We are building an inclusive and accessible online community.

In collaboration with facilitators like Elvin Lam, we are designing content for AUSLAN speakers. We are currently working on AUSLAN Ballet and Barre, and seeking funding to complete this series of six classes. We also outline below our plans for future AUSLAN content on FORME.

 

We recognise the need for a place where AUSLAN users can practise mindful movement and meditation, just like everyone else.

 
 

Elvin shares his experiences working with us, the importance of this project and why he is excited to be collaborating with FORME.

 

  • FORME has a Mission

    FORME is addressing a need of the time by making content usually reserved for a standard audience available for people of all abilities. 1 in 6 Australians are affected by hearing loss, and there are currently about 30,000 AUSLAN users in Australia. There are approximately 350,000 people in who are blind or living with low vision. 3 million Australians live with depression or anxiety, a number that has likely increased two fold with the pandemic. 1 in 5 people in Australia live with a disability.

    We are developing inclusive and accessible meditation and mindful movement classes hosted online, and are actively seeking teachers from all backgrounds, abilities, languages and cultures, and we are employing deaf teachers to facilitate in AUSLAN.

  • FORME is Inclusive

    We create high quality professional On Demand content with closed captions and translation, and film content in AUSLAN for the deaf community exclusively. We also offer Live classes with closed captions accessible directly on www.forme.yoga delivered through Zoom.

    Practices* currently include; AUSLAN Ballet + Barre, Yoga, Meditation, Pranayama , Yoga Nidra, Qigong, Chair Yoga, Sound Healing, Kundalini, Pilates and Barre

    *all available live on Zoom with closed captions

  • FORME is Accessible

    Our focus is on encouraging people to find time to rest in every day and we make this possible by offering a range of short classes, a variety of practices facilitated by relatable teachers for a very accessible price. We are looking to deliver these services primarily B2B to reach communities of people in need, and would like to partner with organisations to achieve this.

  • The FORME Team

    The FORME Team is lead by Co-Founders Wallis Murphy-Munn and Matthew Jenkins. With experience and expertise across the wellness industry and the film industry. Together their skill sets, their passion and dedication have enabled them to build a business in collaboration with exceptional teachers, through a pandemic. The future looks bright.

Why are we passionate about this project?

 

  1. We can create jobs for AUSLAN speakers and users empowering them to share what they love. We wish to address disparity. There are 2.1 million Australians of working age with disability. Of these, just under half were employed (47.8%), compared with 80.3% of people without disability.

  2. There is a need for more good quality AUSLAN content in the health and fitness industry that encompasses body and mind.

  3. We want to build inclusive communities. The global community has never been more disparate and separate because of the Pandemic, and because generally the AUSLAN community is segregated from the rest. This is an opportunity to learn from each other and practise together.

Why are we looking for funding?

  • We would like to continue to create AUSLAN content as a major feature on our platform.

  • We are seeking funding to complete the first series of AUSLAN content (Phase One).

  • We have outlined budgets for several stages of the project, and are dedicated to meeting deadlines to release a full body of content for the AUSLAN community in 2022.

Phase One

  • Completing 6 x AUSLAN classes with Elvin Lam

  • Deadline: 15th Jan 2022

  • Budget required: $3250

    • $550 to add Closed Captions to six videos

    • $1500 for professional VoiceOver artist and recording space

    • $1200 renumeration for Elvin’s contribution of 6 x classes (July 2020 - current)

 

Phase Two

  • Adding Closed Captions to all current content on www.forme.yoga

  • Deadline: February 2022

  • Budget required: $8,150

    • 4903 minutes @ $1.25 USD per minute by Rev.com Transcription Services

 

Phase Three

  • Filming + Editing future AUSLAN content with AUSLAN talent (film crew and facilitators)

  • Content to include: Yoga, Meditation, Pilates, Qigong, Tai Chi and other practices.

  • Deadline: June 2022

  • Budget required per day @ 5 days required;

    • Location Fees: $960 per day

    • Filming Services: $2000 per day

    • Filming Equipment: $1500

    • Post Production Services: $2000 per day

    • Photographer: $2000

    • Talent Fees: $750 per day

 

The future for FORME?

 

  1. Partnering with organisations like Expression Australia.

  2. Consistently employing AUSLAN users and members of the deaf community.

  3. Normalising AUSLAN and closed captions across content consumed by all, ultimately cultivating inclusivity in community.

  4. Maintaining an accessible price point of $12 for a subscription with FORME through funding for the creation of content.

Behind the scenes on our last shoot with Elvin.

 

Our Journey So Far

 

  1. CREATION: We collaborated with the AUSLAN user and dancer Elvin Lam to design a series of classes in his chosen practice, Ballet and Barre. We considered elements like structure, duration, pace and level. Given these classes are practiced On Demand with no capacity for instant feedback from the facilitator as someone is learning, we want to ensure every element of the class is accessible and inclusive. Elvin, Wallis and an interpreter prepared over ten ZOOM sessions through the pandemic before shooting the AUSLAN Ballet + Barre content in December 2020.

  2. FILMING: We invited the Elvin to film his content in half day blocks. He was joined by an interpreter to VoiceOver the filming. This voice will be replaced by a AUSLAN VoiceOver artist in the edit, and the transcript for the content will be produced for closed captions.

  3. EDITING: Once the rough cut was ready we shared the content with a select AUSLAN audience to receive feedback, and make any changes required. We discussed the necessity for picture in picture, adding closed captions, and professional VoiceOver.

  4. RELEASE: In the lead up to release we will look to engage with organisations like Expression Australia, we will create marketing and sales strategy, and then release the content onto the platform. Any one with a FORME subscription ($12/month) will be able to access this content and learn the practice.

Help us to create more AUSLAN content.

Matthew, co-founder and film maker

Wallis, co-founder and yoga teacher

We are passionate and dedicated to our crafts. We see immense value in this project, especially in post pandemic times. We look forward to working with you on Phase One, or on an ongoing basis through all phases of this project.

Recap

Phase 1 - $3250 - completion of Elvin’s content

Phase 2 - $8150 - adding closed captions to all FORME content.

Phase 3 - $5710 AUD per day, plus Photographer $2000 and Film Equipment $1500 - engaging new AUSLAN facilitators and filming our next round of AUSLAN content.