by Abhi Parasher
Readers may recognise the name James Robert Woods from the incisive viral videos of the YouTube channel StuntBear. His irreverent and snappy style has led Woods to the helm of some of Australia’s most viewed branded content, working for companies such as Netflix and American Express.
Recently, his filmmaking voice came to the fore as the director of the Inner West Film Fest’s inaugural short film prize winner Svengali. The film follows a slick Sydney real estate agent as he manoeuvres his way to the top.
“The Inner West Film Fest was the first time we got to watch it with an audience,” says Woods. “It was really invigorating to see the audience work out where the satire was swinging from. By the end, it was a full house of laughter.”
Svengali offers a satirical perspective on the Sydney housing market which, as Woods mentions, “is cut-throat and out of control. People in our generation can’t buy houses the same way that our parents could.
“I wanted to create the worst and most evil version of that eloquent, code-switching, disingenuous real estate agent,” Woods states.
This isn’t Woods’ first foray into narrative filmmaking. He has had films play in prestigious festivals such as Flickerfest and Brisbane International Film Festival previously, with Svengali itself premiering at Revelation Perth last year and looking forward to a screening at St Kilda Film Festival this year.
His festival success is perhaps a testament to following your instincts. Two key themes that play a distinctive role in Woods’ narratives are masculinity and capital.
“Masculinity is something I know. I’ve experienced the whole gamut of masculine anxieties and the masculine experience,” Woods remarks. “I have also worked in a lot of white-collar jobs which is a world that supercharges the tenets of masculinity, such as competition and the power games.”
Woods previously completed his Masters in Directing at the Australian Film Television and Radio School, which gave him an understanding of his own instincts. “I left that experience with a much more evolved sense of what my voice was,” says Woods. “I started off making films that were quite pragmatic, the ones that would get you the job. But then, going to AFTRS and spending more time thinking about what I am actually doing… I came out of that a much more honest filmmaker.”
A few seconds into Svengali will give audiences a clear understanding of his unique voice as a filmmaker.
The last decade has been a creative whirlwind for Woods, who traverses both the corporate and narrative filmmaking worlds. “In the next five years, I’d like to be making feature films, which I guess every filmmaker says,” he laughs.
He is currently working on a feature film, but the goal is to “just keep directing. I just love the process of curation and communication. Trying to synthesise creative ideas into actionable tasks for people is always interesting and fun.”
Svengali’s next stop will be at the 2023 Saint Kilda Film Festival at the Astor Theatre.
