Netflix Documentary Talent Fund With Caroline Williamson And Troi Lee
The Netflix Documentary Talent Fund is an initiative to support emerging filmmakers in the UK and Ireland. On the 31st January Netflix released five short films as part of the scheme. The filmmakers from across the UK, received £30,000 in financing to create their own documentary short film, on the theme of “connection.”
The fund was created in 2020 to break down barriers of access for emerging filmmakers. The filmmakers and their films were Anna Snowball & Abolfazl Talooni – IRANIAN YELLOW PAGES, Anna Rodgers & Zlata Filipovic – TWO MOTHERS, Caroline Williamson & Troi Lee – TURN UP THE BASS, Logan Rea & Krishna Istha – SPERM DONORS WANTED! and Olivia Smart – BLACK STROKE.
We wanted to know more about the fund and films so we are privileged to speak to Caroline Williamson and Troi Lee of TURN UP THE BASS.
The film by the duo is about the inspirational story of Troi Lee, a deaf DJ, founder of “deaf rave” and pioneer of the UK’s deaf music scene. Troi and his team of deaf producers, DJs, MCs, sign singers and dancers will turn up the bass as they celebrate 20 years of deaf raving. Read on for our interview with Caroline and Troi.
CAROLINE WILLIAMSON AND TROI LEE
1. Can you tell us about yourselves?
Caroline Williamson, Executive Producer: My background is in Documentaries – from people-led stories to natural history, I’ve made films for Netflix, BBC, Nat Geo and many other streaming platforms and broadcasters. As a filmmaker, I’m always looking for stories that inspire, challenge perception and have compelling character at their core. Hence Troi’s story captured my attention.
Troi: My name is Troi Lee aka DJ Chinaman, the founder and CEO of Deaf Rave, I have been organising events, parties and festivals specially aimed at the deaf community in the UK, it’s been an absolutely incredible journey. I was born in London and grew up in Hackney, I have a twin brother who plays in a rock band, musically I grew up with older cousins who were professional DJ’s and MC’s so I was very fortunate to come from such a musical place, especially in Hackney in such a diverse community, I love hip-hop, reggae, drum ‘n’ bass and so on. I am profoundly deaf, I wear two hearing aids in both ears, I am very lucky thanks to my Mum who was my speech therapist and made sure I practiced speech for hours every day as she was concerned about how I would communicate growing up which I didn’t fully understand at the time but now I know how vital that was and it’s all thanks to her. I have a very mixed background, I’m English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Guyanese which is such a big advantage as I can embrace so many cultures and their music.
2. Thank you for that, could you share the background story to getting involved with the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund?
Caroline: I heard about the Netflix Documentary Fund theme “on connection” and instantly knew Troi’s story would be the perfect fit. I made a short film about Troi about 15 years ago for NHK Japan, back when he was putting on parties and events in Hackney. I’d stayed in touch with him over social media and watched his incredible career take off as he performed at Glastonbury, was invited to no.10 Downing Street and put on events all over the world. When I reached out to Troi again to talk to him about the Netflix Documentary Fund he told me he was soon to put on a 20 year anniversary event – so we had the perfect end point for the film. He also had a wealth of rich archive footage from the last two decades which we used to tell his backstory.
Troi: It was so great to hear from Caroline, she approached me last year and asked if I would be interested in the talent fund, I said “Yeah OK”, it was such a long time since I’d seen Caroline, it had been 15 years since I’d seen her when we did a much shorter documentary but it was just amazing how the wheel of life connects for Caroline and I to come back together again. We applied to Netflix, pitched the fund and I knew instantly it would be successful because the story is one the mainstream public isn’t really aware of Deaf Rave and what we do, it’s so unique so I was confident it would be a winner! From then, we won it and I knew it was perfect timing as the 20 year anniversary of Deaf Rave was coming up so I knew this would be the icing on the cake!
3. Tell us about your film. The story behind it is incredible. Can you give us a little insight into what you were trying to accomplish with this film?
Caroline: The film, Turn Up The Bass, is about the life and legacy of Troi Lee, a deaf DJ from Hackney, London. Troi started putting on events to give deaf people a place to connect and party. I think hearing people are always surprised that deaf people can in fact enjoy music – the film sets out to dispel this “myth” as Troi calls it and show how deaf people connect to music through bass, vibrations and visual effects. Troi’s story is incredibly inspiring as he’s spent 20 years carving out a deaf music scene where there wasn’t one before. He’s a trailblazer and has paved the way for other deaf djs, sign singers, rappers and producers.
Troi: It’s showing the world what Deaf Rave is about, we have been putting on parties, events and festivals for the longest while. I’ve created a spectrum of different deaf talents, this is what I want to see from the deaf community to inspire younger people to show that deaf people love music, creating music and performing music. Deaf DJ’s, Music producers, sign language rappers, dancers. It will be a really cool thing to show the world what Deaf Rave is really about, the 20 year anniversary is the perfect pinnacle moment to show everyone that this is what we do. What was really vital is that it was a deaf led project, previously it was always hearing people who would be interviewing me but I’ve never had deaf people interviewing me and there was only one person to do that job, Ted Evans who I went to school with and we have the same circles of friends, he’s also from Hackney, he’s such a humble, cool guy. I knew he was the man for the job, to tell this unique story so I was so pleased Caroline and Netflix were able to make this happen.
4. What would you say is your takeaway from making it?
Caroline: The film is pretty unique in that it’s deaf led – our Director, Ted Evans, and assistant director, Sam Arnold, are both deaf so had a personal connection and understanding of the story and Troi himself.
Troi: Overall, what’s important is to show the viewers that deaf people can enjoy music, breaking down the myth that they can’t. There are lots of varieties of deafness and a variety of ways deaf people can experience the music and feel it. This is especially important in the bass, boost it up! What’s really important is showing the deaf performers and deaf talent as it’s not just me, it’s about the whole team.
5. Anything else that you want our readers to know?
Caroline: We’re hoping the film will create more opportunity in the entertainment industry for deaf and disabled people.
Troi: Netflix have elevated deaf awareness and deaf culture into the mainstream, showing our wonderful deaf creatives and deaf talents especially in music. I hope it can inspire both hearing and deaf people, people over the world seeing it and thinking “If they can do it, I can do it”.
Read more about the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund here. The films can be watched on the ‘Still Watching’ Netflix channel on Youtube here.