Acting on Impulse is a charity working with homeless and socially excluded people, with the aim of giving them a voice through film and theatre. Many Mustard Tree clients have taken part in their productions and go to their fortnightly Sunday acting workshops, held at Mustard Tree on Sundays. So far the charity has produced 3 short films and 2 stage plays but this is their first venture into the world of music videos. Lauren Pouchly (founder and creative director of Acting on Impulse and producer of Street Life): ‘ Music videos give you the chance to entertain with fast-moving action, quirky characters and catchy rap, while at the same time packing a punch. We want people to see that behind every homeless or socially excluded person there is a story, and that story is worth listening to and thinking about. This is a huge achievement by our guys and we’re incredibly proud of them.’
‘Street Life’ is professionally produced and directed yet most of the actors have at some time been homeless. It was premièred at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Manchester on 14th June, where over 200 guests watched the actors give a confident and riveting live performance prior to the screening and online launch.
‘Street Life’ stars Mustard Tree volunteers Nicholas and Kaite and Mustard Tree drama group members Martin, Kaite, Dave, and Ivan and follows a group of humorous yet hard hitting characters from the streets as they paint a quirky picture of what life is really like on the margins. The difference is, the actors have been there, this is their story, their achievement, despite all that life has thrown at them. The video is their voice, their chance to change public perception about homeless and marginalized people in a moving yet entertaining way. At a time when night shelters are being closed and sleeping bags swept off the street, this is the time to listen to the genuine voice of the people behind the stories.
For more information on Acting on Impulse, please visit their website, facebook or twitter page.
