Channel 31: training future media superstars

(MUSIC)

ELIZA HULL  00:08
For me growing up, I remember just not seeing anything that represented anyone like me.
20% of the population have a disability, and yet often our voices really go untold and unheard.

ELIZA AND OTHERS (STUDIO)  00:22
In the world of... All In! ... everyone is invited. (Great!)

ELIZA HULL  00:28
I truly believe that we can't be what we can't see, and that's why shows like All In matter.

ELIZA (STUDIO)  00:34
Okay, and action!

(UPTEMPO SHOW MUSIC)

ZOE SIMMONS (STUDIO) 
Welcome to All In, the show that celebrates the incredible world of disability arts and culture... where creativity knows no bounds, and voices are amplified. 

ZOE SIMMONS  00:51
Today we're at Channel 31 in Melbourne, and we are filming All In. All In's a show making... it's about disability, culture, arts and advocacy. I really do believe in the power of storytelling. I do believe we can create change, and I want to be a part of that change.

(QUIET MUSIC)

SHANE DUNLOP  01:09
Channel 31 is one of the few remaining metropolitan community television stations in the country. We just celebrated our 30th anniversary only a month ago. In collaboration with Attitude Foundation and Powerd, the idea of All In was established. All In continues a long line of programs that have been aired and filmed in the Channel 31 studio, specifically disability led.

NIKI LAKERINK (STUDIO)
I'm wondering how both of you feel aboiut what Anthony Albanese said, and even the apology itself.

NIKI LAKERINK  01:42
So it's a panel style show, and we all take different turns at having different roles. Today I was working on sound... a couple of weeks ago, autocue. 

JONO DONALD
I've been doing two weeks of hosting, and then next week I will be doing behind the camera, which I'm really looking forward to. 

ADAM VELO  02:01
So I'm working on the autocue, putting in a sentence that was made for the question on the autocue. I do enjoy it indeed, yes. Thank you. We don't have a lot of accurate representation of disability in media. Having people that actually live it and also presenting it in their way, I feel like it brings a different perspective and a more authentic experience for people watching it along at home.

NIKI LAKERINK (STUDIO)  02:30
We are now joined by regular guest James Harkness. Welcome, James!

JAMES HARKNESS (STUDIO)
Thank you Niki.

MALE PRESENTER (STUDIO):
And why this film? 

JAMES HARKNESS (STUDIO)
Thank you. Thanks for asking about that.<

JAMES HARKNESS  02:42
It's got me talking about stuff that I know a lot about. I've been doing film reviews which depict psychosis and psychotic states.

JAMES HARKNESS (STUDIO) 02:53
It's a rare film, in that it demonstrates a particular type of psychosis that people with, often with, schizophrenia will experience.

JAMES HARKNESS  03:03
I have a niche area of interest and I'm able to talk about that, and it's given me some confidence.

NIKI LAKERINK  03:11
If we're not listening to people with lived experience, what we're getting is tokenistic kind of levels of accessibility.

ZOE SIMMONS  03:19
So there's just lots of things we need to do, to make sure voices are represented and it's not just the most privileged and palatable among us who are heard. We just have to do our best to make things the best they can, as inclusive as possible because accessibility and inclusion benefits everybody.

ADAM VELO  03:36
Channel 31 genuinely believes in people with disability. I love the way that we've always had the backing from this organisation and to be able to put things like this on television is really important.

SHANE DUNLOP  03:50
Community TV in general, particularly here in Melbourne, has been such a strong stepping stone for countless people, not just in front of the camera but behind the camera. And that opportunity to sort of learn on the job and get that experience, working on a set, working as part of a team, is just really critical to the whole ecosystem. So it's why I enjoy the job that I've got.

JONO DONALD  04:13
I love Channel 31, Channel 31 is awesome. It's really great. It's like a big family and we love it. I have new friends, amazing new friends.

NIKI LAKERINK  04:22
The community has been really beautiful, the people are beautiful. There has always been just this absolute thread of respect and equalness. What I saw this last few weeks, and I think if people watch all six episodes back, they're going to see a bunch of people that came in to do their first ever hosting gig, go from one point to the far end of confidence. It's not even just about all the diverse voices, it's about what is happening to that person. That confidence building, that feeling of autonomy, that feeling of being valid, of being heard. All of the people involved have been a gift to each other.

JONO DONALD  05:09
Eliza is an amazing woman. We wouldn't have what we've got today without Eliza.

JONO DONALD (FOYER) 05:18
Hello. Hi, thank you for being such a backbone of this group.

ELIZA HULL (FOYER)
Thank you.

JONO DONALD (FOYER)  05:24
No worries. 

ELIZA HULL (FOYER)
So appreciative.

JONO DONALD (FOYER)  05:27
No worries.

ELIZA HULL (FOYER)  05:289
It's been fun, hasn't it?

JONO DONALD (FOYER)  05:29
It's been awesome.

ELIZA HULL  05:30
For me, it's been actually life changing. I just get excited by storytelling and seeing people with disability in their element.

JONO DONALD  05:39
If you were five years ago and told me that I'm doing this, I'd say, "What? What? Really?"

ADAM VELO  05:46
Being able to learn skills that I can contribute into the future in this industry, which I've been chasing for quite some time, and on a more personal level, just giving myself more confidence and more growth.

JAMES HARKNESS  06:00
Thanks to Eliza Hull, people at Powerd Media and Channel 31, it's been a great opportunity.
On the strength of what I've done at Channel 31, I'm looking at getting into radio.

JONO DONALD  06:12
In December, I'll be hosting a radio station called Inclusion Disability. So with Joy FM. So yeah, I'm really, really happy and really, really proud.

ZOE SIMMONS  06:24
I would like to continue my advocacy, continue my journalism, and grow my platform to try and make as much of a difference as I can. We need to champion accessibility. We need to champion inclusion. There should be nothing about us without us. We have voices. We deserve to be heard. We deserve to be seen.

ZOE SIMMONS (STUDIO)  06:40
And you've been watching...

ZOE, JONO, MALE PRESENTER (STUDIO)
All In!

ZOE SIMMONS (STUDIO)
Where everyone's invited. See you next week!

(UP-TEMPO MUSIC OUT) 6:45