libby is a truly engaging performer. Claire first worked with Libby in 2005 in a work called 'The Factory' and has worked with Libby numerous time since, including all incarnations of Claire's Video Set and Slow Dive shows. In particular, Libby approaches any narrative or character roles with a great deal of sensitivity and thought. She is a humble, gracious, and thoughtful person, and that is reflected in Libby as a performer, as well as in all her creative endeavours.

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Mariana Paraizo:


Mariana was born in Brazil and moved to Portugal at the age of 14. She holds a Degree in Dance (Escola Superior de Dança – Portugal) and has performed in many different countries such as Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Luxemburg, Denmark, Russia and Australia.

In 2010, she was finalist of the TV Show So You Think You Can Dance’ in Lisbon, Portugal. Mariana looks for versatility, in 2011 went to Los Angeles, California to take classes and workshops.

She also has a passion for choreography and has worked as a choreographer for numerous companies such as ADAM Dance Company, Ritmos Urbanos, Anime and the Dance Conservatory School in Madeira Island.

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CONVENT GIRL ROLES:

Kirri Webb:



Kirri Webb is a curly-haired, flexy-footed dancer from Brisbane. Classically trained, she also has extensive contemporary dance training. Kirri studied dance at the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and then at Queensland University of Technology. During her time at QUT, Kirri danced in works by choreographers including Richard Causer, Samantha Williams and Riannon Mclean. She has also featured in music video clips for Darren Hayes and Megan Washington. Kirri's was a dancer in Claire Marshall's SlowDive in 2010, and in the Gold Coast translation "Cavill Ave" in 2011. Kirri is looking forward to working on the Ward of State dance film and portraying one of the girls in the convent.

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Other convent parts yet to add/ currently being cast/ auditioned.
as well as casting parts for these girls seen at an earlier age.

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Director: Sarah-Jane-Woulahan.
Showreel: http://nancyvaudeville.tv/showreel
Web: http://nancyvaudeville.tv


Sarah‐Jane Woulahan is an award‐winning director of drama, comedy, music video documentary and transmedia who is known for her visual flair and original ideas across all genres in moving image. She is the co‐creator and director of the satirical short form series, Forlorn Gaze, which first featured on ABC’s JTV. Forlorn Gaze was nominated for an AFI in Screen Content Innovation in 2009 for its groundbreaking use of multi-platform narrative.

Sarah-Jane is also co-creator of the comedy seriesThe Problematic World of Lou, a modern comedy of manners featuring Melbourne comic, Lou Sanz. Renegade currently represents the project. Sarah-Jane’s short filmsThe Irving Hand ProphecyandStanley Ovation P.I.have screened have screened at festivals including Brisbane International Film Festival, British Short Film Festival, The International Festival of Drama, Flickerfest, St Kilda Film Festival, and Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Sarah-Jane’s documentary short filmI love like bloodwas broadcast on SBS in 2007 as part of their PODLOVE series, featuring extended content online. It also screened at festivals including South By Southwest, DocNZ International Documentary Festival, Shanghai TV Festival and St Kilda Festival. She co-directed, co-wrote and presented the one-hour documentary,Embedded with the Murri Mob, produced by CIRCE films which first screened on SBS in 2009.

Sarah-Jane co-founded 5-time ARIA and MTV nominated production company Squareyed Films where she directed music videos for Australia’s most recognized musicians including Silverchair, Missy Higgins and The Living End. She also co-directed music documentaries for artists including The Go-Betweens and George.

Sarah-Jane founded the cross-media collectiveThe Ministry of Truth which produced documentary and satirical short video work for broadcast on it’s social networking site which was funded by Screen Australia, Arts Queensland and the Pacific Film and Television Commission. Ministry of Truth produced a number of documentary and comedy works for ABC’s JTV in 2007 and 2008. Sarah-Jane works in Melbourne as a freelance director for commercials, documentary, corporate, fashion and music video promos. Sarah-Jane recently gave birth to her first child, Eurydice Rose.

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Composition: Susan Hawkins
Web: www.susanhawkins.net


Susan Hawkins has international experience as composer collaborating in contemporary dance, animation, theatre, and sculptural sound installation – with highlights including performances at Tate Britain (UK) and the San Francisco International Arts Festival (USA). She has been artist in residence with CESTA (for the 11th Arts Festival of International, Interdisciplinary Collaborations, Czech Republic) and the Bundanon Trust (Australia), has participated in the International Course for Professional Composers and Choreographers (UK). She's also dabbled in radio, having created a feature documentary for Encounter for ABC Radio National (Australia).

In 2011 Susan released her second EP, LIGHT FROM BELOW, receiving extensive radio play on the ABC network (Radio National, Triple J, and ABC Classic FM), and community radio (through the AIRIT program). In 2012 Susan collaborated with Brisbane choreographer Gareth Belling, and Collusion Musical Arts on a number of cross-disciplinary projects, and produced a number of videos for her sound work. In 2013, Susan is composer-in-residence with Collusion Music at Griffith University. For more information and to hear her work, visit www.susanhawkins.net

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Hair and Make up: Stephanie Paterson


Otherwise known as 'By Stephanie', Stephanie Paterson is a makeup and hair artist with over 20 years experience in the hair and makeup industry. Stephanie’s fascination with makeup began at an early age, and led to her gaining qualifications in hair and makeup through practical apprenticeships and training with industry experts. She obtained hands-on experience with Napoleon Perdis, and has worked with several up-and-coming independent directors of music videos and various other projects, including for director Grant Marshall, singer/songwriter Emma Louise, and choreographer Claire Marshall.

In addition to her film and theatre work, Stephanie has undertaken professional makeup for corporate photo-shoots, commercial television advertisements, and training videos. She has also been the lead hair and makeup artist for various professional fashion catwalk shows, and more recently for the ‘sustainable fashion show’, Undress Brisbane. Stephanie is currently working with leading independent hair studio, LylaClaire, to provide professional styling sessions for private clients.

THE BUDGET:

Whist the amount of money required to make this work sounds like a lot, for a film, it is in fact not significant. Furthermore, like some low budget films which don't pay dancers, this project will pay the lead professional dancers. Keep in mind dancers train for longer than doctors (but can practice only for a short time).

There will be some "extras" and "younger convent girl doubles" who participate for the value of the experience or for a small token fee. Please know, everyone is on board at a reduced rate in some capacity or is giving of their time in kind.

There's significant production costs: music to be scored and editing and post production. I am forfeiting any budgeting of payment to myself in order to make the work more viable, and in fact, am financially significantly contributing to it.

The amount of money I am seeking does not cover the cost of the project. The in-kind support, in-kind work of people on board, and my own contribution (everything I can give) is enabling the remainder.

The following is a list of the various roles/ people engaged for the project:

1: PERFORMERS:
- 6 x lead PROFESSIONAL parts at full time
- 5 x supporting Emerging Artists/ university dance graduate student roles
- 5 x 12-14 year old, student doubles as the girls need be shown in an earlier time frame (micro fee/ token travel fee)
- 5 x extras
- There's also per diems (travel from air port/ flights x4 / incidentals/ and allowance for 2 interstate/ international artist for the duration they are here. These are calculated at the MEAA award)

2: CREATIVES:
Producer (dance producer)
Choreographer
Director
Production manager
Director of photography
2nd AD
Film crew (on low budget)
Theatrical lighting design
Art director
Wardrobe/ Costume person
Hair / Make up
Stills on set
Editing
Post
Sound recording
Sound design
Composition (part of Claire's expenses after)

3: DIRECT COSTS:
Hire of camera
Hire of film equipment required for such a project
Art department - expenses
Hires of authentic period pieces (laundry related)
Lighting hire
Wardrobe Costume - expense of purchase/ make
Hire of convent space (rehearsal and shoot)
Hire of Empire Theatre (rehearsal and shoot)
Hire of house
Hire of hall
Hie of Stores rehearsal space
Hire of Theatre Rehearsal Space
Hire of Old Museum for rehearsal
Hire of Bell Tower (with some generous support from Ausdance Queensland)
Public liability
postage
printing
Hard drive (to store the project and all the footage on)
And a lot more...

I am happy to answer any questions about any of the above details.
Thank you for taking the time to view this.

Claire Marshall
www.clairemarshall.com.au

In every project there's risks and challenges. In all of my previous projects, I have been able to implement a plan and deliver a high quality work.

-Being organised and being surrounded by other professionals is the key. I am confident of that on this work. I aim to be creative in all aspects of problem solving.