“Stevie” animation is now online
‘Stevie is about a little boy. He was made by a group of young fellas. He is a reflection of what we see, growing up in our local community, with lots of fiction added in. Everyone wants a better life. We wanted a better life for Stevie. In this story, Stevie goes from being a nobody, to being somebody.’
Written by Rialto Youth Project young men’s group:
David Ring, Craig Hamilton, Dylan Farrell and Eoghan O’ Neill with artist & writer Fiona Whelan.
Youth work support from Michael Byrne and Thomas Dolan.
Animation by Paper Panther Productions
Sound Design by Denis Clohessy.
Directed by Fiona Whelan.
© Fiona Whelan and Rialto Youth Project, 2020
Stevie was the first boy created through the Boys in the Making programme, a strand of What Does He Need? developed by Fiona Whelan and Rialto Youth Project. The programme brings together groups to co-create a boy and explore his needs and experiences as he interacts with the world around him. The groups take collective responsibility for naming their boy and guiding him through life, exploring how he is shaped by and influences the world he lives in. The methodology of this programme is now being piloted in a number of different contexts in Dublin.
In 2021, Stevie was previewed in a series of online screenings, then premiered at the Louth International film festival, and this year has been shown at a number of events including the Mother Tongues festival and the Canal Communities ‘Voices from the Community film festival. The animation has now been released online on the What Does He Need? website.
https://www.whatdoesheneed.com/stevie
Stevie was funded by the National Youth Council of Ireland – Artist in Youth Work Residency Award, and as part of an Arts Council Ireland Participation Project Award in 2019.
What Does He Need? is a project of Fiona Whelan, Brokentalkers and Rialto Youth Project.