Arts / Local filmmakers keen to work with ‘difficult to find’ young carers
SHETLAND actress and director Marnie Baxter is looking to connect with young carers for filmmaking workshops later this month – but she says they are a “quite a difficult demographic to find”.
Baxter grew up in Aith on the Westside and always had an interest in the film and TV industry. She moved south to go to drama school and went on to star in shows including Coronation Street and local drama Shetland.
Recently she has turned to directing. Her 2022 short film Hello, Muscles did well on the festival circuit, winning best short at Manchester International, Cleveland International and Hebden Bridge film festivals.
The film is set in Dundee and follows an 11-year-old girl who looks after her mother.
“In the process of kind of developing that story I started speaking to young carers charities, the Carers Trust in particular were brilliant,” Baxter told Shetland News.
“I started to research what it might feel like to be a young carer and start to understand that world… I have become quite passionate about it.”
Off the back of the film’s success, Baxter was awarded a grant from Screen Scotland to make short films alongside young carers, in hopes to dispel the “taboo” of having caring responsibilities.
She defines a young carer as “somebody who has a caring role where they look after [someone on a regular basis]”.
Baxter is now returning to Shetland to run workshops in Mareel from next Saturday, 29 July for carers aged 18 to 24.
Similar events have already been held in Dundee and workshops are also planned for Inverness later in the year.
“It starts with us inviting the young adults to come to Mareel to watch Hello, Muscles on the big screen,” Baxter explained. “And then we talk about what they felt it meant and how they feel represented on screen.
“Then I help them to develop their own ideas, so then over the course of a week we make two micro-short films, sort of three minute long films.
“The idea is that I bring professional filmmakers…camera people, professional editors, professional sound and we spend the week working on their ideas.
“It doesn’t have to be about being a young carer, it can be about anything.”
Local videographer Keiba Club will also be supporting Baxter with the project.
At the end of the week, the carers shall invite their families and friends to Mareel for a screening of their own films.
Baxter also wants to emphasise that the project will be as accessible as possible for any young carers interested: it is free to attend and transport and food will be provided.
“It is built to be open to whatever caring responsibilities these young people will have,” she said.
“They may well think ‘oh, I can’t do that because I’ve got to look after my granny on Thursday night, I won’t be able to get there.’
“It’s super flexible, the way that we’ve arranged it means that it’s going to be their ideas, but if they can’t take make the production days that’s okay.”
However, Baxter says they are a tough group to pin down, as many young carers do not realise they actually are ones.
She said: “I think they’re always quite a difficult demographic to find.
“Since the pandemic, many services across Scotland have become more short staffed, so the infrastructure [for young carers] doesn’t exist. Therefore actually, this kind of project feels even more important.
“So even if you’re not currently on Shetland Carers’ radar, that doesn’t mean you’re not eligible, or can’t join in with the workshops.”
The project will begin on 29 July and run until 5 August at Mareel. For more information contact Marnie: marnie@firstpersonproductions.co.uk.
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