By Jackie Shannon
When most people think of Australia Post, they think of long queues, having to pick up their parcels from a post office three suburbs away, and letters put in someone else’s mailbox by mistake. But this monolithic organisation actually does some good too.
They’ve teamed with Taste Creative and Bus Stop Films to launch a six-part comedy web series, Under The Sun, to highlight and celebrate inclusion and diversity in Australia. Based on true stories submitted by Australia Post staff, the series follows six unlikely characters coming together to enter a small town’s talent quest. Focusing on gender, sexuality, and cultural diversity, Under The Sun angles to break down stereotypes and raise awareness for a more inclusive Australia.
This remit is right in Bus Stop Films’ wheelhouse. They have been creating inspirational and affecting content utilising people with intellectual disability, both in front and behind the camera, most recently hosting American Horror Story star Jamie Brewer during a whirlwind Sydney visit, which also included starring in a short film, Kill Off.
“It was important that we included leaders from diverse communities of whom certain characters belonged to in order to authentically represent those characters,” says the series’ director Genevieve Clay-Smith. “Furthermore, as an advocate for authentic casting, I committed to finding actors who shared the same background, abilities, and experiences of the characters. Needless to say, this greatly assisted with performances.”
Guided by the steady hand of Clay-Smith (a Tropfest winner, and also no less than the 2015 NSW Young Australian Of The Year), Under The Sun quickly attracted the attention of the ABC, and was recently released on ABC iView. The online series follows Australia Post and Taste Creative/Bus Stop Films’ first “inclusive short film”, Work Mate, which performed well on the international film festival circuit.
To watch Under The Sun, head to ABC iView. Click through for more on Genevieve Clay-Smith, Bus Stop Films and Taste Creative.
