Para table tennis 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. Over the next five years we will also follow the work the club does with people young and old, and hear from those who founded the BTTC.
The film will culminate in 2028, where we hope to see Bly win gold in the Paralympics.
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 now ranked 11 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 over the coming years we plan to document her rise 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.
Filming at the Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are an essential part of this story, and so being able to film at the games will make a massive difference in how impactful our documentary is. Although the games will be broadcast, we would love to have access to film the match ourselves so the footage is in keeping with the rest of the film. Matches won’t be filmed in full, instead we will be looking to showcase the intensity and scale of the tournament.
Capturing the emotion of the faces of the players, and the energy in the room, is vital in conveying the sense of occasion and breadth of the Paralympic Games. Years of training will have led to this moment, and so the footage needs to reflect the enormity of the occasion.
We can do this with only one person if required, and any access to the tournament that can be afforded to us will be greatly appreciated.
The final film
Once filming wraps in 2028, we will cut together a feature film, running at around two hours in length. 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.
The film will be released in 2029.
