THE GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY FILM
HELP FUND THE GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY FILM
WHAT IS THIS FILM ABOUT?
The privatisation of education is transforming our schools at a fundamental level.
Over the past year, award-winning filmmaker Chester Yang and fellow filmmaker Tony Aldis found themselves at the heart of this fascinating battle which erupted into a national struggle. They observed parents fearful of losing their schools, lands and assets to private companies for many generations. They filmed as parents joined with teachers and rose up to save their schools. Compelled to document this democracy in action they have spent the last 2 years filming every twist and turn, victory and defeat. They have recorded a very human story that is inspiring, uplifting, but at times heartbreaking.
Damning reports about academies across the country are published weekly. But most reports ignore the people paying the price and those resisting it. The GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY film will put these people center stage.
WHO IS THIS FILM ABOUT?
Parents excluded from supporting the schools they love and value.
Governors hounded out of the schools they volunteer to defend.
SEND pupils removed from schools they trust and need.
Teachers bullied and silenced by school managers.
Headteachers proposing alternative partnerships where schools can improve.
Councillors shocked by the privatisation process they have been caught up.
Politicians and academy CEOs defending academies and protecting their jobs.
WHY IS THIS FILM IMPORTANT?
This film explores whether academisation is part of a rollback of socialised health, education and housing by successive governments. Is it turning our children into commodities, while degrading teacher’s pay and conditions, collective bargaining and increasing workload.
We show that a model of schooling is developing that subjects pupils to constant testing in order to produce data for Ofsted. We investigate if this is leading to the exclusion of thousands of pupils, many with SEND, from mainstream schools.
Academisation is transforming education into a market . We ask who are the winners and who will lose out?
We look at how the 2010 Academies Act resulted in academy CEOs and Executive Headteachers on inflated salaries and with increased power. And how the Act stopped local councils building new schools or supporting existing schools.
With Multi- Academy Trusts (MATS) in some cases running around 50 schools, we approach these new organisations for their perspective and also talk to those who believe they have zero accountability to the community, parents or pupils.
Our ultimate aim is for THE GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY feature film to reveal the truth about academisation. To give voice to those parents who are fighting passionately for their children's education. As filmmakers we have been welcomed into the many campaigns and have been able to follow the extraordinary characters involved. These ordinary people have exposed hidden information, demanded their democratic rights and used the law, industrial action and creative protest to take on local and national government.
Many of the voices in THE GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY film believe that the tide is turning and our schools can be saved from the disaster of academisation and instead be part of a national education service for all, not for the few.
WHERE WILL THIS FILM BE SEEN?
This film will travel to community centres and cinemas across the country to be seen by people passionate about education, frustrated by being ignored and many who are new to campaigning. The film that will be far reaching. Entering film festivals, broadcast on terrestrial TV and VOD (Video On Demand).
THE GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY is a film which will inform and inspire...
WHO IS THE TEAM BEHIND THIS FILM?
Chester Yang (award-winning filmmaker) –Writer/ Producer and Director
(see his recent film Kettling of the Voices online - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/99611 or more of his work on http://cyfilmproductions.com/ )
Tony Aldis – Assistant Producer/Assistant Director/Camera and Editor online – openeye film & 7 shelf Films on youtube.
Colin Fancy – Assistant Producer
Christopher Hird – Executive Producer
Mari Irazusta – Production Assistant
Marcus Relton – Assistant Producer
AND FINALLY...
WHY DO WE NEED YOUR HELP?
You can help to make this film a reality. So far the filmmakers have been using their own limited resources to follow the various stories and characters. But, without money, it’s going to be impossible to make this film and release it to the public. Everyone needs to be aware of The GREAT SCHOOLS ROBBERY.
We need money to
· complete the filming, more sit-down interviews of the characters to film, the protests and pickets are still going on across the country and we need
to be there to capture it. To give a national view of the story, to interview politicians and CEOs of MATs (hiring equipment such as camera, lighting,
sound, transporting equipment, pay production crew - travel to locations, hotels and expenses )
. Legal and insurances ( due to the sensitive, social and political nature of the film, and the risks involved in making the film, we need to make sure we
protect everyone involved in the film)
· edit the film (paying editor and assistant, mixing editing suit rental, hire a composer, sound mixing, licensing news archive footage, data storage,
postage and music licensing, colour grading)
· promote, raise awareness about the film and prepare for distribution( making short promotional videos, social media advertising and marketing,
graphics, transfers and deliveries)
ACT NOW! SAVE OUR SCHOOLS. SUPPORT THE MAKING AND DISTRIBUTION OF THIS FILM.
You will be able to proudly say, “I helped stop the Great Schools Robbery!”
All donors will be credited under special thanks.
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