Behind the Scenes: Stone Soup It's My Shout: Short Films from Wales

Cardiff Bay is the most culturally diverse area in Wales.

It was a perfect location for It's My Shout to base their film, Stone Soup.

It was filmed in Grangetown, Butetown and Riverside

and the BBC Drama Studios.

Ex-Welsh international footballer Nathan Blake has helped

It's My Shout find talent in the area.

There are 19 nationalities involved in the film

and he went to meet some of the crew to see why the sense of community

in the Bay is still so strong.

I love our community because I think they're so integrated

and everyone's always looking after each other.

Everyone's, you know, I think people say, you know, everyone's

always up in everyone's business but I don't think that's the case.

I think it's... Everyone's really helpful, friendly.

It's a lovely community, yeah.

Stone Soup, in a sense,

celebrates the strength of the community in Cardiff Bay.

Community is very important. I think it brings everyone together.

Sometimes you don't know the people in your community

and I think if you work with the community,

meet your community, you get to know your community and everyone

knows each other and you could help each other out, I suppose.

Lead actor Anthony Corria works at the Roath Lock Studios

and has lived in the Bay for most of his life.

He sees similarities between his own community and the climax of the film.

And it becomes a celebration of basically neighbours

coming to celebrate one thing that's being created for them

all to become closer

and appreciate and respect each other.

The It's My Shout team held workshops in the area for two months.

More than 100 people turned up for a pilot episode.

They then had to be cast in roles as supporting actors or in

important jobs behind the camera, where they would receive tuition.

Nathan spoke to a trainee runner,

who had been there throughout this process.

I'm Zimbabwean-born, but I was Welsh-raised.

I came to the country about, yeah, about 15 years ago.

I am involved with the community.

But this project has kind of, in a way,

ripped out the middleman and it's just...

Galvanised what you want to do.

Yeah, and it's just like boom! I'm straight in there today.

I've learned so much since this whole programme started.

-Mmm.

-I've met directors, I've met actors, actresses.

-I feel like I want it even more now.

-Even more, yeah, yeah, yeah.

-I feel like I want even more.

-You can taste it.

-Yeah.

I can smell it.

It's My Shout also went out to some local events,

like the Grangetown fete.

This is where they found their leading actress.

-How have you enjoyed your experience so far?

-Really, really good.

-I love it.

-Yeah?

-It's amazing.

-So is this the first time you've ever acted?

-Yeah.

Yeah?

-And how old's young Aaliyah?

-Oh, 12.

-Yeah?

-Just turned 12.

And does she harbour ambitions to be an actress?

She'd never really thought about it, but is always doing movie stars

and videos on her iPad, and just absolutely loves the camera.

-Just a typical teenager.

-Yeah.

And how did you get involved with It's My Shout?

Um, I was in the fete doing my karate demonstration to raise

money to go to places around the world.

-She does karate for Karate Wales...

-OK.

-..and travels round doing international competitions.

-OK.

So she's used to being under pressure.

And Naiomi saw me doing it and she asked my mum if I liked drama.

-M'hm.

-And she said, "Come to the auditions on Friday".

So then I went and that's how I got the part.

And the rest is history!

After making Stone Soup,

the Bay community are eager to build on their film-making experience.