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A new campaign video that aims to debunk voter confusion around the Voice referendum using a combination of humour and home truths has struck a chord with younger Australians on social media and has been shared by Hollywood stars Taika Waititi and Jason Momoa.
Written by and starring The Feed comedians Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst and rapper Adam Briggs, the short video sees the trio sitting at a pub, chatting over a beer. Their conversation is about many of the common arguments against the Voice referendum -“It doesn’t go far enough” or “it goes too far” – and was inspired by real conversations those involved have had.
Directed by Australian filmmaker Nash Edgerton, the video is very different from the official advertisements used by the Yes and the No campaigns, and since launching on Thursday has spread rapidly on social media.
Screen grab from Far Enough featuring Adam Briggs, Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst. Credit: YouTube
Owen and Zerbst are best known for their comedy work on SBS’s The Feed and Edgerton comes from Blue-tongue Films, the production house behind Animal Kingdom and Boy Erased.
The video is the brainchild of Indigenous musician and writer Briggs, who called Edgerton to ask if he would be up for making a short film to counter some of the common concerns about the referendum. Edgerton in turn suggested Owen and Zerbst.
The video wasn’t commissioned by the Yes campaign and no one was paid for their work. Shot in half a day and cut it in less than a week, it was turned around quickly.
From the early stages all the creatives involved agreed humour was the way to cut through. Owen says the piece was inspired by the conversations the four had been hearing for months.
“[Briggs is] having all these conversations with all different demographics,” she says. “He really helped with trying to make this video answer the questions that are across all different generations. The thing about the misinformation that’s been so sad in [the leadup to] this referendum is it has infected young people in a way that I, personally, have never seen before.
“Our algorithms were getting a lot of No videos. That helped mobilise all of us to want to do something.”
Edgerton agrees: “It’s based on the kind of conversations people are actually having. We wanted it to be truthful and playful. It seems like there is a lot of confusion out there, but it really is about an advisory board and First Nations people being able to give advice.”
“It seems like there is a lot of misinformation out there, we just wanted people to actually understand what the Voice actually is. That’s why [Owen and Zerbst] actually read out the [proposal].”
Briggs says he hopes it will get people talking, in their kitchens and lounge rooms and in pubs and bars. “I feel like the No campaign has been deliberately nasty and divisive by saying it’s going to cause division,” he says. “And the Yes campaign has been nothing but optimism, talking about hope and unity. This whole thing of ‘It’s going to divide us is’ is defended by the question, ‘How?’ How can it divide us if we’re talking about unity and the integrity of the country?”
He says the team who made the three-and-a-half-minute clip is brilliant. “I can’t stress enough how much I just walked in on the day, the other guys really bought it together. Nash and his team went above and beyond, and the girls are just so fantastic, Vic and Jenna, they are awesome.”
For Edgerton, the referendum proposal is a no-brainer. “Let’s do this and show First Nations people that we give a shit. We’re all in this together, this is for everyone. I hope it inspires more people to spread the word and to have conversations. And vote yes.”
Briggs says his approach is usually a bit more combative so people might be surprised by what they see. His main hope is that anyone who sees the video will take time read the proposal. “If the video strikes a note with you, the information is there if you want it, and it’s not that hard, it’s not that far way; it’s right next to your Uber Eats app. It’s accessible.”
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