CONSULTANTS….

telling more authentic stories

how can a consultant help productions tell better, more authentic stories?

storytelling is as old as humanity itself. it has been a part of our drive for creative expression, community building, wisdom and information sharing, spirituality and a way to understand the world around us. whether it’s ancient cave paintings, oral histories, carved on stone or clay, set to msuci, written by hand or printed for mass dissemination, or filmed for the cinema or television, storytelling is a part of what makes us human.

which is why, personally, storytelling is something I am passionate about. and why i think that consultants with lived experience are a necessary part of telling authentic. stories.

consultants tell their stories

including the voices of those people who’s story we’re telling we can create a rich tapestry of experiences, emotions, and nuances that can enhance storytelling in film and television. when we tell stories of marginalised people and exclude those with lived experiences we are not only taking their voices away, most often end up with inauthentic and even potentially harmful versions of those lives and people.

by including consultants in the production process, creators can craft narratives that resonate with authenticity, respect, and complexity. The resulting stories will not only entertain but also educate audiences about the rich and varied lives and experiences of the real people at the centre of these productions.

passing the mic

productions that want to highlight under represented communities like sex workers, disabled people, qtbipoc and many more are starting to pass the mic by including consultants in the production process because consultants can help productions seeking to amplify the voices of those with lived experience and illuminate their realities while challenging negative stereotypes and common tropes often regurgitated by the industry.

when it comes to sex workers, disabled folks and members of the bdsm/kink communities, productions can achieve this by focusing on the resilience and agency of these communities to foster understanding and support.

In doing so, we create more informed dialogues and humanise community members which helps to improve the public perception of these under-represented groups.

some stories don’t need to be told….

if we’re not giving space for those with lived experience to take part in telling their own stories, we probably should not be telling those stories. it’s true. sometimes, we should just leave it to someone else.

But, the right consultant can bring a rich tapestry of experiences, emotions, and nuances that can enhance a project in so many ways.

Like IC’s, consultants help to build spaces and stories where everyone is able to do their best work. a consultant is focused on the story, who is telling it, and how it’s told. in collaboration with the rest of the creative team, this provides productions the opportunity to not only tell stories more authentically, but responsibly.

marginalised voices to the front

film and television has always looked to marginalised voices for their stories but sadly, there is a history of misrepresentation (at best!) or exclusion (at worst) when it comes to the production process. most often, that comes at the expense of both those communities and the projects themselves.

Consultants can not only help tell more authentic stories, but help enhance each project.