Thanks to the fantastic work from the team at WeAreBak.com, we now have 3 brand new videos to promote learning Welsh - they’re playful, fun, but we hope they’ll get the message across too…
Sorry, but I really didn’t like the implication that Steve was being ignored by the barperson because he didn’t speak Welsh. Not a message that I identify with.
My favourite was the Eleni video. It really got across the feeling of wishing you could join in with something good without any implications that Welsh speakers are excluding you because you don’t speak Welsh. I liked the Emma character because she came across like many people who never really got the chance to learn the language, though there was again the slight implication that she was being excluded by the two girls. But I’m afraid I agree with Huw and the Steve one doesn’t really work for me.
It’s perhaps a subtle distinction, but I feel the videos need to get across that you’re missing out by not speaking Welsh (i.e. your life would be enriched if you become a Welsh speaker), but we don’t want it to seem like Welsh speakers are excluding you. For one thing Welsh speakers are usually only too quick to switch to English if a non-Welsh speaker joins them. Hpe that makes sense?
@aran I think these strike a great balance - they are well targeted and if they reach the right people (social media advertising to the rescue!) I am sure they will be very successful.
You could build on that idea - show the girls using their secret language to put one over on Mam, who then foils their plans following her sneaky Welsh lessons…
It’s perhaps a subtle distinction, but I feel the videos need to get across that you’re missing out by not speaking Welsh (i.e. your life would be enriched if you become a Welsh speaker), but we don’t want it to seem like Welsh speakers are excluding you. For one thing Welsh speakers are usually only too quick to switch to English if a non-Welsh speaker joins them.
Diolch Margaret. This reflects my own view and my own experience.
I didn’t read previous comments before watching the videos not to be influenced.
And I’ve only briefly checked the videos while waiting for the bus, and noise around me so I can start with a mostly visual first impression.
I thought Steve was being ignored for not speaking Welsh and I thought “well, that’s not what happened to me in Wales!”.
Now I see @HuwJones and @margarethall had a similar impression, so maybe worth checking a few more!
Especially considering I actually enjoyed the rest of the video!
My main take-away from this is that Emma needs lessons on how to carry drinks! She’s got her fingers all inside the glasses and stuff. Eww. You need to hold them on the outside.
That’s true and that’s what I would have probably have thought if I didn’t know of the history of bad relations between (some) language speakers, and especially the urban legend of Welsh speakers using the language to avoid non speakers who walk in the pub to understand, which is the first thing that came up to my mind!
Editing/adding notes during breaks:
Emma for me is the funniest, those looks!
I didn’t get an impression of exclusion because of Welsh here, it just seemed a kids Vs hopeless adults kinda thing.
I’d be curious to find out how this story goes on cause I expect it to be fun and hilarious.
The idea behind Steve’s story, as explained by @aran, not as I perceived it at first, is very effective I think: a situation that almost every learner found themselves in.
While my first consideration for Eleni is that I would have never been attracted to Welsh if I had heard these kinds of songs instead of Datblygu -sorry, sorry.
In any case in general I really like the style, the rhythm and the dialogues, so…well done!
I’m wondering if Emma’s husband is going to cheat on his wife with Eleni while “teaching her how to sing Ar lan y môr”!
The bar scenario I just took as him being shy and quiet. Yes, Gwenllian (from Parch, now working behind a bar) should have noticed him but that happens sometimes in any case. I would have been closer and, I don’t know, said something.
He’s not Emma’s husband - she’s single, and DONE with men…
Terrific - thank you all very much indeed for your feedback - this is going to make really valuable reading/thinking material for all the creative team…
Confession - despite having been sent a link to the videos a while ago, I hadn’t actually sat down to watch them . So was was encouraged (and shamed ) by this thread to watch them this morning. I must admit I was then a little nervous of watching the Steve video…
But I personally didn’t get the ‘being ignored because of not speaking Welsh in a Welsh pub’ message [wipes brow] ;-).
I think the fact that Steve doesn’t actually speak at all whilst he’s by the bar makes a difference. He’s unfortunately arrived at the bar, whilst the woman behind the bar has grabbed the opportunity during a quiet period to get in to a conversation with a friend. Steve is very keen to order in Welsh, but can’t for the life of him think of what to say. So he stands there gesturing without much confidence and fails to draw enough attention to himself to grab the attention of the bar staff at all - I think the way the camera deliberately zooms in and out of between the two subjects a few times, emphasises this… can you tell I’m obsessed with watching movies…
I think that if the woman had turned to look at him and then looked away, then I guess we could put it down to him being ignored, but she is obviously engrossed in the conversation and just doesn’t see him. Also if Steve had tried to speak in broken unintelligible Welsh and the woman had either not responded of looked at him then looked away, then yes, he would clearly be being ignored because of not speaking good enough Welsh. I think we also have to remember that the woman behind the bar doesn’t know Steve and doesn’t know that he can’t speak Welsh.
I’m glad he eventually got his pint, though - being a short redhead, i’m very familiar with that battle of trying to get served at the bar…
Or maybe he’s a dog! I’m on team Emma. Eleri is clueless at the moment but 6 months down the line she’ll find out and be heartbroken teaming up with Emma to really make that snake of a guy pay for his infidelity.
…but I could make a start! 
. So was was encouraged (and shamed 
