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A Shot of Caramel
After supporting roles in the likes of The Black Balloon, East West 101, Crooked...
After supporting roles in the likes of The Black Balloon, East West 101, Crooked Business and The Marine, exciting young Australian actor Firass Dirani is front and centre as troubled Lebanese/Australian teen Charlie in the blistering drama The Combination, debut director David Field's uncompromising look at racism and violence in Sydney's west.
You've been working consistently over the past few years - what kind of new challenges did The Combination present for you?
"Fieldsy [director David Field] had done his research about me and knew exactly what type of energy I had. So at our first meeting, he was like, `I'm going to help you harness that energy, and from time to time, I'll let you know when you can let it rip'. So for me, it was more like going back to the basics of acting - of making everything simple, not over-thinking it, and doing what you needed to do to get what you want from the other person in the scene. My character Charlie had to be someone that people can relate to and recognise. We needed the audience to empathise with Charlie. So I really needed to exercise that naivety and vulnerability. I was always reminding myself that he's only a teenager."
What was David Field like to work with as a director?
"The moment I met David, I knew that I was in great hands. It was inspiring to see how committed and passionate Fieldsy was about the project. I knew that I was in for a good ride. From stage to screen, Fieldsy has delivered some of the most exciting performances I've seen in Australia. I grew up watching his films, and imitating his characters. So the prospect of working with him was very exciting. Fieldsy knew the type of actor that I was and the energy I brought. He harnessed that energy and nurtured the impulses that felt right for the character. He was so generous, and clear as director. That's what you desire as an actor. Coming from an acting background to direction is so beneficial and insightful for the director. It makes it all easier. When I was unsure about certain thought processes, Fieldsy would just throw me a couple of tricks that I could adapt into the scene. That's what I really enjoyed: learning more about the craft. So it was just an absolute pleasure."
The film presents quite a different view of Australia. Was that exciting to you as an actor?
"Very exciting. A film like this has never been made. To present this new world of characters and stories on film, and to be in the centre of it, is just fantastic. I can't wait to see how people are going to react to the film."
Do you think that it's harder for non-Anglo Aussie actors to find work within the local industry?
"You bet. Just look at Home And Away and Neighbours. Didn't Home And Away get into strife for marketing the show for a targeted Anglo audience? The only time ethnic actors are in these shows is when they're playing the crims. Go figure. In this country, as an ethnic actor, you can't just be good. You've got to be spectacular. Good won't cut it."
How did you build up the character of Charlie? Did you relate to him?
"I grew up as a Lebanese/Australian in the western suburbs of Sydney. So we're similar in that regard. I've had the same family and high school pressures in the way that we both at one stage or another needed to act in a certain way to fit in. I made people laugh to feel acceptance. Charlie sold drugs. That's where we differ. For Charlie, he doesn't know where he stands in life. He doesn't know himself. So I worked on that sense of belonging and the need to impress...all those emotions that come with being a teenager. Teenage angst, rebellion, peer pressure...I had to go back to when I was seventeen and what it felt like."
Did you enjoy working with the other boys, many of whom have not worked on screen before?
"These guys were outstanding. I loved it. They brought this exhilarating raw energy that I could easily bounce off. They really blew me away. To know that some of these guys have never acted before was just phenomenal. It was a refreshing experience and I learnt a lot from them. They re-invigorated the whole idea of acting for me."
The film has a lot to say about modern Australia. Do you think that we should be seeing more films that do that?
"Absolutely. It's about time we added some colour to the industry. Some caramel. This is a true Australian film. I'm looking forward to seeing more films like it being made."
The Combination is released on February 26.