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For an emerging filmmaker, the anticipation of starting a new film can be a daunting yet thrilling project. For writer/director Jacob Holmes-Brown, translating his work from page to screen is an exciting process, as production for his film The Rag Witch continues this week.
The film follows Marcus Stone, a shattered and disillusioned young man who is dealing with the brutal death of his childhood friend, Leon. Marcus deserts the same military detachment that he and Leon served for over six years, and falls into the hands of a powerful individual known only as The Witch. Drawn into the Witch's shadowy world by her blind servant girl, Sofia, Marcus is offered a chance to escape and a chance at a new life.
Holmes-Brown spoke to FTI about what audiences should expect from his period drama feature.
What would you consider your original inspiration for writing the screenplay?
I set out to write a story that merged folktale conventions with a more modern environment, in which a folktale would find itself out of context. In this case we have a deserting soldier, Marcus, whose only hope of escape lies with a "Witch" or at least a woman who styles herself as one. Our story takes place during the Great Depression in Australia, in an age when such "folktales" should have become obsolete.
The inspiration for the story came from a quote in the first episode of the TV series Carnivale: "There was magic then, nobility, and unimaginable cruelty. And so it was until the day that man forever traded away wonder for reason." Combine that with an obsession for myths and Russian history. How that translates into the finished film is an interesting process, but I aimed to write a film in which the folktale conventions would be explained with reason. Yet we are still left with the tale of a broken soldier finding his true self and overcoming his adversity; a tale in heroic tradition.
As a young, emerging filmmaker, how would you describe your experiences with getting your script into production?
From the beginning I think Nikit Doshi (Producer) and I realised that this would be a self-funded production, as it had to run according to our own schedule and film-making style. So it is essentially an incredibly low budget feature film, but we have been exceptionally blessed with the people we have had around us from the beginning of the project. I have been particularly fortunate with my Director of Photography, Arthur Bienkowski, who from the very start of the film knew exactly what kind of film I was setting out to make.
With very little experience directing outside of the university environment, I have had to challenge myself in working with cast and crew in new and very different ways. Often we have attempted exercises and discussions by instinct rather than prior knowledge. But the process of working with my actors, particular James Porter, Rina Freiberg, Nina Deasley and Cody Fern, to develop their characters and to build our scenes, has been very rewarding.
The whole process has been quite a startling experience. We have experienced, I would think, a great deal of the knockbacks that emerging film-makers are struck with. From location issues and filming delays, to changes in cast and crew. But we've used each opportunity to further hone the film, and to concentrate our efforts in getting the film made. It has proven to me that with enough faith and perseverance you can make your film, on your own terms.
Do you have any expectations or apprehensions going into the first stage of filming?
It is always interesting turning up to set on day one with a crew that you've never worked with before. A cast who remain, under your hand, untried. But now that we are halfway through our first block of shooting I am humbled everyday by the willingness and talent expressed by our amazing crew. Rarely have I seen a group of people work so coherently and comfortably together.
Personally, I am waiting to see how my writing fares once taken through the process of rehearsal, shooting and editing. I think that this is the real test of a director; to translate everything that occurs into a coherent whole, with one core and one mind. I am very excited to see my actors step into their scenes. We have had considerable conversations regarding the development of the characters and I look forward to seeing them allowed to grow and breathe within my scenes.
Can you tell us about the filming locations?
As it is a period film we went on a long process to find a suitable building for our set. With a budget as low as ours, building our interior sets was never an option and so we knew that we had to locate a building that would give us everything that we needed in one space. I think I have now seen every significant pre-1930's building in the Perth metropolitan area due to our location scouting!
The building in which the majority of our film takes place is the Old George Hotel in East Fremantle. It is a National Trust building, but it maintains the art deco type look that I always associated with the Witch's building (high ceilings, white walls, ornate cornicing). Other locations include some historic areas down south and parts of the John Forrest National Park.
When can audiences expect to see the final product?
That is the #1 question. But I believe that the film will be completed shooting by early September and we shall be completing the post-production process by the end of the year, or early next year. From there we are aiming at International film festivals with the goal of an International premiere.
Check out The Rag Witch official site, or become a fan on Facebook.
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I just came across this amazing opportunity from Screen Australia.
If you have a couple of great short films under your belt (perhaps an OOMPF, LINK or a HYPERLINK?) then you can apply!CLICK HERE to find out more from the Screen Australia website.
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Mark It! is an exciting new podcast focusing on the effects of promotion and marketing on the expectations and understanding of two seasoned film goers. Each week Jonathon Miller and Adrian McFarlane, two experienced film geeks, give their before and after impressions of the biggest films going around.
This week was The Waiting City. Next week? Inception.
Good films, marketing geeks, and the website impressed me. I think I've found a new love.
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THE WAITING CITY (2009)
Written and directed by Claire McCarthy
Starring Radha Mitchell, Joel Edgerton, Isabell Lucas and Samrat Chakrebarti
Ben (Edgerton) and Fiona (Mitchell) are a youngish Australian couple who travel to Calcutta to adopt a baby. Instead of a smooth well-organised process, they encounter another culture's bureaucracy and find the frustrations of waiting puts a strain on their marriage.
From the moment Ben and Fiona arrive in Calcutta, they carry with them a tension about the adoption. They are restless because their lives are on hold until they see their child and take her back home to Australia. They have waited for years and when they are forced to wait days longer than they expected, they are not mentally prepared for the increase in tension that this further delay causes.
Calcutta is utterly foreign to them, but in an attempt to gain further knowledge for their child when she gets older, they explore the city and it's culture. Fiona is also winding up a legal case she is working on, and therefore spends hours working on her laptop or Skyping her colleagues in Sydney. The serious cracks in her and Ben's relationship are revealed. And we are left wondering if the adoption will happen or even whether this couple are good candidates to raise an adopted daughter.
The plot of The Waiting City is light on incident. The journey of its characters is largely internal. However, I was fascinated by that journey. First time feature director McCarthy has created a solid and engrossing drama. Ben and Fiona's drive to have a child will be familiar to many and their bewilderment at dealing with an utterly foreign culture will also strike a chord.
To take a small and internal story and open it up enough to make a feature is a feat that many Australian independents don't achieve. McCarthy's success in doing this is due to a number of well-handled elements. The story has just enough meat on its bones to make it worth investing in emotionally. The performances of the two leads are very strong. Mitchell is often excellent in her movies, but not always in the right vehicle. The role of Fiona is perfect for her. Edgerton is a charismatic actor, who has played a number of similar-feeling roles, but the part of Ben is his best performance for a number of years. McCarthy's way of shooting Calcutta puts the audience right in the thick of things. You are not kept at a comfortable travelogue distance; rather you are thrust in the middle of the crowd and onto the street right along with Ben and Fiona.
The film's cinematographer, well known in Western Australian film circles, is Denson Baker. He was in Perth for The Waiting City's launch and later to do a master-class at the FTI. I had a brief conversation with him and mentioned how good it was to see an Australian film that worked. He, quite rightly, put aside my cultural cringe and said that he liked to think of the film as international.
This is the best way to consider it. We can be proud that a film made with Australian talent is this good, but perhaps more noteworthy is that it has the chops to be shown anywhere and doesn't rely on quirky Australian traits or our wide brown landscape as its hook. It's a character story that relies on craft and talent.
Obviously this is not a film for an audience looking for a vast tale of externalised emotions and death-defying actions concluding with giants orange fireballs in the night sky over Calcutta. This is a film of details, primal emotions and the threads that connect people, make relationships and create families. It deals with national identities and familial roles. If you like the idea of a movie where you join the dots and read what is implicit, then you could find The Waiting City very rewarding.
The film is currently screening at Luna Cinemas in Leederville. I rated it an 8/10.
Reviewed by Mr Trivia.
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For those who dont know, GATE STREET HIGH is a production thats happening in the animation centre - people learning animation whilst making an animation. Its about a school whos students are little monsters, literally.
Check out the GATE STREET HIGH BLOG to find out more about the show.
Recently, Gate Street High and FTI had a booth at Supanova. CLICKHERE to see a great video by Adam Harvey which really portrays the beautiful geek vibe there and the FTI staff hard at work!
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It sounds clichéd, but when I became a mother I saw the world through different eyes - the eyes of a protector. Yes, I have been an older sister who has fought her brother's battles. Yes, I have stood up for injustice I've seen in the world. But there is nothing more powerful than the protectiveness a parent feels for their small, defenceless child.
On the surface, 'Cropsey' is an exploration of the mythology of the bogeyman: That faceless threat that parents and other children perpetuate to make kids fear the unknown. But the reality is that there ARE bogeymen (and women) out there that actually will hurt your kid if they get a chance.
This frightens me to the point of restricting my child's liberty. I take her to the park and see some of the people hanging out there, and I can't imagine a point in her life when I'm going to feel comfortable letting her be in the vicinity of those people without me there. One day I'm going to have to, I know. But right now, after seeing this film, it might be when she's about 35.
Cropsey is a New York legend that kids told around camp fires in New York state for years. After the gruesome discovery of murdered 12 year old Jennifer Schweiger in 1987, Staten Island is abuzz with reports of a real life Cropsey who preys on mentally challenged kids.
The prime suspect, Andre Rand, worked at Staten Island's infamous Willowbrook Mental Institution, a place exposed by a young Geraldo Rivera in 1972 for the degenerate treatment of it's young wards. The footage is truly terrifying.
Rand is then accused of abducting and murdering another four kids from around the area.
One of the things this film raised for me was: If my kid was abducted and murdered, how much evidence would I actually need to be sure they had the right guy? It probably wouldn't be much. And that's scary.
Cropsey screens again on Sunday at 1:30pm. -
I love a good film festival. And it's more than just the films, it really brings out a sense of community. One person has been there for pretty much every session, local filmmaker and projectionist extraordinaire Pete Gurbiel. I asked him what he's enjoyed so far and what he's still looking forward to:
I was looking forward to THE LOST THING big time. I've been a fan of Shaun Tan's illustrations since he provided the cover artwork to Lotel's 2000 Album. The execution of the animation was spectacular, and lifted Tan's heady concepts right off the page - massive approval!
Things to look out for are THE LOVED ONES and NIGHT OF THE TRIFFIDS, shows you'll be hard pressed to catch on the big screen any time soon.
What's everyone else looking forward to?
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It's on. Tonight. At the Astor.
If you're into animation then you won't want to miss this fantastic selection of short films. Included is Shaun Tan's 'The Lost Thing', which recently won the Yoram Goss Animation Award at the Sydney Film Festival. You can view the trailer here.
Local animator Pierce Davison's short 'Backstage', which was produced as part of the Nick Shorts initiative is also screening.
Guaranteed good times tonight, Tuesday 13th July, at 7pm. Ticket info online.
Also in animation news, local industry group WAnimate held their annual WAM BAM 48 hour speed animation comp on the weekend resulting in these four great short films:
The Pumpkin
Real Vampire
Bee Happy
Passion Play
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Last night I realised how much I've been taking my hair for granted. I don't dye it, I don't get it cut that often (note to self, probably should get it cut more), and I definitely don't burn it with chemicals to make it soft and bouncy. Rev's opening night film 'Good Hair' exposed the multi billion dollar industry based around black women's hair. If you missed it last night, it's screening three more times. Details here.
But opening night is about more than just the film, it's also about the party. Pics are now up on the FTI Facebook Page.
Friday night's pick? Revel-8.
Saturday pick: When You're Strange
Sunday pick: Howl
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It's almost Rev time, one of the most exciting times in Perth because you can go to the movies every day for 10 days and see something amazing.
This year's lineup has an awesome selection of features, shorts and docos. Thankfully those good people over at Rev have a list of 'Hot Sessions' on their website - make sure you get your tickets in advance for those films because they're close to selling out. Ticketing information can be found here.
This year two Western Australian features have been selected to screen - A Day at the Oasis by Tim Beckett and Tim Lethbridge and The Sculptor by Christopher Kenworthy.
ScreenWest is once again presenting Get Your Shorts On - a selection of some of the best short films produced in WA this year, and local shorts Rock N Roll Mud Wrestling by Mike Hoath and Backstage by Pierce Davison will be screening prior to features.
And don't forget, Rev isn't just a film festival - there's a conference as well with sessions on distribution, the state of Australian film and independent production.
Our Rev Hot Picks
Opening night: Good Hair
Animation Showcase
Best of Domefest
Get Your Shorts On
One Hundred Mornings
The Loved Ones
American: The Bill Hicks Story
Probably best to get a gold pass. See you at The Astor.
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