Jason Stringer

The King of Pop died today. My wife told me the news while I was  getting ready to lecture for the first time at the Film & Television Institute. I took the train and cued a bunch of Michael Jackson tunes on my iPod, listening to them and reminiscing while wintry thunderclouds rolled it overhead.

I remember being fascinated by the Thriller video as a very young child. My Father bought the videotape ‘Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller’ when I was just five years old, and I watched that tape almost every day. And so began my intrigue into the world of fiilmmaking.

At 14, I would force my family to spend weekends helping me reenact Michael Jackson music videos, playing a host of characters for me. I, of course, always played the role of  MJ. Filming and editing these home videos influenced my passion for filmmaking a great deal.

I taught my sister to moonwalk when she was 3. She turns 18 tomorrow.

My wall used to be covered top to bottom with Michael Jackson posters and paraphernalia. I hoarded CDs, videotapes, magazines. I even kept a scrapbook.

Lord knows where all this stuff is now. I stopped being so obsessed during the nineties. Though I still enjoy listening to classic Michael Jackson tunes every so often. I always will.

And I still have that original Thriller VHS my Father bought all those years ago.

Rest in eace, Michael Jackson. And thank you!

Last week I sat with a group of talented and enthusiastic people as we enjoyed some drinks and dip, discussing a short film production that is about to get underway. It’s a screenplay I wrote called That Year They Were Bridesmaids and I will be directing it in August.

Like any idea for a story, this has been swimming around my head for a while. This is evidenced in the numerous files saved in my ’screenplays’ directory containing all kinds of drafts and notes.

While the story itself began to grow from my mind the day after my first son was born, the screenplay didn’t begin to grow until I began studying at FTI the following year. Needing a screenplay to hand in during the course, I chose to flesh out this story ahead of many others I had drafted. I guess, at the time, it seemed like the safest choice.

That Year They Were Bridesmaids tells the story two middle-aged brothers who come together to begin cleaning their family home in preparation for it being sold. They recall old memories stored in the depths of their minds while coming across objects they haven’t seen in years.

I’m enthusiastic about the dedicated group we have on board for this film. They signed on with the knowledge that the screenplay was up for a government grant, and when that fell through (more on that later…) they stayed on. They turned up at this meeting rearing to go, excited to be apart of filmmaking and eager to be involved in every way.

Danny (Cinematographer) and I have started the shotlisting and storyboarding process, while our Producer, Sara, is busy lining up our departments and getting casting ready for auditions next week.

This is the first film Danny and I will have made together since becoming FTI graduates, and our first since Hair Dye in 2006.  Amazing to think we are about to shoot this under private investment, in Perth, with a full crew dedicated to delivering professional results with us. ‘Tis a long way from our small country town beginnings.

(My shotlist notes. I keep a different copy of the screenplay for every different set of notes. Always red pen.)

Earlier this year I invited viewers of Her Party – a short student film I directed in 2008 – to provide me with solid, honest (constructive) feedback. I always knew there were issues with the first cut of the film, which was hurried to meet graduation screening. Now, with festival submissions and a DVD looming, I wanted to ensure I turned in a film I was (more) proud of and happy to be shown to wider audiences.

I personally called the project Party Redux (geddit?) and set about making sensible changes; using the razor tool to improve pacing and the paintbrush to improve grading.

The results are wholeheartedly satisfying. Her Party now runs just over five minutes (instead of the original, painful painful 10) and looks fantastic:

Click here for more information and media for Her Party.

Last night I re-opened the short film Her Party project in my video editing software and selected the razor tool… it was finally time to make improvements. As always seems to be the case, it was when I wasn’t thinking about it, and after considerable time had passed since last dealing with the project, that I was able to visualize exactly where and what I needed to cut to improve on the pace of the film.

During pre-production I had planned my shots and shot them accordingly. I had gauged a pace for the film, a pace I felt was necessary to lay out all of the emotion on the table. Turns out – as learning goes – I was wrong.

I recently had a discussion with a colleague about my decision to re-cut Her Party with the intention of shortening it. I explained that, for some reason, people who view it seem to think the fact that the mother’s daughter has passed is supposed to be some sort of surprise reveal, despite the music, pace, shot selection and overall tone from very early on the film clearly illustrating otherwise. I explained I had decided to cut off the fat and get to the meat quicker. My colleague agreed – having seen the film screen in a cinema, he said one thing that convinced me my decision was right:

“You’ve got a strong closing performance that delivers at the end. The sooner you get the audience to that moment, the better…”

I definitely agree. So, with this in mind, as well as the constructive feedback I received from those who took the time to watch and email me or comment, I have started working on a fix for Her Party. This new cut will be the one I send to film festivals and put on DVD for those involved. I will be posting it online as soon as I’m done.

If you’re keen to compare when the new cut goes live, be sure to watch the old version here while you can.

I have uploaded a short behind-the-scenes video and a selection of images from the set of Her Party.  Click here to check out the material. The awesome photographs were taken by brilliant Unit Publicist Wayne Nicholson (our head lecturer at the time). Whenever I shoot anything in the future, I’m inviting him to set.

The new (shorter) cut of Her Party is almost finished and the DVD is right around the corner.