"Kicks": Leicester's teenage docu-soap
Posted by xxrosannaxx on Wed, 17 Jun 2009.
"Kicks"
A new docu-soap has been launched online to tackle issues surrounding sex and relationships. The six-part drama was shot in the city and stars some Leicester actors from "Urban Young Actors", which not only provided 3 of the main actors, but a whole group of extras for the party scene as well.
The soap is the second part of the campaign started with the video of a girl giving birth on a school playing field, and it is hoped that by making the films available via the internet, their messages will reach a wide range of young people.
To watch the episodes, click below...
Interview with Ravel Lumba and Lewis Meagor
Rosanna: So what's this film that you've been in? Tell me a bit about it...
Rav: It's kind of like an online, gritty version of Skins, basically.
Lewis: But it's a Leicester version.
Rav: Yeah, it's a Leicester's version.
Rosanna: So what's it about?
Rav: Sex, drugs, alcohol... all the usual teenage topics.
Rosanna: What's the point of it though? It's not just entertaining like Skins
Rav: It's to get a point across, to teenagers, 'cause Leicester has the biggest amount of teenage pregnancies.
Lewis: Basically it's about STIs, and there's a main character called Nathan and a main character called Becky... Becky wants to lose her virginity by 16, and Nathan goes around trying to get with as many girls as he can. And in the end...which I'm not gonna reveal, 'cause I want people to watch it.
Rav: Erm, what else, what else? So yeah, the themes are just basically, teenage pregnancy, STIs, what can happen, to use protection and all that stuff.
Rosanna: And what characters do you two play? Tell me a bit about them...
Lewis: My character's called Lewis and I play for the Leicester City youth team, and basically, hang around with this guy, and all the mates.
Rav: I play a guy called Jack, and he's obsessed with girls, but at the same time he respects them, do you know what I mean? But you see with Nathan, he just doesn't respect them- it's just head on. Jack respects them and appreciates if they don't want sex, if they want sex.
Rosanna: So what was the filming schedule like, and how did you fit that in around other things like your studies?
Rav: We would generally film at weekends but we also filmed in our week off over half term.
Rosanna: And where did they get the other cast from, as well as "Urban young actors"?
Lewis: Well they got it from around the country didn't they?
Rav: You would have thought 'cause it revolves around Leicester, it would have had Leicester actors, but it didn't.
Rosanna: Yeah, did they have some from Birmingham? 'Cause two of the girls sounded like they were from there...
Lewis: Yeah Dudley and two of the girls were from Birmingham.
Rav: Piers, he was from London.
Rosanna: And did you all get on and have a laugh on set?
Rav: Oh yeah, definitely.
Lewis: Definitely.
Rav: And there are talks of a possible follow on series down in London.
Rosanna: Awesome, so it's gonna create further opportunities for you?
Both: Definitely.
Lewis: Plus, we're knowing more people now, like we know the casting director, the director who's worked at Hollyoaks.
Rav: Yeah so she sent all our CVs off to Hollyoaks and all that and yeah, they're cool people. We went out for dinner as well...
Lewis: ... a couple of times.
Rav: Yeah we did, it was nice.
Rosanna: So is it giving you a taste of an actor's life then, and you want more?
Lewis: Yeah 100%.Rav: Yeah, and I've finished school now, I've just finished all my GCSEs.
Rosanna: What're you doing next? College?
Rav: Yeah I'm going Leicester College to do Performing Arts... and we'll see what happens.
Rosanna: Well, good luck for the future both of you then and thanks very much for your time.
To find out more about Rav and Lewis' drama group: http://www.urbanyoungactors.com/