Hi Alex!

 
 
How did it come about that you became interested in working in this industry?
I started at MAPs film school in 2020. Taking a leap of faith and enrolling in the course after burning out clicking on screens in a corporate job. I had loved doing photography up until then and wanted to explore it in a more collaborative capacity. One of the best decisions I have made. I was lucky enough to be in a cohort full of creative and ambitious people, and in one of the last intakes of MAPs at Hamilton.
 

(MAPS class 2020)

Has someone had an influence on your career?
On my first ever set following graduating, I was a runner on a short film. I was lucky enough to meet the most influential people to my career on this set. Matt Richardson and Andy Robertson, a key grip and gaffer. I remember being upstairs at SAFC and Richo showing me what a world cup bowl is, and Andy showing me how to fold fabrics (my mum and I had been folding our sheets wrong apparently). Since then I have worked with them on some of Adelaide’s biggest shows. We’ve traveled all over SA/NT, and I’ve learnt a lot about camera movement and lighting. It’s all helped immensely with my shooting.
 
What’s the best advice you ever received?
Not a single piece of advice but it effectively distills down to PPPPPP. Prior preparation prevents piss poor performance to put it eloquently. It applies in a lot of ways. Having effective pre-production so you can build a vision and work towards it. Testing your equipment so you know it works the way you want. Knowing what the next shots are so that you can get things ready and keep things on schedule. Being dressed for the weather, terrain, conditions so you’re not a hot, wet, soggy mess. A little morning stretch so you don’t break your back lifting the camera.
 

(Henry Reimer-Meaney and Bec Taylor post finding out I hadn’t tested the anamorphic adapter.)

Who do you look up to in the industry, do you have any mentors?
I really admire my peers around me. Nick Frayne, Jake Viskic, James Haskard, Bec Taylor. They have so much passion for what they do, and always make me laugh a lot/make all the days on set better.
 
++ All the early career filmmakers in our industry who give so much to each other and are taking risks.
 
What piece of equipment or thing could you not do without on-set?
Comfortable shoes. No better investment when you spend all day on your feet. I think I average 25000+ steps a day when on set. Multiply that by 5-6 days/week for months on a long-form – yea, protec those dogs.
 
What has been your most interesting or challenging project so far?
It would have to be my first project out of film school, Chatworld. I was lucky enough to get funding from Carclew with fellow graduates Kirrily Snape and Henry Nash. It was super ambitious with a lot of elements, a lot of people, and a lot of firsts for us being fresh graduates. There were constant setbacks with covid at that time. We had to face something we could never prepare for. Henry passed away unexpectedly. It was incredibly hard on everyone involved and we all had to take our time away from the project. I think about him often when I am on set.
 
Now years later, we have picture-lock and I am about to begin colour grading. I look at the shots and see all the things I could have done better with the experience I have now. But, it’s —-  something I can’t find the right word for – a memory of Henry, something that’s been with us from the start of our path, something that has grown with us, a collaboration of all our friends from MAPs and from our time in the industry. A reflection of all that time and I wouldn’t change it.
 
What’s next for you?
Along with Chatworld, I have one other short film that I have shot in post, so not too long now before they’re complete and I can share some work with the world.
I have some personal projects that I want to get a start on with long-form jobs wrapping up for the year, and am always on the lookout for short films and narratives to shoot.

Thank you to ACS SA for getting us all together throughout the year, and the merch!
 

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