BTTC Feature Documentary
SYNOPSIS
Brighton Table Tennis Club is a place for everyone, and within the club there are a wealth of players with stories to be told. Our film will follow Bly Twomey, a 13-year-old up and coming Paralympian, as she trains with her inspiration and coach, Paralympic champion Will Bayley.
In following Bly’s journey, we will also be telling the story of the club itself. As well as interview Will and Bly, we will interview founders of the club Tim Holtam and Wen Wei Xu, alongside other players from within the club
The film will conclude at the Paralympic Games in September 2024.
Early footage of Bly’s progress in table tennis
BLY’S STORY
Born with cerebral palsy, Bly has grown up with limited mobility in her right arm and leg. When growing up, Bly took part in a variety of sports, but it was when she found table tennis that she felt she had found her sport.
Bly has an innate understanding of the game, and a passion that shines through whenver she is on the table. Now, she is being coached by her inspiration, four-time Paralympian Will Bayley, and is ranked 5 in the world for her para class.
Before, Bly was teased at school for her disability, and generally found it difficult to fit in. Now, she has found confidence through a sport that she loves and a community that encourage her to be the best in the world.
Will coaching Bly
Why is this film important?
This is a rare opportunity to document an athlete from the very beginning of their career. Bly is already competing at the highest level, and this is an opportunity to capture her as she rises to the top.
Bly’s success so far can be credited to the unique environment provided by Brighton Table Tennis Club. The club’s community provides a support network that is unrivalled when compared to other clubs, and provides Bly with a space to belong and thrive. It is this coming together, of once in a generation talent and grassroots sporting initiative, that is central to the film’s message: talent can be nurtured wherever there is access to opportunity.
Budget
Producing a feature film is an immense undertaking, and will require a lot of time and energy in the leadup to the Paralympic Games.
Furthermore, there are various audio/visual collaborators that will need to be brought on board in the final stages of the project.
With this in mind, we are looking to raise £35,000 to make this film reach its full potential.
The final film
Originally we had intended to document Bly’s story until the Paralympic Games in 2028, but as Bly has improved faster than anyone could have imagined, we are fast tracking the film to 2024. Having recently beaten the World Number 3, Bly has a very good chance of success in Paris.
The finished film will be 90 minutes long, and we have been invited to Premiere the film at the Duke of York’s as a part of the CineCity Brighton Film Festival in November 2024.
If not already in place by then, we will look to acquire a distributor and get the film released in cinemas, thus making it eligible for BAFTA, BIFA, and Academy Awards submissions.
