"Kenny" Guerrilla Filmmaking Case Study with Clayton Jacobson

Our good friend Clayton Jacobson is giving a talk on his awesome feature film "Kenny" next Monday at the Classic Cinema in Elsternwick. "Kenny" was an absolute sensation (both critically and commercially) when it was released and it's an incredible example of independent filmmaking. If you're at all interested in indie film, or if you've ever thought about tackling your own independent project, then I can't recommend this enough!

What To Do When You Can't Get A Good Take

This is a director’s nightmare: Everyone’s in position, the cameras are rolling, but something’s not quite right. You’ve been shooting the same scene for what feels like an eternity and no matter what you do, the actors’ performances are just not getting any better.

Screenwriting: From Inspiration To Final Draft (Part One)

For the past twelve months, Chris and I have been developing the script that has turned into PLAY IT SAFE. As the project now approaches the production phase, we occasionally remark with wonder that, "Hey, we're making a movie!" Though a lot of work remains - really, the bulk of it - to get to the finishing point, reflecting on the project's humble origins to the broad, collaborative task it has now become is quite inspiring.

A Week At Acting School - Part One

As I mentioned in a previous post, I spent a lot of time last year trying to learn as much as possible about the different aspects of my craft as a filmmaker and director. One idea that I came across again and again was that a director cannot work well with actors unless they have some acting experience. It's a simple idea that I think holds a lot of truth. Would you get up to conduct an orchestra if you had never played an instrument?