WEBVTT - Talking Vision 705 Week Beginning 4th of December 2023 0:00:13.268 --> 0:00:18.958 From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's 0:00:18.958 --> 0:00:20.968 your host, Sam Collins. 0:00:23.458 --> 0:00:26.578 Hello everyone. It's great to be here with you. And 0:00:26.578 --> 0:00:29.578 for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness 0:00:29.578 --> 0:00:30.628 and low vision. 0:00:30.838 --> 0:00:35.278 Running is possible for everyone, but even a lot of races, 0:00:35.278 --> 0:00:37.798 if you don't actually run, you can walk. A lot 0:00:37.798 --> 0:00:40.588 of races like the New York Marathon has really lenient 0:00:40.588 --> 0:00:43.198 cutoff time. So there are people who walked the whole 0:00:43.198 --> 0:00:46.438 New York Marathon. So, you know, the running community is 0:00:46.438 --> 0:00:50.488 just a great community. There's not a lot of judgment. 0:00:50.488 --> 0:00:54.478 We're there for each other, to support each other, regardless 0:00:54.478 --> 0:00:56.518 of how fast or slow we do things. 0:00:56.698 --> 0:01:00.868 Welcome to the program. This week we hear from Claudia Stevenson, 0:01:00.868 --> 0:01:04.768 a marathon runner who, along with her guide, recently took 0:01:04.768 --> 0:01:08.788 part in and completed the New York Marathon. You'll hear 0:01:08.788 --> 0:01:12.088 from her with a voice that's familiar to some people, 0:01:12.088 --> 0:01:15.418 I'm sure Matt Leigh as he caught up with Claudia 0:01:15.418 --> 0:01:18.898 to chat all about it. Then later on, you'll hear 0:01:18.898 --> 0:01:22.768 from Conrad Browne. He caught up with artistic director of 0:01:22.768 --> 0:01:27.508 the other film festival, Fiona Twohey. The festival overlapped as 0:01:27.508 --> 0:01:31.948 well with the celebration of International Day for people with 0:01:31.948 --> 0:01:36.598 disabilities on the 3rd of December. I hope you'll enjoy 0:01:36.598 --> 0:01:45.318 this week's episode of Talking Vision. And now here's Matt 0:01:45.318 --> 0:01:47.418 Ley with Claudia Stephenson. 0:01:47.478 --> 0:01:52.008 We're joined by Claudia Stephenson, an active member of Achilles 0:01:52.008 --> 0:01:55.938 Melbourne who recently took on the New York Marathon and 0:01:55.938 --> 0:01:59.668 completed it. And today we have Claudia on the line. 0:01:59.688 --> 0:02:00.948 Thanks for joining us, Claudia. 0:02:00.978 --> 0:02:02.388 No problem. I'm glad to be here, Matt. 0:02:02.598 --> 0:02:06.828 What are the current emotions for you after? What was 0:02:06.828 --> 0:02:08.118 an amazing experience? 0:02:08.268 --> 0:02:12.138 I just feel so proud. I've put in a lot 0:02:12.138 --> 0:02:15.618 of hard work over the last 12 months, and to 0:02:15.618 --> 0:02:20.208 have completed the marathon and done a lot better than 0:02:20.208 --> 0:02:23.698 what I expected, I just yes, so proud of myself. 0:02:23.718 --> 0:02:26.238 It's been a huge year while I've been training, I suppose, 0:02:26.238 --> 0:02:29.328 and something that I hadn't ever really thought I could 0:02:29.328 --> 0:02:29.928 do before. 0:02:30.078 --> 0:02:33.438 Anything like these big challenges in life. I take a 0:02:33.438 --> 0:02:35.988 lot of planning, and you don't just wake up one 0:02:35.988 --> 0:02:38.178 day and say, we're going to run a marathon. It 0:02:38.178 --> 0:02:40.998 takes a lot of planning, takes a lot of research. 0:02:41.208 --> 0:02:44.568 When did the first idea come that you wanted to 0:02:44.568 --> 0:02:46.968 complete the New York Marathon? 0:02:47.298 --> 0:02:51.738 As first, I've been thinking about completing a marathon. I'm 0:02:51.738 --> 0:02:56.868 the last couple of years. I am fairly recent to running, 0:02:56.868 --> 0:03:02.328 so I joined Achilles Melbourne about six years ago, and 0:03:02.328 --> 0:03:05.268 before then I really wasn't a runner. I had pretty 0:03:05.268 --> 0:03:08.528 negative experiences of running at high school and then, you know, 0:03:08.598 --> 0:03:11.538 sort of put it behind me. I've been very active 0:03:11.538 --> 0:03:13.818 in my life. You know, I've done some really long 0:03:13.818 --> 0:03:17.838 walks and I've done other physical activities, but I've never 0:03:17.838 --> 0:03:20.268 really been a runner and didn't really think I was. 0:03:20.268 --> 0:03:22.698 I could be a runner. Yeah, I sort of a 0:03:22.698 --> 0:03:26.718 few things happened around the time that I joined Achilles. 0:03:26.718 --> 0:03:28.758 Like I had a friend who suggested I could do 0:03:28.758 --> 0:03:32.538 one of those catch to five K programs. I started 0:03:32.568 --> 0:03:37.308 taking part in parkrun activities and I joined Achilles, and 0:03:37.308 --> 0:03:40.098 all of those things just sort of started me on 0:03:40.098 --> 0:03:44.028 that running journey. It's been over time that I've, you know, 0:03:44.088 --> 0:03:47.448 I've sort of been working towards becoming a runner from, 0:03:47.448 --> 0:03:49.958 from definitely being a walker. I think only this year 0:03:50.008 --> 0:03:52.728 I've really actually started to think of myself as a, 0:03:52.728 --> 0:03:55.518 as a real runner, even though, you know, I've completed 0:03:55.518 --> 0:03:59.948 some half marathons and done, you know, races before. And 0:04:00.018 --> 0:04:03.978 this year it's my mindsets really changed. And I've really 0:04:03.978 --> 0:04:06.108 had to realise that actually I am a runner and 0:04:06.108 --> 0:04:09.798 particularly after finishing a marathon, I've got no excuses anymore. 0:04:09.798 --> 0:04:12.018 I definitely have to call myself a runner and. 0:04:12.018 --> 0:04:14.468 Having that self-belief too is very important. 0:04:14.478 --> 0:04:17.688 Yeah it is. I think it's just one of those 0:04:17.688 --> 0:04:22.608 little shifts, you know, the way that our language influences, 0:04:22.608 --> 0:04:26.268 you know, our thoughts. Changing that, that language and starting 0:04:26.268 --> 0:04:28.818 to call myself a runner has been has been really 0:04:28.998 --> 0:04:30.078 important for me. 0:04:30.228 --> 0:04:34.308 So what sort of training did you do over periods 0:04:34.308 --> 0:04:38.568 of time to build up to this big event? To say, 0:04:38.568 --> 0:04:42.258 I'm ready to run the New York Marathon and then 0:04:42.258 --> 0:04:45.588 take that next forward step in and getting this support 0:04:45.588 --> 0:04:46.488 to do so. 0:04:46.488 --> 0:04:52.248 Yeah. So I really got serious last November when the 0:04:52.248 --> 0:04:55.758 the last year's marathon was running. That was when I 0:04:55.758 --> 0:04:57.648 really clicked and I went, yeah, I really want to 0:04:57.648 --> 0:04:59.388 do this. I've been, you know, toughing it up for 0:04:59.388 --> 0:05:03.498 a couple of years. In 2022, I ran the Gold 0:05:03.498 --> 0:05:07.818 Coast Half Marathon, and I got really serious about doing that. 0:05:07.818 --> 0:05:11.118 And I got a coach and she wrote me up 0:05:11.118 --> 0:05:14.478 a really fantastic training program, and I followed that. So 0:05:14.478 --> 0:05:17.748 it really broke it down into these really manageable goals 0:05:17.748 --> 0:05:21.198 that included walking, which was really important to me, so 0:05:21.198 --> 0:05:23.238 that I always tried to do better than what my 0:05:23.238 --> 0:05:25.398 training program says. So if it said, you know, you're 0:05:25.398 --> 0:05:27.748 allowed to walk for a kilometre, I'd kind of go, okay, well, 0:05:27.748 --> 0:05:30.828 I'll try and, you know, limit my walking to 500m 0:05:30.828 --> 0:05:33.558 or I'll try and do it without walking at all. 0:05:33.768 --> 0:05:36.528 But having that little, you know, out was still really 0:05:36.528 --> 0:05:39.168 important to me. And so did the Gold Coast Half 0:05:39.168 --> 0:05:43.068 Marathon and did it really successfully. And that really gave 0:05:43.068 --> 0:05:46.908 me confidence that, yeah, perhaps I really could get serious 0:05:46.908 --> 0:05:52.008 about doing a full marathon. And I've seen in the 0:05:52.008 --> 0:05:57.588 past that Achilles international had really good connections with the 0:05:57.588 --> 0:06:00.348 New York Marathon, and there'd been some opportunities for people 0:06:00.348 --> 0:06:04.278 to go over in the past and participate. So I thought, 0:06:04.278 --> 0:06:06.498 oh yeah, okay, right, I'm going to make it happen. 0:06:06.498 --> 0:06:09.828 2023 is going to be hopefully the year. So I 0:06:09.828 --> 0:06:12.408 approached that same coach that would give me that training 0:06:12.408 --> 0:06:14.898 program and I said, okay, I want to make this happen. 0:06:14.898 --> 0:06:16.848 And I said, you know, I've heard people say, oh, 0:06:16.848 --> 0:06:19.338 you only need 16 weeks, you know, to train for 0:06:19.338 --> 0:06:21.948 the marathon. And I was like, yeah, no, I need, 0:06:21.948 --> 0:06:24.708 I need a year because I didn't consider myself to 0:06:24.708 --> 0:06:27.948 be that runner. And running wasn't a part of my life. 0:06:27.948 --> 0:06:31.308 And at that stage I had gone back to sort 0:06:31.308 --> 0:06:33.828 of not running. After doing the Gold Coast Marathon, I 0:06:33.828 --> 0:06:37.638 sort of a half marathon. I'd sort of stopped and 0:06:37.638 --> 0:06:41.058 I decided I really needed to, to actually get running 0:06:41.058 --> 0:06:43.968 regularly and get running again. So. I had to really 0:06:43.968 --> 0:06:46.998 build myself up from from barely being able to run, 0:06:46.998 --> 0:06:49.728 you know, five KS to, to get him to back 0:06:49.728 --> 0:06:51.738 to those longer distances of being able to do a 0:06:51.738 --> 0:06:54.528 half and then work up to the full. So I 0:06:54.528 --> 0:06:57.258 got got myself a really good training program, and I 0:06:57.258 --> 0:07:00.648 also started the process to actually entering the New York Marathon. 0:07:00.648 --> 0:07:02.958 So we had to enter the ballot and have our 0:07:02.958 --> 0:07:06.438 names basically drawn out of the hat. So I think 0:07:06.438 --> 0:07:09.528 I put my name down in the ballot in February, 0:07:09.528 --> 0:07:11.808 and the ballot was drawn in March, and I was 0:07:11.808 --> 0:07:14.328 successful to actually get a place. So then that was 0:07:14.328 --> 0:07:17.268 where it got actually serious, and I was like, well, okay, 0:07:17.268 --> 0:07:21.138 we've really got to make this happen now. So yeah, 0:07:21.138 --> 0:07:25.248 just just working over the last 12 months really to, 0:07:25.398 --> 0:07:28.638 you know, with strength. So I do a strength class, 0:07:29.118 --> 0:07:32.868 runs a strength class on a Wednesday night and then 0:07:33.858 --> 0:07:37.218 also doing workouts in the gym. So, you know, a 0:07:37.218 --> 0:07:40.368 shorter workout on a, on a my my workday in 0:07:40.398 --> 0:07:42.228 around my workday. So on Monday I would go to 0:07:42.228 --> 0:07:45.258 the gym and do a shorter workout. Then on a 0:07:45.258 --> 0:07:47.798 Friday I'd do a sort of either a speed or 0:07:47.798 --> 0:07:51.198 a hill session, Saturday doing parkrun and then Sunday with 0:07:51.198 --> 0:07:53.508 my long run day. And that gradually built up over 0:07:53.508 --> 0:07:56.628 time from, you know, sort of A5K to the ten 0:07:56.628 --> 0:07:59.808 to the 15 to the 20 to the 23, 24, 0:07:59.808 --> 0:08:01.878 you know, and all the way up to about 32 0:08:01.878 --> 0:08:04.938 K's was the longest we ever did in training before 0:08:04.938 --> 0:08:06.108 actually doing the marathon. 0:08:06.348 --> 0:08:10.098 When you knew that you had successfully applied and got 0:08:10.098 --> 0:08:13.108 permission to run, did you actually go over there for 0:08:13.158 --> 0:08:17.038 at all prior to the marathon to be, you know, 0:08:17.058 --> 0:08:20.328 to maybe complete the course before you competed in the 0:08:20.328 --> 0:08:24.708 actual marathon itself or or did you, I suppose, talk 0:08:24.708 --> 0:08:27.648 to others that might may have experienced the marathon to 0:08:27.648 --> 0:08:31.638 get some hints, some tips, just a little bit of 0:08:31.638 --> 0:08:34.428 the pitfalls, some of the things to be aware of 0:08:34.428 --> 0:08:37.728 and just get so your own bearings of some things 0:08:37.728 --> 0:08:41.238 that you needed just to gain that, that confidence in yourself. 0:08:41.808 --> 0:08:43.668 Oh golly, I wish I would just have the money 0:08:43.668 --> 0:08:45.978 to just loved the States every couple of weeks. You know, 0:08:45.978 --> 0:08:48.558 that'd be great. No, there was no chance of me 0:08:48.558 --> 0:08:52.578 going over to the States. Before the marathon. We'd had 0:08:52.638 --> 0:08:55.788 another one of our members complete the marathon last year, 0:08:55.788 --> 0:09:00.078 so we chatted to them about their experiences, both them 0:09:00.078 --> 0:09:04.128 and their guide about their experiences. I have a treadmill 0:09:04.128 --> 0:09:07.488 that's like a super duper treadmill. It's got like video workouts, 0:09:07.488 --> 0:09:10.218 and it actually had parts of the New York Marathon 0:09:10.218 --> 0:09:13.248 on it. So I did sort of 30 K's of 0:09:13.248 --> 0:09:16.098 the New York Marathon on my treadmill, and that was 0:09:16.098 --> 0:09:18.288 pretty amazing, because you got a bit of a taste 0:09:18.288 --> 0:09:20.298 for what the crowds were going to be like, because, 0:09:20.298 --> 0:09:22.998 you know, you could hear the crowds and the trainer 0:09:22.998 --> 0:09:26.808 talk to you about the, yeah, the different locations that 0:09:26.808 --> 0:09:31.098 you were passing. So that was pretty cool. And then, 0:09:31.188 --> 0:09:33.048 you know, just talking to some other people who had 0:09:33.048 --> 0:09:36.378 completed it. So I tried to do a bit of research. 0:09:36.378 --> 0:09:41.028 Looking back in hindsight, actually, nothing prepares you for what 0:09:41.028 --> 0:09:45.558 it's actually like out on course. It's completely unlike anything. 0:09:45.558 --> 0:09:48.048 I think anyone could have prepared that the crowds are 0:09:48.048 --> 0:09:52.038 so loud. Yeah, and the vibe in New York is 0:09:52.038 --> 0:09:56.388 just so intense. You know, everyone's talking about the marathon 0:09:56.718 --> 0:10:00.828 wherever you go. Like, it's just amazing. It really. It's like, 0:10:00.828 --> 0:10:03.318 you know, we talk about Melbourne, you know, the Melbourne Cup, 0:10:03.318 --> 0:10:05.748 the race, it stops the nation. Well, you know, the 0:10:05.748 --> 0:10:08.058 New York Marathon is the race that really stops New York. 0:10:08.058 --> 0:10:12.168 Like everyone's just so on board. It's yeah, it's just amazing. 0:10:12.318 --> 0:10:15.598 What were some of the challenges doing doing the marathon career? 0:10:15.708 --> 0:10:19.158 I mean what were the biggest things for you? Obviously 0:10:19.158 --> 0:10:21.858 you need resilience to be able to complete it. There's 0:10:21.858 --> 0:10:25.068 times that you're you're doing you're doing it in blocks 0:10:25.068 --> 0:10:28.728 of kilometers, as you alluded to before, and you've trained it. 0:10:28.728 --> 0:10:31.758 So there's different thoughts going through your mind through the 0:10:31.758 --> 0:10:35.118 whole journey. But there must be so many other challenges 0:10:35.118 --> 0:10:36.558 within it as well. 0:10:36.708 --> 0:10:40.068 Yeah, I learned a lot about myself during the marathon, 0:10:40.398 --> 0:10:43.608 so I run with a guide next to me, and 0:10:43.608 --> 0:10:46.338 then I also have a bulldozer out the front, and 0:10:46.338 --> 0:10:49.278 my bulldozer was doing the best job of getting those 0:10:49.278 --> 0:10:52.068 crowds revved up. And, you know, he was really getting 0:10:52.068 --> 0:10:54.708 them going and like, really getting them to cheer and whatever. 0:10:54.708 --> 0:10:57.468 And all I was thinking was like, oh, no, please 0:10:57.468 --> 0:11:00.078 just stop. It's just too much like there's just too 0:11:00.078 --> 0:11:02.898 much noise. So I learned about myself. But actually, I 0:11:02.898 --> 0:11:06.738 don't find all of that extra noise really all that invigorating. 0:11:06.738 --> 0:11:10.458 Whereas actually, my God, my other guy, she was absolutely 0:11:10.458 --> 0:11:13.068 feeding off it and just drawing so much energy from that. 0:11:13.068 --> 0:11:15.468 And I was almost like the opposite way of like, 0:11:15.468 --> 0:11:18.228 I just died. This is not recharging my batteries at all, 0:11:18.228 --> 0:11:21.408 which is like draining my batteries really quickly. So, you know, 0:11:21.408 --> 0:11:25.038 that was a really good learning for me to take away. And, 0:11:25.038 --> 0:11:27.828 you know, next time I'd definitely be thinking about what 0:11:27.828 --> 0:11:31.098 I could be doing for myself to help mitigate some 0:11:31.098 --> 0:11:34.758 of that excess noise. Like, I love the people actually 0:11:34.758 --> 0:11:37.908 being there. It was gorgeous. There was like young kids 0:11:37.908 --> 0:11:40.518 giving you high fives along the side. And I loved 0:11:40.518 --> 0:11:43.788 all of that. And I think also for me. Having 0:11:43.788 --> 0:11:46.728 never done a marathon. And as I said before, you know, 0:11:46.728 --> 0:11:49.698 in our training we go up to about 32km. It 0:11:49.698 --> 0:11:53.148 was like ten kilometers that I'd never run before. It 0:11:53.148 --> 0:11:55.668 was like venturing into the unknown. And and I was 0:11:55.668 --> 0:11:57.888 thinking about that in my head. I was like, oh golly, 0:11:57.888 --> 0:12:00.138 we're coming up to 32 K's. Oh, this is where 0:12:00.138 --> 0:12:01.518 I don't know. I don't know the rest of this, 0:12:01.668 --> 0:12:03.228 you know, like, and I was, I was getting into 0:12:03.228 --> 0:12:06.018 my own head. So, you know, for the next marathon 0:12:06.018 --> 0:12:08.268 that I run because yes, I am thinking about doing 0:12:08.268 --> 0:12:12.138 another one. Yeah. You know, I will be able to 0:12:12.138 --> 0:12:14.778 change my mindset in that last ten k's because that 0:12:14.778 --> 0:12:17.648 is when it starts to get physically challenging. But, you know, 0:12:17.688 --> 0:12:21.678 hopefully take away some of that mental challenge by going, actually, 0:12:21.678 --> 0:12:24.918 we have done this before. I have been here, you know, 0:12:25.398 --> 0:12:27.798 we can do this. And knowing a little bit more 0:12:27.798 --> 0:12:29.168 about what it feels like, oh. 0:12:29.178 --> 0:12:32.448 Is this going to ask on Knox Robinson, the, the 0:12:32.448 --> 0:12:34.428 influence that he'd had on you? 0:12:34.728 --> 0:12:37.638 Yeah. So as I mentioned, I have this really amazing 0:12:37.638 --> 0:12:41.898 treadmill that's got these amazing trainers and knocks. Robinson was 0:12:41.898 --> 0:12:45.068 the guy that actually did the New York training, you know, 0:12:45.168 --> 0:12:48.408 the marathons on the on the on the treadmill. And 0:12:48.408 --> 0:12:51.168 I was meant to have another guide from Melbourne come 0:12:51.168 --> 0:12:54.108 over to the States with me. But unfortunately she had 0:12:54.108 --> 0:12:57.198 to pull out for some medical reasons. So I just 0:12:57.198 --> 0:13:00.348 like out of the blue contacted Knox and he agreed 0:13:00.348 --> 0:13:02.898 to run the marathon with me. Just having him there 0:13:02.898 --> 0:13:07.758 was just like amazing because I'd literally done the course 0:13:07.758 --> 0:13:10.908 with him on the treadmill, but I hadn't completed it. 0:13:10.908 --> 0:13:15.438 And so yeah, that last little section was like quite amazing, actually, 0:13:15.438 --> 0:13:18.528 crossing the finishing line with him. And yeah, his his 0:13:18.528 --> 0:13:23.208 energy was just fantastic. And just his confidence that like, absolutely, 0:13:23.208 --> 0:13:25.158 he knew that I was going to just complete it 0:13:25.158 --> 0:13:28.008 and do it really well. So you know, it was 0:13:28.098 --> 0:13:30.198 and he'd never met me, you know, like I was 0:13:30.198 --> 0:13:33.978 getting that from my from my coach Karen, but you know, 0:13:33.978 --> 0:13:36.898 like to have someone who'd never met me and, you know, 0:13:36.948 --> 0:13:40.728 absolutely following that up, backing that up in the actual 0:13:40.728 --> 0:13:42.858 run was was incredible career. 0:13:42.858 --> 0:13:45.738 As we wrap up a final message for people who 0:13:45.738 --> 0:13:48.108 in the future would like to follow your lead and 0:13:48.108 --> 0:13:51.378 run a marathon in particular, something special similar to the 0:13:51.378 --> 0:13:52.728 New York Marathon. 0:13:53.538 --> 0:13:58.068 I think my message is that running, you know, is 0:13:58.068 --> 0:14:01.488 possible for everyone, but even a lot of races, if 0:14:01.488 --> 0:14:03.888 you don't actually run, you can walk. A lot of 0:14:03.888 --> 0:14:07.308 races like the New York Marathon has really lenient cutoff time. 0:14:07.308 --> 0:14:09.318 So there are people who walked through the whole New 0:14:09.318 --> 0:14:12.858 York Marathon. So, you know, the running community is just 0:14:12.858 --> 0:14:16.908 a great community. There's not a lot of judgment. We're 0:14:16.908 --> 0:14:20.628 there for each other, to support each other, regardless of 0:14:20.628 --> 0:14:23.158 how fast or slow we do things. You know, we're 0:14:23.178 --> 0:14:25.188 doing better than the people who get who don't get 0:14:25.188 --> 0:14:28.908 off the couch. So come along, get involved. Come for 0:14:28.908 --> 0:14:31.278 a walk. Come for a jog, come for a run. 0:14:31.548 --> 0:14:36.438 You can go to Achilles australia.org dot forward slash Melbourne 0:14:36.438 --> 0:14:39.918 for further details. Cordia Stevenson thanks for joining us on 0:14:39.918 --> 0:14:41.058 Vision Australia Radio. 0:14:41.298 --> 0:14:43.398 No problems at all. Thanks so much for your time, Matt. 0:14:50.618 --> 0:14:54.038 I'm Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision on 0:14:54.038 --> 0:14:59.438 Vision Australia Radio, associated stations of FX and the Community 0:14:59.438 --> 0:15:03.608 Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that interview with Matt 0:15:03.608 --> 0:15:07.688 Lee and Claudia Stephenson there. If you missed any part 0:15:07.688 --> 0:15:11.348 of that conversation with Matt and Claudia, or you'd love 0:15:11.348 --> 0:15:15.548 to have a listen again. Talking vision is available on 0:15:15.548 --> 0:15:21.458 the Vision Australia Radio website at npr.org. You can also 0:15:21.458 --> 0:15:25.928 find Talking Vision through your favorite podcast platform or through 0:15:25.928 --> 0:15:30.938 the Vision Australia library. And now here's Conrad Brown with 0:15:30.938 --> 0:15:34.028 Fiona Toohey from the other film festival. 0:15:34.118 --> 0:15:39.758 The other film festival and Arts Access Victoria are presenting resistance, 0:15:39.758 --> 0:15:44.168 an online accessible film program available for streaming on demand 0:15:44.168 --> 0:15:49.508 now via Acm's Cinema three website. Resistance is a program 0:15:49.508 --> 0:15:54.638 of international and Australian films screening until Thursday, December 7th. 0:15:54.668 --> 0:15:58.358 All of the resistance films are made by deaf and 0:15:58.358 --> 0:16:03.608 disabled people, either as key creators, collaborators and or performers, 0:16:03.608 --> 0:16:06.848 and also, very importantly, all of the films are free 0:16:06.848 --> 0:16:11.468 to watch. Audio described and captioned. The other film festival 0:16:11.468 --> 0:16:15.818 is proudly disability led, with a festival team including artistic 0:16:15.818 --> 0:16:20.248 director Fiona Toomey, who is joining us on the program today. Fiona, 0:16:20.258 --> 0:16:21.708 wonderful to have you here. 0:16:21.768 --> 0:16:24.218 Oh, thank you so much. You know, honored to be 0:16:24.218 --> 0:16:24.908 here as well. 0:16:24.938 --> 0:16:30.098 Fiona, we love featuring a festival on Virgin Australia Radio 0:16:30.098 --> 0:16:32.468 that ticks the boxes. And I mean that in the 0:16:32.468 --> 0:16:35.798 most positive way. So great to see that. It is 0:16:35.798 --> 0:16:41.018 obviously disability focused but also audio described as well, which 0:16:41.018 --> 0:16:44.198 is something that's very important to our community of interest 0:16:44.198 --> 0:16:47.558 and our listeners. But before we go into the program 0:16:47.558 --> 0:16:49.838 and looking at it kind of more in depth, tell 0:16:49.838 --> 0:16:52.958 us a little bit about your role in the festival 0:16:52.958 --> 0:16:55.178 and the festival itself. Okay. 0:16:55.178 --> 0:16:57.668 Well, next to you, the other film festival, or as 0:16:57.668 --> 0:17:01.088 we call in its nickname is TOF. Yes, it's its 0:17:01.088 --> 0:17:04.778 20th anniversary. I've been working on it as artistic director 0:17:04.778 --> 0:17:07.598 for the last few years, but I was, as I'm 0:17:07.598 --> 0:17:09.668 a filmmaker as well. I was around a little bit 0:17:09.668 --> 0:17:12.368 when it started in the early 2000. You know, there 0:17:12.368 --> 0:17:14.288 was many reasons for it to stop. But one of 0:17:14.288 --> 0:17:17.018 the big reasons at the time and, you know, things 0:17:17.018 --> 0:17:18.608 have improved, but they've still got a long way to 0:17:18.608 --> 0:17:23.468 go that access. So particularly audio description captioning wasn't happening 0:17:23.468 --> 0:17:27.748 at the kind of mainstream film festivals. And even with cinema, 0:17:27.758 --> 0:17:31.358 there was still that fight going on. So in terms 0:17:31.358 --> 0:17:35.048 of access, that's something that it isn't tokenistic. It's something 0:17:35.048 --> 0:17:37.178 that we do a lot of advocacy on. But for 0:17:37.178 --> 0:17:40.838 our offer, there's certain, you know, minimum they're not even minimum. 0:17:40.838 --> 0:17:43.628 Like we wouldn't do something if it wasn't going to 0:17:43.628 --> 0:17:47.318 be audio described for example. So sort of that's some 0:17:47.318 --> 0:17:51.848 of the history. And what's quite exciting now. And I 0:17:51.848 --> 0:17:54.728 like am artistic director. You know, I do work part 0:17:54.728 --> 0:17:58.298 time doing this work for the festival at Arts Access Victoria. 0:17:58.298 --> 0:18:01.658 But I'm also a filmmaker and identify with disability, and 0:18:01.658 --> 0:18:04.448 I've also ended up being there's a few of us, 0:18:04.478 --> 0:18:07.808 but doing a lot of advocacy in that mainstream space. And, 0:18:07.808 --> 0:18:10.238 you know, there's a lot of change coming and a 0:18:10.238 --> 0:18:14.048 lot of disability is actually finally, you know, a big 0:18:14.048 --> 0:18:17.318 part of the diversity conversations that are happening mainstream, but 0:18:17.468 --> 0:18:19.838 still a lot along a long way to go and 0:18:19.838 --> 0:18:21.698 a lot to kind of for the mainstream to catch 0:18:21.698 --> 0:18:24.848 up with. So that's both in terms of access. And 0:18:24.848 --> 0:18:27.758 you would know a lot more around how much work 0:18:27.758 --> 0:18:30.908 screen work out there is and is not audio described, 0:18:31.118 --> 0:18:34.388 but also and what's really important to us and how 0:18:34.388 --> 0:18:36.638 we ended up choosing the films too, is that we 0:18:36.638 --> 0:18:39.908 are really interested in who's authoring the film, who's actually 0:18:39.908 --> 0:18:42.278 making the film. So in the screenings we talk about 0:18:42.278 --> 0:18:46.628 Above the Line, so that's writers, directors and producers, and 0:18:46.628 --> 0:18:49.178 we really want that work to be made in the 0:18:49.178 --> 0:18:51.968 language we use by deaf and disabled people. You know, 0:18:51.998 --> 0:18:56.678 that there's authentic casting, that there's, you know, social model thinking. 0:18:56.678 --> 0:19:00.758 So it's really found this exciting portrayal that channel four has. 0:19:00.758 --> 0:19:03.818 And they actually use that term social model thinking. But 0:19:03.818 --> 0:19:06.668 it's just really trying to get away from all the 0:19:06.668 --> 0:19:10.918 stereotypes we've all seen. We want also opportunities for for 0:19:10.928 --> 0:19:14.468 actors and performers and all creatives to actually be getting 0:19:14.468 --> 0:19:18.098 roles in not only short films but in mainstream as well. 0:19:18.098 --> 0:19:21.398 So we feel like, you know, our film festival and 0:19:21.398 --> 0:19:24.398 it's so great that it can be national. Yes, streaming 0:19:24.398 --> 0:19:28.958 platform hopefully is helping. That's part of our modus operandi, 0:19:28.958 --> 0:19:31.538 which is big language. That's part of what we're you 0:19:31.538 --> 0:19:33.428 know what I mean? We're not just choosing these films 0:19:33.428 --> 0:19:36.728 out of nowhere. There's there's sort of a framework we're 0:19:36.728 --> 0:19:40.748 trying to or a very strong advocacy, but also hopefully 0:19:40.748 --> 0:19:42.638 really entertaining and insightful. 0:19:42.908 --> 0:19:46.238 I think all film festivals, you know, walk that fine line. 0:19:46.238 --> 0:19:49.248 But with Toff, I think one of the. Things that 0:19:49.248 --> 0:19:50.748 came out for me when I was looking at the 0:19:50.748 --> 0:19:54.108 program and reading more about it was, there's always a 0:19:54.108 --> 0:19:58.758 lot of talk about representation and the importance of representation, 0:19:58.758 --> 0:20:00.768 but for a lot of people that can just be 0:20:00.768 --> 0:20:04.308 having someone in the cast who has a disability or 0:20:04.308 --> 0:20:07.728 is othered in some way, as you've highlighted, the really 0:20:07.728 --> 0:20:11.868 important part here is that representation is key on screen 0:20:11.868 --> 0:20:15.498 and behind the scenes, and in every single aspect of 0:20:15.498 --> 0:20:19.338 of what is being presented, which is such an important thing. 0:20:19.338 --> 0:20:22.338 And it seems obvious, but I think, as you said, 0:20:22.338 --> 0:20:24.768 we've come a long way, but we still have a 0:20:24.768 --> 0:20:27.768 long way to come in terms of representation. But when 0:20:27.768 --> 0:20:31.968 you're putting the program together, you know it's featuring international 0:20:31.968 --> 0:20:36.468 and Australian films. Is there a lot of content out 0:20:36.468 --> 0:20:39.228 there for you to choose from, or are you really 0:20:39.228 --> 0:20:42.108 kind of getting in there and hunting all of this, 0:20:42.198 --> 0:20:43.688 these great films out? 0:20:43.698 --> 0:20:47.388 We are definitely hunting things out. I mean, think, look, 0:20:47.388 --> 0:20:49.818 it's not to say it's certainly more work coming through, 0:20:49.818 --> 0:20:52.518 but because our focus is really like, we want to 0:20:52.518 --> 0:20:55.068 know who's making the work and not trying to be 0:20:55.068 --> 0:20:58.248 like a censor, but we're really making space for something 0:20:58.248 --> 0:21:03.378 that has been unrepresented. And where us as a disability community, 0:21:03.378 --> 0:21:06.708 have not had the power and agency in that storytelling. 0:21:06.708 --> 0:21:09.318 And so that's really important to us. And I suppose 0:21:09.318 --> 0:21:12.918 that's also not true. We've got a real curatorial focus. 0:21:12.918 --> 0:21:15.018 And so this year we've got the theme of resistance. 0:21:15.018 --> 0:21:17.238 Last year we had a theme of flaunt is I 0:21:17.238 --> 0:21:19.398 suppose we're going for that less is more approach as well, 0:21:19.398 --> 0:21:22.518 and we're wanting, but it is a struggle to find. 0:21:22.518 --> 0:21:25.878 And that's why I feel with the other film festival, 0:21:25.878 --> 0:21:27.648 you know, we do get funding from Screen Australia, but 0:21:27.648 --> 0:21:30.708 we have three streams. So the screening industry and what 0:21:30.708 --> 0:21:33.738 I'm called community is because for me and am, as 0:21:33.738 --> 0:21:35.448 I said, a filmmaker, it's like I don't want to 0:21:35.448 --> 0:21:38.388 just be showing work from overseas or I don't want 0:21:38.388 --> 0:21:39.888 to do I want to be able to show we're 0:21:39.888 --> 0:21:41.148 based in Victoria, I want to be able to show 0:21:41.148 --> 0:21:44.088 a Victorian work, I want to be able. And in 0:21:44.088 --> 0:21:46.908 New South Wales they have this great program called Screen Ability. 0:21:46.908 --> 0:21:50.118 So we do have two screen ability short films and 0:21:50.118 --> 0:21:53.418 that is a that's a programming fund for people with 0:21:53.418 --> 0:21:56.358 disability to make their own work. But that's not in 0:21:56.358 --> 0:22:00.678 every state. So look there's definitely more work coming. But 0:22:00.678 --> 0:22:05.388 and it is challenging because ultimately disabilities are fabric. It's 0:22:05.388 --> 0:22:09.108 part of society. So ultimately everyone should and we should 0:22:09.108 --> 0:22:12.558 have disabled characters, I think, in all our mainstream shows. 0:22:12.558 --> 0:22:15.078 And and it's not wanting to be that kind of 0:22:15.078 --> 0:22:17.988 the advocacy police, but at the moment we've just had 0:22:17.988 --> 0:22:20.688 it's been going on for more than 100 years. We're 0:22:20.688 --> 0:22:23.058 not many of us are actually being the ones with 0:22:23.058 --> 0:22:25.728 our own agency in the storytelling. So that's why we 0:22:25.728 --> 0:22:28.548 want to prioritize, you know, as we say, kind of 0:22:28.548 --> 0:22:30.408 a cliche, but in a way, we would love it 0:22:30.408 --> 0:22:32.988 in a future where as a festival, we didn't need 0:22:33.138 --> 0:22:36.498 to exist because, you know, particularly for your audience, is 0:22:36.498 --> 0:22:40.278 that everything has got audio description or it's meeting access. 0:22:40.278 --> 0:22:43.668 But most importantly, deputies, abled people can, if they want 0:22:43.668 --> 0:22:49.278 to have thriving careers as screenwriters or filmmakers or producers. 0:22:49.668 --> 0:22:50.268 One of the. 0:22:50.268 --> 0:22:53.208 Other things that I think is a really important part 0:22:53.208 --> 0:22:56.208 to highlight about this festival is that when we talk 0:22:56.208 --> 0:22:59.538 about access, one of the other really unique things of 0:22:59.538 --> 0:23:03.168 this festival is that it is online and it is 0:23:03.168 --> 0:23:06.288 on demand and it is free. Now, we got used 0:23:06.288 --> 0:23:10.518 to in some ways because of lockdowns and during Covid times, 0:23:10.518 --> 0:23:14.538 being able to tap into some film festivals through online 0:23:14.538 --> 0:23:17.388 and on demand. And I think for a lot of people, 0:23:17.388 --> 0:23:19.788 they may have seen it as a convenient thing, but 0:23:19.788 --> 0:23:24.048 for others, it actually offered true accessibility to be able 0:23:24.048 --> 0:23:28.008 to enjoy and engage with these film festivals and really 0:23:28.008 --> 0:23:30.708 keen to find out from you, why is it so 0:23:30.708 --> 0:23:34.458 important for you to have it available in this platform 0:23:34.458 --> 0:23:36.108 and also for free? 0:23:36.258 --> 0:23:39.058 What's hybrid access? You can't, you know, I know if 0:23:39.068 --> 0:23:41.478 some people like I've been told we that for the 0:23:41.478 --> 0:23:44.448 deaf blind community, being online for example, may not be 0:23:44.448 --> 0:23:48.258 the best option. Sure. But you know, especially like for example, 0:23:48.258 --> 0:23:50.688 I'm immunocompromised, so I'm still being really careful how I 0:23:50.688 --> 0:23:53.748 go out in the world. But we've always had, you know, 0:23:53.748 --> 0:23:56.658 there's always a different range of access, meaning, you know, 0:23:56.658 --> 0:24:00.458 within the disability community, different times of day. So it's 0:24:00.468 --> 0:24:03.108 different people. If you live regionally, you can't, you know, 0:24:03.108 --> 0:24:07.008 different things about even travelling. So think having it. And 0:24:07.008 --> 0:24:09.228 we've extended this year for two weeks for an over 0:24:09.228 --> 0:24:11.838 a two week period. It gives you the flexibility, being 0:24:11.838 --> 0:24:14.088 on demand to watch it in your own time, in 0:24:14.088 --> 0:24:17.718 your own space, when you want to. And in terms 0:24:17.718 --> 0:24:21.018 of it being free, that's also really important because we 0:24:21.018 --> 0:24:24.138 don't want to prohibit particularly, you know, for the disability 0:24:24.138 --> 0:24:28.188 community there's always exceptions but not the wealthiest communities. So 0:24:28.188 --> 0:24:30.618 it's like that can be a barrier. We're just trying 0:24:30.618 --> 0:24:33.468 to remove as many barriers as possible. So there's always 0:24:33.468 --> 0:24:35.748 these arguments around oh but if you charge a nominal 0:24:35.748 --> 0:24:38.178 amount then people might watch more. But we're just trying 0:24:38.178 --> 0:24:42.258 to remove that. And we've got very clear access guidelines 0:24:42.258 --> 0:24:44.898 on the ACMi cinema three website. So making it really 0:24:44.898 --> 0:24:49.248 clear how you have to create an. Like maybe she 0:24:49.248 --> 0:24:52.188 could count on the cinema three platform. But then once 0:24:52.188 --> 0:24:54.978 you're in all our offerings during the two weeks of 0:24:54.978 --> 0:24:56.838 the festival, the work is free. 0:24:56.868 --> 0:24:59.208 No, I think it's so important. I think it's something 0:24:59.208 --> 0:25:02.088 that I don't think a lot of festivals have taken 0:25:02.088 --> 0:25:05.688 into account, is what accessibility actually can mean for a 0:25:05.688 --> 0:25:07.018 lot of different people. 0:25:07.038 --> 0:25:09.588 Yeah. And the audience numbers you can actually get. And 0:25:09.588 --> 0:25:13.638 I know because we also do, you know, partner with 0:25:13.638 --> 0:25:16.578 a number of the other bigger film festivals. And a 0:25:16.578 --> 0:25:18.498 couple of times we've done things. They've been shocked by 0:25:18.498 --> 0:25:21.258 the audience numbers. They've got when something's been online. 0:25:21.408 --> 0:25:23.628 I'm so glad to hear that. It's such a great 0:25:23.628 --> 0:25:26.598 lineup of a variety of films that you've got there 0:25:26.598 --> 0:25:30.138 on offer. So as we mentioned, Fiona, the festival is 0:25:30.138 --> 0:25:34.368 on until Thursday, December 7th. There's a fantastic range of 0:25:34.368 --> 0:25:38.928 films available on offer. It's free, it's on demand, it's 0:25:38.928 --> 0:25:42.978 online to have a check out what's happening in the 0:25:42.978 --> 0:25:46.968 programme and with the festival itself, head to cinema three 0:25:46.968 --> 0:25:51.618 dot ACMi dot net and then look for the other 0:25:51.618 --> 0:25:56.058 film festival. Really exciting that this festival exists and it's 0:25:56.058 --> 0:25:59.358 out there for everyone to enjoy. So Fiona, we are 0:25:59.358 --> 0:26:02.628 really proud to support it here on Virgin Australia Radio 0:26:02.628 --> 0:26:04.548 and wish you and the team all the best for 0:26:04.548 --> 0:26:05.478 a great festival. 0:26:05.628 --> 0:26:06.678 Thank you so much. 0:26:13.608 --> 0:26:17.148 That was Conrad Brown with Fiona Tully from the other 0:26:17.148 --> 0:26:21.698 film festival. If you're listening to this on Wednesday the 0:26:21.698 --> 0:26:25.008 6th of December, there are still a couple of days 0:26:25.008 --> 0:26:28.188 left to watch the movies on offer through the other 0:26:28.188 --> 0:26:33.618 film festival. However, if you are listening past midnight on 0:26:33.618 --> 0:26:38.028 the 7th of December, worry not as in the meantime, 0:26:38.028 --> 0:26:43.398 there are plenty of audio described films, programs and exhibits 0:26:43.398 --> 0:26:47.268 on display through the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, 0:26:47.268 --> 0:26:52.128 as well as Vision Australia's catalogue of movies, TV shows 0:26:52.128 --> 0:26:56.328 and theatre productions, plus much more. To find out more 0:26:56.328 --> 0:27:01.758 about audio description, search for audio description services on the 0:27:01.758 --> 0:27:08.118 Visual Studio website. Vision australia.org that's Vision Australia all one 0:27:08.118 --> 0:27:13.158 word.org and that's all we have time for today. You've 0:27:13.158 --> 0:27:17.448 been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a production 0:27:17.448 --> 0:27:21.588 of Vision Australia Radio. Thanks to all involved with putting 0:27:21.588 --> 0:27:25.548 the show together and remember we love your feedback and comments. 0:27:25.548 --> 0:27:29.148 So please do get in touch on Talking Vision at 0:27:29.148 --> 0:27:35.978 Vision australia.org. That's talking vision all. One word at Vision australia.org. 0:27:35.988 --> 0:27:39.978 But until next week it's Sam Cully saying bye for now. 0:27:43.588 --> 0:27:47.638 You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during 0:27:47.638 --> 0:27:56.518 business hours on one 308 4746. That's one 308 4746 0:27:56.518 --> 0:28:01.798 or by visiting Vision australia.org. That's Vision australia.org.