This week’s genre short is called nest It is inspired by Australian folklore. In the film, “a lumberjack encounters something disturbing in the woods when he is awakened by the hungry cries of a baby.”
The film, directed by director James Hunt, is inspired by an Australian folktale about a lyrebird that stops logging operations by mimicking the sound of a fire alarm.
This short is shared in partnership with FilmQuest Film Festival, where we hope to shine a light on some of the radical independent genre films and shorts filmmakers are creating.
I’ve included an interview with the director below in the short film.
Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker?
James Hunter is an award-winning director based in Melbourne, Australia. His background is in short films, music videos, commercials and more recently feature film production. He is interested in bold, emotionally resonant, cinematic storytelling.
What inspires you to work in genre films and tell these kinds of stories?
Genre movies externalize abstract ideas from within, and that’s why I love them.
What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process on this project?
Good screenwriter and good editor.
What are you most proud of about this film?
Ways we can achieve and exceed my lofty ambitions.
What’s your favorite story or moment from the making of the film that you’d like to share?
While we were trying to figure out how to make the Lyrebird (animatronics, puppets, VFX, etc.), my producer found the perfect shot on her phone. This is one of the rare situations where our phones are listening to us, and it’s actually a good thing!
What was the most challenging moment or experience you had while making the film?
Trying to figure out how to make the lyrebird sequence work and chop down trees.
If so, how did your film change or differ from the original concept during pre-production, production, and/or post-production? How does this impact the way you approach future projects?
Letting this project sit in my subconscious for a long time changed the way I approach all future projects. I firmly believe that the most layered and flavorful films are those that have been slow-cooked for a long time.
Who are your collaborators and actors in this film? How did you start working together?
Lazarus Latour (actor) and Campbell Brown (director of photography) are new collaborators, while Steve Anthopoulos (screenwriter) and Faith Guojia already have a close personal relationship.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as a filmmaker?
As a filmmaker, the best advice I’ve ever received is to do it yourself and not wait for anyone to give you permission to make a movie. I would say the same thing to new filmmakers, never give up on your dreams. If you believe it will happen, the universe will work with you to make it happen. Over the years, I have seen many miracles because of my persistence.
What are your plans for your career? What stories would you like to tell in the future?
My career plan is to get into feature films – I’ve just made my first feature film DIY again – but I’m hoping to have a bigger budget and create a sustainable career for myself in the feature film world.
What’s your next project?
“The Latcher” – my debut psychological horror film, will be completed this year and released next year.
Where can we find more of your work? Do you have a website or YouTube/Vimeo channel? Social media handle? !
www.jameshunterfilm.com
Bonus Question #1: What is your favorite movie?
Eternal sunshine of the spotless soul
Bonus Question #2: Which film inspired you the most as a filmmaker and/or influenced your work the most?
jurassic park
