How did you get into the industry?
Movies played a big part in my childhood. I would have Disney marathons with my sister and watch the classics on TCM with my dad.
As a kid it was a big deal to go to the cinema, so I never took the experience for granted, and I was so fascinated by how these images and stories made it to the big screen. I remember always thinking that I wanted to be a part of it, but I didn’t know where to start.
One day I borrowed my parents handycam and started shooting around our neighbourhood. I would film my friends surfing and skating after school and would cut these little kooky edits together and enter them into local surf film festivals.
I never stopped shooting stuff after that, and then one day on a surf trip I met someone who ended up becoming my mentor and getting me a job as a DA. A few years later I had the opportunity to direct a spec commercial, and the rest is history.
Where are you based now and who do you work for?
I recently moved to London, and I’m currently freelancing.
If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
This industry is all I really know so that’s a scary thought. But I think I could have seen myself in music production.
Can you explain your creative process? What makes it unique?
It varies from job to job, but I thrive when I’m working in more nimble crews with a creative direction that I can relate to and visualise from the start. I wear many hats on lots of my jobs, so I will direct, produce, shoot, cut and sometimes even colour it myself.
You can certainly feel the pressure under time constraints, but it’s usually very rewarding to see your vision through all the way to the end.
How would you describe your style?
Instead of sticking to one style I love to experiment and take risks in my work. I’m more drawn to stories with a human element or have a level of authenticity that can’t be pulled off in a more prescriptive situation.
Which individuals do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
I idolise the commercial work of guys like Tony Kaye, Jonathan Glazer, Jeff Darling and Ralf Schmerberg. This was an incredible era for advertising, and I still reference their work today.
Also, Thomas Campbell, Alby Falzon and George Greenough too, they made some of my all-time favourite surf flicks when I was growing up.
What tips would you give to aspiring creatives looking for work?
Always stay busy with your own passion projects even if you don’t have any jobs on. Reach out to your heroes and other people you admire, because you never know who might be open to connecting, looking for new talent or needing an assistant.
Social media can be a useful tool if you don’t have industry connections. A few years ago I DMed my reel to one of my favourite rappers on Instagram and ended up shooting a music video for him.
What tips would you give to other professionals to get more clients?
Focus on perfecting the work that you want them to know you for.
What kind of tools/kit/software could you not do without?
Obviously a camera, life wouldn’t be the same without one. And I couldn’t live without DaVinci Resolve, I’m a closet colourist at heart.
What’s your secret to staying inspired and motivated?
I love what I do so I never really struggle to stay motivated, but getting outside and walking or catching a bus or train to explore always helps me to get inspired. Overall I think just getting out of my comfort zone helps me a lot.
What’s the work achievement you’re most proud of?
A spot for Crust Pizza, which is a big Australian pizza chain. We shot it a couple of years back in Naples and captured these wild and hilarious reactions of locals to the pizza (think Italians eating Australian pizza). Definitely my proudest work achievement to date, it’s a hard one to top.
What is the one thing that you would change about the industry?
I think people need to be more involved in helping out new talent. I know this has improved over the years, but there’s a long way to go.
Whether it be directors including more newcomers on productions or clients giving emerging talent their first big break, I think overall there needs to be more risk-taking in productions instead of being overly conservative and comfortable with crew selection.
Any websites, books or resources you would recommend?
I’ve been losing myself on ‘Midjourney’ recently. I’m interested to see where this goes in terms of being a potential tool for our industry and the arts as a whole. Definitely one to keep an eye on in the coming years.
