testimonial by Sara Rawlinson (mum)
We first heard of The Offshoot Foundation from my Home Educators WhatsApp group. The group has several hundred home ed parents and thus a large number of messages and posts and adverts are mentioned daily. To be honest, it’s hard to spot everything — but we’re so glad that the filmmaking courses jumped out as an opportunity. It has absolutely transformed our lives.
Evie has always been a maker. Jewellery. Leather craft. Paper craft. Building dolls houses (by stealing my photography mount boards, grump!). Painting. Wire sculptures. She’s done it all. But she never wanted to join a group doing any of those things. She was always more of a “I prefer to do it alone” person. So I was rather surprised when she said she wanted to try the filmmaking course.
The course was a 5-hr weekend course (5 hrs long for 5 sessions) and being a home ed student, it was her longest time in a classroom setting, ever. But she absolutely loved it. Filmmaking was all she talked about from then on. Even the workshop organisers started telling me at the end of each session what an enthusiastic and skilled gem she was to have in the workshops.
She invited all her friends — who were interested and supportive but not as obsessively enthusiastic. Then she did one of the four-day summer holiday courses.
But it wasn’t enough.
She begged to do the next course, another 5-hr weekend course (for 10 sessions) — but this one was an hour and fifteen minute drive for us, each, way. Would I drive all that, for her to attend filmmaking? Absolutely. I didn’t even hesitate.
Playing a lead role in ‘The Golden Banana’ at our Norwich workshops.
This third course began for her as did all others: “no, I don’t want to act”. However, she ended up taking on a lead role in the film, in addition to being head editor. She would plan her entire weeks around going to bed early enough on the night before to make sure she would have enough energy for filmmaking. Towards the end of the 10 sessions, the organisers even gave her the laptop to take home and work on the edits during the week. She felt so honoured to be trusted with such an important task! (And I taught her about the importance of making backups!)
That 10-session workshop finished with a fabulous 17 min film and an AQA Level 1 certificate.
But still, it wasn’t enough.
She’s enrolled in yet another 10-session workshop! Again, an hour drive each way for us. But it’s such a small price to pay. (On a personal note, as a home ed parent, I get little time to myself, so I have really come to love the 5-hr sessions too.)
Overall, the courses have increased her confidence and sense of self, and have given her a strong sense of purpose. She has learned a new set of skills that are both transferrable and industry specific. And she is trying to sign up for nearly every filmmaking opportunity available, and even wants to sign up as a film extra at the casting agencies.
But it doesn’t even end there! With some other home educated friends who cannot make it to the Offshoot workshops, she’s created a filmmaking club and delightfully passes on many of the learned skills. Also, she’s assembling her work with filmmaking to submit for Arts Award Bronze — attending the workshop (Offshoot), attending an arts event (IntoFilm festival), researching about an artist (Chris Columbus), and passing on skills (teaching editing skills to her film club friends).
Is that finally enough? I suspect not. And she did mention yet another course starting after the current one…
On a financial note, Evie has been a home ed student since she was 6 yrs old and the activity costs can really add up. If this were chargeable (similar to eg Stagecoach), there’s no way we could afford it. We are very grateful to The Offshoot Foundation, its fundraisers, and funding bodies.
Thank you to everyone at Offshoot.
Evie's group film from the Norwich Workshops...
a few words by Evie Rawlinson (participant)
When my mum first told me about an offshoot workshop and asked if I wanted to join, I didn’t think too much about it when I agreed. Arriving at the workshop, I was quite nervous, especially being the only girl there. However, it turned out to be one of my favourite workshops ever! I didn’t know anything about filmmaking before I started, but when I came out I became a sort of mini-expert who still doesn’t know too much but is overly enthusiastic anyway.
I recently finished a workshop in Norwich and it was probably my favourite. I was the head editor (I’ve learned a lot about editing!) and even one of the main characters! This was a big change from my first workshop where I was the camerawoman and barely appeared in the film. Since starting the workshops, I’ve become much more comfortable in front of the camera.
“The Offshoot Foundation is fantastic and I’m definitely doing another workshop soon!”
Check Out Evie’s Website, Films and Books!
Evie has been putting her creative skills into action outside of Offshoot too. Visit her website to see what she’s been working on!
👉 Visit estherrawlinson.com
