How did you get into filmmaking?
According to my parents, I was obsessed with TV, music and movies from a young age. They called me a daydreamer. For hard-working Chinese parents like mine, they would have preferred I devoted my time to study rather than gluing myself to the TV set.
In my second year in high school, I developed this unbelievable crush on my art teacher who was a movie buff. So I started to research American and European art cinema to get his attention. Very soon, I was hooked.
Can you tell me about the film in your own words?
Little Sparrow is about change, and about the desire and journey for that change. The chance to be someone truer and stronger. That person is me, as a filmmaker, a mother and a woman.
I look back in my life, my choices and my faults, the people I loved and fallen out of love with, things I cherished and lost... I look back and I realise that I have taken few steps forward. I want to mark that awareness and reflection.
Can you tell me how you came up with the idea for the film?
It was born out of the desire to express and to communicate. When my father past away two years ago - when I felt no more enthusiasm to continue my commercial production business, when I couldn't bear the thought of simply resorting to suburban comfort - I felt I was exploding, burning inside with the desire to express and to communicate.
But I didn't know how. I was scared of failures amongst many other things. My partner, Peter, encouraged me to confront that fear. When I looked inward, I realised that I must say something truly genuine and sincere about me. I needed to make a movie about "love" - as I believe who and how we love ultimately shape who we are.
Did much of the film reflect your own life and experiences?
In essence yes, but not in actual events. I took inspiration from everyone and everywhere. That said, the starting point did come from a place close and dear to my heart.
What were the major challenges in shooting the film?
The challenge and also the best thing about making this film is how quickly we made it. It is scary, risky and very demanding, but there is also something to be said about making a movie so quickly. (We shot over 19 days in last December with less than two months in pre-production.)
It forces you to be extremely focused, precise and intuitive. I had to make choices on set very quickly and stick to my choices. Sometimes I would choose to shoot a scene a certain way for reasons I couldn't fully explain, but felt was right. The crew, particularly our DOP Jason Thomas, was extremely adaptable and could work with me under those highly demanding and stressful conditions. It wasnt until I was in the editing suite that I would finally understand why I made those specific choices.
How much did it cost to make?
As we funded the film out of our own pockets, Ive been calling it a micro magic budget! Lower than a low-budget... most people donated their time and services - were incredibly grateful for that! We couldnt have done it without them - their confidence in me and my story.
Can you tell me a little about Bolderpictures and why you started this company?
Peter and I started Bolder in 2008. I am the creative mind and he handles the business. We wanted to bold and different, but essentially we wanted to produce high quality independent cinema.
I have had long history and network in Asia from my advertising days, so we also have an office in Shanghai. My personal and professional background always prompts me to think and strategise internationally - to come up with projects that best utilise the resources across many regions and appeal to those audiences.
When it comes to commercial operation - we are not limited to a specific funding path. We are very entrepreneurial. We are ambitious and we are also extremely pragmatic. Like any production business, it is all about concept, production quality, distribution and marketing. To be able to connect all these milestones and components, it takes a lot of learning, refining and the guts to take risk when you have to.
How do you feel about having your world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival?
We are thrilled, truly! The challenge of independent filmmaking is one has to constantly wrestle and balance with available resources and limitation. An established film festival like Sydney has provided an incredibly invaluable platform for our film. We remain humbled and diligent.
What do you want people to take away from the film?
I want them to really feel it. To think about it. And to reflect. I want people to take their time - love and express that love. And watch more good movies - there are plenty of them out there. And tell more people about Little Sparrows!
What did you find most challenging about your involvement with Little Sparrows?
I have made several attempts to answer this, and have eaten half a packet of hazelnut wafers in the process. What did I find most challenging? I think it was accepting that Camille is a person who is not entertained by limitations, only with challenges. Also, that the sense of kinship I felt during our first meeting was genuine, that we were thinking about love, enduring love and family in a very similar way. It was uncanny to walk into a room and have a meeting with a stranger and hear them talk of what they want to give voice to in their film and find that these are the same ideas that you have been mulling over for some time. Once I had accepted that I was along for the ride. I knew I was going to be challenged.
The other challenge was deciding, at long last, on the design for the sparrows. But thats another story.
What do you find rewarding about your involvement with Little Sparrows?
Well I loved the tight team and the fluidity of filming, there was something musical about it, a bit like swing jazz. And there was good humour, both sides of the camera, which we needed because aspects of the storyline could change on the spot if a take produced something that was worth pursuing. You see there was a story and a general scene breakdown, but no script, and only a basic list of possible shots. So much of the work, for the actors, took place prior to filming in our discussions with Camille one-on-one, or as a group, fleshing-out these characters and the dynamics of their relationships. You didn't have to learn lines, you had to tune-in to Camilles vision, her language, and then let go into the take. I experienced it as somewhere between falling and flying.
Little Sparrows found its own way, and revealed itself as it progressed. What was most precious in the filming of Little Sparrows was its heart, its truth.
Are there any standout moments while filming Little Sparrows?
The one that immediately springs to mind for does so, I think, because it expresses the camaraderie and commitment between us all. We were filming the Christmas lunch scene, and were well into our day. I forget now if we'd actually filmed the meal at this stage. There was so much to cover and Camille and Jason were like some two-headed beast gobbling-up shots as they spotted them. I wasn't needed at the time and so retired onto the carpeted staircase to be out and above the maelstrom that was rushing on without me. I remember taking off my fancy red, flashing antlers and resting my self up the staircase and wondering if it was possible to sleep in such a position. It was, and when I woke, and stumbled, sleepy-eyed through into the main room, I was greeted with such warmth and affection. The sight of me asleep on the stairs, red, flashing antlers in hand, and maybe quietly snoring was enjoyed by all, including me, as I felt so much better for it. And I rejoined this troupe of clowns creating Christmas from tinsel, cold turkey and potatoes and got ready for my next scene.
How did you prepare your role in Little Sparrows?
Well I have three daughters who are in their mid to late teens whom I love to infinity and beyond so I had a clear sense of connection with the mother, Susan. Life is irrepressible, and yet so fragile, to be taken one day at a time.
Camille was clear about what she was wanting from her characters, and we all spent hours talking through our relationships. The challenge was to not over think, which doesn't sound like much, but it's a matter of trust to be the warm, breathing animal you, in a highly artificial environment, and allow that to be enough. I would leave the set at the end of a day and try to review what had taken place, but would find it very hard to remember, because I was too busy at the time to take note, and there was no script to refer to.
Describe your character, Susan.
I think of Susan as a distillation from soaking-up the stories of other women: daughters, wives and mothers: generations of us.
She is a woman of her time, taking her place in society and fulfilling the cultural expectations of the day. She has experienced enough cultural and academic education to have a rich, hidden life. She is seen as the good woman, the good mother, the long-suffering wife of her actor husband. This is one aspect of her truth, but one that is external to her. In her interior life she makes her choices and lives by them. She does not know if these are the best choices and, in the end, it little matters; this is how she has spent her life, and this is where meaning lives for her.
What are the most memorable scenes you did for Little Sparrows?
There are two scenes, both now seem so like a dream.
One was a private moment of the mother, Susan, and I will leave it as that, the other was a day we all spent at the hospice filming. I took to the hospital bed soon after we all arrived. I was tired and it was a lot more inviting than the overflowing waiting room; I was just getting into character right? From that spot I viewed the chaos and slept. I would wake to watch them all, or to find that the director and DOP whispering and filming me as I slept. At one point Camille brought in an old man shed accosted on the street who talked to Susan of coming to Australia, of family and of living long enough to become an old man. The hospice became the theatre, different characters appeared in the doorway, or by my bed and we shared stories. It was an extraordinary day.
But the scenes that resonate most deeply were the scenes shared with Nina, Ariel and Melanie. They were such delicate and personal scenes, very slippery for us all. I think we were all surprised by the force we experienced within them. They were such wonderful daughters, I loved them dearly.
How did you start acting? Describe your career.
Big question! Our interior lives are timeless, multifaceted and as big as the sky above us.
When I left school the options for a girl were teacher, nurse or secretary and then motherhood, all I wanted to do was act and travel. I learned to type and travelled and worked in Australia and SE Asia. Travelling was familiar, I was born an RAF brat; we lived to the side of society and moved every three years. I did not become the doctor, rock climber, ballerina or astronaut I daydreamed I one day might be. I was a bit of jack-of-all-trades trying-out different lives, different adventures, different groups of people.
Twelve years after first auditioning for NIDA I tried again. Id quit work two years prior and returned to study and rediscovered theatre and language. I got in, so I packed-up and moved to Sydney yet again. I survived the three years, did not enjoy it, but am indebted to some of the teachers and for some of the experiences I had there. And to the year of hopeful fools I was part of.
It took me another 18 years to finally come to terms and accept being an actor. By the time I did I had birthed three daughters, buried my sister and was a single parent. I basically survived doing childrens TV series playing characters who were all inspired by the idea of world domination, to a greater or lesser degree. Big, bad, conniving, vain foolish clowns. Olive Dunkly from Parallax (a Great Western Production) was my favourite; there were, I think, four manifestations of her.
One day my agent asked if I was interested in talking with a theatre director who has having trouble casting the female role of a two-hander play by Yasmina Reza. I got the part. Corny as it sounds, I remember feeling a sense of homecoming on entering the rehearsal room, and surprise and then relief on finding myself talking with people who seemed to speak the same language as me. And truthfully, that's when it dawned on me that I was an actor, good or bad, I wasnt a fraud in thinking of myself as one.
Since then Ive had the opportunity to work with some wonderful theatre directors, Chris Edmund, the late Alan Becher, Melissa Cantwell and Matt Lutton. In 2007 I received a gong from the WA Actors Equity Guild Awards for The Goat, or Who is Sylvia by Edward Albee.
I've done a few short films, independent and student and played minor characters in Australian or overseas television productions.
My first work, by choice, has always been parent. As they grow and move off, so will I.
Describe yourself.
Well, that depends on the hat I'm wearing. Or if, indeed, I'm wearing one. I like a garden full of trees.
What was it like working with Camille Chen (Director)?
Like working with a force of nature.
We met, I think, 2/3 weeks before filming was due to begin, she was clear about what she wanted to do and the way she wanted to do it. We talked a few times, had coffee, food. She was the real deal for me. I respected her boots and all attitude towards the challenge of making it happen, creating these lives and seeing how their stories unfolded, gathering them together, fired-up with her seemingly, boundless energy. I loved her attitude and I was onboard, and so Susan took her place in the family. It was an adventure, she was a gift, she inspired and led us and we, in turn, inspired each other.
Acting opposite the superb actress Nikki Bartlett, keeping up to her standard.
Playing an actor and trying not to turn him into the clichéd film idea of an actor, after all this man is a husband and a father who love his wife and kids, he is not just an egotistic theatrical.
Playing scenes with the beautiful and talented girls who played my daughters.
Is there any stand-out memories with your involvement with Little Sparrows?
At times I would look in to the eyes of the beautiful Melanie Munt and could not believe how could a man that looks like me could spawn a woman this stunning.
When Camille approached me to do Little Sparrows, she advised me that she had written a part with me in mind.
This film was unorthodox from mainstream as we had no script to work with. Whilst I prefer the process and benefited from the month long rehearsal. I found myself challenged when I arrived on set and was was advised on the spot that I would do a very challenging scene which was very emotional for the character.
I had strong drive to do this wonderful film justice and I certainly did not want to let Camille down. The shoot proved to be the most challenging and just as importantly, the most satisfying.
Having the privilege of portraying a character so unique and yet in many ways mirrored my life experiences while allowed me to loose myself within the character.
Throughout the shoot, I was in total awe of the professionalism of the cast and crew. I felt honoured to work with a talented cast which inspired me to continue to lift my level of performance.
How did you prepare your role?
The character Nina was an organised, perfectionist and more of an observer of life. I am none of these, I'm more of an organised chaos kind of person. So I would clean a drawer out at home and fold, refold, reclean, getting it just right. I also had a diary that I started making entries into my daily diary of things to do, and see them through. I am a very spontaneous person, and if plans change in the day, I go with it. I thought that would have been easy to do, follow a diary plan, but the minute I was about to head off track I had to pull myself back and get my task finished. On set if I was waiting for a scene, I would clean my bag out or my wallet.
What are the most memorable scenes for you in Little Sparrows?
I have 2 scenes that I loved.
The first one was on the first day of filming. I was in a supermarket and I see Simon and what appears to be his girlfriend doing their shopping. I do my best to leave without bumping into them. It was a fun scene, and thinking that someone like Nina who is always together, awkwardly steering her trolly to get out was amusing to me.
The other day of filming that really stayed with me was the day at the hospital. It was actually my birthday and I remember thinking, I am spending the day doing something I absolutely love and couldnt imagine it could get any better. The first scene of the day was Nina in her car and getting all her emotions out before she sees her Mother. First take, was ok, but I knew I had more in me to give, I wasnt happy with what I had done. Camille called cut and everyone was walking off getting ready for another scene. I asked Camille for one more take, and everyone got back in place. And the emotions just came. It was a magical moment for me.
Describe your character "Nina"?
The character Nina and myself are so different and yet so similar. Life experiences with certain things parallel so closely. Experiences with men, and how alcohol can destroy relationships as well as lives. The joy of having children, the love for a mother, working hard at a relationship that couldnt be saved.
Both myself and Nina are very feeling characters and both are very good at keeping people at arms length and learning to trust before revealing anything about ourselves. The big difference is that the character Nina thinks before she speaks, she is much more of a lady, more organised, good at everything she does.
As for me, I'm more of a tomboy, I see each day as an adventure and whatever I can make happen I will. I am spontaneous, laugh out loud in the middle of a movie at the cinema, not very organised and as my Mum always says to me when I try to cook 'you can never say you dont try'. Bless her.
How did you start acting?
I remember the moment clearly I decided I wanted to be an actor. My Dad was always watching movies and I walked in one day and he was watching a movie called Gloria. I must have been about 5. The only part of the movie I saw was a little boy who had seen his parents killed, was holding onto the legs of a lady out of fear, and this lady - Gloria - wanted nothing to do with him. She wasn't at all maternal. Just watching that performance turned something on in my brain and I remember very clearly thinking that was what I was going to do with my life.
How would you describe your career as an actor?
I have never taken the easy path with anything, and I feel that all the hard work I have done in the past has lead me to the point where I was ready for the emotional character of Nina. I am never easy on myself, and am constantly looking for ways to improve and refine my work. I am very driven and have learnt so much by observing other actors. James Hagan had been my voice coach before Little Sparrows and I felt it such a privilege to have the opportunity to work with him.
I cannot say enough good things about working with Camille. The energy she maintained, and the leadership and dedication she showed was inspiring to watch. I remember thinking, when does she sleep? It was never an easy road, in that we had to put in the work it was never given to us. But I'm one who is very focused and have a very strong work ethic also.
There were times when it was just Camille and I, and she was a very good sense of character and knowing what she wants. I had some moments of doubt, and I remember talking to Camille about it and she said to me "do you think I dont know you think that. If I didnt think you could do it, I wouldnt have asked you to do it."
Those moments will never leave me. There was no one on set who didnt put 110% into this film.
Probably the improvisational nature of the film keeping up with the more experienced actors was always a bit nerve wracking! While this was a challenge in the sense that I have never worked like this before and it was kind of scary, it was also very exciting to be working with such amazing people who surprised me every day and who made the process a fascinating experience to be part of.
The people I met both in front of and behind the camera, and working with such wonderful and generous actors.
I started acting in amateur theatre productions in my home town of Adelaide. I then co-founded a theatre company with my Mum who is a director/producer/actor in Adelaide, and that led to auditioning for and getting accepted into the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), the school which produced actors such as Hugh Jackman and Francis O'Connor. I graduated from WAAPA in 2005 and have had fairly constant work since, mainly in television and film, but also in theatre both in Sydney and Perth.
How would you descrive your career as an actor?
My career as an actor... hmmm... tough one... I guess it is very up and down with regard to how much work I get as it tends to fluctuate, as with most actors. But I could never do anything else and I would never want to. I love being an actor and if I have to work as a waitress to support myself in between jobs that's just fine!
Describe your character "Anna"?
Anna, to me, is a vibrant, artistic woman who is a bit lost in her life and unsure of what she wants. She is stuck in an unhappy marriage, and feels the need to break free from this but is not sure how. She is also losing confidence in herself as an actor. In her frustration and in trying to find herself again, she makes some unwise choices.
The news of her mother's failing health makes her re-examine what she is doing with her life, what she really wants to do and who she wants to be. Anna adores her family and I think over the course of the film rediscovers her need for them.
How did you prepare for your role?
There were many similarities between myself and Anna, especially when it comes to the acting career, so I guess my own life was preparation for the role! But I also did research on breast cancer, how it affects different people, and how the families of cancer victims cope with both the disease and the loss. The role changed and grew a lot in a fairly short period of time which was great and really interesting to be part of, and was probably also one of the biggest challenges - to keep up with the developments both of the character and the story and still keep Anna three dimensional and real.
What's the most memorable scene for you during the shooting of the film?
I think the most memorable scene would have to be the Christmas Day scene - our final Christmas with our Mum. The atmosphere that was created that day was really warm and loving, and it felt absolutely real, as though we really were a family. There were so many mixed emotions with all of the girls I think - knowing that, for our characters, it was the last Christmas with the whole family together, and yet still feeling so happy to be there, and trying to be optimistic and make our Mum's last Christmas a great one.
Another memorable scene was in the hospital with Nicola, when Anna says goodbye. Nicola is an amazing actor and to have the privilege to act opposite her in such an intense scene was just wonderful.
What is it like working with Camille Chen (Director)?
Working with Camille was a fascinating process! During rehearsals when we were improvising the scenes and the dialogue, she guided me towards making some incredible discoveries without ever forcing anything or telling me what to do. Her commitment and intensity really brought the project to life, and her energy and optimism were always very catching! I really enjoyed the freedom I felt while working with Camille, and the trust she put in all of the actors to portray their characters with integrity and humanity.
One of the most challenging and also one of the most magical things about the film was having to improvise. At times I wanted to rip my hair out after a scene, because it had felt so awkward and then other times it just fell into place and the scene would just naturally go somewhere you didnt expect and there would be a moment of magic.
Not challenging, but amusing was the fact that Christine always seemed to not get the how to dress memo. I would always rock up in scenes and my sisters were wearing gorgeous dresses and have impeccable hair, and I would be there with trackies/tights and a tank top, hair unbrushed, very unpolished. DAG.
Having had a theatre background and not having done much film, I found Little Sparrows to be a huge learning curve. Working with and learning from such an amazing bunch of actors and crew was priceless for me.
I started acting when I was young, doing performances for my family, there is a wonderful rendition of Miss Polly had a Dolly on VHS somewhere with actions and everything. I performed in the show stopping Gnomes and Gardens (an original musical not very good) at Unley Primary School in Adelaide, I did drama all through school (in Adelaide) and then I got into an acting course called Theatre Arts at WAAPA (now called Contemporary Performance and is at SOCA (School of Contemporary Arts)) straight out of high school and moved to Perth at the age of 17. I have been passionate and committed to an acting career ever since. Up until now I have primarily been focused on Theatre, creating my own shows, performing with companies in Perth such as Black Swan State Theatre Company (in the HOTBED program).
All-consuming, filled with huge highs and a few lows, rewarding and fulfilling.
Sitting in a rehearsal room (or a café/pub/Camilles house) talking to Camille and the other cast members about our own experiences and our characters, the way they would feel/react/think. Really delving into how Christine does things, how she is treated, what other characters do to her/think about her as well as putting scenarios onto their feet was an ENORMOUSLY useful tool.
As well as this I did research about and interviews with first year med students so I could get an idea about the frame of mind that Christine was in at the time, and I have to say, I take my hat off to you first year med students, you guys are nuts.
The challenge was honestly reacting as Christine in the moment, being present as Christine despite what random things were thrown at me!
Definitely the hospice scene with Mum (Nicola Bartlett), we had a magical moment. Nicola, you are a truly wonderful actor. In fact the entire cast and crew made the whole film memorable. What a talented bunch.
The budget and the weather. The budget - because it's the one thing you fight most for. And the weather - because it's the one variable that's uncontrollable.
As a consequence we lost one camera one day to the 44 degree Australian summer heat.
On a personal level, the pressure is always on when you must deliver an emotional tone to the imagery applicable to the subject matter. Moreover, it's about aligning the right tone to the cinematography to blend seamlessly with the narrative. This is the real challenge. Camille sets the bar very very high, she knows when it's working. It's intuitive for her. And she sets the pace. Once the crew are all in that groove, there's no better place.
What did you find most rewarding about your involvement with Little Sparrows?
The end result.
Is there any stand out moments/stories in your life, career or through out being involved in Little Sparrows, which you would like to share?
It's kind of clichéd but for my lighting, I often find myself adopting is one of a less is more approach. It's cathartic. This was applicable to Little Sparrows.
At times it was more about subtracting or cutting the light to gain depth to the beauty, the sensuousness. I look for a beauty in the "unbeauty."
I met Camille Chen for the first time at Perth airport. It was midnight and I had just flown in from Sydney to edit my first feature film. I had a great deal of experience with documentary and a variety of other genres, but I was the most excited I had been for a while, to be cutting a feature.
On the plane, I was a little unsure as to why Camille had chosen me for this job. Our only communication, a few days before, had been a few brief. I figured she had to be really perceptive and intuitive or a mad, wild gambler.
For my own part (flying off into the unknown across the country), I had seen Camille's short film, Conscience, on the internet. The production values of that film were very high, so I thought if she had achieved those standards, we would be halfway on the road to a good film.
I met Peter Thomas (EP) at the edit suite the next day. I liked him immediately. One of those calm, unassuming but highly intelligent blokes who you know you can rely on for truth in all instances. Peter and I started playing tennis against each other a few times a week. It was good for both of us to have some time away from the film and battle it out. Alas, my skills as an editor also prevailed on the court.
On my first day in Perth, Camille and I immediately started a basic compile edit of the good takes so I could get a sense of the story which had no script! What? Ok, I like challenges.
On the first pass I was immediately taken by the classiness of the cinematography, and had a sense that if all else fails, the film was going to look great. And though I was a feature film novice, my instincts were already kicking in about the characters and their semi-impromptu deliveries. It also became very clear to me early on what characters where taking the story forward and what characters were taking it down dead end alleys.
Sitting next to Camille day after day taught me a lot about actors. I was fine with putting a story together, picking great looking shots or camera movement, but where I saw a reasonably good take, Camille would spot an issue with what the actor was doing within the frame. And so we'd find another take that gave the character more detail. I appreciated that and eventually, became just as critical of takes.
I ate dinner just about every night with Peter, Camille and the kids - one big happy family. Wow, can that Taiwanese girl cook. I reckon I put on ten kilos while I was there. We had a rule, no discussing the film after six oclock. This worked 99% of the time. They also lent me their little red car to get around in. It was about the size of a shopping trolley but I loved it and was very grateful that I could drive to the beach on those hot Perth evenings.
Although Camille was by my side just about the whole time, often an editors worst nightmare, this was never an issue between us. Camille was always working on something on her laptop, designing posters and websites, and we enjoyed each others company and laughed out loud most of the day. This was kind of odd, given the nature of the material, but we just had fun.
We both felt the power and emotion of the performances as well - especially Susan's hospice scenes. At these moments, Camille would always exclaim: This is making me cry!!! I think she uttered those words at 657 times during the entire seven week edit. Which means I burst out laughing a further 657 times.
Overall, Camille and I just gelled very quickly. We seem to share the philosophy that, despite personal feelings or attachments, the most important thing is to be true to what the story needs. Sometimes, you just have to be ruthless. Sometimes, when I suggested that a scene she liked be cut, or an actor trimmed up here and there, she would protest most profusely in the negative. However, I learned pretty early on, that I didnt really need to argue the point with Camille. I would just throw the idea out there and wait. A day or so later, if I was right, Camille would always come around to the idea. And I really appreciated her ability to just let things go no matter how tightly she was hanging on previously. This is the mark of a good director.
Another interesting point is strangely enough Camille would sometimes say I was being too soft. I would be building up this scene, trying to roll out a bit of emotion and Camille would say: Too sentimental. No! Talk about role reversal. Here I was, a bloke, arguing with a woman about the sentimentality of the scene! Funny times. But I believe that it was this great dynamic between us that kept the film alive and energetic without getting too bogged down. I am very proud of the fact that the film doesn't make the obvious choice of focusing too heavily on the sentimentality of Susan's death. Camille's intuition here was just perfect and the film is stronger because of it.
There was only one day in the entire edit that I felt stressed. That was the day we tried to output the final edit as one file. The damn thing kept going out of sync and after many hours of sweat, this was finally worked out to be frame rate issue. But for the rest of the time, I have to say I never felt under pressure or stress at all and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. Camille and Peter were simply great to work with and became good friends. We all hope to make many more films together. Heres hoping that Little Sparrows does really well and gives us the chance to make great films about the world that just happen to be made in Australia.
How did Little Sparrows start?
Camille and I founded Bolder Pictures in 2008 with a view to making truly original and engaging theatrical features. We did not define too many boundaries for ourselves at the start except that we would be independent film-makers, that we wanted to make a feature in fairly rapid time and that we did not have too much money to do it.
Tell us more about Bolderpictures?
Bolder is actually named as follows. Camille and I had breakfast one winter morning in 2008 and talked about setting up a production company. Outside the dining room in the back patio was a pot plant that contained small pebbles. I looked at it and said how about "pebble pictures". Camille said she wanted something bigger like bigger rocks, like "boulders". So we morphed that into BOLDER PICTURES. Some people make bold movies. We make BOLDER ones.
Bolder completed its first short film in 2009 and Little Sparrows is its first feature.
What about the challenges?
Where does one start!
Any ambitious project has many challenges. The first is assembling a group of talented folks committed to the vision. Camille has been a real visionary here. With her incredible energy, she assembled the cast and crew and got the show rolling. Amazing achievement!
There were challenges with the schedules of the actors and trying to get everything in the shoot finished by Christmas. But we made it!
Last, I would say that any ambitious project demands a lot on the people involved in it. Camille, Eva, Jason, FiL, our great cast and our great crew really contributed enormously emotionally, time, and made many sacrifices to make it all happen.
What are the most memorable moments during the making of Little Sparrows?
There are many. I liked some of the rest times with the cast while they waited to shoot the next scene. Signing up Umedia and the work of Cyrille (our special friend in Paris) was exciting.
Probably most exciting has been the look on people's faces after they have seen the movie. I know this is not really the making of the movie but it is part of its journey.
What are the future plans for Little Sparrows?
Sign up an Australian Distributor. We are in discussions with several of them. We are also working closely with Umedia for distribution outside of Australia. It is early days (we only just finished the film) and looking great.
What marks you different from other producers?
We are independent and truly aiming to make original cinema in the tradition of great cinema. We like to keep budgets low and aim to produce commercially successful movies. We are also Perth based and are driving the local film industry here. We have a Shanghai office and so we have a strong Asian connection through that and through Camille.
What's the next step for Bolder and yourself?
Take a rest and then do film #2.
How did you become involved with Little Sparrows?
I became involved in Little Sparrows from a very early stage. Back then the film proposed was very different, but since then has flowed into a beautiful movement which although has changed, remains true to the original concept of questioning life, love and the influences it has on a family and relationships.
I had previously worked with Bolderpictures and Camille on her short film Conscience as a casting manager in 2008/2009. From working with Camille and Peter on this production I knew Camille was very passionate with high standards and I was attracted instantly, I also knew her and Peter both meant business. I knew we (everyone involved) would deliver a remarkable film. The conquest excited me every step of the way, even when faced with major challenges.
What were the challenges making Little Sparrows?
The challenges were quite obviously our budget restraints. In saying this we all learnt very quickly to develop a method of managing this effectively. It became a fun challenge that we all thrived off in the end.
The ability to make what seemed impossible to happen was extremely rewarding and in some ways addictive.
The hardest part of making the film was trying to convince people that we were actually going to make a brilliant film. I always knew this, it was difficult to recruit with our budget restraints. I soon learnt that this project needed certain personality types to make it work, and before I knew it we had managed to attract these people from WA and interstate.
For all involved in Little Sparrows, (on every level) it took trust, faith and passion, everyone who we dealt with had these qualities and aspirations. It was a very special mix, which we are most thankful for. The film would not be what it is without this magical collaboration.
What are the most memorable moments during the shoot?
Where does Hmmm?? Would I sound typical if I said it was the first time I laid eyes on the fully sick Monaro?? No that's very shallow, even though that car was a stand out moment for me, for what reason I don't really know..maybe its something to do with my Anglo Italian heritage? I did love that car!
A stand out moment in any film is seeing the final product and being able to showcase it to an audience. This was definitely the case for Little Sparrows, this is my favourite and most nerve racking part about making a film. The whole point about setting out on this journey is being able to deliver, so nothing beats that feeling. It's even better when the audience actually likes it.
I guess that doesn't really answer the question about the most memorable moment on the shoot. It would have to be the final day, when I was feeling very confident that everything would go fine and the first part of the day which I was fond of started brilliantly. Camille spontaneously decided to have all the cast and crew on set to do cameos in a mock film shoot for the character of Mark who is a filmmaker. We were Mark's film crew on location at his studio, this scene got a little out of hand, and hence is not in the film. I had decided that I would be the director and mock Camille by wearing her glasses which have become an iconic part of her. Owen the soundy had the boom and was running all over the place to try to capture "the" sound. Myself and Camille were giggling uncontrollably and the whole thing went balls up! It still makes me laugh thinking about it, let's just say you had to be there.
How do yo plan to promote Little Sparrows?
Facebook!!
AND every way that we can.
We have a brilliant international Sales Agent - Umedia, who we are very fond of. The company deals with an elite selection of arthouse films and only take on 7 films a year. Independent film is a very small market on the overall scale of world distribution. Umedia specialises in this niche market which Little Sparrows is more than suited to. It is a unique specialty to find Umedia and through hard work we are very pleased to have them represent our film. Their most recent success is their Cannes jury prize winning Octubre (Un Certain Regard 2010) directed by Diego Vega.
BEHIND THE SCENES
