Every Line
Chasing peace and self-acceptance, reclusive Betty is forced to confront her troubled past on the 26th anniversary of a fatal car accident. Every Line is an intimate portrait of hope and renewal in the face of complex trauma.
Director/ Producer/ Editor: Mitchell Withers
Cinematography: Josh Waddell
Illustrations: Rachel King
Sound Design: Tom Allum
Colourist: Niklas Malkin
How Skills Connection used documentary storytelling to connect stakeholders to purpose while advocating for the community they serve.
Problem Statement
When Skills Connection first approached us, the organisation was moving away from a welfare model that disproportionately focused on the disability of participants. Instead, they wished to shift the narrative to a focus on individual strengths and empowering clients to live full lives. They were struggling to shift outdated views both within the organisation and the broader community.
Objective
To create a central piece of media that anchors all organisational change efforts.
To give voice to the lived experience of the client.
To connect all stakeholders to the revived purpose and future direction of the organisation.
To communicate the impact of Skills Connection to funding bodies, clients, staff and community.
To open up a discussion for how we can better support marginalised segments of the community.
Approach
The challenge was to tell a story where authentic lived experience intersected with quality service provision and the impact of this on a client’s life.
Beginning with research and interviews with a range of clients, we landed on Betty’s story. Betty wanted to be seen, heard, understood, and to be safe and supported in the process. This concept was at the core of the direction Skills Connection wished to head.
A shared buy-in from organisation leaders and film contributors ensured all efforts were in service of the same outcome. This is a core pillar of effective documentary storytelling. The honesty and trust between the subject, the filmmakers and the client is what gives the film its impact. Over six months, we worked closely with Betty to capture the truth of her story. At the film’s completion, Betty would become a vocal advocate for her story and the role Skills Connection played in her recovery.
Outcomes
Official Selection at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Sydney Short Film Festival, Canberra Short Film Festival & St Kilda Film Festival
Finalist for “Best Short” at the Sydney Short Film Festival & Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
A central piece of media used to induct all staff and partners and prompt discussion around best practices.
Interview feature on commercial radio station, MIXX fm.
Feature article in local print media.