Adam Graveley’s Fabulous Four New Director experience in AdFest’s short film competition
Trilogy Perth’s Adam Graveley was one of the four directors selected to compete in AdFest’s Fabulous Four New Director’s competition. After a little hiccup, with one of the selected directors disqualified, Graveley set about creating his short film. The culmination was an AdFest session where he and the other two directors, both from Japan, got to present their films to a packed audience. Here Graveley gives some insights into the process.
I had never made a film before. So when I found out I had won one of four places on the AdFest Fab Four New Directors program, I was annoyed at myself. Why? Because I re-read what I had written which was five scenes in five locations including a restaurant, pub, beach, bedroom and kitchen. Why didn’t I write a self contained man-in-a-box thriller?!
The time frame you get to produce the film isn’t long, especially when holding down a day job. I had just 4 weeks to plan, shoot and edit. I didn’t have a production company so I started the only way I knew how, by asking lots of people lots of favours. Fortunately through friends and contacts I pulled together a great cast and crew consisting of a DoP, gaffer, best boy, music producer, make-up artist, sound recordist and four talented actors. All the ingredients you need to take a story from page to screen. I planned, storyboarded, location scouted, organised make-up tests, held auditions and got Siri Australia to voice my lead character. Seriously. Karen Jacobsen. All in the first two weeks. Then the two day shoot came and went in a baptism of fire and I took over a mates house for a day and a local pub for the next. I had just 2 weeks to edit, add the score, sync the sound design, re-record key dialogue and make sure I didn’t forget the 30 second trailer that had to accompany the final film. I don’t remember February. It flew by like a Kansas tornado, annoying red sparkly shoes in tow.
I was flown to Bangkok, driven to Pattaya and had a mental 3 days networking and socialising. Pattaya doesn’t go easy on you and it isn’t for the faint hearted. Walking Street. That’s all I’ll say. Look it up. A highlight was the Welcome Party where a dear old Japanese woman came up to me and told me to keep making film… rock n’ roll.
The Fab Four was the first session for the 2014 Adfest conference and it kicked off in front of a full house. I was on stage with New Director jury panel members Diederik van Middlekoop and Stephen Douglas and gave a talk on my experiences making the film. They criticised the production value, they felt it could have been better. I was a little surprised they picked on this, Adfest doesn’t offer any money towards the production and they don’t set any boundaries to level the playing field, so unless you know The Weinsteins, you’re on your own. I am very proud of my little film and the efforts of my cast and crew. They did a fantastic job.
But I’ll let you be the judge…
I hit the ground running, had a little stumble, but never fell down. I’d recommend any new director to enter next years competition because the whole experience has been fantastic. Dare I say life changing. Definitely career changing.