Smart Shorts Update

Sport Allies began work in late 2017 with London Film School and SKY Sports to develop a film project that would promote greater diversity and inclusion within sport. As anyone who has worked in media production will know, development can take a long time, and the trustees at Sport Allies always want to make sure that we use the limited resources of the charity as effectively as possible. This took a lot of work by the trustees, and we are indebted to Amanda White, a leading professional in film education, for her fantastic support on this.

Over the last eighteen months the film development team has explored various ways to achieve our key objectives, including an open competition to empower aspiring film-makers and a master class that would enable sporting influencers to create their own films.

There has been trial and error involved in this process, as in any development, but we are now ready to start work on a series of short films that will play to everyone’s strengths, combining the rigor and experience of established media professionals, the fresh perspectives and creativity of emerging talent, and the authentic stories of people whose lived experiences challenge assumptions about diversity and sport.

Long-time documentary film-maker Nicola Waddell was excited to work with all of us at Sport Allies and London Film School on identifying and securing great contributors with powerful stories to share. Through these stories, we will explore inclusivity in the world of football (soccer), the challenges facing women in sport, how rugby is playing a role in promoting healthier masculinities, more inclusive approaches to being a man and the importance of the straight ally.

With support from professional mentors, London Film School’s recent graduates will create four films that we hope will engage, inform, challenge and inspire, inform. We have now gone into pre-production, and aim to have four finished films by the summer.