Filmed in Melbourne,the series is based on the2019 documentaryNo Time for Quiet,and it follows female and gender-fluid teenage musicians learning to accept themselves,and each other,through a weekly urban band camp.
As zany band camp leader Mish,Banas helps form ensembles to compete at the fictional Footsgroovia Festival. Through the ups and downs of an outfit called The Volume,the experiences of five very different young people are explored. Outgoing keyboardist Vivi (Riya Mandrawa) clashes with slam poet Jam (Ayiana Ncube). Upbeat drummer Breeze (Mira Russo) wants to bust free of her protective gay dads. Guitarist Ginger (Elaine King),is grieving for her musician father. And non-binary sound technician,Hex (Erza James) is anxious about coming out to their grandparents,with whom they live.
“I hope young people see themselves on screen,” says Banas. “I hope they have conversations about inclusion … We’ve still got a way to go,but even just in the last five years,there’s been a big shift. I hope this trend continues. I think there’s room for everybody.”
A pianist herself,purely for leisure,Banas hopes the series encourages people of all ages to take up an instrument,regardless of ability. “You don’t have to become a musician to enjoy music or play an instrument. It’s not about getting it right. It’s about enjoying music.”
Banas is no stranger to working with this age group,having memorably played a witch on ABC ME’sNowhere Boys.
“The older I get,the more I realise you don’t just learn from your elders,” she says. “You learn from your peers. You learn from people younger than you. You learn from people who are different from you. What I love about younger people is that they don’t overthink as much. That’s really interesting as an actor. I love feeding off that sense of being in the moment. It can be noisy and chaotic,but it’s so nice to be around people who are enjoying what they’re doing. That’s priceless.”