BBFF2023 Meet the Filmmaker: Hadley Perkins

Murphed

- is on an open road adventure with his love, Murphette, when he finds himself drawn into an infinite pursuit in order to fix his broken down bus. The road is paved, the future is in sight and it’s a race to the finish line.

Here’s what we learnt when speaking with writer, director and producer, Hadley Perkins about this quirky short film.

Screening at Brunswick Picture House

• Saturday 21st October at 2:00pm

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How did you come to discover the story in your film?

The story was discovered when a friend of mine told me a story of breaking down in his van on a busy highway. It was a comedy of errors, and it became the darling of the script which eventually morphed into something quite unrecognisable to the original story.

Can you tell us a bit about your film and what inspired you to create it?

Murphed is a comment on our striving lives and our linear focus upon the ever unreachable horizon. I wish to bring comedy and drama together to create an entertaining experience that leaves you questioning our reality and how we live it.

Have you always wanted to be a filmmaker?

I have always been fascinated by film and dreamt of being a part of it, yet it seemed such a far out dream. I studied performing arts, then travelled extensively, studied different therapies all the while developing my writing. All of this experience has positioned me as a writer and studier of the human condition and film really amalgamates all of the skills and resources I have collected.

The theme of BBFF2023 is ‘Anything is possible’. How does your film align with this theme?

This is the challenge of my protagonist Murphy, he is fixated on the paved road before him while an unwalked infinite green field sits persistently by his side waiting for his attention and curiousity. There are many unwalked paths but we do not recognise them as they have never been walked and do not look like a path at all.

What elements or aspects of your filmmaking style can audiences expect to see in your film?

In my filmmaking, there are elements of clowning and gesture without the need for too much dialogue. I feel more can be expressed through the image; the reactions and gestures of the actors, as well as the location, blocking, etc.

Did you face any challenges when making or developing your film and if so how did you over come them?

We were constantly being locked down when we shot this film. For about a month we were set to shoot each weekend until it was called off at the last minute. The pressure of this actually aided our pre-production. We ended up shooting it in two days, which was a squeeze and we did have to drop several shots. But in the end we managed to cover the story, in a way we had not imagined but I think it worked.

What message or emotions do you hope your film conveys to the audience?

There will be laughter and also a confronting sadness as we empathise with the protagonist’s journey. The message is asking us to sacrifice our ideas of the future in order to spend time in the 'anything is possible' infinite unfolding moment. It's a gift, thats why it's called the present.

Can you share some of the challenges and advantages of creating films in Byron Bay, and how does this category help foster the growth of the local filmmaking scene?

A challenge is getting consistent film work outside of my own projects. This is also due to me still developing my own career and I do believe you can create a successful career from a rural location. The advantages are that there are a lot of people who are keen to get behind local film projects. This community is what makes filmmaking in the Northern Rivers possible.

What are you most looking forward to in terms of audience reactions and engagement during your screening?

I love watching a room full of people watch my film. Everything is magnified, the humour, and all the emotions. Sometimes it is surprising how people respond. It’s really what all the work has been about, to get it in front of people and let it do its thing.

What advice would you offer to aspiring filmmakers to help them get their films recognised and selected by festivals like BBFF?

Volunteer with the amazing team and support BBFF by going to see as many films as you can, connect with other film buffs and creatives while enjoying the social events and keep on writing and creating.