Another Aussie in LA

Happy days! Tripod - Australia’s (2nd?) best musical comedy trio - are in Los Angeles to work on their new show, THIS GAMING LIFE. Scod, Gatesy and Yon take time out of their hectic schedule to reminisce about the good ol’ days opening for cover bands and their old school marketing techniques, which included capturing St Kilda foot traffic and diuretic mail outs. They reveal their individual gaming preferences and advise me on the best games for lasting romantic relationships. I have yet to test their theories... Look out LA Uber drivers - The Peace Machines have arrived and they will serenade you with their three part harmonies!

Julius Avery (writer/director) and Nash Edgerton (actor - for this one!) joined Another Aussie for a Q & A at screening of their new film SON OF A GUN. They share stories of being a fan boy and buillding a fan base, watching each others' careers, the journey from shorts to features and the need for adaptability and trusting your instincts. Especially when it's very likely that as the director, you are the one with the least amount of experience! With the help of the audience we cover writing, financing, shooting, marketing and distributing - yeah, the gamut! The highs the lows of filmmaking and everything in between...

Here's a laid back ramble with actor and producer Martin Copping (ZOMBIE HUNTER, BATTLE GROUND). While a restless spirit may have brought him to LA, Marty has remained pretty focussed in his six years. We talk about rock and roll starts, perpetual LA acting students, having your bases covered rep wise and working with your heroes - there were tears! His sage advice for the bussiness side o' things - When it works, it works. And when it doesn't, move on!

After 15 years Stateside, multi-hypenate Paul Leyden (THE CLEANERS, AS THE WORLD TURNS, CANAL ROAD) knows a few things. He's lived the high life in NYC, killed numerous cellphones and survived many a pilot season. And yes, those last two are related. As a writer/director/producer, he shares stories on how to woo Sony money men, the constraints of writing to locations, how best to win over novelists. (Hint: flattery) and the subtle art of timing when selling scripts. But my favourite is a tale about picking a show with Heather Lockler and Blair Underwood (LAX) over one about being LOST on a deserted island...

Pilot season is coming... Please don't take it out on your phone!!

It’s Q & A time with Joel Edgerton! Recorded after an Australians in Film screening of Exodus: Gods and Kings, Joel shares tales of his time shooting the swords and sandals epic from working with Ridley “The General” Scott to his thoughts on the casting controversy surrounding the movie. We also delve into his work with Blue Tongue Films, the trails and tribulations of making and distributing films in Australia, the tumultuous times on the set of Jane Got a Gun, the things actors get away with and mixing it up vs. knowing what your wheelhouse is. It’s a cracker!

Dion Beebe, cinematographer extraodinaire, Oscar and BAFTA winner and all around affable guy chats with Another Aussie after a screening of his latest film INTO THE WOODS. With two other musicals under his belt (Chicago, Nine), he discusses Hollywood's desire to pigeonhole you, disregarding the technicalities of what he does, grounding fairytales and earning the moment to burst into song. He shares what he has learnt from his ongoing relationships with Jane Campion(Holy Smoke, In The Cut), Michael Mann (Collateral, Miami Vice) and Rob Marshall (Memoirs of a Geisha), but at the end of the day his impressively diverse work speaks for itself.

Writer and actor Craig Behenna has just returned to Adelaide - yup, we're in Radelaide, folks! - after a epic five month trip that culminated in his film ONE EYED GIRL taking out the Jury Prize at Austin Film Festival. We soldier through our respective jet lags to discuss writing, writing and more writing. Whether it be overwriting to find the gold, writing as a conversation with an audience or how screenwriting is like a Beethoven string quartet or a puzzle - no metaphor is left unturned or underused! But here's my take away - Find your people and stick with 'em!