The making of a monster: Monster Monologues

This week we are proud to introduce seven remarkable original films scripted by young writers from Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney

“Do you really need to eat so unhealthily, when there are idle sources of protein just hanging about, causing trouble?”

Monster Monologues was a collaboration between students and teachers from the school, the Ministry of Stories and a set of fantastically talented professional directors, film-makers and make-up artists who stepped up to turn the writers’ scripts into short films.

Each of the film features a misunderstood monster including a very respectable middle class vampire mum, a witch entering Master Chef, a teenage werewolf vlogger and a glamorous international model who also happens to be Medusa – what could possibly go wrong there?

The writing process had been guided over the past nine months by long-term Ministry facilitator, Gem Ahmet, working closely with Emma Joliffe, our Creative Learning Manager and, as usual, a small and hugely committed bunch of our volunteer writing mentors.

The finished scripts were then handed on to the seriously impressed directors and crews to respond to their fresh and original writing.  In particular, we saluted the seven actors who responded brilliantly to some tricky creative challenges from hanging upside down to deliver their whole monologue to guarding a small paddling pool!

When asked about their experience of the project, one young writer responded that: “… it was a fun opportunity to learn something new. If the opportunity came again, I’d run at it with open arms…”

Overall with this project, we set out to prove that young people are actually funnier writers than adults.  From the audience reactions at the premiere, held at Hackney Picturehouse, we think the adults in the room knew when they were beaten.