First deaf led video podcast Shaping Tomorrow launches

Shaping Tomorrow, the brand-new, deaf-led video podcast created with a 90% deaf production team, launches today.

UK social enterprise Hear Art, co-founded by Cindy Sasha and Academy Award winner Rachel Shenton, has launched the podcast on its YouTube Chanel.

The series, announced last July, embraces British Sign Language and is the first deaf video podcast to focus on the careers of deaf professionals in the creative, sports and entertainment industries while unearthing the challenges they have faced along the way and how things have changed over time.

The first of the four-episode series features designer and entrepreneur Wayne Hemingway MBE. He has an open and honest conversation with deaf architect Christopher Laing discussing their comparative experiences and journeys through the same industry.

Christopher speaks of the limitations faced by deaf architects and founding the DAF (Deaf Architecture Front) and its support for young people looking to follow in his footsteps: “When I’m fighting and advocating for people, I’m just imagining a deaf person needing that support from someone that has the knowledge to help them so they can switch off and focus on what they need to do for their education.”

Episode two sees make-up artist Caroline Barnes sit down with deaf make-up artist Nicky Weir to chat about how Nicky being profoundly deaf yet incredibly visual helped her on her journey, she also discusses how ruthless the makeup world can be for deaf people, and what improvements can be made: “When I started out people would laugh at the way I speak and tell me ‘Nicky, get that phone’ knowing that I can’t because I won’t be able to hear.

“I think people just need to be more supportive, have a bit of understanding, encourage us to actually get into the industry, and be welcomed into the industry. I want to pass the baton on to those who really want to do this, without the hurdles.”

In episode three, deaf mountaineer Michael Woods chats to adventurer and solo expeditionist James Aiken about the obstacles he is facing in achieving his dream of climbing Mount Everest.

He discusses the hardship of navigation during mountain climbing when you need to sign BSL in foggy conditions or read it with a headlight in your face, or to call 999 in case of an emergency: “I want to stand on top of the world and show deaf people that I can do it, and you can do it too – the same as me. And that’s motivation for me.

“It’s not something everyone can do either. You have to be prepared for it, it takes years, it’s not something you decide to do on the same day, it needs training.”

Episode four sees actress Maxine Peake speak to deaf actress Sophie Stone how she was always told that she won’t be able to make a living as a deaf actor, how she was always given the subdued roles and deaf characters, whilst she longed to have roles full of life.

She chats about learning how to speak for different roles, the doubts she had in herself, and the fact that she has to work twice as hard as her peers: “I wanted to play hearing roles, scripts that didn’t necessarily have a deaf storyline, characters that fall in love, have an amazing sex life, or gun down loads of people, hold up a bank or whatever.

“I was never given those roles. I was given the vulnerable, sad, the pathetic, the lonely, the weak woman. I was fed up with that. I was given the subserving roles, the roles to be pitied and I was really frustrated throughout that time.”

Sam Arnold, who was recently a producer on the award-winning film Name Me Lawand, directs series one of Shaping Tomorrow, bringing together a talented deaf crew, he says: “I know that many talented deaf voices have been neglected or overlooked by all industries.

“Cindy at Hear Art and I shared the same vision to create a platform for them. As a deaf director, I am passionate about enhancing the video podcast experience to immerse deaf and hearing viewers.

“It is particularly important for deaf viewers who are disadvantaged and unable to access many podcasts that are audio only or end up watching unengaging shots of two people talking.”

The first episode is available exclusively on YouTube, with the rest to be released every two weeks, and each episode will follow on Spotify, Audible and Apple Podcasts at the beginning of November.