Unicorns and the path to accessible filmmaking

Wendy is looking for the Unicorn.

If she can find it, she might not feel so lost and confused.

But maybe she’s looking in all the wrong places?

Unicorn is a film about overcoming obstacles and discovering the thing that makes you special.

Bayley Arts Film Studio (BAFS) empowers people with disability to express their talents and ideas through the moving image. BAFS works out of Bayley Arts. This film was developed and created by the group of seven emerging film makers who gather weekly to explore all aspects of filmmaking.

The group started to work together in September 2023 and were new to the craft. Each brought their own interests relating to narrative and technical aspects of filmmaking.  They have worked collaboratively on developing new filmmaking skills by exploring stop-motion, music videos and now this, their first short film festival entry.

Emerging filmmaker, Wendy Murray, developed an original narration which spurred the making of this film. The seven film makers then workshopped and story-boarded Wendy’s original story by further developing each unique character appearing in the film. Costume, set and visual and sound design, filming and editing were also workshopped and contributed to by each in the filmmaking group to create the final piece.

Entering the film into the Focus on Ability Film Festival has been equal parts exciting and nerve wracking. Successful submission of Unicorn meant that BAFS were invited to the Melbourne screening of all entries at Crown Casino earlier this month.

The award ceremony is being held late September in Sydney. We have our fingers crossed for a wonderful result, however getting to this point within only 12 months of inception has been an incredible reward.

You can watch Unicorn below: