Help us make a film & aid rural mental health

READ OUR PITCH HERE

Hi. My name is Rhys Jack Parsons, and I'm a writer from a rural town called Rankins Springs. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with depression. This is not uncommon among young men from rural areas. Yet, we often refuse to acknowledge it.

We're changing that. We're a hardy town. We've overcome drought, fires, and a lot of death. In Rankins Springs, when someone passes away, you feel like you've lost a member of your own family. I'm very tired of feeling like that. I'm tired of seeing people I'm fond of torn apart, broken into pieces, and never being the same again.

Rankins Springs's true asset is not its farms, the pub, or the football team. It's the people. This short film will raise awareness and encourage those people, especially young men, to open up and check on their mates. Because you never know what is happening to someone until you talk about it.

This is an important message, not just for our town but for young people in general. Suicide in Australia, for instance, is the leading cause of death for people aged between 15-24, and the number of suicides increased in 2022. So public awareness on this issue is very important.

In addition to raising awareness, we'll be donating 50% of the funds we raise to Boys to the Bush. They run adventure camps to assist boys to become good men. We fully support their motto that building a strong boy is easier than repairing a broken man. If you donate, your name will be featured in the credits as someone who stood up against suicide. We will also feature the logo of any businesses that wish to donate.

Our future goal is to open a cinema in Rankins Springs that will continue to raise funds to fight youth mental health. Ultimately, the end goal is to use the proceeds from the cinema and films to fund a Headspace counselor to be located in our town once per week. We feel like a trusted third party in the community will greatly help the town.

While our town is thriving—it's the best I've seen since I was a kid—I believe it's still hurting, and I want to help.

So, if you can, please consider donating to be kept up-to-date on our mission to end unnecessary death and suicide in the place that I love most.

THE CREW

@kelsieparsonsfx @rhysjackparsons

@konradmccarthy @joelharrismedia

@zacrobertson6 @bridgetsharpp

THE PLAN

We plan to fully shoot and edit the film in Rankins Springs and the surrounding areas. We intend to use local talent (with a few ring-ins from Melbourne) to fill roles in the cast and crew, and we'll top it off with a glamorous black-tie premiere in Rankins Springs.

The film is called Drums. It follows the life of a troubled high school student who takes his frustrations out on his drums. Little do we know that there's something bubbling under the surface.

THE FUNDS

As mentioned, 50% of whatever we raise will go towards Boys to the Bush. The rest of the funds will be used to make the film. This includes, but isn't limited to, cast, crew, catering, location fees, music, special effects, and makeup.

Thank you so much for considering our cause.