Three books that inspire me no end.

Herzog On Herzog

Werner Herzog is more than a filmmaker to me. He's more like a father. And this book is full of all the fatherly advice (about filmmaking and life, of which the two for him are forever intertwined) and sage like wisdom you could ever expect, need or want. Just looking at the cover gets me excited.

Minghella on Minghella

I'm not a huge fan of all of his films. But I'm a huge fan of this book. It's one of the most educational and down to earth documents of a filmmakers approach and process. It kills me that someone can communicate ideas and experiences with such apparent ease and simplicity.

The chapter on his experience of making his firsty American studio film is one of the most soberingly honest accounts of Hollywood I've ever read.

Are you serious? Depending on where you live, you can buy this 1 cent?

Notes On The Cinematographer

Robert Bresson's pocket sized book of cinematic meditations is full of film secrets and revelation. When in doubt a simple flick to a random page can focus, inspire, and suggest a fresh approach to the job at hand.

No other book has given me so much. When on set I keep it in my pocket and consult it regularly. It's of and about a particular cinematic sensibility but I highly recommend it to any filmmaker.

"My movie is born first in my head, dies on paper; is resuscitated by the living persons and real objects I use, which are killed on film but, placed in a certain order and projected on to a screen, come to life again like flowers in water." - Robert Bresson

Speaking of screen testing kids...

A friend linked to this on Facebook. Amazing!

Makes me want to watch ET again. Would that be one of the 1500?

The First and Last Photo of Tom Russell. And one other...

THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT is the first photo I took of Tom at his screen test in Adelaide in May 08. We had seen quite a few kids around the country but the moment Tom walked into the room I knew there was something different about him. He gave an 'OK' screen test, but it was who he was on either side of the test that really stood out for me. He was and still is just such a regular kid. But through the lens something else happens. He takes on a different life, like there is something going on behind his eyes, like he has seen a lot of things.

THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT was taken on the last day of shooting about 3 months after the first one. I'm still amazed at how different Tom looks. So much more hard and steely eyed. There is a fair bit of hair and make-up going on in that shot but essentially it's the character Chook well and truly on his way...

I have cast alot of kids and worked closely with the same casting director, Fiona Dann for many years. But there is still no hard and fast rules on how to do it well. I think I even googled "How to cast children in feature films" at one stage during pre, just to see if there was any help out there but I didn't find anything useful. In the end it comes down to a gut feeling.

However, a few of the things we took into consideration with Tom were...

1. Even though he had no film experience, he had recently been in the Adelaide production of Les Miserables, so he new what it meant to go through a production process, work hard and late etc.

2. Tom's parents are very grounded and supportive. When you cast kids you also cast their parents, and we were very lucky with Kate and Wally C.

3. Tom is the youngest of 4 kids. He has three older sisters, ranging in age from 16 to 26. So he spends alot of time with, and is very comfortable around people older than him. This was really important, as he essentially spent seven weeks on the road without a bunch of adults and no other kids.

4. He is a really, really regular and normal kid, who is confident both on and off camera. Even though he really wants to be an actor / performer, he doesn't seem to place any real pressure on himself to do so.

The shot above is of Tom a few weeks ago. His head is shaved because has just finished his second feature film playing a kid who has leukemia. I saw him and his folks when we over in Adelaide for a screening and they all came back to watch At The Movies in the hotel room afterwards.

Tom was pretty excited to see himself on TV, but I think he was much more excited about being up late so he could watch Family Guy once At The Movies was over.

Last Ride flickering away in the dark...

I can almost smell the popcorn.

Hugo creating Kev

At The Movies with David and Margret

Extended interviews Hugo and Me here and here...

And release...

Last Ride is released into the cinemas today. I never thought I would ever say this but I think the film is ready to be out there. I feel we have done everything possible to try and make the film, and it's release as good as it can be.

As much as I have fussed and fretted over every detail over the last year and half it's now time to cut the apron strings and ease the film out into the world. I think it's strong enough to look after itself.

It's a weird feeling, I can feel myself detaching from it, not that I care any less, I just know there is little more I or anyone else can do. It now just needs to be out there in cinemas so people can go and see and discuss and love or hate or what ever it is they want to do with it.

Regardless of success or failure from critics or the box office, personally I am so proud of the film and everyone who helped make it.

The last 5 years of development and in particular the last year or so where I have been on the film full time has been the most exciting, anxious, creative, stressful, inspiring, exhausting, humbling, terrifying, satisfying and ultimately the most privileged time of my life.

Every minute of it (even the really bad ones) has been a dream come true.