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Q&A with Andrew Pearce

December 3rd, 2009 by MiamiMovieCritic in Film Production

Andrew Pearce has accomplished a lot in the nearly 10 years since he started making movies. The filmmaker, who is all of 19, has won numerous local and international awards. He grew up on a farm in Australia. His hometown, Kergunyah (situated in the northeastern part of the state of Victoria), has a population of 188. Stuck out in the boonies, Pearce relied on family members to act in his movies. He learned how to write, shoot and edit. He scoured the Web and local art brochures, looking for festivals and competitions that might accept his films. Most of them did.

Falling mostly under the horror genre, Pearce’s films show a rare gift for screen direction and a rhythmic editing style. This is a filmmaker who knows how to create a visceral viewing experience. FilmNet recently spoke with the young virtuoso about his life’s work so far, both as a filmmaker and as an award-winning photographer.

You started shooting at a very young age. What sparked your interest in film?

I always had a fascination with the fact that it was possible to record sounds and images. I bought radios, handheld tape recorders, disposable cameras – practically anything that would record. Then, at the age of 10, I spent all my money on a black-and-white security camera which was wired to the TV. Since that purchase nearly 10 years ago, I have been making films.

What was the first film you ever made?

The first film I ever made was with my security camera. It was a short horror film about a mysterious creature which roamed the neighborhoods, kidnapping people and leaving a potato peeler where they last stood. The film was suitably titled “Peeler”. I often acted in my films, as living on a farm in the country I don’t have many casting options.

Did you have any mentors or people who encouraged you along the way?

There were always people who gave me feedback, and encouraged me to keep at it, but no more so than my parents. They would drive me around to the film locations, to film festivals around the country, and they even acted in numerous films, to their embarrassment.

I assume Ben Pearce and Samantha Pearce – the young actors who appear in some of your films – are your brother and sister. What’s it like working with them on set? Do you have a hard time getting them to take you seriously?

Ben and Samantha are my cousins, who conveniently live two minutes down the road. I have known them since they were born, and see them regularly, so they are pretty much my brother and sister. When I first began working with them, it was difficult, as they were only about 6 and 8 and would forget my directions. So I left it a few years, and gave it another go, and this time they were perfect! They would listen to every direction, and they would take it seriously, and they just happened to have some talent for it! Since then they have been my star cast, and for each film they get to choose a gift off eBay as a reward for their good work.

Let’s talk about Fear at Dusk. What ideas did you want to get across in the screenplay?

With Fear at Dusk, I wanted it to be an emotional rollercoaster in under three minutes. It begins with happiness, followed by mystery, fear, then shock and extreme sadness. This film has been played at various film festivals, and I have seen people scream, jump in their seats and their jaws drop. I basically wanted to get an audience reaction, and I did.

You create a lot of tension with subjective shots and quick cuts, and the music is also very effective. Tell us about the making of the film.

The film began with an idea, which I wrote into a script. I wrote the script around the location, music and cast, so this made the overall production so much smoother. It was filmed over two nights at dusk. I mostly used natural lighting, which was difficult at dusk because it darkens quickly, so the filming was rather fast paced. I edited the film around the cues in the music. The rhythm, melody, and chord changes determined the duration of each shot. If the melody was to swing, then I would use it with the shot when the character swings their head. You can say my editing process is like dancing; I choreograph the film to the music. But this can be dangerous, because if you edit too closely to the music, you can begin to obscure the storyline and people will get confused!! Fear at Dusk is my quickest film to date, taking just over two weeks to complete from first idea to the final product.

All of the movies you’ve uploaded to FilmNet are horror movies. What do you like about this genre?

I like the tension, shock and general eeriness in horror films, as opposed to the blood and gore side of the genre. The great thing about horror is it can evoke reactions from the audience, which is a driving reason for why I make films. I have moved slightly from horror now, and more to an eerie mystery/adventure style.

You’re also an award-winning photographer. I’m very impressed with your perspectives and use of light. Talk about your development as a photographer. I assume nobody starts out that good…

Thank you! My photography interest comes back to my fascination with recording things. Photography stemmed off from my film work, because I have a passion for cinematography. I became more serious about photography in the last three years when I was doing it as a subject in year 11 & 12. I used to do many photo manipulations in Photoshop, but in the last year I’ve been putting more effort into taking the photograph, and using Photoshop as a means of enhancement. Recently I have been successful with competitions and exhibitions, and with the prize money I have purchased a digital SLR camera.

Who are some of your heroes?

Magdalena Wanli, Simon Strong, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Chris Lilley

I know you’re into music. Name some of your favorite bands.

Bertie Blackman, Florence & the Machine, Kate Bush, MGMT, Tori Amos

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on film & photography commission work here and there, but I hope to get a film done for myself on the Christmas holidays. And in the meantime I’m continuously photographing and getting my work out there for the world to see!

Happy Halloween!

October 31st, 2009 by MiamiMovieCritic in Movie Reviews

It’s October 31, and you know what that means: Time to watch some horror movies that will scare the living bejesus out of you. Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. FilmNet has lots of great horror flicks to watch. Today I’ll be your guide to the best-of-the-best. So stick out your plastic pumpkin pail, say “Trick or Treat,” and allow me to share some goodies with y’all.

Where would the horror genre be without zombies? Dead, that’s where. For a comedic take on the undead, check out seasons one and two of Zomblogalypse. Reportedly made as a response to George A. Romero’s DIARY OF THE DEAD, the series shows us the recorded misadventures of three Brits in the aftermath of a (what else?) zombie apocalypse. See the Dead is a fast-paced zombie shocker with some very imaginative special effects. And, speaking of imaginative, Patrick Boivin offers his own unique spin on the genre with Le Queloune, a zombie origin story like no other.

For those who prefer their horror with tongue planted firmly in cheek, there’s Toss of the Coin, about an angel wrestling with a demon over the soul of a man whose cat has just gotten him electrocuted. Written by Patrick Steele, the movie is both funny and frightening. Delta Delta Dead! (great title) is a slasher movie that takes place in a sorority house; it’s like SCREAM crossed with REVENGE OF THE NERDS. Now there’s a winning combination!

Some horror aficionados might be in the mood for an all-out shocker. Well look no further than The Insane, which stars James Spofforth as a hard-boiled detective killing off ghouls in an abandoned city. The action is staged like a gory video game. Free To Go is basically a torture-porn movie in the tradition of HOSTEL and WOLF CREEK, except most of the torture takes place off screen. The movie still hits you where it hurts, though. So does Fear at Dusk, Andrew Pearce’s extraordinary three-minute thriller. In it, a brother and sister are faced with an unseen threat.

No horror collection would be complete without at least a few creepy-kid movies. The Keeling Brothers offer up a doozey with Pop Spoon. It’s about a twisted girl who dreams up the creepiest imaginary friend imaginable. Pop Spoon is a guy, but girls can be scary too. Exhibit A: Two Story House, a haunted-house movie that sustains a shivery, spellbinding tone throughout.

Last but not least is the terror-in-the-woods genre. From EVIL DEAD to THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, this has always been one of my favorites. The Keelings deliver something genuinely unsettling with Playtime with Schlompkins, in which the monster addresses the camera directly. As in BLAIR WITCH, the camera – in other words, the audience – becomes the prey. Effigy is a poetic, physically beautiful horror movie based on folklore. It’s also told through subjective camerawork, but here we see the action from the point-of-view of a witch.