'QUEENSTOWN' - WRAPPED

I completely forgot to post the announcement of Queenstown, an eight-part series I’ve just wrapped filming in Queenstown, New Zealand. My head was well and truly in pre-production at the time.

Five months later, we’ve finally wrapped.

65 days of Main Unit. 19 days of Second Unit. An amazing cast and crew. Some extraordinary locations. A lot of snow, helicopters, mountains, crazy weather, long days and more than a few unexpected challenges along the way.

Calling ‘cut’ on the final set-up was bittersweet. I’ve absolutely loved making this show, and I was surrounded by the best people, both on and off camera. But after five months, it was time to stop.

Now into the edit for the next six months or so.

I’m really looking forward to getting in there and seeing what we’ve made.

BONKERS FOR HONKERS

Producer, stand-in, Alice Grant.

Cinematographer, Ryley Brown.

Some more from Hong Kong. Such a great city!

I’ve just returned from an amazing three-week adventure directing a tourism campaign for the Hong Kong Tourism Board. What a trip! An exhaustive and immersive experience into a city that has totally got under my skin. I’ve been home only a couple of days now and I already miss it and everything about it!

JAPAN SUSHI END GAME

Spent a week in Japan earlier this month. Saw a bunch of things I’ll never forget. But what I never saw coming was a humble hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurant at the fish market that served a simple seared fatty tuna nigiri that was probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Ever. It was so good I cried.

I RAN A MARATHON

I’ve only been running for just over three years. I started because I felt a deep need to move more, and for some reason, running was the thing that drew me in. I’ve completed two half marathons. The first half-marathon was a considerable effort. I had never done anything like it before and felt completely outside my comfort zone. But the moment I crossed the finish line, I knew I had to run a full marathon one day.

I’ve always considered myself a fairly focused person, but the physical and mental discipline required to train for a marathon is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Finding the motivation to get out and run, regardless of the weather, especially when I have no natural talent for it, has been challenging to say the least.

Yesterday, I ran the Nike Melbourne Marathon. Today I feel a sense of satisfaction that only doing something like running a marathon can bring. And that, despite the fact I feel like I have been hit by a truck, is a pretty good feeling.

TREE OF THE YEAR

When I lived in Glasgow making The Cry, I became quietly obsessed with a lone ash tree on Argyle Street, Finnieston. I was always caught by the sight of its branches rising stubbornly against the backdrop of tenement flats. Washed in that glorious Glasgow mid-winter gloom and glow. It felt like it was holding on, determined to live amidst the concrete and traffic. I photographed it often, and now miss it like an old friend.

This week I learned the Argyle Street Ash has been named the UK’s Tree of the Year. At 175 years old, it was the a wild card entry to the annual competition. it’s a striking but utterly humble tree. Positioned unceremoniously on the side of an inner-suburban road, the only tree in the street. And yet it stands, uncompromised, a reminder that while our lives race forward, more often than not, nature endures, holding time with a steadiness we can only dream of.

NYC AND BEYOND

Natalie and I have just returned from a couple of wonderful weeks in the United States. The trip began with a dear friend’s truly stunning wedding—a celebration full of joy and beauty. From there, we set off on a road trip that took us through Connecticut and Massachusetts, across to Hudson, and finally down through the picturesque Hudson Valley back to New York City.

I’ll admit I arrived in the U.S with some reservations—for all the reasons—but we ended up having an incredible time. We discovered unexpectedly beautiful places, encountered warm and fascinating people, and experienced a spirit of generosity that reminded us of the country at its finest. Both Nat and I came away feeling a strong sense of gratitude. Looking forward to our next adventure!

New York City

New York City

New York City

Tarrytown. New York.

East Lyme, Connecticut.

Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Rockport, Massachusetts.

Rockport, Massachusetts.

Coxsackie, New York

RIP DAVID LYNCH

David Lynch has had a huge influence on me in many ways. His films played a key role in shaping my path toward becoming a film director, and he also introduced me to Transcendental Meditation, which I’ve been practicing for over five years now. He was a guiding light, and I’m feeling a little lost right now…

The above clip is one of my favourite David Lynch moments. Eccentric, pragmatic and strange, it proves how a master storyteller can even make cooking Quinoa into a deeply cinematic experience.

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TBC…

AACTA AWARDS 2024

The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart wins the 2024 AACTA Award for ‘Best Mini-Series’.

Had a lot of fun making this for Telstra via The Monkeys. DOP - Germain McMicking, Production Designer - Lucinda Tomson, Editor - Shannon Michaelas at The Editors, VFX - Alt.Vfx, Sound - Squeaky Clean. Thank you Exit films!

I have worked with Alt.Vfx for years. They are a visual effects company that focuses on helping the filmmaker realise their vision in the most unobtrusive, yet supportive way. When I posted the above VFX breakdown on my Instagram, I revived quite a few messages from people saying they had no idea there was any VFX in the series, in reality there is over 400 different shots, which is a huge testament to their work.

VALE MAC GUDGEON (1949 - 2023)

Mac Gudgeon, Lake Mungo, 2008

One of the most important decisions I have made in my career was to be a ‘Director’ and not a ‘Writer  / Director’.  The moment I realised I could work with writers, I became really productive and I’ve been productive ever since. I cherish working with writers as a creative experience. But the chemistry has to be right.

Writer Mac Gudgeon taught me a valuable approach. In 2008 during early development for my first feature film Last Ride, Mac and I went on a camping road trip through the desert where we were imagining the film would take place. We had clicked as friends, I felt comfortable in discussing my ideas for the film, about story, character and tone. Mac encouraged me to open up more and more. He said, the more I know what’s in your head, the more “I’ll write the film you want to make.” It was a huge moment for me and I could see how powerful working with a writer could be. It could be symbiotic, A writer could write what I wanted to make and in return I will make the film they want to write. 

I have taken this approach with every writer I have worked with since. It gave me the confidence and the understanding that I could bring the sense of authorship I desired through working closely with writers who I shared a common vision with. It’s kind of straight forward in hindsight, but at the time is far less clear. Thats the kind of wisdom Mac passed on. Honest, to the point and with conviction.

Mac was a great man and a great writer. He taught me many things and gave me many gifts. More than he would ever have realised. He will be missed but will live on in our hearts and minds.