A female-driven deaf drama written and directed by Catya Neilson and made in collaboration with other deaf students at the European Media School, formerly the North East Media Training Centre (NEMTC). Although produced two years before it, the film does has similarities to hit 90’s television series ‘This Life’ and follows the lives of four young women who live together in Gateshead house share and their friendship with two young men. Over the course of this thirty-minute film it could be...

A female-driven deaf drama written and directed by Catya Neilson and made in collaboration with other deaf students at the European Media School, formerly the North East Media Training Centre (NEMTC). Although produced two years before it, the film does has similarities to hit 90’s television series ‘This Life’ and follows the lives of four young women who live together in Gateshead house share and their friendship with two young men. Over the course of this thirty-minute film it could be argued not a lot happens as they spend their time talking about life, love and the philosophy of the colour blue. Title: Reality Sandwich In the bedroom of a shared student house in Gateshead Poppy and Jenny sit on a bed with Jenny smoking a cigarette much to the annoyance of her friend. Their other housemates Angela and Loo join them on the bed and Poppy asks her friends about the philosophy of the colour blue. Outside Paul walks over to friend Ben who is working on a nearby car. Back inside Loo sits at the kitchen table playing Patience, Poppy comes in and ask her friend if she would like a cup of tea. As they wait for the kettle to boil, they chat about having children. Jenny appears at the kitchen door and beckons them outside where Angela is already standing. All four housemates laugh at Ben who is now covered in red paint. He asks to come inside; Poppy agrees but only if he takes off his clothes. Her housemates nod and smile lewdly in agreement. Wearing only a towel Ben sits on the sofa watching the football on television, Paul sits nearby in an armchair. Jenny comes into the living room, takes a seat beside Ben and rubs his thigh as they chat amongst themselves. Poppy comes into the room throwing Bens now clean and dry clothes at him before sitting in the armrest of Pauls chair. She tried to talk to Paul about graduation, but he is to fixated on the football. Angela comes into the room and asks Jenny where her silk cream blouse is? With Jenny saying she doesn’t know Angela leaves. Poppy is critical of Jenny’s attitude towards Angela, they argue. As the argument continues Ben leaves to get dressed before returning and leaving the house with Paul. Jenny, Poppy and Loo come down a set of steps and walk along a path beside the Gateshead Quayside joining friends sitting on the ground near to the Redheugh Bridge. Everyone is drinking cans larger or wine from bottles, amongst the group are Ben and Paul with Ben getting to his feet and speaking with the group about holding a beach party at South Shields. Everyone thinks it’s a good idea. As dusk falls the group party happily. Ben walks down to Poppy who is standing beside the water looking contemplative out onto the River Tyne. When she tries to start a serious conversation on the philosophy of the colour blue, the now drunk Paul comes over and jumps on them both. Being helped away by Jenny, the two get back to their discussion. Angela comes over to Jenny throwing the now ruined blouse at her, the two argue about the garment and Angela’s perceived ‘Daddy’ issues. Loo comes over and tells Angela she is standing in someone’s vomit. She becomes angry that her shoes are ruined, Poppy and Ben laugh at their friends as a Tyne and Wear Metro train crosses the Redheugh Bridge. The next day Ben and Paul sit in the girl’s living room both with hangovers. Loo comes into the room with a smile offering the boys mugs of tea or coffee. Angela comes in and kicks the chair Paul is sitting in to get his attention. She picks up some magazines and leaves. Poppy stands in the doorway also looking hung-over and gets angry with Ben for apparently reading her diary. Poppy and Loo leave and Ben and Paul chat about their feelings. Outside Ben and Paul stand at a bus stop, as they wait for a bus Paul talks about not being able to talk to women, Ben provides some advice. In the kitchen Jenny drinks a glass of water as Loo come in and gets something from the fridge. As she leaves Angela appears wearing a towel around her hair and also gets a glass of water. Jenny expresses concern about Loo which Angela dismisses, they argue about the post and a letter Angela is expecting from her father. Poppy appears and breaks the two up, she wants to know more about the beach party. Returning to her room Angela sits on her bed removing the towel from her head. Jenny appears briefly to throw a letter at her. Angela opens and begins to read the letter, but soon becomes distressed falling into her pillow in tears. Ben and Paul walk through Saltwell Park carrying bags of shopping, behind them Jenny also carrying a bag. Paul asks his friend where he was last night, but Ben refused to say, and Paul walks away. Loo sits on the bathroom floor looking at photographs laid out around her. Downstairs in the kitchen Ben and Jenny place their shopping on the table next to Poppy who is reading a magazine. Again, she expresses concerns of Loo to which Jenny, like Angela, dismisses. Poppy and Ben have an argument about feminism and about Poppy’s perceived mothering of her housemates. As the argument heats up Poppy pushes Ben against the wall, he tries to kiss her which causes her to slap him. As Ben and Poppy argue, Angela returns home parking her car outside, in the living room she sits on the sofa flicking through a magazine. Ben leaves with both Poppy and Jenny chasing after him. As they talk about the situation Angela leaps down the stairs and shows her friends a note indicating that Loo maybe contemplating suicide. They all race upstairs and break into the locked bathroom door to find Loo in a distressed state, they take her downstairs. Ben returns home and finds Paul sitting on the front step, he explains to his friend where he was the other night. Paul apologies for lashing out at his friend, the two talk about their differences growing up. Excitedly Loo comes into the kitchen looking for food in the fridge, Poppy confronts her about her suicide attempt with both Jenny and Angela watching from the doorway. In the living room Loo talks about the abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of her grandfather and how those around her didn’t believe her. All the women talk about their relationships with their parents, the good and the bad. At the end of the discussion Jenny sums up their situations by saying that everybody needs to eat a ‘reality sandwich’. On the beach believed near Blackhall Rock in County Durham Poppy sits separately from her housemates and friends drinking a can of cider. The other also drink cans of lager and cider as they chat happily. Ben gets up and comes to sit with Loo saying that Jenny had told him about what has happened to her, he wants to know if she is okay. ‘I’m fine’ she explains, before pointing out to him where Poppy is sitting. Ben gets up and goes to sit next to Poppy, they talk about their relationship and their feeling for one another. With their discussion coming to an end and them deciding to become friends Ben picks Poppy up and drops her into the sea. The two begin to splash about happily. Jenny seeing her friends having fun in the water get up along with the rest of the group to join them in the surf. The film ends with everyone splashing about happily in the sea. Credit: Cast Poppy Maskell, Kristy Cooper Jenny Lowe, Amy Ebdon Angela Muir, Emily Bell Loo James, Tracey Atkins Ben Hawke, David Robinson Paul Rees, Matthew Smith Girl at Bus Stop, Diane Lawes Boy at Bus Stop, Garry Tague Party Friends: Annie Brotherton, Ian Carpenter, Diane Lawes, Ranjit Singh, Catya Neilson, Rachael Hayes Cars Featured: Iain Well’s car, Darren Valentine’s car Fleetingly Seen Cat, Rainbow Crew Director (Alias Nervous Wreck) Catya Neilson Camera Iain Wells Production Manager Diane Lawes P.A. Garry Tague Lighting Darren Valentine Sound Operator Ian Carpenter Life Saving Runner Rachael Hayes Props Hawaii Five-o-crew Editor Iain Wells Editing Godfather Jes Benstock Sound Dub David Maughan Subtitler Garry Tague Administration Alison Jelf Purse Holder Jane Little Script Editor Peter Dillon Script Writer Catya Neilson Supervisor Alan Mardsen Committee Board Royston, Alison Jelf, Peter Dillon, Alan Mardsen Interpreters Annie Brotherton, Robbie Grieve, Pauline Coldwell, Vicki Title: Locations Rectory Road Gateshead, Ripon Street Gateshead, Quayside Gateshead, Saltwell Park Gateshead, Seaton Burn Beach, Seaton Burn Music: ‘Porch’ – Pearl Jam (Epic), ‘Alive’ – Pearl Jam (Epic), ‘Teenage Riot’ – Sonic Youth, ‘Birth’ – Coldcut, ‘A Small Victory’ – Faith No More, ‘Dolphin’ – Shed Seven Facilities: Stonehill Studios, Pelaw, Gateshead End title: E.M.S. European Media School