Experiencing Interruptions?

Choice

Nina is a caring, loving, but exhausted mum & wife who has tried to be everything that everyone needs. Responding to the coming out of her transgender teenager, Nina battles with the choices that she and her family have to make and how these choices will affect her child! …. but timing is everything!

  • Sharnya Yates and Claire Leach
    Director
    Choice
  • Sharnya Thomson Yates
    Writer
    Choice and others
  • Sharnya Thomson Yates and Carole McKee
    Producer
    Choice
  • Saffron Bell
    Key Cast
    "Sophie"
  • Sharnya Thomson Yates
    Key Cast
    "Nina"
    A Few Less Men, Kyle, The Department, Hidden Light and others
  • Peter Bruderlin
    Key Cast
    "Paul"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 7 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 25, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    27,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Sharnya Yates and Claire Leach

Sharnya Thomson Yates has been in the film industry locally and nationally for the last 10 years. Sharnya came from the other side of the camera as an Actor and has now worked as a Director and Producer for the first time on this film "Choice" alongside Co director Claire Leach.
Sharnya is the mother of a transgender teen herself and this is why she embarked upon the film journey with "Choice".

Claire Leach has been in the film industry, locally, nationally and internationally for over 15
years.
Claire has experience working in various positions, from camera, editor to director and teaching film production and screen acting. She has worked in multiple formats of film production such as documentaries, TV series, feature films and TVCs. DPing such short film dramas as Potato Peelers, a period piece set during the war.
Her most recent DP project has been 6 half hour episodes of Family Rules Series 2 on SBS
2018 and as a camera operator on the 30 episode ABC drama The Heights 2019.
Claire’s passion for filming is about exploring peoples truth , it’s what binds us together as a
community, to help us understand the complexities of our place in this world.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As writer & co-producer it was natural for me to explore a directing role. In appointing Claire Leach I knew I had found a co-director who shared the same vision & passion for the project & understood the film's potential to make a difference through raising awareness of the impact of the choices that “parents” can make, in how they respond to the coming out of their transgender child.

By creating this film for “parents” we hope it speaks to any adult who has the capacity to play a role in the raising of a child, so this includes other family members, teachers, employers, carers, family friends and anyone who provides a service to teenagers.

Directing CHOICE was an intense learning experience. With Claire’s mentoring I was able to explore ways of showing the effects of parent’s (& others’) responses within a number of scene scenarios, while at the same time providing a safe environment for the cast & crew with the assistance of an LGBTQIA+ peer support counsellor. I am very grateful for the experience & I look forward to future directing opportunities.