By Travis Johnson
When did you first realise you wanted to be an actor? What led you to this career path?
When I was 18. I had graduated school the year prior and was at university. I was sitting in a movie theatre watching Inception, probably for the second time, and I remember being enraptured with what I was seeing. I was seeking an escape at the time, and this film was really giving me that. I didn’t feel like I was in my life anymore but in the world of the film, something I found all the time as a child and teen. But then Marion Cotillard came on screen, stepping out onto the window ledge, Leonardo DiCaprio pleading with her to step back, to listen to him, to just wait. She jumped and I remember his face, the way it contorted, changed, broke, this little voice in me just said “I think I can do that”. I had no idea why, but I felt connected to that moment, and there it sat in the back of my mind for eight or nine months until one day, I just woke up and said to myself “Alright then, well I gotta give this thing a go”. I got up, walked over to my computer and just started researching how and where I could go and essentially get started as an actor.
Where did you study?
I chose to go to the 16th Street Actors Studio in Elsternwick, Victoria. I decided I didn’t want to go down the university path for an acting course. It might sound silly but I didn’t like the idea of being graded on my ability as an actor; it seemed to me counter-intuitive to grade someone on them learning and discovering themselves and their performance. But that was also part fear and part not wanting to wait any longer – I just wanted to get started and learn, and get out there into the industry. I found the course incredibly freeing but also emotionally and psychologically challenging, and I say that with the best of intentions.
What would you say your first big break was?
I guess you could say my first big break was my first professional role, which was as a young country footballer named Glenn Hyde in Australian drama Blinder, directed by Richard Gray, which was an amazing first experience for me to have. I was truly blown away by the scale and hospitality of all the cast and crew on the production who really sought to make me feel welcomed and comfortable.
Besides that, however, I’d say my biggest credit to date would be Occupation. I played a leading role in a fantastic Australian story that I feel will be really well received both here and abroad. It was an incredible feeling to get to work on a production like that, and have these crazy creatures and huge spectacles come to life in front of my very own eyes, and then be able to engage with them and act amongst the chaos, it was absolutely terrific!
You did a stint on Neighbours – how did you find that? What did you learn?
Neighbours for me was a great experience. It’s an institution really, the well oiled machine of Australian TV, it all ran so efficiently and effectively. I felt when I was on set, that the pace and the speed at which they work and move through things, was a great challenge for me, to become better and really rise to the daily challenges that the scenes and the story presented and required of me. Everyone was particularly nice to me as well, which made me feel comfortable and welcomed each and every time I turned up to work. I really valued my time there.
You’ve got a couple of directing credits to your name. Is that something you plan on pursuing going forward?
Yeah! I’d love to. I’m still a relative novice to the directing profession but I kind of had a baptism of fire with my first experience co-directing alongside my friend and business partner Michael Loder on our film, A Little Resistance. Its Mike’s baby; he has been dreaming this film since he was a kid.
The more I’ve studied and worked as an actor the more I’ve become fascinated with what’s happening around me rather than what’s happening to me, if that makes sense. Watching playback through the monitors and seeing other actors and even some of my own work, the visuals, the aesthetics of the particular scene, how that all comes up on film and what that conveys to the audience, really galvanises me, and makes me think “How do I want to tell the story?” or “Is this coming across the way I’m intending?” I’ve always loved telling stories and I realised that experience extends far beyond my personal acting. I want to also bring into being the pictures and images and stories inside my head to shape the story.
What was it about Occupation that appealed to you?
What excited me about the project is we’ve never really produced a film like this here in Australia – I mean an Australian Sci-Fi/Action Epic. The prospect of running around the country fighting and trying to save the world and survive against an apocalyptic invasion just really excited me.
How did you find the shoot?
The shoot was a tremendous experience. In the lead up to the production I was working out nearly every day and had myself on a regimented eating plan to get into the best shape possible as I was portraying an aspiring professional athlete. Once I arrived in Queensland and we commenced shooting I felt like I was on cloud 9! The crew were all so fantastic and kind and generous, and the cast all gelled really well together. It felt like one big family, supporting each other and having each others’ backs. The days were long, and with some early starts and late finishes it was certainly a big undertaking, but I was just so excited and thrilled to be a part of the production that even in my exhausted state I couldn’t wait to go back and shoot another day. I never regretted a single early morning wake up, and I preferred being on set to being off it.
How was Luke Sparke as a director?
Luke’s a visionary. What he was able to do with Occupation, the ideas and pictures he had in his head and his ability to bring that out onto the screen and convey that to his actors and crew was incredible. A big sci-fi and animation fan himself, we often talked extensively about Star Wars and The Simpsons, making quips and jokes, that kept the environment of the set fun and engaged while working. Whenever I was trying to understand something like the tone or the mood of the scene he was trying to create, he often had a visual reference or a piece of music that he would pull out and show. That was so helpful as a performer, it cut through any confusion or any words, it was such an effective form of communication that I personally really valued. Luke’s really one to watch, and I think the future of our industry both locally and abroad has a really bold and unique yet steady set of hands behind the wheels to guide us into the future.
What’s up next for you?
I just completed shooting a new pilot entitled Interface, which was written by Ellie Popov and produced by the incomparable Amie Casey and David Aponas. It’s a sci-fi drama series akin to The Matrix and Ender’s Game. Really blending aspects from the two of them to create this present day, steampunk underground society that runs concurrent to today’s society, while bringing in issues of identity, truth, technology, trust and pursuing one’s dreams. Ellie wrote a tremendous script and the series is shaping up to be an amazing ride.
Occupation is released later this year.
