Jason Stringer

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.

I love the process of desktop publishing and digital design, especially when you aim for a certain idea and achieve exactly what was desired. My last four short films are still in DVD limbo, waiting to appear on disc and be placed in the hands of their collaborators. I’m aiming to have this done as soon as possible while ramping up future projects. The first short to be authored on DVD is Homecoming, which I completed late last week. Check out the DVD artwork I settled on (click to enlarge):

Next I will throw together DVDs for Her Party, Living With Benjamin and Hair Dye.

It was just six months ago that I sat in the same cinema amongst peers and professionals, its red seats and tall red curtains holding the group of onlookers tight. On this occasion I found myself less anxious, yet equally excited.

Previously I had been in attendance with my family on my graduation night, waiting to receive my Advanced Diploma in Screen.  This time I sat as support for fellow filmmaker Danny Clark as he accepted his graduating certificate in the same course. I felt great pride for him and shook his hand when his name was called. We’ve talked about it so much. Now we’re here, making it happen.

Afterward we gathered in the main hall of FTI and enjoyed (average) beer and (awesome) food. Joining us was Keagan Teare, another fellow old-school mining town original who has moved to Western Australia and undertaken the FTI Diploma in Screen studies. Also with us was Ross Gluyas, whom I remember best as the guy who served me at that outback Blockbuster store when hiring VHS tapes almost a decade ago (my early gains in film knowledge – watch everything.) It was a very surreal moment between the four of us. There we stood, thousands of kilometers from our origins, standing amongst the filmmaking community in Fremantle on a stormy Friday evening.

I look forward to being back here in 30 weeks to watch Keagan accept his graduating certificate – the third consecutive Roxby resident in successive classes to do so.

Danny and I introduce ourselves as filmmakers – and it feels damn good to confidently do so.

• Client meetings tomorrow and I have lost my mobile phone… going to be hard to coordinate!! #
• They reckon it will rain all week here. ‘Late showers’ today – bright blue outside you teasing bastards! #
• What happened to the good old days when EFTPOS would simply say ‘Funds Unavailable’ Now banks charge you for accidental overdraws. Pricks. #
• Can’t edit with the sound of a sick, tired and upset sooking boy in the background. Wish he would give up and fall asleep already. #
• Long day of clients, coffee, Perth CBD, Subiaco, hospitals and headphones… I come back to Mandurah Train Station to find a parking fine. #
• Writing a letter to the Perth Transit Authority. Probably a waste of time but at least I get to sharpen my typing/letter-writing skills. #
• The simplest things inspire. I had a conversation with good buddy Clint today and the urge to get cracking on screenplays was overwhelming. #
• I’ve cut Living With Benjamin from 11 minutes down to just over 7 to fit a festival’s submission guidelines… I like this new cut better. #
• My Name Is Earl has been canceled. I know there will be some upset peeps over this news. What a drag. #
• Damn batteries in the kitchen clock have died… I had no idea it had gotten so late in the night (again…). #
• Once again I am up far too early for someone who went to bed far too late. AJ wanted to beat the early birds, it was still dark out. #
• Happy Birthday to my dear old Granddad Wal… 70 years today! Wow! http://twitpic.com/5iqwo #
• More house hunting. All land agent secretaries seem specifically trained to sound rushed and huffy on the phone. #
• Heading down the pub with Dad for some APL poker. Might even sink a drink while I’m at it. #
• Did OK at the tables, didn’t get as deep as I’d liked but played a good game and enjoyed it. Going to pop BLOW into the DVD player. #
• Drove home with the window down and the radio off, just the whistling cool breeze comfort me. The smell of rain in the air. #
• Finally popped my BLOW cherry. Was worth the watch, glad to own it (thanks Danny!) Shame about the director less than a year later. #
• I’m actually going to shut down and get some shut-eye. Potential rentals to view tomorrow and my head is sapped. #
• Bucketing rain now, definitely going to bed so I can fall asleep listening to it hitting the roof. Hope it holds up! #
• Blistering weather outside. Grey and windy, dark and gloomy. Raining. Gorgeous. Gonna brew some coffee and write write write write. #
• Took healthy eating and carelessly threw it out the window into the dark, cold evening: Granddad made warm syrup dumplings for dessert! #
• Rental viewings, house work, production meetings and a hospital visit all lined up today before unwinding at the VPX Grad tonight! #
• Thoroughly enjoyed the VPX Graduation Night. I love stepping back into those FTI halls. Well done VPX grads!! #
• I’ll mow the lawns at half time. I will. I will. #
• Giving EMINEM’s new album Relapse a spin. So much has changed since I last enjoyed his music. Sounds a lot like 2001… meh. Average. #
• Ah the accomplished smell of freshly cut grass. #
• Dishes done, both kids asleep. Going to settle in for a long night of editing, desktop publishing, web development and dvd authoring. FUN!! #
• “I was young and caught in the crowd. I didn’t know then what I know now”… Kate Miller-Heidke has won me over: http://tinyurl.com/ag8csz #
• Going to watch Stanley Kubrick’s Boxes documentary on ABC1 later today. Looking forward to that!! #
• Guy next door has a CHAINSAW (of all things) cranked right near our main windows. Poor AJ can’t rest, it’s excessively loud. #
• Revamped both my blog and ‘official’ website this weekend: http://www.jasonstringer.com & http://www.quartertofour.com #
• Finally watched THE WRESTLER. I sure didn’t expect to reflect so much during a wrestling film. Brilliant. #

He arrived at 1:09 PM 12/03/2009 and like his big brother before him, changed our lives forever. Our family feels complete. We are happy, and eternally grateful. Welcome to the world, Hayden!