Arsenal's shooting stars pass screen test on the realities of inner-city life

When it comes to film locations, London is often top of the list for many movie makers.

Hollywood regularly comes to the capital to shoot their latest production before launching it with a premiere in Leicester Square. However, last April a film was shot in four days in Islington that initially slipped under the radar.

Drawn Out is the product of Arsenal in the Community who, partnered by mentoring scheme Ambitious Academy and film-making charity Fully Focused, set about an ambitious project of allowing 15 young people from the Elthorne Estate in the borough to write, act and shoot their own film.

It was an idea that started on the side of a football pitch during one of the club’s Premier League Kicks sessions, which Arsenal in the Community have been running for 12 years in Elthorne Park.

“I can literally remember it,” says Jack Ironside, who has been working with Arsenal in the Community for over a decade.

“I knew one of the boys was starting to make music, so I asked: ‘How’s it all going?’ And he said he wanted to get into film. So I said let’s have a little think about that. And that is what happened, it was very informal.”

What started as a chat came to life over the next 10 months. That is typical of the programme, though, as in reality it is not about football but community and bringing people together. As Ironside puts it: “It is a youth club on a football pitch.”

After a group of 15 had expressed their passion for film, Ironside began coordinating with others to lay on workshops. Fully Focused and Ambitious Academy came on board as partners while funding was secured from Islington Council, Elthorne Pride and Islington Giving.

Workshops ran from September 2017 to April 2018 as industry experts helped the participants, whose ages range from 14 to 24, put their experiences to paper. They wanted to give a true insight into what life in inner-city London is like and the film gave them that platform.

“They were talking about how they had seen the documentary Gangland, which they felt wasn’t an accurate portrayal of at least their experience of inner-city London,” says Ironside.

“They wanted to challenge that and come up with something more, highlighting the challenges young people go through. What makes this film unique is how it was made. It’s authentic, genuine and powerful.”

Community Project of the Year nominees

Drawn Out (Arsenal in the Community)

Ambassadors Project (Brentford FC Community Sports Trust)

Say No to Anti-Semitism (Chelsea Foundation)

Awards night: February 28, Battersea Evolution

Professional actors such as Ashley Walters came onboard to help, while Fully Focused was also able to ensure a high level of production was achieved.

But most crucial of all are the messages the film touches on and brings to light. Youth violence, crime, domestic violence and violence against women are all portrayed — but in a realistic way.

Its success has been unbelievable. The film premiered at Regent Street Cinema in August last year and it had to be screened back to back as too many people turned up, while on YouTube it has just under 2.5million views.

From the 15 participants who helped make the film, three are now undertaking casual work with Arsenal in the Community. Five have appeared in other short films, while another has enrolled in drama school.

However, perhaps the biggest benefit from the film is the stigma it has broken around inner-city estates. Of all the words Ironside could use to describe Elthorne, “talented” is the one he goes for. Give young people a chance to shine and they will take it.

The film may be finished but the work is not. The programme, which has been nominated for Community Project of the Year at the London Football Awards, is now cooperating with Islington Council and Solace Women’s Aid.

The hope is that Drawn Out can became an educational resource and participants from the film can help design and facilitate workshops on the issues it brings to life. And who knows, maybe even a sequel?

“We’ll see,” says Ironside. “There is still quite a bit of this journey to go first.”

Toscafund Asset Management LLP is a proud sponsor of the London Football Awards. Founded in 2000, Toscafund has grown to become a leading multiasset manager. It is based in London with additional offices in Manchester and Greenwich, Connecticut. Go to www.toscafund.com