MAMA
‘MAMA’ is an award-winning mockumentary set in a drama school, centring on the shambolic professional life of new Principal, Olive Bady.
The pilot is set in a fictional Drama School, ‘MAMA’. Filmed in a mockumentary format, it depicts a ‘typical’ day at a conservatoire and introduces us to key members of staff and new Principal, Olive Bady.
Olive is on a mission to ensure the survival of this prestigious institution through the introduction of progressive teaching methods and financial restraint. We watch as Olive attempts to be all things to all people: friend, performer and ‘boss’ with entertaining results.
Training at LAMDA was remarkable. So remarkable in fact, that writing a TV mockumentary-style comedy about our time at drama school became almost effortless. Almost. With restrictions lifting, it was time for us to revisit an early script based on life at drama school - ‘MAMA’.
We had managed to save some funds through our success at the fringe festivals which enabled us to consider producing a pilot. When Brooklands College, Weybridge, offered their support, we had the perfect location for our mockumentary.
As young actors ourselves, with few contacts in the industry, we wanted to assemble a totally inclusive, diverse cast and crew consisting of actors we had met during training or through contacts, former students at Brooklands College and non-actors. Any supporting actors were given a named character so that they could use the film as a credit to help break into this industry – which is even harder to get into than drama school!
‘MAMA’ allows the viewer behind the scenes to discover that training to be an actor is not all ‘glitter’, but a career which takes the emotional availability of a child, and the skin of a rhinoceros. With characters ranging from the mildly bizarre to the dangerously odd, behind every door at ‘MAMA’, just like an advent calendar, there is a surprise… and no, it’s not chocolate.
‘MAMA’ was selected for the National Student Drama Festival (2022) receiving incredible feedback from the patrons. In December ‘MAMA’ was also selected for the ‘London Lift-Off Film Festival’ in association with Pinewood Studios. This month we found out that we had won the ‘Audience Choice Award’ which is a massive achievement for a first screenplay and pilot making ‘MAMA’ IMDB qualifying.
So, in the words of Principal, Olive Bady: “If acting is your hobby, we will make it your passion and, as we say here at ‘MAMA’, stand up, dress up, show up and remember, when all else fails, play dead!”
