Sex, Violence and Catering

Photo: Jess Husband

Jarrah Sexton is "Blonde"

By Carissa Pritchard

Jarrah Sexton, a striking red head, plays “Blonde”. She won’t simply be replaying the notorious “cutting off the cop’s ear” scene – it’s been amped up for the Reservoir Cats version...

I ask Jarrah, “What’s your approach to playing Blonde?”

“I always thought it would’ve been good if Tarantino picked a female to play that role – I always saw that character as very sexy. The dynamics of so much male testosterone, to have a really sexy female dominating the other males, would have been a nice a counter balance.”

Sexy? All I remember is extreme violence. Intrigued by her take on it, I revisit the original. As Michael Madsen moves about the warehouse, I find myself thinking, gosh this guy is sexy… then he cuts the cop’s ear off.  Yes, I knew it was coming, but I’m still shocked – not from what he’s done, but from what I have: I can’t believe I felt that! What does that say about me?  Jarrah was right, the impact of the scene comes from flipping sex to violence in the blink of an ear.

The warehouse, a last minute find, adds an unexpected visual element to the film. The low roof bears down on the scene, like the police outside and the walls contain an assortment of coloured graffiti, like the array of contrasting characters inside. Unfortunately, the external tin roof does not help – when it’s pouring with rain, it’s deafening inside. As we wait out the latest bout, I chat to Orsi Parkanyi, Production Manager and onset masseuse (when Helen hobbles up from hours on the warehouse floor, it’s Orsi who gets her walking again). Originally from Hungary, she’s been in Australia for six years and whilst she has four degrees in everything else, her passion is film. It was her apartment that was used for Orange: “I was shocked at the huge amount of equipment – they took over my place in Maroubra in a minute.”

Photo: Jess Husband

Orsi Parkanyi, PM

But what she found even more shocking, was Producer, Peter Furst’s approach to catering. “Walking into a café and asking for free food is not something you would ever do for yourself.”

“How do you do it?” I ask.

“We explain that we’re involved in this project, we’re all volunteering, a bit about the cause, and ask if they’d like to help out with free coffee and food. Almost everyone’s supportive, which is very Australian, I think. They all say, ‘that’s great, good luck.’”

Due to a day of rain, Jarrah’s scenes have been rescheduled until tomorrow. What is the Reservoir Cats version of the ear-cutting scene? That's been classified by the Director. You'll have to see it for yourself.

Slipping into the scene.

Photo: Jess Husband

Paige Gardiner as "Pink"

By Carissa Pritchard

When I first interviewed Paige Gardiner, playing “Pink”, she said, working with Director, Garnet Mae, was easy. “He has a pretty clear idea of what he wants and to a certain extent, he trusts us.” The project was great because, “It’s rare, for an actress to play such great roles.” Most male actors I’ve told about Reservoir Cats have said, ‘Really? Girls can’t pull that off.’”

INT. WAREHOUSE - DAY

Paige (Pink) and Amanda (White) are shooting the scene revealing the heist was a set-up. After nailing numerous takes, Garnet is now free to try something different, he confers with Paige. Today's crew - Production Manager, Orsi and Head of Make-up, Laura, sit behind Garnet, flipping through celebrity magazines.

Pink and White take their places.

    

GARNET

Action.

WHITE

Have a cigarette.

PINK

I quit.

WHITE

Alright.

PINK

Why? Have you got one?

GARNET

Cut! Turn before you say the line. Again. Action.

WHITE

Have a cigarette.

PINK

I quit.

WHITE

Alright.

PINK

Why? Have you got one?

GARNET

Cut. Turn the other way. Still rolling and Action.

WHITE

Have a cigarette.

PINK

I quit.

WHITE

Alright.

PINK

Why? Have you got one?

GARNET

Cut. Look over here when you say the line. Go again.

WHITE

Have a cigarette.

PINK

I quit.

WHITE

Alright.

PINK

Why? Have you got one?

GARNET

Cut! Again, without giggling this time.

PINK

(yelling)

I QUIT!!!

GARNET

This is called “taking direction.” It’s an important scene, it’s where your character arcs, you need to get it right.

Orsi looks up from her magazine.

ORSI

(To Laura)

I didn’t realise how hot Beyonce’s Mum is.

LAURA

Yeah, she’s totally hot. Did you read that article about Nicholas Cage being a vampire?

When Garnet calls a wrap on the scene, DOP, Gary Russell, calls a cigarette break. Paige sits down on a crate and looks over her script.

I ask, “How’d you find that?”

“Frustrating”, Paige replies.

“Does the angst help?”

“Yes,” she laughs. “In that scene it helped. It was just a misunderstanding.  I always pride myself on taking direction. I wasn’t clear about what Garnet wanted.”

If you were expecting Paige to lambast the director, then you might have interpreted her polite response as “being professional”. But to me, it shows, not only is she an incredibly gifted actress, she’s not insecure either. What a combination, one that Garnet obviously recognises, evident by the fact she’s the first actress I’ve seen him joke around with.

I ask her, “How are you finding your character?”

“It’s a bit of a stretch for me, this character, being the bad ass I don’t want to turn it into a stereotype; I’m not playing ‘the dark side’. The character’s very intelligent, not as cool as a gangster would be. But still, when I was running down the street shooting, I was thinking, ‘I hope this is coming off’.”

The next scene, is described by Garnet as, “A tough one – there’s five pages of dialogue and smoking. Please don’t look like you’re smoking. Action.”

When Garnet calls “cut”, I realise I had slipped into the scene. Rather than watching the making of a movie that’s remaking a movie, I was watching a thief on the run, fighting for survival, trying to save herself. Paige Gardiner stands out. To say she’s going to be a big star one day would be a cliché, and like any great actress she avoids them in her work. To say the least, Paige proves women can play bad asses. As for Nicholas Cage, that hasn’t been proven.

Did he win an Academy Award?

                                     Photo: Jess Husband
Gary Russell, DOP

by Carissa Pritchard

Yesterday there was still no location to shoot the warehouse scenes for today. According to Director, Garnet Mae, after being promised a space in Redfern, he was then asked for $2000 rent. Since no one could find another Diane Cutler, he went back to the owner and applied his usual charm. After that, he got the roof space, but was warned it came with a few crazy tenants. Garnet says, “I found them to be really nice, for some reason, everyone seems to be nice to me.” Garnet’s obliviousness to his own charm only increases it further.  If this shoot was likened to a Reservoir Dogs heist, Pete’s temerity would kick the door down. Garnet’s charm would have the victims wanting to help carry the bags out. Today I interviewed Director of Photography, Gary Russell to find out what part he’d play.

How did you hear about the project?

“Through a friend of mine, I’ve been doing adventure doco’s for years for National Geographic and Discovery. Now I’m back in Australia, I want to change gears. I want to work with actors again – rather than tribe’s people and sharks. My mate’s the top guy in the country, obviously he’s too big time for this, so he flipped it to me.”

How did your friend hear about it?

Gary: “I don’t know.”

Peter chimes in, “I emailed everyone – I thought it would be cool to have an Academy Award winning cinematographer shooting Reservoir Cats.”

Gary, “Did he win an Academy Award?”

Peter, “Didn’t he?”

Garnet appears.

Gary, “I’m not a cinematographer anyway, I’m a DOP.”

Garnet to Gary, “I did contact some Academy Award winning cinematographers, but you were my first choice.”

They laugh.

How do you think it’s going?

Gary: “Amazingly well – for the scale of the production, no money, no crew. Usually this kind of project would have departments full of people. Here, there’s one person per department, the Heads of Departments are their own assistants.”

What do you think of the concept?

“We’re not reinventing the wheel, but we’re putting mags on it”.

Politically?

“It’s a bit of a f**k you, bit of a middle finger to society, isn’t it?”

How do you think it plays?

“It’s pretty hard core to see a bunch of attractive girls revving up. It’s a little shocking, confronting – but fun as hell. I like working with young people. I used to teach filmmaking in South East Asia as part of Australian Aid. We taught drama to the TV stations in Laos and Vietnam, we made a couple of pilots. Instead of sending them rice, they sent me.”

Peter says, “It’s the best way to learn filmmaking, isn’t it?”

Gary, “I think the original film is very theatrically staged, but that’s the reason we can do it technically, because it’s old school. There’s no cranes or chopper shots.”

Pete, “I reckon I could talk us into a chopper if we needed it.”

Gary, “That’s great but its amazing what you can do with two sticks and a wheel chair.”

Not only does Gary bring a wealth of talent and experience, he also brought the camera. It was his contacts with Video Australasia that secured the 5D and lights. Gary said he was happy to call in a favour, “But there goes my discount on my next hire.”

Garnet says working with Gary is a privilege; “Even though we’re not paying him, he gets up every morning and comes in keen. He’s amazing.”

Where does Gary see Reservoir Cats going?

“It would be great on the Festival Circuit. Right now it’s rocking. But I’ve worked on things that kick while you’re making them, then fall flat on screen. We’ll just have to see how it goes. But I’d like to see it at least once in a dark cinema with a box of popcorn.” 

Natural charisma and a way with words, leaves you wondering why Gary’s not in front of the camera. If he were, it’s clear where he’d fit into this heist movie – he’d keep everyone entertained while Pete and Garnet crammed their bags with camera gear.

                                                                         Photo: Jess Husband
Who needs a dolly anyway?

The Law is on our side.

   Photo: Jess Husband

By Carissa Pritchard

True to the gender role reversal theme, the only funding to date has been by a woman – Diane Cutler. Diane, a Sydney designer, who runs an exclusive boutique (www.dianecutler.com.au) was asked to supply suits for the cast. Apparently the outfits were too valuable to ruin with fake blood and gunshots, but still wanting to contribute, gave $1000. Today’s scene requires a “stolen” car, but thanks to Diane, it was purchased for $400. The second problem on today’s shoot is the impending storm. Although I’ve heard Garnet directing everyone including the elements (“Quiet on set – you too wind”), I’m not sure whether he can stop a thunderstorm.

The car might be legal, but isn’t using it to remake copyrighted material unlawful? In 2001, Channel Nine sued Network Ten for using their vision on the program, “The Panel”. The Panel replayed clips from other networks to parody and satirize current affairs. The decision by the Court to award in favour of Channel Nine may have upheld copyright law, but negating the right to poke fun at each other felt unAustralian. So the Australian Government did something everyone agreed upon – they changed the law.

The 2006 amendment to the Copyright Act ensures the legal right to use “Reservoir Dogs” for the purpose of “parody and satire”. The purpose of satire is defined as “social criticism aimed at changing social systems”. Producer, Peter Furst’s goal on the project was always to “change the way people think critically and culturally about gender structure and the power systems that undermine it.” Theoretically, “Reservoir Cats” is legal. But as Peter say’s, “It’s one thing for politicians to make a law, it’s another when the law is tried in court.” There’s nothing stopping the copyright holders from trying to halt production. Peter’s response? “This matter deserves its day in court, but there’s no reason why that shouldn't happen after we've finished shooting.”

Garnet, now in the driver’s seat, yells “Action”. He drives off, DOP, hidden in the passenger seat shooting through the back window, tyres screeching loudly, smashed glass spraying everywhere. Unfortunately a member of the public turns her car into the road. Garnet’s car screams past her, she catches sight of the cop running after Garnet shooting. She continues driving towards Peter and the crew, who start yelling, “It’s not real, it’s not a real gun!”

                                                                         Photo: Jess Husband
Producer, Peter Furst & Director, Garnet Mae

Garnet turns the car around and speeds back towards her, the DOP leans out the window, yelling, “Don’t let her call the cops!”

The woman pulls off the road into a side street.

Peter runs after her, “Don’t worry! It’s a movie! It’s just a movie!”

They did manage to wrap fifteen minutes before the storm hit, but unfortunately the glass didn’t hold out. Peter drove the car back over the bridge without a windscreen, but no one stopped him. Lets hope no one notices Reservoir Cats yet either.

Playing Mum

                                     Photo: Jess Husband
Amanda Marsden as "White"    

by Carissa Pritchard

Amanda Marsden is always playing Mum, even though she has no kids - "Because of my age I’m always up for the ‘nurturing mother’ role." In Reservoir Cats, she plays "White" and says, "I loved the movie and the idea  - I don’t often get the chance to play a character like this."  

I also played mum this morning, one day a week I can't make it on set as I take my daughter to a local playgroup. I’m fortunate enough to rent part of a house in an affluent north shore suburb, but unfortunately it means I meet mothers like this:

Brunette: “So the tiles were delivered last week and they’re absolutely terrible! Not what I ordered at all.”

Blonde: “Oh, I can’t stand that.”

Brunette: “Now I have my tiler just sitting around. I’m paying him an hourly rate of… Well, I don’t know... But the point is, he’s sitting around idle.”

I assume his hourly rate is more than my Target top and jeans, but probably less than her Chanel shoes. The Blonde confers:
“You know the wall I had rendered last week? They said it would take a week to dry. How am I supposed to get the painter back now?”

Brunette: “Tell me about it. The new tiles have arrived and the tiler now has some problem with his hand, some kind of nerve damage – he had to go to the hospital. I have no idea when he’s coming back.”

Blonde: “You poor thing.”

Amanda said she admired that Garnet, “has a dream and doesn’t let money stop him.” What happened to these women’s dreams? Or worse, was it marrying rich? I wonder what they think of work.  

Blonde: “It’s awful when your husband comes home grumpy.”

Brunette: “I know. It’s so important for them to love their job.”

The Blonde’s mobile rings, she walks away.

The Brunette’s daughter toddles past in an apron, pushing a pram and holding a bag.

Brunette to another mother: “Oh look at her multi-tasking! She’s the perfect housewife!”

The Blonde dashes back to her daughter, snatches her from the toy kitchen and yells, “We have to go. The painter’s on his way over now!”

Ironically, we have a rendered wall in our house too. It’s been like that for a few months, but we’re not waiting on a painter. The difference is, that my flatmate actually paid for that wall, in fact, she bought all the walls in the house, all by herself. She didn’t marry a man for money; she went to work, she says, “as a lowly secretary”. She rented out the bedrooms to help pay the mortgage and now she owns it. My daughter is fortunate enough to be raised in a home with an unpainted wall.

Contrary to what she said, Amanda doesn’t stop being a “nurturing mother” on Reservoir Cats. When my daughter’s old enough to watch it, she’ll see a woman following her dreams and inspiring her to follow her own. Isn’t that a mother’s role?

Georgia wears Target twin set - $8. Glasses - $25.
Unpainted wall: priceless.

CLAIMER: The dialogue used in this blog is purely accurate. As unbelievable as it sounds, I can't take credit for making it up.

Supercool

By Carissa Pritchard

Helen Uskovic as "Orange"             Photo: Jess Husband

Today we’re shooting in an apartment in Maroubra. This is the scene “Orange”, played by Helen Uskovic, prepares to meet “Jo.” As the Director of Photography and Sound technician correct the boom shadow, Director, Garnet Mae stands beside me and surveys the apartment. Littered with cables, metal cases, towering lights and a steady stream of foot traffic, Garnet jokes, “People are always happy to lend you their place once, but never twice.” Why is it again, that everyone’s lending their time and assets to shoot a film for nothing?

In my original interview with Producer, Peter Furst, I quoted Matt Damon’s suggestion that failure of amateur filmmaking, such as Project Greenlight,  proved the success of the Hollywood system. Peter says he’s not trying to compete with Hollywood – that’s the ultimate destination. But in the real world, you don’t get there by winning a competition.

The opening shot is Helen’s bum – she removes a mobile phone from the back pocket of her jeans – a modern take on the original scene. I wonder how she prepared – months of Pilates? Three pairs of Spanx?

When I first met Helen at rehearsals, she was quiet, reserved and almost withdrawn. On set she’s a different person, relaxed, confident and open. After nailing the “you’re Supercool” speech, Garnet asks her to try it again, this time, with a slight twist to her lip. It doesn’t really work.

She asks Garnet, “Was that sh*t?”

“A little bit,” he responds.

She laughs.

I wonder what would make Garnet lose his cool.

The set’s changed for the close ups. I ask Helen if she was worried about the bum shot.

“No, I told the boys to make it look good, they’re guys, they know how to look at a women’s bum.”

Is this film promoting ‘women trying to be like men?’

“I don’t want to portray a woman as trying to be like a man, they’re not the same. Women show much more compassion to each other then men, we feel comfortable helping each other, men can’t.”

Good point. I found the original scene in the warehouse, when a badly hurt Mr. Orange asked Mr. White to “hold him,” confronting. How will it play between two women?

“Very differently,” she predicts.

Photo: Jess Husband

With close ups completed, the location is wrapped and the crew start breaking down the set. The collectable comic posters that decorated the walls are removed and a few women stand around the table peeling the adhesive off the corners. Garnet walks over and notices one of the pictures.

“You’ve torn one of them,” he says.

They stop.

Visibly annoyed; “Don’t do it if you’re going to wreck it. Someone lent us these in perfect condition and now I’m giving them back ripped.”

The set falls silent.

Garnet runs his hand through his hair. He takes a deep breath.

Everyone else holds theirs.

Someone starts stammering an apology.

He exhales slowly. “Don’t worry,” he says coolly and walks away.

All three Project Greenlight directors plucked from obscurity, failed miserably. Why? For the same reason they never made it in the first place. When series three winning director, John Gulaga, was given access to his hero Kevin Smith for advice, he got some he wasn’t expecting. Smith suggested he stop whinging about how hard it was and start showing some gratitude for the incredible opportunity.

Everyone on this set is working for no other reason than to improve their craft – they work hard and they work for nothing. This is Garnet’s fourteenth project; he wants to ensure these opportunities continue for him and everyone else. When he gets to Hollywood, it won’t have been overnight, but it won’t be short lived either.

A woman can be naked and feminine and smart.

Bridget Power as "Jo."                                    PHOTO: Jess Husband

by Carissa Pritchard

Today is the first day of shooting, the Director’s apartment is doubling as “Jo’s office” and call time is 8am. I leave at 7:30am to beat the traffic but discover peak hour went out with the forty-hour workweek. Seemingly it now starts with the early morning Tradie run, followed with the highly mortgaged and culminates with nine to fivers. This is the point I get on the road.

Arriving an hour late I’m relieved to learn Director, Garnet Mae, has popped out for supplies and met with the same problem. A few coffees in a missing Director becomes the least of our concerns – we just ran out of toilet paper. Luckily actress Bridget Power, playing “Jo”, is keeping us entertained, plus the make-up artist has a box of tissues.

I ask Bridget how long she’s been acting.

“I had a break from it whilst being an interior designer for Star City, which I just finished. I started acting when I was 13, did commercials and television until my late 20’s. Then I did Playboy – I was playmate of the year. Now that I’m 46, I’m far enough away from it to discuss it. I thought it was empowering because there’s so much judgment about it, if you can cope with that it toughens you up. Young girls are so sexual now, now it’s kind of a prerequisite to anything, but that hadn’t happened then.”

How did people judge you?

“People think you’re stupid; they find it hard to imagine that a woman can be naked and feminine and smart.”

So why did you do it?

“Money.”

Whilst we wait Bridget satirizes everything from red lipstick – she avoids it because it makes her look like “a big mouth” – to rugby, she likes watching it, not just to impress guys. Considering wit is a primary indicator of intelligence, I understand why she’s annoyed with societies correlation of female sexuality with stupidity.  

Finally Garnet appears with camera equipment under one arm and a 24-pack of Sorbent under the other. Since we’ve been rationed to one tissue each, we’re happier to see the Sorbent.

The scene is dressed, the lights are lit and Bridget takes her place. But due to technical difficulties, we now have to wait a little longer. She pulls out a bottle of red nail polish and applies a new coat. I ask her what she wants to do in the future. 

“Act. I’m better at being someone else.” 

Why? 

“I’m more comfortable being lots of different people. It’s hard to be consistently me.” 

Her nails are dry and “action” is finally called.

Yes, she can act, but I wonder why a woman in a body most women crave, feels better being somebody else. 

That night I kick back in front of commercial television and witness an ad for the new season of Beauty & The Geek. My flat-mate asks whether I think it’s worth watching.

“Absolutely. I know it’s a cliché – they’re gorgeous, great bodies, but when they open their mouths, you feel so much better about yourself.” 

She asks, “Do you really think they’re that dumb or just playing it up for the show?”

I think about Bridget. Why does society make sexy women stupid? Why do women incite it? Feminists are quick to criticise men for how they stereotype women, yet two men created Reservoir Cats. Perhaps women could start with changing how we view each other.

Women who eat donuts.

                                           Photo: Jess Husband
Talayna

by Carissa Pritchard

Producer, Peter Furst, confirms insurance is no longer an issue and all that remains is the question of catering. I have a friend who works at Woolworths and suggest he might be able to provide some supplies. Peter requests salad sandwich provisions, but since it’s an all female cast, I say, “Don’t you mean cold meat and salad?”

Back at Garnet’s, it’s the last day of rehearsals and I arrive at the tail end of lunch. The cast are seated around his dining table preparing a read through of the famous “Like a Virgin” opening scene. Talayna Moana Nikora is playing “Brown.” How does she feel about reprising Tarantino’s role?

“It’s a bit scary, because it’s his film and it’s his role. I’m not trying to bring anything of him into it. She’s female, so she’s completely different. The kind of women that would say these things is very different to the kind of man that would.”

What kind of women would?

“Quentin’s character is geeky, insecure, fighting for attention; hers has to come from a different place.” It seems everyone is convinced that replacing a male actor with a female will somehow challenge our gender assumptions. Sure, it’ll be fun to see a bunch of women mouthing off Tarantino style, but post reality television, what could we possibly find challenging these days?

That said, as I take a seat at the table, I witness something I’ve never seen before on a set:

1. The actresses are eating. 
2. They’re eating carbs.
3. The carbs are donuts. 

I’m too ashamed to pull out my Atkins bar.

Talayna proceeds to deliver exactly what she promised: a mouthy confidence and overt sexuality. I, on the other hand, am shocked. I can’t believe I’m hearing a woman describing another woman as a “f**k machine”, her “pus*y” like “bubblegum.” I flip open my laptop to capture my thoughts, yet I’m dumbfounded.

Peter Furst, right again – along with actresses eating sandwiches, he did say, “We have a belief that all people are equal, until you see a woman doing something a man does.” On the home front, my daughter won’t eat salad, or anything that’s not branded by The Wiggles. This means, even if we eat together, it’s always different. Tonight I wonder whether I want my daughter growing up with a mother who’s always on a diet. Although I draw the line at Wiggly spaghetti, I find something we both love – party pies. For once in her life, we eat together. I hope she grows up knowing women can eat donuts too. 

Everything falls into place.

Garnet Mae (left)         Photo: Jess Husband

By Carissa Pritchard

All I’ve heard about the Director of Reservoir Cats is his incredibly impressive name – Garnet Mae. This kind of name either a) drives you to create a life of relative greatness, or b) crushes you under the weight of expectation.

Following directly in the footsteps of a man who lived up to his, I ask Garnet what Tarantino would think of this project. “I think he’d like the concept of changing the sex around. Already you can see how different it will be; just in the way the actresses read their lines. Things take on a different context when women say them. Like the first scene, when they’re discussing Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’.”

What is Garnet’s goal? “I’d like to get a charity screening at the State Theatre and even a theatrical release. But right now my biggest challenge is getting a camera with no cash. But it’s always the hardest on the lead up to the first day. Everything falls into place after that. Oh and I’ve got to find a location too.”

I must admit, whilst initially buoyed by Producer, Peter Furst’s inspiring interview, I’m now slightly apprehensive. I consider myself spontaneous, within the adult concept of “planned spontaneity” (I do whatever I like between one and four pm on a Sunday). But in Garnet’s case, if things go wrong, there’s forty people put out. Have the “Just do it” generation taken it all too far? After all, the slogan was intended to sell shoes, not be taken seriously.

Case in point: Project Greenlight amateur director, Pete Jones, had Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Harvey Weinstein and a million dollars to make a movie. It bombed horrifically, albeit hilariously via the HBO documentary of the same name. How can two guys with no money and worse – no detailed plan, possibly succeed?

I arrive at Garnet’s Bondi apartment to interview the cast. Tall, slim, with shoulder length hair, he wears a pink check shirt and jeans. Although he speaks in a soft, gentle tone, he exudes a bold inner strength. I ask each woman, “What it’s like working with Garnet?” They gush in an assortment of adjectives; “he’s easy going, kind, supportive, makes you feel comfortable, great energy, lets you explore, takes on your ideas...” But what I discover about Garnet, is not revealed through his words or theirs, but his choices.

He’s selected an incredible mix of diverse, talented and intelligent women. This reminds me that filmmaking is not about cameras and catering; it’s about telling a story. Tarantino’s films are great because he has a gift for selecting who tells his story. Garnet hasn’t made the obvious choice – a group of copycats, he’s created new characters. Reservoir Cats is no longer “just a remake” of Reservoir Dogs; it’s set to become its own story. Perhaps his confidence comes from knowing he just might live up to his name.

I sit down to plan how I will fit daily trips to the set, plus extra hours composing a Blog into my current schedule of full time study, raising my two year-old, going to the gym, eating, sleeping… Before I even begin, I know logically, I Just Can’t Do It. But this time, instead of stopping before I even start, I decide to ditch the plan. Everything will fall into place. After all, Garnet found a camera and a location. 

“It’s easier to make a movie for nothing than with a budget.”

                                      Photo: Jess Husband
Producer, Peter Furst

by Carissa Pritchard

12 September 2011.

This bold statement from Peter Furst, independent filmmaker and soon to be lawyer, is being put to the test with his new project, Reservoir Cats, now in pre-production.

In his last project, Australian Pie, he raised $200,000 from friends and colleagues but learned working with a limited budget was harder than none. “When you have a budget, everyone feels they should be getting something. People feel they’re being cheated if you ask them to do something for free when someone else is being paid.”

Furst wants to inspire filmmakers to spend their time making films, not making money to make films. “Take catering as an example. We have to feed forty people a day for twenty days. Even on as little as ten dollars per person, how many first time filmmakers can raise $8000 just to buy lunch?” His plan is to ask local café’s to help out and Red Bull are already on board with refreshments. 

What about making a profit? “Any profit is going to charity – we don’t even have a bank account. We haven’t made money in the past, why not start with the intention of not making anything?”

Reservoir Cats is a remake of Tarantino’s classic, Reservoir Dogs with an all female cast. Why?

“I’m interested in challenging peoples prejudices, especially gender roles. We have a belief that all people are equal, until you see a woman doing something a man does.”

Will Furst prove his theory?

“Without cash, we can’t get public liability insurance and the City of Sydney won’t give permission to shoot without it.”

Can he find a way around it?

“I take pride in proving you can do the impossible.”