Jason Stringer

I’m exhausted and agitated. When I close my eyes to sleep, all I can think about is what is required for tomorrow’s proceedings and all I can see is video timecode, blinding lights, metres of cable and focusing monitors. I’m on another film shoot¦ and it feels great!

Today will be the third and final day of shooting ˜Home’, a new short film I have produced along with Warren Money, the sound designer on my last two short films.

This production has had a very beneficial learning curve, as I have taken on a completely different role for the first time. Warren is directing, and I have occupied a place behind the camera and lighting, (‘Director of Photography’, they call it¦ but on this shoot, it also means ˜lackey’). It’s been very different not being the director; I’ve had to bite my tongue HARD on many occasions and not interject over the directors wishes or communicate actions/emotions to the actors for their performances. Doing so is a big no-no on a film set if you’re not directing, but it feels very second nature to me. I think I have done well, though. I was aware of it from the beginning and made sure I kept my mouth closed and just took direction as apposed to giving it, I really didn’t want to slip up.

Danny and Stacey found time to be part of this project and arrived here a few days ago. They have been staying with me and it has been great catching up with them and working with them again. They have been involved in most of my productions so it really is starting to feel like family, which helps no-end. We work well together and I hope we work on many more things in the future.

One thing I know I definitely want to do before I shoot anything else is get healthier. I have dropped 15kgs in recent months (though I have put a bit back on lately) but I need to get my fitness and health under better control so I can handle the swings of a production set better. I’ve had uncomfortable moments of feeling ill during this shoot that have held me up at times “ something I’d rather not have to deal with in the future.

My wife Kerry has been absolutely fantastic leading up to and during this production. She’s been nothing but one hundred percent positive and supportive, which makes pursuing optimistic projects like this so much easier. She’s incredible. I’m sure I’ll have to pay her back somehow in the very near future. Maybe I’ll cook dinner, look after bubs and give her a foot massage while we watch whatever she likes on the telly.

For now, though “ I have one last day of shooting to get through and we’ll have another short in the can. And for those wondering, no, Hair Dye has not been delayed. You will be able to watch it here very soon!