2025 - The Year That Was

What a year 2025 turned out to be!

Not one but TWO proof of concept short films shot and completed from scripts I'd written to support corresponding feature projects. One, a fictional whistleblower story starring Myles Pollard and Caroline Brazier in the style and tone of the feature screenplay based on Andrew Wilkie's book Axis of Deceit. Both the feature and the short are called Truth To Power. 

The second, a self contained short utilising a story strand from my high concept horror screenplay Doomscroller, starring newcomers Mackenzie Reynolds and Jayk Thomas. This one is called #doomscroller.

The feature Doomscroller would go on to be very well received at the 37⁰South film market in Melbourne. I'll be working on a new draft based on market feedback as a priority in 2026. 

Between those two shoots I was accepted into Screenwest's revived Feature Navigator initiative with a third feature project, The Agenda. What an inspiring and informative four days discussing the project with industry professionals. 

Speaking of The Agenda, it was one of two feature scripts read on separate nights at Scripts and Sips. The other one being the thriller Turbulence. Thank you to Ryan Woosnam for organising such terrific evenings and all the actors who read on those nights and gave such perceptive feedback afterwards. 

I received periodic updates on the werewolf feature Bull with the script still in circulation and a possible co-production in the offing.

The second half of the year saw two separate instances of actors approaching me after having been given my name by actors I respect. One has led to a new short film script called Undercurrent which I'm excited about. The other could possibly lead to developing a synopsis into a psychological thriller that is right in my wheelhouse. 

I even started writing a play which, in my fashion, is based on a scenario not too tangential to the fictional Truth To Power short. 

New collaborators, new projects, a renewed sense of enthusiasm and optimism as 2026 unfolds. I re-joined the Australian Writers’ Guild on Christmas Eve and also found an excellent intellectual property lawyer to bounce things off.

Highlights include:

Being on set when Myles and Caroline were going at it in a pivotal scene from the Truth To Power short. What a joy to see your words brought to life by such excellent actors. 

Again, from TTP… the casting of recently graduated WAAPA student Deep Sroa who went head to head with Myles. 

Meeting the Cairnes Brothers of Late Night With The Devil fame and discussing Doomscroller with them at Feature Navigator. 

Reconnecting with editor Lawrie Silvestrin who edited my first produced short film (Slice)… over twenty years ago! 

Working the ol’ socials to ensure we met the crowdfunding target for the #doomscroller shoot and, indeed, exceeded it. 

Reaching out to a student film-maker to give feedback on her short film script because the subject matter resonated deeply. 

And perhaps most of all, the goodwill from people who donated to the crowdfunding campaign and/or asked about my film projects, especially in theatre circles where I'm better known as a reviewer. The support and interest throughout the year has been truly amazing!

So thank you to all the people who believe in me and my work.

Let's see what 2026 brings…

The Proof of Concept

Over the long weekend a short film script I'd written was filmed. A fictional whistleblower story in the style of the feature script it would take its name from - Truth To Power. We'll get to those four days shortly but first, a little background.

Previously on...

The feature film script Truth To Power had been shortlisted for a major production funding round in 2023. Unfortunately, we didn't get the $1.25 million which would have put us on the way to making that film. 

A lot has changed since then including some things I can't discuss yet. The elements I can discuss are these:

A new Perth-based producer, Jaimee Peasley, has come onboard joining producer/director Tim Dean, myself, and our Melbourne-based producer Erinn Stevenson.  

A concise note from a person whose opinion I trust means there will be new passes of the feature script for the first time in quite a while. I'm excited about this as what I'm attempting is risky but will elevate the script from being very good to hopefully something quite special. 

We will be resubmitting the project to the funding body for the 2025 production funding round, now $1.5 million as Screen Australia matches Screenwest's $750k. 

The project has also been submitted for development funding which, amongst other things, would mean I get to work with script editor Shayne Armstrong again if we're successful. 

A key part of the submission strategy for the feature included filming a proof of concept short. This is something Tim and I began to consider in March of last year. With Jaimee joining the creative team in May, development of the screenplay began in earnest. 

Early on Tim and I knew that we could not tell the real life Andrew Wilkie story in short form. The decision was therefore made to write a fictional whistleblower tale. The earliest note on my phone is dated 6 March 2024 and the basic idea has remained the same ever since. What changed over many drafts ended up being the necessity to replicate the tone and dramatic conceit of the feature, namely the inclusion of imagined scenes. This proved to be quite the task as I didn't have the same real estate to establish that device and the transitions in and out of those moments had to be precise. 

I also had another problem. To create a compelling whistleblower story you need a secret of sufficient weight to give the protagonist a moment of pause as they consider the ramifications of their actions. The feature script deals with the misuse of intelligence to falsely justify Australia's involvement in the Iraq War so I went back to the military well and chose AUKUS as a likely source of government shenanigans. Only to find that actual revelations were outstripping my supposedly manufactured ones. I had to keep pushing the core secret while still having it be credible. It would not surprise me if what I've concocted actually comes to pass.  

Fourteen drafts later - with feedback from writers I have enormous respect for - we had a finished script. A script that is one of the most difficult I've ever written and one I'm enormously proud of. I did have an advantage though - we were going to self-finance this short so I could write it how I liked without worrying about the niceties of funding submissions. As always, Tim kept me on the straight and narrow when I became a little too polemical or ranted on the page. I need that anger to write about how these courageous individuals are disgracefully persecuted for telling the truth. Tim helps me focus and modulate that rage with well-considered and dispassionate notes.

Then it came time to make it all happen. Jaimee's involvement became critical, both in letting Tim concentrate on directing and in putting together a sensational cast and crew for not only a self-financed short but any short film. 

Which brings us to the long weekend.  

Yes, I was easily the oldest person on set. However, the crew could not have been more respectful to me and the script with a really good vibe established right from the get go. I loved their expertise, the banter, and willingness to work hard. Jaimee set the tone and everyone followed. What a delight to be there every day. 

Then there is the cast:

Myles Pollard, Caroline Brazier, Jennah Bannear, Maitland Schnaars, Deep Sroa, and Oliver Clare. 

What an absolute joy to have your words and scenes come to life at the hands of such talented actors! During a moment on the morning of the last day when Myles and Caroline were going toe to toe I had to force myself to stay calm. They were crushing it! As did everybody involved. 

I can't wait to see an edit. I can't wait to see the finished film at a cast and crew screening. I can't wait to include that proof of concept short as part of our funding submission to show what we can do as a creative team. 

While I couldn't tell you what any of those four days looked like outside, what I can tell you is that it was a very good long weekend!