麻豆约拍

Way back when, in 2018, before the world imploded, 麻豆约拍 Writersroom Wales, and 麻豆约拍 Cymru Wales came together to create an initiative that would give a voice to those stories that are hard to tell. We paired five Welsh writers on intensive research placements with 麻豆约拍 Children In Need funded projects. The result was a number of innovative drama ideas that would help shed a light on young lives that are often lived in the shadows.

Rare Beasts, a micro animation written by Tim Price, is one of the resulting dramas.

Watch Rare Beasts below and find out more from the writer.

In Tim’s own words:

Before writing Rare Beasts, I spent time working with , a charity that offers accommodation and support to young people aged between 18 to 25-years-old in North Wales. I was attached to a specific programme designed for young homeless mothers and their children, supported by 麻豆约拍 Children in Need.

What struck me about the time I spent with these remarkable young women was how important the relationship, with the GISDA staff was to them. Many of these teenage women had been brought up in chaotic homes or had been kicked out of their home. Having one person to rely on was a vital help to their overall well-being.

The circumstances these young women found themselves in often had a devastating effect on their confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. GISDA staff would build up young peoples’ confidence and encourage them to do something seemingly small, such as leaving the accommodation with their baby and go to a local café.

The support and community created for these young Mums will have a lasting impact on their lives. Because their accommodation crisis was just what we see, GISDA understood that getting housed was actually the beginning, rather than the end of the journey. Once GISDA had taken ‘homelessness’ out of the picture for these young people, there was space for them to think about who they really are as an individual, and how they wanted to shape their future.

I remember talking to one young mother about her plans to become a photographer. By supporting this young woman with her immediate housing crisis, and then working with her to build confidence and skills, GISDA enabled this young woman to imagine a future without trauma and insecurity. And that, in some ways, was a greater gift than accommodation. In my notes from my meeting with her, the first thing I wrote at the top of the page was ‘homeless Mum’ and the last thing I wrote a few pages later was ‘Photographer’.

The difference between those few pages was the tenderness and care we all take for granted from loved ones, but for some people it’s a rare beast. And it made me think how lucky we all are for the people who work at charities like GISDA.

I've done a number of projects that have been research-led and I've learned it's always important to go there without a fixed idea of what story you want to tell, you have to just go into it, trusting that someone or something will spark an idea. So I had no idea what I wanted to write about when I started meeting young Mums through GISDA, but I just asked as many questions as I could, to try and understand what life was like for these young people.

After a few days, I started to gather some ideas that were recurring, ideas about how marginalised and isolated these young women felt by society, and how these feelings made the simplest things difficult, such as going to cafes and ordering food. Being a teenage Mum brings about all kinds of prejudice and it struck me how lonely these young people were, at a time in their lives when they should be surrounded by friends.

I knew I didn't want to write a script that was restricted by naturalism - I feel just because some people's lives are played out in the margins, it doesn't make them any less colourful. I was spending a lot of time in North Wales, on research days and I was walking through Caernarfon, when I saw a young Mum sat on a bench and I just thought how she needed someone to talk to, and maybe that should be someone extraordinary, or something extraordinary and then for some reason, I couldn't help but think of a polar bear companion. I mean who wouldn't want a polar bear companion? And once I had that image I was able to write the story I wanted to write.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director 麻豆约拍 Cymru Wales said: “This emotional, yet brilliantly simple short film packs a powerful punch. Another strong creative collaboration from 麻豆约拍 Children in Need, 麻豆约拍 Cymru Wales and 麻豆约拍 Writersroom Wales, it’s an insight into the day-to-day experiences of those living in difficult circumstances and the film is a tribute to all involved.”

Find out more about 麻豆约拍 Writersroom's work with Children in Need