Just over a year ago, Jobe Adams was a teenager living in the Aboriginal community of Woorabinda, Central Queensland with just a dream of becoming an actor. Jobe wanted to share stories from his community and life.
Today, Jobe's dreams are becoming a reality. After being accepted to study at one of Australia's leading film and television schools, ScreenWise, Jobe moved to Sydney to undertake a two-year diploma in Screen Acting. This was after successful GoFundMe campaign set up by family and community in Queensland to support his pursuits, where an anonymous benefactor donated an astonishing $25K to his cause.
18-year-old Jobe is now into his second and final year of training and says that he feels at home, surrounded by others who are just as passionate about acting as he is,
“Studying at Screenwise has been crazy, a good crazy! I’ve really furthered my knowledge about the industry and also pushed my confidence a lot. Just being in the environment where people speak your language [film] and make you feel at home, you can be yourself and express who you are. Every tutor has opened my eyes and made me realise that I don't want to do anything else but acting.
“My biggest challenge so far would have to be; being consistent and committed to the study. I make sure that I make it my business to put my all into my studies and make that my priority,” Jobe told NITV.
Jobe's skills don't end in front of the camera, he's just as talented behind the scenes as well. In 2014, he took second place in Tropfest's Trop Junior competition for a short he and fellow classmates created, Buloo. The following year, his film Yolanda was awarded top prize at the Imaginate Competition.
Recently, the budding actor finished a short film, shooting on location.
“Within my year and a bit at ScreenWise, I've managed to do quite a few things including a short film that I shot on the outskirts of Canberra, which was a four-day shoot. Waking up as early as 4am to shoot at 5am in the morning, cold as! It was such a fun experience!
Set in 1901, Jobe plays John, a young Aboriginal farmhand, who helps slaughtering sheep for a farmer who is going bankrupt.
"I didn't see him as just a character, I went into deep details in order to making as real as possible. Having doing that —really bring the character to life— made the story real, ” he says.
For other young people out there thinking about pursuing their dreams he offers some advice.
“Work hard, keep pushing yourself and believe in yourself. Dreams can't just happen, you have to make them happen! So never give up!”
Youth Week NSW (13-22 April) is an opportunity for young people to express their ideas and views, and speak on the issues that affect their lives.
To celebrate Youth Week, NITV is featuring two key documentaries On Demand: Bee Nation; a story of six students who compete in the first ever First Nations Provincial Spelling Bee in Canada & Breaking a Monster; documenting the musical success of 13-year-old African American kids in a heavy metal band.
