What are a few of your most recent jobs?
I just finished on Dying Breed, then Valentines Day, Where The Wild Things Are, Academy, Ghostrider
What made you realize that this was what you wanted to do?
I first considered a career in film/tv in Year 9 when Media Studies was one subject I didn’t completely loath going to. I’d enjoyed making my own movies as a kid so after doing some research on the industry I decided to give it a go.
How did you start out?
I completed a lot of short courses on filmmaking during High School in order to build up a portfolio for Film School. In 2001 I was accepted into the Queensland School of Film and TV and was 1st AD on our end of year production. Upon returning to Melbourne I did a lot of AD work on unpaid productions and used that experience to network and build up some sort of CV. Once I signed with a crew agent I eventually started getting paid work.
What do you love most about what you do?
The fact that I’m working on films! I love the fact that I’m doing something different for each job, I get to go to lots of wonderful locations and am constantly meeting great new people.
What do you find most difficult about what you do?
Freelancing can be quite stressful as you don’t have the security of steady income that you’d have with full time work.
What steps did you take to get where you are today?
I did as many short courses as I could to build up a portfolio of work and study. My aim was to use that to get into film school such as the VCA or AFTRS. After looking at the different film schools I decided I liked the Queensland School of Film & TV the most as it covered all the different departments in its course. Once I competed my Diploma I returned to Melbourne and did as much work and networking as I could until the paid work started coming in.
What advice would you give a young person who wants to get into the industry?
I believe getting into the industry is not hard, the hard part is staying in the industry. Being freelance there is often very little financial security so it is vital that anyone in the industry has another form of income to keep them going until the next job comes.
Re live your most embarrassing moment.
Once I was so drunk at a nightclub up in Brisbane that when the DJ left the decks to go the toilet I jumped behind the decks and pretended to DJ until I was grabbed by one of the bouncers and thrown out of the club! Didn’t go back to the club again.
What are the perks of your job?
Being part of a great crew, seeing a film come together over time and not being stuck in a office 9 -5!
What has been your favourite project to work on?
Probably the last feature film I was on ‘Dying Breed’. The crew all got on extremely well, we all had heaps of fun working on the production and had lots of laughs.
Has anything ever gone horribly wrong during one of your jobs?
I once crashed one of the hero vehicles on the way to set for a job I did up in Sydney. It was 1970’s Ford Fairlane with custom paint job so it wasn’t pretty. Luckily I only damaged on side of the car so we could still use it we just had to shoot everything from one angle!
