A STUDY GUIDE BY KATY MARRINER

http://www.metromagazine.com.au

ISBN: 978-1-74295-339-7 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au

© ATOM 2013

Curriculum links

This study guide to accompany Rites of Passage (Phillip Crawford, 2013) has been written for students in Years 10–12. As a curriculum resource, the film expands and enriches students’ understanding of human experiences.

The Australian Curriculum: English is built around the three interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. Together the strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, under-standing and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. In Year 10 English, Rites of Passage can be used as part of thematic units exploring identity and belonging. The activities within this study guide pro-vide opportunities for Year 10 English students to:

- analyse, explain and evaluate the structure of a text and how the fea-tures of the text influence audience response;

- to develop and justify their own and other interpretations of a text;

- to create a wide range of texts, make presentations and contrib-ute actively to class and group discussions.

In Year 10 Media, students critically discuss contemporary films. They ana-lyse, interpret, and evaluate the stylistic, technical, expressive and aesthetic fea-tures of these works and the ways that the works communicate and challenge ideas and meaning. The activities within this study guide provide opportunities for Year 10 Media students to:

- understand the aesthetic, style and format of a film;

- use critical approaches to analyse and interpret a film;

- understand how audiences par-ticipate in the construction of the meaning of a film and explain ways in which a film reinforces or chal-lenges social, cultural and artistic values;

- use appropriate media terminol-ogy and personal interpretations to describe the structure, content and aesthetic qualities of a film.

In Year 10 Health and Physical Education, students are provided with knowledge, skills and behaviours to en-able them to achieve a degree of auton-omy in developing and maintaining their physical, mental, social and emotional health. Rites of Passage allows students to discuss the establishment of personal identity, factors that shape identity and the validity of stereotypes. In addition, the film provides a resource for students to develop an understanding of the right to be safe and to explore the concepts of challenge, risk and safety. They can identify the harms associated with particular situations and behaviours and how to take action to minimise these harms.

Rites of Passage can be used to teach English, Health and Human Development, Media, Sociology, Psychology and VET Community Services in Years 11 and 12. Teachers are advised to consult the curriculum outlines relevant to their state or territory.

Rites of Passage can also be used to support the teaching of Pastoral Care programs at Years 10–12. It is important that students are provided with strate-gies to support their learning about themselves and others. Students with well-developed social and emotional skills find it easier to manage them-selves, relate to others, and develop resilience and a sense of self.

Within this frame of reference, Rites of Passage provides opportunities for students to learn to:

- recognise and understand their own emotions, values and strengths, and have a realistic assessment of their own abilities and a well-grounded sense of self-esteem and self-confi-dence (self-awareness);

- manage their emotions and behav-iour, persevere in overcoming ob-stacles, set personal and academic goals, and develop self-discipline, resilience, adaptability and initiative (self-management);

- perceive and understand other people’s emotions and viewpoints, show understanding and empathy for others, identify the strengths of team members, define and accept

individual and group roles and responsibilities, and be of service to others (social awareness);

- form positive relationships, man-age and influence the emotions and moods of others, cooperate and communicate effectively with oth-ers, work in teams, build leadership skills, make decisions, resolve con-flict and resist inappropriate social pressure (social management).

The examination of ethics through curriculum projects within and across learning areas provides students with the opportunity for engagement with ethical values, principles and concepts that improve moral judgment. This enables them to build a strong ethical outlook when faced with uncertainty and conflicting claims and aims to strengthen their sense of moral purpose and vision. As a curriculum resource, Rites of Passage provides opportunities for teachers and students to address the four elements of ethical behaviour:

- understanding ethical concepts and recognising the moral domain;

- knowledge of accepted values and ethical principles;

- engagement in reasoned moral decision-making;

- knowledge of common virtues.

Rites of Passage contains coarse language, sexual activity, crime, drug use and sexual and domestic violence. Teachers are advised to preview the film before showing it to students. Students should also be briefed about the content and purpose of Rites of Passage and the work of Beyond Empathy prior to viewing. For some students in the class, viewing Rites of Passage may be both confronting and upsetting. Teachers need to respect the circumstances of these students and remain aware of their sensitivities.

If teachers would like to screen a ver-sion of the film without the scene of the young woman who trades sex for drugs, an edited version is available. This edited version is also recommended for students aged fifteen and older and retains the M classification. For this ver-sion, please indicate you want to order the Special Edited Version.

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Rites of Passage is a feature-length drama made collaboratively

with a group of young people, who dive below

the surface of their often-tough exteriors to reveal what’s going on inside.

Filmed over three years by the community arts organisation Beyond Empathy (BE), six

interwoven stories show the risk-taking, disappointment, joys and love that come with growing up. While their stories might be raw and brutal, they are also full of

irreverence and humour.

The stories are based on their own experiences. They might battle homelessness

or addictions. They might live in public housing or come

from families that have known hardship. But their performances

on the screen and behind the camera prove that disadvantage

needn’t dictate your future.

Running time:

80 mins

ELIAS REES AT THE END OF THE FILM, WHEN HIS

POETRY CLASS PARTICIPATES IN THE SCHOOL TALENT

QUEST, PERFORMING HIS POEM 3

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Director’s Statement – Phillip Crawford

Rites of Passage was a long time in development for me. I began working on the concept after graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1998, where I focused on filmmaking. The idea was to create films with people who experience hardship, and use the process of filmmaking to provide these people with positive opportunities for change.

My first opportunity was in 1999 with the docu-drama film HURT (2000) which was made as part of a violence prevention project funded by the NSW Government. Young people collaborated with us in the filmmaking process – telling stories about their experiences of violence, including domestic violence and the other things that hurt people. HURT was developed into a five-screen installation work for one of the first exhibitions created for the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne.

Next came Knot at Home, which aired on SBS – a TV series comprising eight half-hour episodes about young people’s experiences of feeling not at home, including homelessness, family breakdowns, drugs and alcohol, crime, being a refugee, experiencing racism, grief and loss. Both HURT and Knot at Home became more documentary-style than drama projects.

These projects began to shape my ideas about how to make a full dramatic work. There have been many great films made using non-professional actors and they involved some incredible performances. I am inspired by filmmakers such as Ken Loach, who often works with non-actors. But often these directors see many people in casting sessions before they find the right fit with a character for their script.

Rites of Passage was not made like this. There was no casting. Anyone who wanted to become involved in the project via a local youth worker or health worker could have a role, and I had to find a way to make them ‘great’ in the film. We couldn’t start with a script because we didn’t know what qualities the participants would bring for us to create convincing stories. Instead we started with who they were and their life experiences. We shot slowly over the three years. It was really inspiring to see their performances having inhabited their film characters over that time.

It was such an honour to work in this way with such remarkable people, who all held cameras and booms and burnt their fingers on the film lights and sometimes caused mayhem when we were trying to concentrate. This film also became my rite of passage.

DIRECTOR PHILLIP CRAWFORD, LEFT, STANDS

BY AS ONE OF THE FILM’S PARTICIPANTS,

MICHAEL MCKAY, FILMS A SCENE

Beyond Empathy

‘We love art and we hate disadvantage!’

Beyond Empathy is a not-for-profit community, arts and cultural development organisation. Their mission is to use the arts to influence change in the lives of individuals and communities experi-encing recurring hardship. The Rites of Passage project addresses the need for communities to work together to engage with young people who are experiencing disadvantages.

Visit Beyond Empathy online at <http://be.org.au> and <https://www.facebook.com/be.org.au>.

The Ten Principles

This film was made according to ten principles. These principles form the opening sequence of Rites of Passage. The ten principles appear on text cards and are intercut with images that set the scene for the film for locations, types of char-acters and the stories the viewer will encounter in the rest of the film.

1. To assist people living with hardship to build new futures.

2. All key actors must be amateurs and live in the community where the film is shot.

3. There can be no traditional script and there must be more than one storyline.

4. The storylines must be developed with the actors, drawing on their life experiences.

5. If an actor fails to turn up, the shoot continues, creating a new direction for the film.

6. The film must be shot in real locations in the community.

7. Key actors and the production team should all operate cameras, sound, lighting and other equipment.

8. Every scene should be shot with different types of cameras and styles.

9. All the credits must be in alphabetical order, with no one credited as writer or creator.

10. The first screening must be held in the community where the film was made.

• Spend time as a class discussing the ten principles. - Why do you think the ten principles

form the opening sequence of Rites of Passage?

- How do the ten principles position an audience of Rites of Passage?

- What did you notice about the back-ground of each card?

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Biographies – Main Cast

In keeping with principle nine, the main cast mem-bers are listed in alphabetical order.

ώ Chaise Barbaric – Dog Story

Making this film has been heaps of fun. I hope a lot of people get to see it.

Chaise, fifteen, lives with his family in Barrack Heights. He likes riding motorbikes and surfing. He is studying for his Year 10 certificate at Warilla High School and wants to work towards owning his own motorbike shop.

ώ Skie Carlson – Party Story

It was really exciting making this film, and a great experience for me. I’m looking forward to seeing how far it is going to go.

Skie, seventeen, lives with her boyfriend and his family in Dapto. She is studying for her HSC at St Joseph’s High School in Albion Park and works part-time in retail. When she fin-ishes school she wants to work in childcare.

ώ Daniel de Filippo – Roman’s Story

This film has changed my life.

Daniel, twenty-two, lives in his own apart-ment in Wollongong. He is currently studying a Diploma in Screen and Media at Wollongong TAFE.

ώ Tiran Dingle – Thief Story

Doing this film has been hectic. It’s been a great opportunity for me. I’d recommend it to anyone.

Tiran lives with his family in Warilla. He graduated from the youth rehabilitation centre Triple Care Farm in early 2013 and is now planning on training as an apprentice in construction. He is also hoping to further his education so he can eventually join the army.

ώ Lakia Igano – Poetry Class Story

This film taught us not to let the negative define who we are and who we will become.

Lakia, nineteen, lives in her own apartment in Wollongong. She is studying business and plan-ning to do a course in Interior Design and Events in 2014.

ώ Kane Porter – Poetry Class Story

Kane, seventeen, lives with his family in Warrawong. He is studying his HSC at Warrawong High School. When he isn’t at school, he works for a local plumbing business.

Making this film has been heaps of fun. I hope a lot of people get to

see it.Chaise Barbaric

KANE PORTER IN THE POETRY

CLASS, WHERE HIS HAIKU POEM

PROMPTS HIS CLASSMATES TO

WRITE MORE PERSONAL MATERIAL

CHAISE BARBARIC, WHO PLAYS THE MAIN ROLE IN THE DOG STORY

LAKIA IGANO IN THE

POETRY CLASS

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ώ Elias Rees – Poetry Class story

I loved making Rites Of Passage. We all tried really hard and it paid off big in the end.

Elias, eighteen, lives with his family in Berkeley. He has now obtained other acting gigs, including the ABC series Redfern Now, the feature film Around The Block (Sarah Spillane, 2013) and a short film, The Chuck In (Jon Bell, 2012).

ώ Chris Simpson – Skaters’ Story

I was always shy, but not anymore. I can do any-thing now.

Chris, eighteen, lives with his family in Warrawong. In 2012 he got a job as a trolley boy at a local shopping centre. He enjoys work and spending his hard-earned cash. Chris hopes to one day become a motorbike mechanic.

First Impressions

Given the scope of Rites of Passage, students may have questions that need to be answered before

moving to a close analysis of the six stories. Provide students with an opportunity to share their impres-sions of Rites of Passage and spend time as a class discussing students’ questions and concerns.

• The promotional posters for Rites of Passage claim that the film is raw, real and confronting. What other adjectives would you use to de-scribe Rites of Passage? Explain your choices by drawing on specific evidence from the film.

• Each story in Rites of Passage is powerful in its own way. Ask students to share their impres-sions of one of the stories told by the film. - Did you believe in the stories and the

characters? - Why is it important to tell stories like those

narrated in Rites of Passage?

Rite of passage

The term ‘rite of passage’ is used to describe mile-stones in an individual’s life. A rite of passage may be celebrated by a ceremony or acknowledged by others in some way. Some rites of passage are as-sociated with religious beliefs and cultural traditions, while others are more personal in nature and mark an individual’s increased self-awareness and maturity.

• Working as a class, make a list of rites of passage.

• Working as an individual, reflect in writing on the rites of passage that have marked transi-tions in your life.

• Why is the film titled Rites of Passage? Drawing on the stories told by the film, create a mind map that identifies the transitions in the lives of the main characters.

• Write an imaginative narrative titled ‘Rite of Passage’. Aim to write 500–750 words. When you have finished share your story with others in the class. Discuss your differing interpreta-tions of the title.

CHRIS SIMPSON IN ONE OF

THE INFRA-RED SHOTS IN THE

FILM THAT USES MANY DIFFERENT

CAMERA FORMATS

CHRIS SIMPSON FEATURES IN THE SKATEBOARDING STORY, WHERE HE FILMS A NEIGHBOUR WITHOUT HER KNOWING

I was always shy, but not anymore. I can do anything

now.Chris Simpson

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STORY 1: THE POETRY CLASS STORY

Ty and Kane and their classmates are in Year 10. While their English teacher Mrs Kaye is away caring for her dying father, they take advantage of their relief teachers and misbehave. When Mrs Kaye returns and tells the class her father died, Ty is prompted to write a poem about his own father’s death. Ty’s poem inspires the class to write poetry based on their personal experiences. Kane writes a poem about his grandmother who has dementia and Sienna writes a poem about caring for her mother who is ill.

Drama teacher Mr Lewis encourages the students to turn their poetry into a performance for the end-of-year talent quest. Ty and Kane are concerned they will make fools of themselves in front of the school but eventually come around. Their perfor-mance becomes a composite poem based on all their experiences, and the school audience, while sceptical at first, are soon affected by their heartfelt honesty.

Ty’s haiku is about the death of his father:

When my father diedI held my breath in for daysscared to let it go.When my father diedI felt a dark grey bird waspecking from inside.When my father died bright sun burnt my open eyes leaving grains of sand.When my father diedA last breath pushed out grey cloudsAnd then the rain fell.

A haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. Haiku uses language to convey the essence of an experience. The poems consist of three lines of up to seven-teen syllables, organised in lines of five, seven and five syllables. Haiku are often inspired by a moment of beauty or a poignant experience and draw on imagery from nature.

Kane’s poem is about his Nan who has dementia:

My Nan forgets what she had for breakfast today but she can remember everything her family ate on Christmas day when she was eight. My Nan forgets what she said two minutes ago. She’s forgotten that she has kids.My Nan thinks my mum is her mum.Or sometimes my mum is her sister.Or her best friend from school.Some people think my Nan is nuts but I think she’s

a time machine.My Nan has forgotten more than most people ever

will know.

Sienna’s poem is about her mother’s poor mental health:

Since mum got sick, I had to grow up quick.Since mum got sick life has changed.There were no conclusions.This medication. That specialist. This procedure.My brother is nine and my sister is four and some-

one’s got to keep them safeand organise them and get them to school and I

became the mum.

• Relief teacher: Shakespeare, anyone read any Shakespeare?Kane: Nah.Ty: Nah.Shayla: Isn’t he dead? - Why don’t the relief teachers engage the

Year 10 class? - Moving into Bart Simpson mode, Ty and

Kane decide to play the fool. Ty tells the replacement teacher his name is Ben Dover. Kane insists his name is Wayne Kerr.

- Are Kane and Ty the class clowns? Do they willingly play this role?

• I hate you haiku.You are very hard to do.Go back to Japan. - Mrs Kaye asks the class to write poetry that

reflects moments of intense emotion. She begins the lesson by asking the students to think about positive emotional responses.

- Why does Mrs Kaye engage the students’ attention when the other teachers failed to do so?

- Sarah’s haiku is about summer. Kane’s haiku is about boobs. Riley’s is about lollies and Shayla’s is about hating haiku poetry. Mrs Kaye approves of the students’ poems. Ty’s poem is not what the class expected. Even Mrs Kaye was ready for a comedic

ELIAS REES IN THE POETRY

CLASS, WHERE HE CREATES

A POEM ABOUT THE DEATH

OF HIS FATHER

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haiku. Mrs Kaye asks the class to write another haiku for homework. This time the class is asked to follow Ty’s example and write about something that has happened to them.

- What do the students’ poems reveal about the hardships that they have encountered?

• Write a series of haiku poems on a subject of interest to you. Share your poems with your peers. Working as a class, turn your poetry into a performance piece for an audience beyond the class.

• I’m a jigsaw with missing pieces.I’m a compass that never points north.I’m a pathway that leads to a cul-de-sac.I’m a painting with no signature. – Taylor - Write your own ‘I’m a …’ sentence. - As a class, combine the sentences to create

a group identity poem.• Ty: I don’t want to do this.

Kane: All our mates have heard that we’re thinking about entering the talent quest and well, let’s just say they’re all taking the piss about it.Sarah: Who gives a stuff what they think? - Is it understandable that Ty and Kane are

reluctant to perform their poetry in front of their peers? Why is Sarah less bothered by the prospect? Is the performance a suc-cess? In what sense do the students experi-ence a rite of passage through writing and performing their poetry?

STORY 2: THE THIEF STORY

The thief breaks into houses, then uses the cash and stolen goods he takes to buy cannabis. He is homeless and sleeps on the couch at a mate’s place. During a robbery, he steals a birthday card written to a ‘Mum’. It is also his mother’s birth-day and he visits her, giving her a bracelet he has bought and the stolen card. She doesn’t accept the gift as she thinks it’s stolen. The thief asks his mum if he can attend her birthday celebrations but she says no because the relationship between the thief and his father is strained. Even though she is touched by the words in the card, his plea to her that he just wants to play happy families seems to fall on deaf ears.

Just before Christmas, the thief and his mates commit another burglary. The thief tries to stop his mates from stealing the stash of Christmas presents but he is outnumbered. Later he uses cash he has taken during the burglary to buy the stolen goods back from the person they sell them to, and returns the presents to the family. Intent on doing the right thing rather than wrong, he visits his parents’ home and leaves Christmas presents on the doorstep.

The thief may have a home but he is not welcome there. He is one of the many young Australians whose lives are compromised by homelessness.

In Australia, youth homelessness affects over 32,000 people. Youth homelessness is considered

STUDENTS ASHLEY LOCKETT

(LEFT) AND SARAH ADDISON

WAIT BACKSTAGE BEFORE THEIR

PERFORMANCE OF THE HAIKU POEM

AT THE SCHOOL TALENT QUEST

I’m a jigsaw with missing

pieces.I’m a compass

that never points north.

I’m a pathway that leads to a cul-

de-sac.I’m a

painting with no signature.

Taylor

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anyone who is between twelve to twenty-four years of age and who does not have a physical address or place to stay.

Young people become homeless for a number of reasons. In the thief’s case it is evident that conflict between family members has forced him out of the family home. The failure of family relationships and domestic violence are two of the most significant factors leading to youth homelessness.

Once a young person is homeless, it becomes diffi-cult for the person to find a permanent home again. Without successful intervention, homeless young people are more likely to transition from youth to adult homelessness.

Visit <http://www.youthhomelessnessmatters.net> to learn more about youth homelessness.

• The thief: Reckon I could crash here for a cou-ple of days?Most homeless young people are couch-surfing and living in other unstable situations. This means that they are temporarily staying with family, friends and sometimes with complete strangers. These young people will often be sleeping in whatever spare space is available – on couches or on the floors of these people’s houses – until they outstay their welcome and move on to the next place. - Why is the thief couch-surfing rather than

sleeping in his own bed? - What does the thief’s story reveal about the

causes of youth homelessness? - What does the thief’s story reveal about the

consequences of youth homelessness?• Working as a class, discuss the reasons why

the thief steals.

• What does the thief’s decision to buy his mum a birthday present reveal about what he wants his life to be like? Were you surprised that the thief’s mum thinks her gift is stolen property?

• Mum: Your father is trying to teach you a lesson in life.Is it possible that the thief’s father also needs to learn a lesson in life?

• Why does the thief return the stolen Christmas presents? Is his action moral? After all, he uses the money he has stolen from the family to buy back the presents. Is this act his rite of passage?

• Do you think the thief will reoffend?• Reducing homelessness is everyone’s

responsibility. - Do you agree? - Hold a class forum to discuss youth

homelessness.

STORY 3: ROMAN’S STORY

Roman, his younger sister Amber and his mother are moving house again to avoid contact with Roman’s father, who is prone to violence. It is at their new home in the country that Roman meets Amy-Leigh. Roman and Amy-Leigh become friends, but when Amy-Leigh tries to take their relationship further, Roman pulls away. Amy-Leigh is hurt and confused. Roman owes her an explana-tion. Roman confesses that he is not used to being close to people. He uses his drawings to tell Amy-Leigh the truth, that his name is really Blake and that the family is in hiding.

Later, Roman is with Amy-Leigh when he gets a text message from his mother, saying ‘Hide and Seek’. This is the family’s cue to leave. Roman is fed up with the family being on the run but he real-ises that his mother’s fear of what could happen is very real. Roman says goodbye to Amy-Leigh.

When Roman is woken by the noise of a car horn, he discovers that his mother and sister are leaving without him. Roman’s mother has arranged for him to stay with Amy-Leigh and go to art school as he had planned. It is time for Roman to make his own decisions and shape his own life.

The dominant theme of Roman’s story is family violence. Family violence is a serious social issue that affects the health and wellbeing of thousands of Australians and has far-reaching effects on the Australian community as a whole.

Family violence is violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a family member or causes a family member to be fearful. Family violence includes:

DANIEL DE FILIPPO PLAYSROMAN IN THE FILM,WHO FALLS IN LOVE WITHAMY-LEIGH AND WANTS TOSTOP RUNNING AWAY FROMHIS FATHER

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- Physical assaults;- Direct or indirect threats;- Sexual assault;- Emotional and psychological torment;- Economic control;- Property damage;- Social isolation; - Any behaviour that causes a person to live in

fear.

While family violence can be perpetrated by any member of a family against another, it is more likely to be perpetrated by men (predominately by a woman’s current or ex-partner) against women and children.

• Spend time as a class discussing the ways that Roman’s mother has attempted to build a safer life for herself and her children. - What does Roman’s story reveal about

the impact of family violence on family members?

• Working with a partner, use the internet to find out more about a government or non-govern-ment organisation that supports the victims of family violence. Use PowerPoint to share your findings with the class. Limit your presentation to five slides. Make sure that you include words and images in your presentation. You may include audio.

• Amy-Leigh has never moved house. Roman has moved twelve times since he was ten. How has Roman’s sense of identity been shaped by always being on the move?

• Amy-Leigh: Why haven’t you shown me any of your drawings before? What else are you hiding from me? - Why does Roman tell Amy-Leigh the truth

about his family’s circumstances?• Roman: So we’re just packing up and leaving?

- Why does Roman choose to challenge his mother’s decision to run?

- Why does Roman’s mother think that she

has no other alternative but to run?• Roman’s mum: You’re not coming. I called

Amy-Leigh’s parents last night and they said you can stay with them and you can go to art school like you planned. I know you will be ok, I couldn’t do this otherwise. I love you. - Does Roman’s mum make the right

decision?

STORY 4: THE SKATERS’ STORY

Chris and his mates Summer and Myles spend most of their spare time making skateboard videos. Chris’ neighbour, Jo, lets the gang use her driveway to skate. Chris videos Jo and becomes infatuated with her. He films her through her window getting undressed at night. He films her fighting with her partner Phil. He films her bruised face. One night he records the sound of Jo and Phil arguing.

The skateboarders are worried when days go by and they haven’t seen Jo. When Jo does turn up, having spent some time away from Phil, Chris carries her bag inside, leaving his camera on the table to secretly film the conversation between the couple. Chris decides the way forward is to give Jo a DVD of the footage, thinking she might like to use it for a domestic violence complaint to the police. But Jo has decided to stay with Phil and doesn’t appreciate the DVD. Although she understands that Chris is trying to help her, she makes him promise to stop filming her and asks him to delete all the video files of her on his computer.

Domestic violence refers to acts of violence that occur between people who have, or have had, an intimate relationship in domestic settings. These acts include physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse. Domestic violence is most commonly perpetrated by males against their fe-male partners, but it also includes violence against men by their female partners and violence within

DYLAN LAWRENCE (LEFT)AND MYLES MARTIN, PART OFA GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLEOBSESSED WITH MAKING VIDEOSOF THEIR SKATING ANTICS

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same-sex relationships. Given the private nature of the relationships within which the abuse occurs, most incidents of domestic violence go unreported.

• What does this story reveal about the causes of domestic violence? - What does this story reveal about the con-

sequences of domestic violence?• Jo: It’s always my fault, it’s never anything that

you do, it’s always me. - What do Jo and Phil fight about?

• Phil: I promise, babe, it won’t happen again, I promise. - Is there any evidence that Phil is genuinely

remorseful?• Summer: If she had any brains at all she would

have pissed off ages ago. - What does Summer’s assessment of Jo’s

predicament reveal about community at-titudes to domestic violence?

- Why does Jo choose to stay with Phil?• Why does Chris want to help Jo?• The White Ribbon campaign is a global, male-

led movement to stop men’s violence against women. The White Ribbon Foundation asserts that domestic violence is a men’s issue be-cause a minority of men treat women and girls with contempt and violence, and it is up to the majority of men to create a culture in which this is unacceptable.Learn about White Ribbon day online at <http://www.whiteribbon.org.au>.

• Jo: I know you’re trying to help me but this isn’t the way to do it. You’re going to make things worse. - Is Jo right to think that taking the DVD to

the police will only make her situation more difficult?

- If you knew Jo, what advice would you give her about keeping herself safe?

STORY 5: THE PARTY STORY

Skie and Diahna are loitering outside a bottle shop, looking for someone to buy them alcohol. They are excited when a young man agrees to buy them a bottle of vodka. They accept the offer of waiting in the warmth of his car and soon find themselves at a house party.

At the party, Skie smokes some cannabis and starts having fun. Diahna is not so adventurous. A male partygoer spikes her drink to get her into the mood. She starts to feel unwell and goes to the toilet. While she is gone, two young men start competing for Skie’s attention.

Diahna begins to feel worse and Skie wants to go home. A fight erupts and the boy that Skie has been flirting with gets kicked out of the house. A young woman arrives at the house asking for drugs. She doesn’t have any money so she agrees

to exchange sex for the drugs. When Skie tries to call her mum, she realises that her SIM card is missing.

When Skie asks for her SIM card to be returned, she is propositioned. Diahna suddenly dashes to the toilet to throw up. Skie goes to help her friend but while she is standing outside the toilet, she sees the young woman having sex. She looks away horrified and terribly aware of how trapped she and her friend are.

It is illegal for someone under the age of eight-een to drink or buy alcohol in most states. Skie and Diahna’s story is about the risks associated with underage drinking, particularly for females. Drinking interferes with good judgement, leading young people into risky behaviour and making them vulnerable to alcohol-related harm. Drinking to intoxication can lead young people into situa-tions that might be dangerous, embarrassing or that they may later regret.

• Working as a class, make a list of the choices that Skie and Diahna make. - Why do the girls make these choices?

• The girls are planning on drinking in the park. - Why do they accept the invitation to the

party?• What is drink-spiking? What dangers does it

pose for Skie and Diahna?• Do the girls only have themselves to blame for

their predicament?• Drawing on this story, list the risks of underage

drinking.• What advice should Skie and Diahna have been

given about the risks of underage drinking?

SKIE CARLSON, THE YOUNG

GIRL WHOSE SIM CARD IS

REMOVED FROM HER MOBILE

PHONE AT THE PARTY

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• ‘Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare’ is a Federal Government initiative designed to encourage teenagers and young adults to think about the choices they make about drinking, and particularly the possible negative conse-quences of excessive alcohol consumption. The campaign shows how a night out, which is full of positive expectations, can go horribly wrong.The website can be accessed at <http://www.drinkingnightmare.gov.au/internet/DrinkingNightmare/publishing.nsf>.

STORY 6: THE DOG STORY

Chaise and his mates are into causing mayhem – shoplifting, trespassing, playing with lighters, hanging at the shops. Wherever Chaise goes, so does his dog Sam, who is as wild as Chaise and the boys.

One day, Chaise goes fishing with his father and uncle, leaving the dog behind. They return to find that the dog has pulled all the clothes off the line. Uncle Troy threatens to take the dog to the pound, much to Chaise’s consternation. Chaise and his mates borrow a book on how to train a dog from the local library. Dog-training starts poorly but the boys gradually make headway and Sam’s obedi-ence impresses both Chaise’s father and his Uncle Troy.

When Chaise’s father discovers that Chaise is wagging school, he is disappointed. He is trying his best to look after Chaise since his mother abandoned him and is grateful for the opportunities that they have been given by Uncle Troy.

One day the boys light a fire under an aban-doned car in the bush. The fire gets out of control and they run away. In the mayhem of their exit from the scene, Chaise falls over, knocking himself out. When he comes to, with Sam tugging at his sleeve and whining, Chaise grabs the dog and tries to escape. He

can hear the siren of a fire engine in the distance. The dog runs off in the direction of the fire engine but is hit by a falling tree. Chaise tries to pull Sam out from under the burning tree but the dog is dead.

• Why do Chaise and his mates look for trouble?• Why is Chaise determined to train Sam?• What do the attempts to train Sam reveal about

the boys’ skills and potential?• Chaise: No-one was at school today. Some of

them don’t even go at all.Dad: Why’s that?Chaise: Expelled. - Why do you think Chaise and his mates

don’t go to school?• Dad: Look, mate, your mum sent you to live

with me because she said she couldn’t THE CAST AND CREW OF RITES OF PASSAGE FILMING ONLOCATION

CHAISE BARBARIC AND HIS FRIENDS LIGHT A FIRE

IN THE BUSH THAT SOON GETS OUT OF CONTROL

CHAISE BARBARIC AND HISFRIENDS ARE INTO PLAYING WITHFIRE, AND ON ONE OCCASIONCHAISE BURNS HIS CLOTHES

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handle you. I’ve got myself a steady job, moved in with Uncle Troy so you could have a stable house and what do you think welfare is going to say if I can’t even get you to go to school? - Does Chaise’s Dad provide him with the

care he needs?

For Media students:

Filming Rites of Passage began in July 2009. The final shoot took place in October 2012. Rites of Passage was a collaborative project. The cast and crew of disadvantaged young people worked on all aspects of the film, from script to sound to acting.

• Watch a video about the making of Rites of Passage at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggiTtOOF2DE>. The participants speak about the film and how the making of it has transformed their lives. - What do the comments reveal about the

place of creativity in the lives of disadvan-taged youth and the benefits of the Rites of Passage project?

- Do you think a film like Rites of Passage can empower individuals? In what ways?

- Can a film like Rites of Passage develop a sense of social responsibility in the audience?

• What does Rites of Passage reveal about the commitment of the director Phillip Crawford and the Beyond Empathy team?

• The film was shot on cameras ranging from 16mm, Super 8, Digital SLRs, Handycams and B&W Infrared to iPhones. - Do you like the way the film looks? What

elements of the production did you find engaging?

• Rites of Passage ends in a cinema. The cast members are watching the finished film for the first time.

- Why is this a fitting finish for the film?

• Do you think Rites of Passage is an authentic portrayal of the life experiences of disadvan-taged youth?

Going further

• The following topics could be discussed via written responses, debates, panel discussions and online forums. - Rites of Passage proves that disadvantage

doesn’t have to dictate your future. Discuss. - Growing up is not always easy. Use this

prompt to initiate a discussion of Rites of Passage.

- ‘Rites of Passage takes us from hurt to hope.’

- ‘Rites of Passage reinforces the importance of valuing each person’s story.’ Discuss.

Post a comment about the film on the Rites of Passage Facebook page at <https://www.facebook.com/ritesofpassagefilm>.

Visit <http://www.ritesofpassage.org.au> for more online video resources and discussion about the film.

KANE PORTER WITH ROBINA

BEARD, WHO PLAYS HIS

GRANDMOTHER IN THE FILM,

IN A SCENE WHERE HE HELPS

HER CLIMB A TREE

This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2013) ISBN: 978-1-74295-339-7 editor@atom.org.au

For information on SCREEN EDUCATION magazine, or to download other study guides for assessment, visit <http://www.metromagazine.com.au>.

Join ATOM’s email broadcast list for invitations to free screenings, conferences, seminars, etc. Sign up now at <http://www.atom.asn.au/lists/>.

For hundreds of articles on Film as Text, Screen Literacy, Multiliteracy and Media Studies, visit <http://www.theeducationshop.com.au>.

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