Pastoral Resources

The success of the film is down to the crew.

Sometimes people say to you that you should try to be in a bigger film, but it's the way it pans out.

I got involved in script development from the beginning. It was nice to see how a film gets made right from the beginning. It was quite hands-on for me.

People go to see a film because it's a great story and it's visually exciting to watch.

I'm doing a Dylan Thomas film, Map of Love, with Mick Jagger producing again. It's a wonderful script.

I was delighted to have lines when they came - learning lines for film isn't a problem, but television is a little different, because we shot those shows the whole way through.

I don't feel the obligation to have a big explosion in the first 20 seconds so the audience doesn't turn on another channel. We are trying to make something that looks like a feature film that was bought for television and I think we are succeeding.

Having had that experience... I think, what modern culture wants to see is the relationship with the woman. I don't think you can tell a story on film nowadays where the woman simply is there for the man when he decides to settle down.

There are a thousand weird untold stories in the Australian film industry, this has been one of them.

Now both my films have been number one at the Australian box office and it took about two years just to get the finance for this film, so if it's hard for me then God help everyone else.

Three years after starting, by physically doing everything from raising the finance to special effects, we'd finally cobbled together our low budget film.

I just wanted to do this all Australian film and we didn't want to give creative control to overseas 'cause whoever comes on my sets, whether you're sweeping the floor or an actor, it doesn't matter who comes up with the ideas, it's a collaboration.

Making your first feature film is actually impossible.

Getting your screenplay right is the most important thing you'll ever do on your film.

Can you imagine what it would be like if all the Aussie film talent was able to make Australian stories?

I kind of worry about that a little bit - we lost our film culture for 30 years because the Americans came in and bought up all the cinema chains and wouldn't show any Australian films.

There are three rape scenes that I've had to act in, and none of them have gotten to film. I don't think it's something that should be promoted in any way.

And friends of mine that had photography class in high school would develop the film and make prints and I'd take them back to the track and give 'em away or try and sell them. Much to my parents' dismay, I majored in photography in college.

Theater to me is acting but it's more real on film.

I think possibly the first film that has music as its leading character.