Fearless Films Season 4 features six people who are engaged in meaningful employment – be it entrepreneurial or within a business – normalising disability in the workforce and highlighting the benefits to the wider community.
A project by Feros Care, the films are captured and produced by Julian Neuhaus of Ironbark Films with the assistance of budding student filmmakers from Bus Stop Films – a film school that delivers an award-winning Accessible Film Studies Program for people with intellectual disabilities.
Titled ‘People With Disability Carving Careers’, Season 4 is designed to break down stereotypes, provide resources for employers, and start a national conversation around employment for people with disability.
The stories include an entrepreneurial woman who has turned her inability to read into a career shredding highly confidential documents; and a young man who’s learning to walk again sharing positivity as the ‘Happy Ambassador’ of a rehabilitation centre.
The Fearless Films franchise is a project by Feros Care – a partner in the community for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). After three successful seasons featuring films screened internationally, this is the first involving people with disability both in front of, and behind, the camera.
Feros Care Executive Manager for Disability and Community Development, Jo Field said it was important to include people with disability in the making of the films as the overarching aim of the series was to promote a more inclusive workforce.
She said her team was committed to bringing stories to the screen that made people rethink their views on people living with disability.
“Fearless Films isn’t just about inspiring others to follow their dreams, it’s about educating society and starting a national conversation around how we can create communities that celebrate inclusiveness and focus on people’s ability,” Ms Field said.
“We want these films to change perceptions, move people into action and turn them into advocates for some of our most vulnerable citizens who deserve an equal chance.
“Fearless Films Season 4 aims to do this through sharing stories and providing resources via our website to inspire change and arm employers with the tools they need to diversify their workforce.”
Approximately 20 per cent of Australians live with disability. Most of them face barriers in accessing employment.
Filmmaker Neuhaus is no stranger to working alongside people with disability and said he’s always surprised at society’s low expectations around what they can offer as an employee.
He said people with disability add value across all industries, and in film making the evidence is in the finished product.
“Inclusive film making – be it for cinema, short film or documentaries – creates an environment where true collaboration can happen. This enhances creativity, encourages contribution and produces a higher quality product,” he said.
“Fearless Films is a fantastic example of the benefits of inclusive filmmaking, which reach far-beyond the film itself and flow through to individuals, families, the workforce and communities.”
Neuhaus said while documentary making wasn’t always easy through long days, delays and short time frames, having people with disabilities on set provided a great morale boost.
“Working alongside people with such passion and excitement was a huge boost and their enthusiasm rubs off on everyone,” he said.
“It’s also extremely beneficial having someone with a disability behind the camera – it made our subjects much more comfortable and helped in forming connections, which is a critical ingredient for authentic filmmaking.”
Bus Stop Films CEO Tracey Corbin-Matchett said the Fearless Films project presented students an opportunity to get their first paid job in the screen industry.
“For our students it was both rewarding and exciting to be involved in such an inclusive project; while for me it’s a positive step to see companies like Feros Care making a commitment to make their content inclusively,” she said.
The full season is now available to binge on the Feros Care website.
Feros Care has also launched an online inclusive employment hub where employees, employers and entrepreneurs can access resources and find current job vacancies at the not-for-profit, aged-care and disability service provider.
Ms Field and her team of NDIS local area coordinators have long been working to connect people with disability and employers, hosting employment expos and sharing resources on a ‘ways to work’ webpage.
She said as community partners for the NDIS, Feros Care worked towards building pathways to employment for participants, including through initiatives like the ‘Movers and Makers Market’ – self-employment expo providing opportunities for people living with a disability who run their own businesses – or would like to.
“As we premiere Fearless Films Season 4 around the country, we’re inviting local employment agencies, government, council and other stakeholders to meet the stars and the filmmakers while making them aware of the huge pool of talent that is available,” said Ms Field.
“We are extremely proud of the films that have been created and hopeful this series will spark the change needed for a more inclusive tomorrow.”
