Impact Arts

With just 41 days to go until the launch of Cashback to the Future, we’ve decided to put some previous participants’ stories in the spotlight – Holly took part in a Gallery 37 programme in Ayrshire in 2015. This is her story about coming out of her shell and falling in love with acting.

Holly was 14 years old when she decided
to attend the workshops, having always had the idea she might enjoy performing. Upon first attending, she was very
introverted, quiet and kept her headphones in throughout. She was nervous about responding to questions in front of the group and had
reservations about speaking aloud.

As workshops continued and participants had more of a say in the direction of their projects, Holly’s confidence began to grow. During the second session, when participants were split into smaller groups, she began to contribute more to conversation, and even went so far as to direct and
perform in some scenes.

As weeks went by, Holly was taking on an even greater creative role. She directed and operated the camera during a comedy horror sketch, and worked closely with others to problem-solve and capture the best possible scenes.

She was also gaining technical skills. “I really enjoyed filming and directing the most – learning how to animate, use the green
screen and direct a scene. Overall, the thing I improved most on was my teamwork skills.”

Holly had never previously performed using improvisation techniques, and initially a lack of script initially made her nervous. However, with her confidence growing through working with a professional performance tutor, she was becoming more outgoing and willing to try new things. She commented regularly on how much she had
felt excited by performing in front of an audience and her sense of achievement
in seeing the final filmed sketches on screen.

During the group’s final showcase, Holly overcame any remaining nerves, and acted as the host for the event. Demonstrating her new-found confidence, she introduced short films and live acts to the stage, putting across a strong, engaging personality and getting the audience excited for the upcoming acts.

In Holly’s Words

“One thing that I would like to continue and develop after these workshops is
filming and directing. Whilst being in
front of the camera is exciting, being behind the camera certainly rivals that feeling. Just knowing how in control you
are, how you can manipulate the audience into thinking certain thoughts and
emotions is a great rush. It is
definitely something I would consider as a career and I really hope it can take
me somewhere.”

Cashback to the Future is coming to Ayrshire, Edinburgh and Glasgow this July. Impact Arts are currently looking for sign-ups and referrals. Follow this link for more information on taking part.

The free creative workshops are funded by the Scottish Government’s Cashback for Communities programme which funds projects for disadvantaged young people through the proceeds of crime.