Alice Maio Mackay: Adapting Stephen King and only 15

January 19, 2020
The Adelaide teenager has just finished year 10, and has already made a short film from a Stephen King story and is readying to shoot a film with Greg Sestero.

When and how did you get into filmmaking?

The idea of storytelling through filmmaking took hold when I was twelve. I had been entering competitions with short stories and saw an advertisement for an international short film festival, which the Capri cinema was sponsoring. This led me to create a three-minute silent film for the competition, with the use of stop motion. The film was selected to screen in the competition, and from there my passion for filmmaking continued to grow and develop. After that, I continued with animation and created a new film with voice actors such as Brennan Mejia (Power Rangers, Supergirl), Cori Gonzalez-Macuer and Brennan Murray (Video Game High School). After completion of that film, I began to start working on my live-action shorts as well as gaining work experience on other film sets. I have now completed three live action projects under my own business and have four currently in development. Involved in my current films are actors like Drew Droage (Heathers, AJ & the Queen), Eddie Perfect (Offspring, Beetlejuice The Musical) and Phil Nichol (Flying Circus, ETAJ).

What are your plans for the future?

I’ll be studying a certificate three in film and media this year as part of my year 11 studies. After completing high school, I plan to continue filmmaking, primarily writing and directing, as a full time career.

What’s the filmmaking community like in Adelaide, and are you and your films embraced by them?

The Adelaide film community is small and diverse, but it is a very supportive group. Funding is always challenging, which is why creating self-made opportunities and global networks is pivotal.

What inspires you?

The opportunity to see my stories come to life and to provide escapism for people. I think that cinema is a powerful art form that provides a platform to not only tell stories, but for people to get lost in the stories of others.

Entrepreneurs like Kevin Smith and even socialites like Paris Hilton are also an inspiration – they follow their passion and communicate their stories through various art forms, always seeming to find a niche market.

Tell us why you chose to adapt Stephen King’s short story A Tale of the Laundry Game? Also, please tell us the story and your particular approach to the material.

I chose A Tale of the Laundry Game to develop into a movie, because to my knowledge it had never been adapted before. The story was intriguing and didn’t conform to the usual confinements and tropes of horror. It was also one of his stories that would be most realistic to produce and accomplish. The story leaves a lot to the reader’s imagination, which gave us a lot more creative freedom when writing the script.

A Tale of the Laundry Game tells the story of a few sad and sinister men. Rocky and Leo are drinking and driving after a day’s work at their dead-end job, looking for a mechanic willing to certify Rocky’s less than road-worthy wheels. Luck finds them Bob, Rocky’s old high school friend, who’s still loitering in his garage long into the night rather than dragging himself back home to his wife. As the tale follows the night of these characters, it slowly reveals the truth of each of them. Unveiling the shadows of the past and the hidden feelings buried deep within, the night coaxes forth a world filled with evil and the underbelly of those who live in it.

A Tale of The Laundry Game screened at cinemas in both Adelaide and interstate as part of MonsterFest, before the premiere of the independent Australian film, Two Heads Creek. The film also went on to be accepted as a finalist in the international 13 Horror Fest, as well as The Best Shorts Competition, where it also won an award of excellence, special mention. It continues to circulate the festival scene.

Are you a fan of King’s fiction? What’s your favourite King adaptation?

I am not an avid fan of King’s fiction, but I certainly appreciate his ability to write across genres and themes. For example, his work on The Green Mile compared to his work on IT or Carrie. My favourite King adaptation is the 2013 re-imaging of Carrie, as it breathes new life into the story with innovative direction.

Can you tell us about the upcoming slasher you’re making with Greg Sestero?

The upcoming slasher/thriller that stars Greg Sestero is a 30-minute short form film. It delivers on thrills and creative kills, but also explores the often disturbing psychology behind celebrity and fandom. How far will a fan go to protect a fantasy? Are celebrities the new gods? I approached him with the concept, which he liked, and then it was a matter of coordinating the details.

Most people your age are all over YouTube/TikTok, some making money out of the platforms – why aren’t you doing that, and instead leaning more toward the ‘old school’ format of cinema?

I think that YouTube, while being a platform for some talented filmmakers, mostly comprises of one hit wonders and viral sensations/fads. I don’t consider TikTok a form of storytelling or art that is any way near comparative to the power of the ‘old school’ format of cinema.

What are your thoughts on Australian cinema?

It’s good to see so many independent filmmakers creating exciting new works. However, I think we are suffering as an industry from a lack of sufficient funding and investment, which would help nurture new story tellers and equally as important, help them gain an international presence.

Alice Maio Mackay currently has a GoFundMe campaign for his short film Tooth 4 Tooth.

For more information on Alice’s production company, One Manner Productions, hit up Instagram and Facebook.

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