Press

To date Bus Stop Films has run over 240 filmmaking workshops through its accessible film studies program, and currently has a partnership with the Australian Film Television and Radio School. It’s program was incubated for five years by the Sydney Community College giving Bus Stop the opportunity and freedom to grow and develop it’s curriculum. The filmmaking program teaches film studies and includes giving students mentors from the film industry. Genevieve Clay-Smith has been at the forefront of developing the Bus Stop Films accessible film studies curriculum based on her five years of teaching film studies to people with an intellectual disability and getting incredible results. The curriculum has been funded by the AMP Foundation, TFN and has been developed in partnership with the Australian Film Television and Radio School. It is the first of it’s kind.

For our sixth episode, we sit down with Genevieve Clay-Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of Bus Stop Films, an organisation dedicated to inclusive filmmaking through providing opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities and those from marginalised communities.

Actor Gerard O’Dwyer, 34, and Bus Stop Films CEO Genevieve Clay-Smith, 30, became firm friends when their first collaboration won at Tropfest. He’s encouraged her to loosen up; she’s taught him how to love the camera.

Not all of us are the type to explore a new country by ourselves. But imagine if the world thought you couldn’t? Recent short film Shakespeare in Tokyo follows a man thrust into Japan’s exciting metropolis and promptly told to stay in his hotel room — for fear he might endanger himself because of his Down syndrome.

Genevieve Clay-Smith learnt early on in her life that widening your world to include people a little bit different to you could have a profound and lasting effect on your life.

The pair share their behind the scenes adventures while making the film.

Bus Stop Films and Taste Creative are proud to bring home the Australian premiere of Shakespeare in Tokyo – a short film that follows an artist and Shakespeare fan with Down syndrome on his solo adventure through Japan’s bustling capital.

The driving force behind Bus Stop Films has taken her mission for inclusive filmmaking to Japan.