Generations are intertwining thanks to a joint project between Tamborine Mountain State High School and Tamborine Mountain Community Care.
The project is a filmed series where students from Tamborine Mountain SHS interview local seniors, capturing their life stories, achievements, joys and challenges, along with sentimental memorabilia.
The concept was inspired by the idea of “Living Libraries,” where instead of reading a book, people “borrow” the life experiences of others.
The project has been in development for over a year and culminated in a filming session on April 30 at the TMCCA centre in Eagle Heights.
“We wanted to create a bit of synergy between the older generation and the youth,” said TMCCA’s Patricia Arora.
“We have these beautiful people with a wealth of life experience.”
Eleven seniors were interviewed by the school’s Film and Television students as part of their curriculum.
Students selected from a bank of 60 questions, choosing 10 that resonated most with each interviewee.
“One of the most favourite parts of the exercise is when you see someone saying, ‘This is a brooch that my husband gave me on our very first date,’” Ms Arora said.
“We don’t often think of senior citizens as being young and romantic and naïve.”
Film and Media teachers Alison Wynter and Colette Weeden will help guide the students from pre-production through to post-production, providing hands-on experience with cameras, microphones, and editing software.
“These are things you can’t teach in a classroom. You have to get out and challenge the students,” Mrs Weeden said.
“They’re learning about directing, sound, lighting, and most importantly, connecting with others.”
Mrs Weeden also reflected on the lessons and stories to be shared from the older generation.
“If you do the maths, we have about 1,100 years of life experience,” she said.
“We need to tap into that.”
Mrs Wynter spoke about the opportunities some of the students could get.
“Our students make documentaries and enter them in competitions like the Bond University Film and Television Awards,” she said.
“This kind of real-life experience is invaluable.”
Both teams thanked TMCCA Manager Geoff Marshall and TMSHS Principal Jessica Keavney for their help and hope to make the project an annual or biannual tradition.
“It’s really about the process, not so much the end product,” Mrs Wynter said.
“An idea coming to fruition is rejuvenating.”
