Bedford School’s Mo Bros’ highly-anticipated Movember film was launched online earlier this week to an eagerly awaiting audience of boys, parents and supporters. The boys’ film, almost instantaneously, went viral with over 35,000 views clocked up in just five days.
The annual Movember film, which has become somewhat of a tradition here at Bedford School, reached far and wide and compelled many to share, engage and comment – even the Deputy News Editor at TES was inspired to share it.
The film, a unique parody of Drake’s God’s Plan, affectionately named My Tache, cleverly straddles comedy with a serious message. Created, directed and starring a group of Upper Sixth Form boys, this version of the popular hit has helped raise both awareness and funds for men’s health issues.
At the helm of the production crew were Sixth Formers Olly Dwight, Jack O’Donovan and Matthew Lewis, who worked on the video in their spare time for weeks. Olly told us, “Every year the Sixth Formers interested in multimedia put together a bit of a parody film but this year we went all out with one of our favourite songs in an effort to increase awareness and donations for the charity.”
Their amusing and addictive film features a wealth of highly-entertaining footage including the boys in choral cassocks, wearing goggles in a chemistry lab lit by Bunsen burners, and driving around the sports fields in golf buggies, all while singing and rapping along to the parody song.
Jack, who was the creative force behind the video’s story, said, “We wanted a fun and light-hearted approach while having a serious message to the film. It was great to have so many boys involved, from editing to bottle flipping”.
The boys cleverly changed Drake’s chorus of “Bad things. It’s a lot of bad things that they wishin’ and wishin’ and wishin’ and wishin’ and wishin’ on me,” and replaced it with, “Thick hairs. There’s a lot of thick hairs that are growing and growing and growing and growing on me.”
The song also includes a number of important messages and shocking statistics about men’s health, including the fact that one in eight will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and that three in four suicides are by men.
The Head Master, James Hodgson said, “It is wonderful to see the boys create a film in their own time and promote it through channels that are familiar to them to encourage the very important message of Movember and I am so proud of them for using their creativity and enthusiasm to produce something so powerful.”
Movember raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programmes that enable men to live happier, healthier and longer lives. It has helped fund more than 1,250 projects focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide prevention.
Val Pumfrey, Schools Engagement and Fundraising Lead at Movember, said: “We love seeing the Movember film put together by the boys at Bedford School.
“We really are inspired by their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn about the importance of men’s health as well as encourage crucial donations to our cause.”
To donate to the project – which has raised more than £10,000 so far – visit www.bsmobros.com