Episode 3: ‘Let it go’

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We are honoured to have the opportunity to learn from the oldest cultural storytellers in the world and seek to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners to share their rich culture and perspectives with children in Australia and around the world via stories on screen.

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Newcomer and fellow misfit, Violetta, becomes highly suspicious of Chester’s erratic behaviour as he struggles to maintain balance between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Fascinated by the many accidental deaths that have occurred at the park over the decades, Violetta visits it one night.

Task 1: Year 7 English

Remus, leader of the Fun Kids, expects everyone, including Chester, to follow his rules. In the following scene, we see an exchange between the two while Mapplethorpe watches from the sidelines.

Analyse the dialogue between Remus and Chester. Describe the power dynamic that exists between the two characters. How does this dynamic play out in the characters’ choice of words and body language? Reflect on Mapplethorpe. Where does he fit in this dynamic?

Definition:

Power dynamics: refers to the influence, control, or authority between individuals. The power dynamics of a relationship or interaction shapes:

how we behave in relation to other people
how decisions are made
how conflicts are resolved, and
how our overall interactions with others unfold.

AC9E7LA01: Year 7 English | Language: Language for interacting with others | Understand how language expresses and creates personal and social identities.

Task 2: Year 8 English

In the opening sequence of this episode, it’s the year 2005 and Fun Kids, Kevin and Siobhan, are about to meet their fate at Crazy Fun Park. Watch the following sequence then write an alternative opening to the episode, using the same characters.

AC9E8LY06: Year 8 English | Literacy: Creating texts | Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts, organising and expanding ideas, and selecting text structures, language features, literary devices and visual features for purposes and audiences in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical.

Task 3: Years 7 and 8 Media Arts

The Fun Kids are suspended in time, still dressed as they were when they died, giving the program’s costume, hair and make-up teams a chance to experiment. Director, Nicholas Verso, said, ‘The challenge of this show is that nearly all the characters have one look that has to immediately tell you everything about who they are.’

Choose one of the Fun Kids listed below to analyse. Identify the year of their death then describe their costume, hair, and makeup (search images online to help with this). Explain what these elements communicate to the audience about the character.

Research fashion from the year or decade your chosen character died in. Compile a digital mood board of popular clothing trends, hair and makeup styles from that year.

Fun Kids:

Remus (1979)
Nimrod (1984)
Destinee McPhail (1997)
Siobhan (2005)

AC9AMA8C01: Years 7 and 8 Media Arts | Creating and making | Design and structure media arts works to communicate ideas, perspectives and meaning for an intended audience.

Task 4: Years 7 and 8 Media Arts

Director, Nick Verso, created Crazy Fun Park with an intended audience in mind. Reflecting on the series or just this episode, who do you think the intended audience is? Describe the audience, considering their age, gender, level of education, nationality, and language.

Now reflect on Chester, Mapplethorpe, and Violetta. How does Nick Verso use acting, costume, dialogue, and composition to connect with the intended audience?

AC9AMA8C02: Years 7 and 8 Media Arts | Creating and making | Apply production processes and use media arts concepts to construct representations and produce media arts works that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning for specific audiences using responsible media practice.

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