Isaac Parsons

~ recipient of the

Smugglers of Light Training Fellowship 2010

 

SOL are pleased to offer Isaac our support as he ventures into the next stage of his film making career studying

Graduate Certificate Documentary

at the

Australian Film, Television & Radio School

 

 

 

At the age of 24, Isaac is currently employed by

Vibe Australia

as a junior cameraman & film editor,

assisting in pre-production for

Living Strong (NITV),

and website and internet content management

 

 

From the Ngeamba nation, Brewarrina NSW,

Isaac has also had a successful career

as a break dancer  (Bboy2ezy)

In 2009 he won the

DEADLY AWARD

for

Dancer of the Year

We present the cheque to Isaac

 

 

Through the study of documentary production at AFTRS, Isaac hopes to expand upon his skills

in order to preserve and share with the wider community the stories of his people,

both past and present.

 

Isaac says...................

“I am planning to produce a 52 minute biographical documentary called 'I Love you Jimmy' about the life and times of  historical aboriginal figure Jimmy Barker (my great grandfather).

In 1968 Muruwari man, Jimmie Barker, acquired a tape recorder. Thus began a process of recording that continued until his death in 1972. He worked autonomously, usually recording in huts at Brewarrina and Lightning Ridge.

The 120 hours of tape compiled by Barker (born 1900) have been archived at the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). They represent an unparalleled record of Aboriginal life in northwestern NSW. Barker's initial motivation was to make a record of the Muruwari language of which he was one of the last speakers.

Barker was a beautiful speaker and an outstanding intellect. He was a gifted storyteller and also a consummate operator of the tape recorder. As he explains in the tapes, he had always been fascinated by western technologies including sound recording. He first saw a phonograph as a child and eventually raised the money to buy his own model, a popular Edison Fireside Phonograph which played cylinder records.

Using dramatic re-enactments & footage shot on location in Brewarrina, & in conjunction with archival photographs & footage, key moments from Jimmy's life would be brought to life to provide a unique glimpse and insight into the life & times of the early 1900s in central western NSW.

Jimmy was a passionate, fascinating character who was able to express himself with great depth of emotion and poignancy.

'I love you Jimmy' is a very moving and informative story that has the potential to significantly enrich our modern day culture and provide perspective into the history of Australian white and black relations."

 

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