Tag: Brisbane Film
Archie Waterson is an emerging Australian filmmaker who recently completed his biggest project yet – The Couple Across the Way. The drama/comedy follows John and Abbey as they go through the many stages of their tumultuous relationship. The Couple Across the Way encapsulates the bleak life of dating in Australia. Archie and I discuss his process and motivations for the short while also diving into his future. Read on for more.
What inspired you to write this short film?
“I watched a film called the Worst Person in the World. It has these beautiful romantic scenes, but I remember finishing it and thinking, “I will never be able to make this because nothing in Australia is that romantic.” I wrote this big poem that was venting about how unromantic Australia is and that became the intro and then I just kept writing.”
How was the writing process for Couples, what did the day in day out of it all look like?
“I wrote the first draft in a day. Scenes just kept coming to me. The structure was there within a day. At first, it was a very satirical comedy, but it ended up changing into a more dramatic script. I got to about draft 18 and it changed a lot but the structure was always there.”
I remember reading the early one and it was completely different tonally. Was that just an instinctual decision?
“Yeah, it was. The ending was always bleak, and I wanted to always stick with that end. I wanted to make a funny film but end with an emptiness. I had to adjust the tone dramatically so that the ending could work.”
How did you help guide Ruby Gudenswager into such an incredible performance?
“I think it’s all down to casting. I didn’t know she had the ability to cry on the spot like she did. Ruby understood the people in the script. She said it in the audition, and it made it a dead giveaway to me. For the last scene, we just left her outside with the camera by herself. She listened to music and got herself there. You just have to give good actors the space to do it and make sure there comfortable.”
How did you run the set?
“I had a lot of talented friends on board. We were all very prepared and had done so much pre-production. I trusted the DOP (Adam Potts) to set up his side of things. I would just come in, look at the shot and give notes if I needed to. He understood it completely so I could just spend my time with the actors. Other than that I just stand around trying to look serious…”
What did you learn from Couples?
“That’s it okay to be really inspired by films and show that to everyone. Not having that pride to not look original and I just found that learning from these masters was very positive. Another lesson was not to take yourself too seriously. Film isn’t the be all and end all.”
You have recently finished film school, what was the main thing you took away from it?
“You can find people who have the same interests as you. Creative people need that. Going to film school made me feel a lot more comfortable with who I was and what I am passionate about.”
What would you recommend new filmmakers to do in film school?
“Don’t be afraid to want to succeed. I brought this idea on from school that people give you shit for being passionate and intense about things. But at Uni that school mentality is gone. You can be yourself completely and that’s where the best work will come from. Also, do want you want to do. Learn the technical skills but don’t be afraid to completely commit to the thing you want to do the most.”
Favourite films you have been watching recently?
“I just discovered Aki Kaurismaki. He is a Finnish director who has a film out at the moment called Fallen Leaves. It was the first film of his I had seen so I went through and watched all his other big films. But I am always looking for new sources of inspiration.”
What have you been watching lately?
“I have been going over filmmakers I love and looking at their first short films. Like Yorgos Lanthimos, Ruben Ostlund. Just trying to see where their seeds of style and tone began.”
What are you working on right now?
“I am trying to write again. Just writing different sketches, a lot in the comedy space. When I find one that I love I will go through another year of making that film and spending all my money on it. I am just waiting for that sparkle before I dive in again.”
All Stills by Finnian Mullen
Jack Clark and Jim Weir are Australian filmmakers who recently created their debut feature film – Birdeater. The film has won awards at festivals around Australia and is now going international. After months waiting to see it, I was finally able to watch it at the Brisbane International Film Festival. Birdeater was one of my most anticipated movies of the year and it did not disappoint. It was a harrowing and hilarious experience that perfectly encapsulated young Australians. Read on for my conversation with Jack Clark and Jim Weir.
FRAZIER: “I have read about how challenging the shooting was with weather, actors changing and funds running out so I wanted to ask how you maintain motivation when all things feel hopeless and over in production?”
JACK: “You really must rely on each other. We had our worst moments when we were in ourselves and not communicating. To establish the tone of a set is such a big part of being a director that is often overlooked. We realised that if we established the tone on set it would spread across everyone. Ultimately, the crew and cast were the biggest support for us. Especially people like Roger Stonehouse (Director of Photography) who were shooting every single day.”
JIM: “For upcoming filmmakers, follow through is important. Doing the entire life cycle of a project is where you really learn. It’s a common trap we saw at film school where when you start a project and it gets tough, they would throw in the towel. Another one is when you have a project that might get made, people will just start thinking of the next thing. Just having the discipline to ride the life cycle of a film.”
FRAZIER: The paranoia game, these men always wearing masks in front of their partners, it all felt like I was watching people I knew. Can you talk about creating these very specific but relatable moments and characters for an Australian audience?
JACK: “It was all about bringing an audience to the bucks night. Irene and Grace come to the party which is something that girls aren’t usually present for. We felt like that was enough for the characters to panic and reveal their paranoias and insecurities. The paranoia game just plays into all this.”
JIM: “Something we used as a rule of thumb is start with an archetype where the audience will instantly form an opinion of them. Then, add dramatic contradiction that opens them up to being more interesting. Like Dylan, he is this party animal and antagonist that is desperate to have a good time but also is deeply lonely and sad.”
FRAZIER: What did the writing process look like for both of you?
JACK: “We are both writers since film school. It has taken a while to build up a regularity with writing. They always said it at film school that you need to write everyday, and it felt very daunting but slowly it did become a regularity. It is a lot of shit ideas I feed Jim that sometimes work and are exciting. We were always writing. We were writing on the day; we were writing narration on the last day in case we needed it. It is just a constant thing. Then you get the actors on board and if they are good, they will have their own opinions.”
JIM: “Actors will see something in their character that is there but is usually a small part of the character that they latch onto. Most of my day-to-day job is being available for conversation and being able to talk through ideas and try to work out what we are trying to say. I will just sift through 1000 ideas Jack throws at me and I will just say what is good”.
FRAZIER: So the core focus is just on chipping away everyday together at it?
JACK: “It is definitely hard. I remember I used to get nice notebooks. A big change for me was getting really shit notebooks because then they aren’t precious about what is on the page. I also like the process of writing it because you are already editing it from physical to digital.”
FRAZIER: “So you don’t do the first draft by hand? It is just writing all your ideas down first and then bringing it onto the electronic document.”
JACK: “If my writing was more legible, I would trust myself. But honestly I would just focus on not being too precious.”
FRAZIER: “I won’t ask you again about Wake in Fright but I did hear you both talk about the Celebration, Nashville and Mishima, but more specifically this period of watching just the weirdest films you could in AFTRS. How important do you think this period was and its effect on you as filmmakers?”
JACK: “A lot of the movies we watched in film school were probably above my paygrade. I probably latched onto a cool dolly. It’s more the process of realising how many different and unique perspectives are out there. It is realising that if you want to make something that is cutting you have to overwhelm yourself with content. There are still so many areas I haven’t even scratched yet.”
JIM: “It is crucial. Slowly building up that film literacy is important because when you are stuck you will have a catalogue of great movies in your brain. An example would be we have seen so many movies with a character having a quiet moment reflecting in a bathroom mirror. We had the idea that in this bathroom there is no mirror because it denies the girls a moment of reflection.”
JACK: “You will come to a scene and shooting its coverage and straight away you will think “I know how to shoot this scene.” You have to forcibly stop yourself and realise you have taken that movement or shot from something else. You just have to be aware that you have taken it from something else.”
JIM: “Something we are quite conscious of is having as many references as we can outside of the genre and especially not taking references from recent films that are doing the same thing. That is when you have work that feels derivative. You have to go further back. People say Birdeater feels original but that is because so much of it is stolen from films people haven’t seen.”
FRAZIER: “Yeah I remember you saying Jim that if you just watch enough films you will shoot in the way you watch.”
JACK: “It is tough as well and a question people in film school need to ask themselves. If you want to make narrative content, do you like movies and do you watch them.”
FRAZIER: “I know Jim you have said that the best advice is to just keep making shorts and eventually they will look like what you watch, but I was wondering if you both had any specific advice on the ability to keep the film dream alive when it doesn’t feel like anyone cares and what your making isn’t receiving attention?”
JACK: “It comes down to a method thing. There will be a day when it looks like what you want to make or maybe even better. But then another questions arises which is do I really care about this? Now that you can do it is it something you truly want to say. When you are young you can focus on learning how to make films but then be aware that the harder challenge is what to do with that.”
JIM: “From a more practical perspective it is easy to get caught up in the trap of the filmmaking success being where you get your joy in life. I think the challenge is what can I do to be happy in my life as a struggling filmmaker. If you aren’t happy struggling, you won’t be happy successful. Getting good reception to a movie, everyone is surprised by how little that does for you on self-perception and how happy you are in life.”
JACK: “There was a big trap in film school where people thought their third-year film was going to be “it” and the best thing they have made. But it should just be a process where you are looking ahead.”
FRAZIER: “There has been this recent shift in the last 5 years with Australian films and the direction they are moving. I was just wondering your perspective on where it’s going and where you want the film scene to move and explore?”
JIM: “I am feeling very optimistic. I have met a lot of aspiring filmmakers and directors who have such interesting things to say. There is a trend of filmmakers playing with different genres which is something I definitely want to see continue.”
JACK: “I want to see something we didn’t do and that is more stuff in cities. Maybe it is a self-defence thing, but we push our movies away where there is nobody else. I saw films shot in Sydney and I was so excited to see films shot here. A good Sydney drama would be nice and I will be happy. But I am very excited because there are so many young filmmakers coming up.
Angus Kirby is a Brisbane based filmmaker. Over the last few years, he has made countless short films that have screened in festivals around the world. A personal favourite of mine is a short called Desperate Pleasures which follows the unlikely relationship of a cocaine dealing real estate agent and a lonely woman. Recently, he released The Odd River, an album film created for singer Helen Svoboda. On top of this, Angus is in post production on his first feature film – Carnal Vessels. Read on for my conversation with Angus.
Talking The Odd River
Can you give just a rough summary of what the Odd River is?
“Deep in nature, out of time, through a river portal, a young woman discovers a genetically modified food source that gives her strange visions of the end of the natural world.”
“Essentially, it is an album film made as part of a grant called the Freedman Jazz Fellowship that Helen Svoboda and I applied for. The idea was that she would make an album and I would make an film in response to it.”
How long ago did the creation of this project begin?
“It was right around COVID. We were going to do this in 2020 and then COVID happened, and it was put on hold. We ended up shooting throughout 2022.”
How did you work with Helen to create it? Is it entirely based on your ideas or more of a collaboration?
“The film is my vison but everything was communicated with Helen beforehand. She knew the outline of the whole thing. It was a lot of trust on both ends. But she did let me really go for it.“
What did each day on set look like?
“I did a lot of camera tests beforehand because we shot it anamorphic. We had this ethos of everything in nature had to be natural light. It was about embracing what nature was going to give us. We had a studio section as well which was all artificial. We had just a key light and an edge light and then did some stuff with coloured LED wands to flare the lens. It was essentially a lot of preparation so that we had freedom on the day.”
The Odd River has these core themes of nature and the environment. Is this something you view as a golden thread for the future of your work or specific to this short?
“It is specific to this because I saw the opportunity do it. It is something I just didn’t know what else to say that hadn’t been said. With this, it felt like the chance to do something that was paired with Helen’s music. I wanted to try and capture the feeling of nature being much bigger than we are.”
Since it feels like a dream, do you often use your own dreams as inspiration?
“When I can remember them but it is more the feeling of the dream rather than the details. The dread of climate change and how overwhelming it is is a feeling that I wanted to replicate.”
Other projects
Can you talk about how you write? In terms of your specific process, do you do it every day, do you find it challenging?
“It has changed a little bit. I mainly outline before I start writing. My high school English teacher told me you spend two thirds of your time outlining. I took this over to screenwriting. I write everything from the outline to the first draft by hand. When you write by hand you’re not thinking critically.”
“I have never really written every day when I am not focused on a project. I may do it for a day or two and then come back to it.”
Desperate Pleasures, Now a Minor Motion Picture, Stolen Glances, they all have this incredible balance of comedy and drama. Is there a specific filmmaker you use as inspiration for this tone or is it more your own instincts?
“It is more my own instinct. I like it when you can have those different tones next to each other at the same time. But my early hero was Jim Jarmusch. Pedro Almodóvar as well, he just has the template for any great film career. If there’s one filmmaker I aspire to be like in terms of tone its Pedro. He is definitely my idol.“
Carnal Vessels is an upcoming feature film you have recently finished shooting. Can you just give us a log line about what this film is about?
“It’s about these two young friends who swap bodies the moment they fall in love. It throws everything into chaos as they both go off into different sexually charged adventures as each other over a weekend.”
How did you manage to shoot a feature in such a short amount of time?
“We did it within the master’s program at Griffith University. I have spent the last 5 years tutoring at the film school, so I had connections there. I also had students keen to get on set who were in their first or second year who were very talented. I had made a few shorts and I had enough confidence to go for it.”
“We made it quickly, but it was still a generous schedule. The feature was shot in 24 days, and it was a 75-page script. A lot of it came down to the circumstance I found myself in. But it was also a decade of build up from shorts, gathering collaborators and building up trust.
“But you can do this for 15k with a small crew and a tiny camera and make something that looks and sounds incredible. We are at this exciting point where you have these consumer cameras that if you know your post workflow well and have a creative eye you can make something amazing.”
The Future
Where do you want the Australian film scene to move?
“I know the Government has promised it but I hope there is a quota system that happens soon. Especially with TV too because it is the core of the industry. We have seen it done in Europe successfully so why can’t we do it here. I also wish for more aggressive investment in local productions and just figuring out how to market Australian films successfully. It comes down to how do we do better, how do we get the film seen more and how can we make things that are culturally important and also commercial.”
Dream film wish?
“To be in a situation where I knew I could do this forever and not have to do much else. Also, a good on set masseuse.”
Go see the Odd River on the 30th of November at the Palace Cinemas. Buy tickets below!
https://events.humanitix.com/the-odd-river-brisbane-screening
All photos taken by Daniel Rafet Grima.
Kenny Waterson is a Sunshine Coast based filmmaker and stand-up comedian. Recently, his film Unsung Heroes was selected into the Sunshine Coast Film Festival. The documentary follows three volunteers at a community football club in regional Queensland. The short explores themes of purpose and passion as it makes the audience question why we do what love. It deeply affected me as I looked at the people in my own life and questioned why they devote so much time to things I once considered “pointless.” Read on for my conversation with Kenny.
Talking Unsung Heroes
What grabbed you about this story?
“I was initially intrigued by Rick Bastian (Kenny’s coach). He is this eccentric Dutch guy that takes social football seriously. I had watched the All or Nothing documentaries and Ted Lasso and I thought it could be funny to follow the reserves of a local football club. When I got into it, I realised it was a shallow story but overtime I started focusing on this question about why these volunteers give their time for a club.”
How long it took to shoot this documentary?
“I started filming in March of 2022 with Rick. I stopped filming at the end of the season in October.”
What each day of shooting looked like?
“I work full time so I knew playing at the club that I would be their two nights a week. It fit in around then. I would finish work on Friday afternoon and do an interview with the talent in the evening. Then the following day I would be shooting the football games with another camera operator.”
How do you keep focused on the documentary when you don’t know where the story will end up?
“I focus on documenting what I am interested in. I have played football all my life and it’s been a big part of my family life.”
How do you balance full time work with making a documentary and doing standup?
“I work as a full-time editor for a production company 5 minutes from home. Having a job that’s in the industry has taken a massive weight off my shoulders and helped blossom my creativity. It takes the financial pressure off everything so I can focus on the creative side.”
Talking Standup
Your process writing jokes for stand-up?
“I try to be aware of my surroundings and my life. Things will come to me and there will be a specific feeling and I write it down in my notes. I set aside about half an hour to an hour to write. Most of these ideas are trash but it just revolves around cycling through them all constantly.”
Where do you want to move for stand-up comedy?
“A lot of my favourite shows are mockumentaries like the Office and Chris Lilley shows. I would love to get to a point where I can produce, write or perform in or for a show like that.”
Talking Films
Favourite documentaries that inspired you?
“A film I love is called Grizzly Man by Werner Herzog. It inspired me to seek out characters like that because they are out there, you have to just be open to being interested in others.”
Four of your favourite films?
“Grizzly Man. I loved animation growing up so Toy Story was my favourite childhood film. Comedy wise definitely Superbad. My favourite drama film is Slumdog Millionaire.”
What is next for you / what are you working on?
“My immediate future is trying to get as many people watching Unsung Heroes. I am also moving overseas to London. That is kind of in pursuit of other projects. I really just want to build upon what I learnt from this project.”
A few months ago, I saw an Instagram account promoting a feature film in Brisbane. I instantly followed it and started seeing more and more behind the scenes photos. In each post, it seemed like a new location, more actors and more incredible set pieces. I was so intrigued by what this film was about that I knew I had to get an interview with the creators.
Hannah Smith is the director of My Tai. She has worked on countless feature films like Love and Monsters, Godzilla vs Kong and the Portable Door. In 2021, she created the short film The Empyrean which was a selection for the St Kilda Film Festival.
Jake Ashton is the writer of My Tai and plays Noah, one of the leads. He was also a lead in the show Friends of Atticus and voiced AJ the Rooster in Cluck!
Abdul Mateen (A.M) also known as Kash, is the producer of My Tai.” He is currently in post-production on his graduate short film – Welcome to the Esh Life. He also created the short film Disconnected which follows a First Generation immigration struggling to find his identity.
INTRODUCTIONS:
FRAZER: Could everyone just go around and introduce themselves, and their roles in this film?
JAKE: I wrote the film and I play one of the two leads – Noah. Also, I am a producer…
HANNAH: With the indie life, it makes him a producer.
JAKE: My two producing credits are this and Dune.
HANNAH: I am the director and producer #indielife. Jake and I are unwilling producers but AM is the actual producer.
AM: I got to produce for these two amazing humans.
FRAZIER: I feel like I should say I am a producer now as well.
AM: The gofund me is still live if you want to be one…
TALKING MY TAI
FRAZIER: Jake could you just give me a rough log line about My Tai?
JAKE: My Tai is about a bartender named Tai who is trying to make a masterpiece cocktail. He is named after a Mai Tai cocktail which his grandfather made. As a result, he has lived in the shadow of that his whole life. With a tropical cyclone coming in to destroy his beachside bar, he only has a couple of days to figure out the cocktail.
FRAZIER: For you Kash and Hannah what really grabbed you about this project?
HANNAH: I was able to read it through the lens of Jake and Ruben. I knew without a doubt it would be a hilarious project. But for AM he had no choice.
JAKE: Yeah we had actually kidnapped his family. Their safe return was quiet the incentive.
AM: It played a small part… But what actually grabbed me was that I just sat there and instantly read through 40 pages of the script. The script was just so fucking entertaining.
HANNAH: It is refreshing to have an Australian comedy that’s a genuine comedy.
FRAZIER: I have seen the BTS photos, and I truly have no idea what is going to happen. But just taking it back a little, I want to dive into your writing process Jake and how you got a screenplay completed?
JAKE: It was January 20th, 2022. I had ten days while we were working from home because of COVID, and I wanted to write a movie in ten days. I wanted to write a script for Ruben because he is so funny and charismatic. I got it done in ten days, printed it off and gave it to him and was like “dude I wrote you a movie.” I didn’t think about it again. At the time, I was also writing a movie for Hannah. She ended up reading the script and messaged me saying we should make this.
FRAZIER: I can’t even get something written in a month…
JAKE: The biggest help for me in order to get something written quickly is to say to yourself “this can be terrible.” Just let it be terrible, who cares.
FRAZIER: For you Kash, what were some of the biggest problems you faced and overcame in producing an indie feature film?
AM: Locations were our biggest challenge initially. We didn’t know what the bar was going to be or where it was going to be. Huge shout out to Darrin Smith, one of the best construction coordinators in Australia. Not only did he build us an incredible bar with his team but also did it inside his home, allowing us to use his space to comfortably film. Another massive challenge was our preproduction time which was less than 2 months. We were just trying to make it work in the 2 months that we had. If the crew wasn’t passionate about getting this to life, it wouldn’t have happened.
FRAZIER: Hannah, how do you balance keeping true to the script while allowing for improv?
HANNAH: As long as I get a take I am happy with, I am totally happy to throw the script out the window. Jake and Ruben are really good improvisational comedic actors. I also like not calling cut and letting a scene sit for way too long because then magic always happens.
FRAZIER: For you Jake and Hannah, what were some film inspirations when you were re writing the script?
JAKE: Anchorman, Zoolander, Naked Gun, Flying High, Top Secret. We talked a lot about how it felt like a live action cartoon like the Simpsons. I love comedies where it’s just machine gun jokes.
HANNAH: Naked Gun is like my favourite. Any Leslie Nielsen movie was just perfect.
FRAZIER: Hannah do you have a specific style for shooting, or does it change depending on the project?
HANNAH: I think I am consistent in what I like and now I’m more confident on a set I make sure I push for it. I love my wide shots and I really love delving in and building a world from the ground up, so I think stylistically a film is built from the ground up as well!
FRAZIER: I was just wondering if I could get everyone’s core piece of advice after completing the shooting of a feature film?
AM: Getting the right people. It will help you conquer any challenges. We had a 17 page shoot day and having the right people made it work and made it successful.
HANNAH: Momentum. In our early days, we had a meeting 2 months out. We were debating whether to push it back till the following year or do we keep the momentum going. We chose to keep it going and it was truly lightning in a bottle.
JAKE: We also never set out to make a movie that was the most popular genre. We didn’t want to appease anyone but ourselves. You must make the thing your passionate about – no matter what the story it is. Just surround yourself with good people and make what you want to make.
TALKING MOVIES
FRAZIER: What is your one dream film wish?
JAKE: When the movie wrapped, we all went to see Barbie, so getting to work with Greta Gerwig would be the dream.
HANNAH: I would love to work with Del Toro because he is my hero. Also working on a Spiderman movie. But I have a feature of my own that represents everything I want to put out into the world. I have always said that “if I can make this one movie, I don’t care what happens after that.”
AM: There is a project I would love to create and show run. It is a series that is superhero oriented. It would be a mix of the Boys and Invincible. It would be low scale series that would slowly become bigger. Another core dream is a Bollywood film that becomes global. It would encompass everything I have learned growing up in all these different places.
FRAZIER: Where do you all want the Australian film scene to move in the next 5 to 10 years?
JAKE: I think the future of our industry is built entirely on us being inclusive of all people in our community. To make sure we are not just pidgeon holing the type of work that people from all communities are able to make. The idea that anyway from minority group are being told “yes they might be able to make something” but only specifically this. I hope the future includes all group while allowing them to make every type of film.
HANNAH: I think introducing more genre and bigger budget into Australian film and Television would be great! There is a shift coming and our content is already changing, but I feel like, generally, our stuff is very safe and we can go much bigger and much bolder.
AM: They are trying harder to say they are being diverse, but these stories aren’t diverse. It’s very specific formulaic storytelling. I did a test with my international friends a few years ago. I played different movies form UK, US and Australia. I asked them to tell me which movie was from which country and unless a film was set in a desert with a strong accent they didn’t know it was Australian. I hope Australia embraces its multiculturalism and explores stories from cultures and perspectives we’ve never seen or heard from before.
Below is the link for the films Go Fund me if you want to support this incredible project!
All photos taken by Dylan Robbins
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Beau is Afraid (Non Spoiler Review)
Ari Aster has certified himself as one of the best directors working right now. With only two films under his belt, there is nothing he makes I wouldn’t see. Thereby, Beau is Afraid was one of my most anticipated movies of 2023. Like everyone else, I had absolutely no clue what it was about, but I trusted Ari. So, on a Sunday night I went to the cinema to see an 8:30 screening of this film. I had heard some things about Beau is Afraid but nothing could prepare me for those next three hours.
I will be honest. I don’t even know where to start with this film. There are so many different layers of themes, subtext and motifs that writing this review scared me. So, let’s start with the basics…
Beau is Afraid is a very entertaining and gripping movie. As soon as the lights went dark, I was invested in this world and character. Despite having absolutely no clue what was happening for 80% of it, I was intrigued by this adventure. But there is a core problem with the movie that is being brought up a lot – the run time. You truly feel the weight of those three hours. It has scenes that stretch on for too long and a lot of that fat needs to be trimmed. I understand Ari Aster wants to put you in the protagonist’s shoes but for a lot of this movie I simply wanted it to move on.
Ari Aster introduces a completely new type of horror. Beau is Afraid is about feeling what our protagonist feels. Ari wants the audience to feel as trapped, afraid and confused of the world as Beau does. He accomplishes this expertly through horrific imagery, a chaotic plot and evil characters. Even sequences that seem normal have this uncanny and upsetting vibe to them – a perfect representation of Beau’s anxiety.
Something that isn’t being talked about with this film is how funny it is. Throughout Beau is Afraid, there are these simple lines or props that instantly made my audience laugh out loud. In moments of high tension, it was an excellent break that made the 3-hour run time feel slightly shorter.
The performances in Beau is Afraid are incredible. Joaquin Phoenix can paint 15 different versions of fear and anxiety across his face in a way I have never seen done before. Even when Beau seems at peace there is this subtle neurotic nature that is bubbling below the surface. Joaquin just makes this very heightened and exaggerated world feel real through an earnest and sincere performance. On the other hand, I love how the other actors felt so over the top and exaggerated. In particular, Patti Lupone, Nathan Lane and Kylie Rogers all bring something new to these insane characters. As a result, it once again makes us feel Beau’s anxiety towards the people around him.
In a conversation between Martin Scorsese and Ari, Martin kept mentioning the technical skill of Ari Aster in Hereditary and Midsommar. In Beau is Afraid, it is at an all-time high. The angles, slight pans, blocking, production design, editing and lighting are truly ahead of their time. Every single detail of this film amplifies that anxious and muddled vibe. It is so effective in making the audience feel on edge that I drove home feeling uneasy. Every crew member of Beau is Afraid has added to building a world not to dissimilar from the Shining.
Ultimately, Beau is Afraid is about evoking a feeling in the audience. I think a lot of viewers will get too wrapped up in an explanation or a deeper meaning. However, I think Aster wants one simple thing with this film – to impart his own anxieties and therapy sessions onto them. It is about understanding the psyche of Beau and so many other people struggling with serious mental health issues. To me, Aster has one goal with this film and accomplishes it perfectly.
Should you watch Beau is Afraid?
Beau is Afraid will be the most divisive film of 2023. If you don’t know how crazy this film is going in, I don’t think you will enjoy it. But if you go in embracing the strange elements and long run time you will love it like I did.
When I started interviewing people, I had the singular goal of finding filmmakers who are out there making short films no matter what. Whether it’s shot with their friends or with no budget, I wanted to focus on artists who are extremely passionate about their craft. Felix Lovell embodies this. He has been making quality short films for years, is a very talented photographer and is constantly working on other peoples projects. Now, he is focusing his efforts on a short surreal drama called The Scatterer.
Talking his Upcoming Short Film
What is The Scatterer about?
“The Scatterer follows a professional ash scatterer named Arthur who encounters a mysterious figure in the outback and is tasked with scattering their ashes. Memories start blurring with the present as he seeks answers for unanswerable questions.”
How long has this idea been stuck in your head for?
“I would say September/ August 2022. Looking back on it, I could see a lot of things in my life influencing what I wrote. I wrote it around when my grandpa was dying and also, I wrote the first draft while in hospital with appendicitis. Subconsciously, all these feelings were being put into the script.”
Your process day in and day out writing?
“I have a massive list in my notes app on my phone. Any inspiration, things I have heard people say or things I have seen go into it. My ideas come from looking at that list, finding common themes and collating them into a story.”
“For the writing, I map out a story arc before I start writing on the script. I only write when I am actually feeling inspired since it is a passion project. When I write I also like to act out what I am writing. Whether it be blocking it or talking to myself, it helps me visualise the story a lot more.”
Before shooting starts, what is your biggest concern?
“The first concern was location because it was far away and set in the desert. It’s almost been solved by a lot of research and a cinematographer (Elliot Deem) who suggested Lightning Ridge. Another thing we are struggling with now is casting. We are casting two demographics I am not super connected with but luckily our casting director (Shanay Warren) is helping a lot. It’s also just a blessing to have Eleanor Somerville as the producer because she just has this ability to get things moving.”
Kudzu, Somnium, Malingee have such a specific style and tone, is there a filmmaker you are inspired by?
“David Lynch is my number one. Also, Yorgos Lanthimos even though my films don’t reflect the tone of his. I love any filmmaker who is bold enough to do something that might not make any sense immediately but it sticks with you. I also love Robert Eggers, Ingmar Bergman and Andrei Tarkovsky.”
Talking movies
4 of your favourite films?
“Eraserhead is my number one all-time favourite film. You love it or you hate it. Also, Stalker, the Lighthouse, and the Killing of a Sacred Deer.”
Talking the Future
Where do you want the Australian film scene to move?
“It’s great having these classic Australian stories like The Dressmaker but having films that are willing to experiment and do something different is important. I was lucky enough to work on Angus Kirby’s new film. He isn’t afraid to do something that doesn’t fit the standard Australian drama structure. Good examples of this are Nitram and Babyteeth.”
What is your one film wish?
“I want Lynch to release one more film. I think he has one more project in him. I really hope he doesn’t die. Actually, maybe that’s my wish, to keep David Lynch alive.”
What film are you most looking forward to in 2023?
“Beau is Afraid I am very excited for. In terms of someone pushing boundaries, Ari Aster is constantly doing just that. It just looks crazy and I’m here for it.”
Make sure to go and watch Felix’s short films on his Youtube Channel and follow The Scatterer on Instagram. If you believe in this project as much as I do make sure to donate to their Go Fund me here
After seeing Scream 5 I was completely sucked back into this franchise. While the film wasn’t anything new, it was still an excellent sequel and a very entertaining movie. For the first time in maybe forever, I was excited for a Scream film. It had a great cast, good directors and most importantly a new premise. But Scream 6 surprised me in multiple ways I didn’t except – some for the best and some for the worst.
What I love about this franchise is simply how entertaining they are and Scream 6 is no exception. From the beginning to the end of this film, I was glued to the screen because there was never really a slump. It was such a fun and enjoyable ride that reminded me why I love these films so much.
A big push for this film was how aggressive and dangerous the new Ghost Face would be (something that really interested me). Now there is one scene early on where they do feel more threatening – the killer is killing randoms, twisting knifes deeper and using new weapons. But the rest of the film, it essentially reverts to the same old ghost face. I would have loved to see this continue, with a ghost face that’s even more unhinged (maybe torturing victims or fucking with them more).
Building on from this, I think the horror in Scream 6 is perhaps some of the worst it’s ever been. There was never any point that felt like it was really trying to be scary. Maybe it was intentional because the directors wanted to move in a more action focused genre, but I never felt tense like in previous Scream movies.
Something I didn’t expect from Scream 6 was to love the core cast as much as I did. In number 5, I found a lot of them annoying and over the top but in this film, they feel a lot more dialled back. Just like Drew Barrymore, Samara Weaving stole the opening of this film and I instantly wanted to see more of her. I also loved Melissa Barrera because she felt more dangerous than the killer and had this refreshing intensity to her. Finally, Mason Gooding really stood out with a natural charisma that makes me want to see him in everything.
I think an underlying issue with this franchise is they feel each one must repeat some core tropes – the group stuck in a room being killed, someone breaking down the rules of horror movies, the killer being revealed at the end blah blah blah, its boring and repetitive. None of this needs to happen for this franchise to be successful and loved. What was engaging to me about this movie was the new direction they allude to but which they didn’t follow through with. So thereby I present to you, the
THE FORTY-FOUR CLOVERS SCREAM FILM
As soon as I finished the film I was very excited to write about how I would have made it (no offense intended). The best scenes from Scream 6 were when the protagonists were out in the streets of New York. Now I understand that the budget wasn’t huge, and they wouldn’t be able to afford it but hear me out…
Imagine this film but completely set in one night on Halloween. You have Melissa Barrera starting off with a huge group of friends as they slowly get taken out. Like Die Hard, she gets more and more injured but because its Halloween no one takes notice. Having the ghost face masks everywhere is an amazing psychological horror element that wasn’t utilised enough in this film.
Melissa has this physicality to her of a true action star that should be explored. Imagine Escape from New York or the Purge 2 but a Scream Edition. It could have been an excellent action / horror film that completely revamped this franchise. You don’t even need to have one singular killer but instead have a group of Richie loyalists all out for revenge against Melissa (like the Batman).
SPOILERS
I feel bad for the writers because trying to pick a killer who the audience doesn’t immediately suspect is near impossible. Nevertheless, this one felt particularly bad. It’s basically the most obvious guess you could have because they just did Scream 2 again. In my head, I was sure it was Mathew Lillard but that’s probably because I just wanted it to be (I pray they are saving him for the next one). While there were certainly some great twists, I don’t think the ending was as satisfying as previous films.
The Future of Scream
In Scream 5 and 6 they allude to Melissa Barrera being some sort of serial killer. In Scream 7, I know they will probably tap into this a little more, but I think the whole film should be about her having this violent streak. They can’t just do the same thing again or this franchise will fall off. Maybe a film about her taking on the mantle and killing anyone who is associated with the killers would be refreshing. While she is doing this, someone is chasing her down and trying to kill her (Mathew Lillard). I just think there is so much more potential for this franchise that isn’t being explored.