An 18-year-old with just a $500 film budget has taken out the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Northern Bellarine Film Festival.
Bacchus Marsh College graduate Jack Sillitoe received the accolade for his short film ‘Fixity’, which centres around a journalist who is being stalked by a criminal.
Shot in black and white, Fixity shot is set entirely at the journalist’s home, where he’s confronted by the criminal, who believes the journalist has information on a murder he earlier committed.
The film’s creation was a family affair, with Jack playing the lead role, his brother Max playing the Unknown Man, and Jack’s father, Craig, taking care of cinematography.
The Emerging Filmmaker Award was established three years ago and welcomes entries from anyone 25 and under.
Jack said he was elated to take out the prize in what was his first serious short film.
“Fixity was such a great experience for me purely from the excitement of developing a story on my own and seeing it played out on screen. I learned a lot making this film,” Jack said.
“Creating a cohesive narrative was one of my primary goals when I made Fixity. This was always in the back of my mind, and I hope it shows on screen. I am very proud of this film and if I were to remake it, I wouldn’t change a thing.
“My main aspiration is to learn from my successes and mistakes and to explore what more I can
achieve in film. From this short film I hope to eventually see my dreams of becoming a director of full length, engaging and memorable films come to life.”
Details: www.northbellarinefilmfestival.org
Oliver Lees
