-A RILEY SUGARS PRODUCTIONS INTERVIEW-

LUDLOW
By Riley Sugars

WE LOOK INTO THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF YOUNG HOT-SHOT VICTORIAN FILM-MAKER DAVID LUDLOW

avid Ludlow is an ordinary Australian with an incredible talent and passion for acting and for Film. This passion has steered his lifes journey through to being judged by many as the next best film director of the modern Australian age. What is your full name and age? My name is David Ludlow and I'm 25 years old (aka Quarter-Life-Crisis material!) What is the title of your job? I'm a filmmaker. As a child, is this what you wanted to do? Going through school I always honestly thought I'd end up a journalist as I enjoyed writing and it was something I was ok at. I actually did work experience at a newspaper when I was 16. But thankfully my love for movies has prevailed so far. If not, what was you childhood job?

My first job was an industry staple: I waited tables at a restaurant for minimum wage (and I mean minimum!). Needless to say I have zero intention of returning to the hospitality industry any time soon. What were your qualifications in entering your job? None. Zip (at least initially). I was invited to perform at the National Theatre straight out of high school (early 2007) > which snared me a talent agent (March 2007) > who got me some auditions (April 2007) > which ultimately landed me a small gig on HBO's The Pacific (May 2007). And that was my first break into the industry.

David (left) on the set of HBOs The Pacific

I then went back and studied at film school (RMIT) from 2009 - 2011. University is good as you'll work out where to focus your energies based on what you're good at & interested in. BUT, no classroom is even comparable to learning on-the-job. If you want to be a filmmaker GO OUT AND MAKE FILMS RIGHT NOW! Did you find difficulties entering the industry at such a young age? Of course. But it's going to be difficult whether you're 20 or 50, so you may as well start now. And the people you want to work with are those who don't care about age, just your talent and passion. I have a rule: I only work with people who want to work with me. Cuts out a lot of headaches.

What are the weakness and strengths of your media profession? The good things about the movie business is you'll get to meet a lot of cool, crazy, and talented people and you get to make movies with them! The bad things are that (as is well known) it's a tough business to crack and making a living out of it full-time is difficult. I'm still working towards that goal, so I have to supplement my income elsewhere by doing corporate gigs and other jobs etc. But ultimately you have to ask yourself: could I see myself doing anything else? If the answer is "no" then that's that. My agent once gave me a great piece of advice: "If you really, really, REALLY want to make films... you'll make films." Are their any issues affecting the future of your job or your industry? I believe the biggest issue facing filmmakers right now is evolving new distribution channels. The future is VoD (video-on-demand aka streaming). If we're honest then there's no debate. That's the future. Filmmakers and those in the movie business are trying to work out how they can successfully shift across to new distribution channels and exploit that accordingly.

Unfortunately, there has been a resistance from some who need to realise that 2013 is not 1993 and the public don't just go to the local multiplex to see films now. The Average Joe & Jane Smith also has iTunes, and Netflix, and Foxtel-on-Demand, and Hulu, and Xbox streaming, and BigPond movies, and iPad exclusive content all at their disposal to watch content etc. etc. etc. We need those eyeballs to watch our films. Which sector of the production process do they belong to? The above issues are the last line of the process distribution and exhibition. As for say an issue in production (filming), the industry successfully made the transition from analogue filming practices (35mm) to digital over the past 10 years. Some still shoot on film, but myself and most film makers now are digital converts (as it's easier to use and vastly CHEAPER! So Win-Win!) Has it been hard to begin your career on your own? Yes and no. When I finished high school I had 0 contacts in the film

& TV business. Zero. Getting your foot in the door is tough, but clearly not impossible. It just takes time, like anything. Time, persistence, and most importantly, hard work. Who has been your biggest inspiration in your field? I grew up watching films from guys like Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, and Ridley Scott. Mash those guys together and those clearly shaped my taste in films. And because of that I make and want to continue making films in any genre that are both broadly popular movies AND ALSO creatively intelligent films like those five have done. I have also have had strong along the way who've helped guide my course. Namely (Captain) Dale Dye, who has was Chief Military Advisor on The Pacific (as well as Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and Band of Brothers) and Daniel Scharf who produced Romper Stomper and Tom White (and is also my agent). Dale and Daniel have been hugely influential on me as both a filmmaker and person over the past 7 years. There are others, but those two have

supported, given me guidance and impacted immeasurable in my career. Have you spoken to any media professionals during the beginning of your career? See above. What, as a director have been your biggest accomplishments? I like to think it's what is ahead of me, but as a director I'd say a film I wrote & directed when I was 21 called Drifting. I consider it my first feature and I learned more making that film (an 80 minute light-drama) than I ever did at film school. As I said earlier, practice is always better than a class-room. What is your advice for the younger generation wishing to enter your field of the media industry? MAKE FILMS! - For example, your iPhone has a better camera (Full HD 1080p) than any camera I ever had growing up. - Most modern laptops have basic (but practical) editing software (iMovie or Windows Movie Maker).

Julian McMahon, George Lazenby and John Jarratt to star in Davids next project. What is your next project? I'm currently prepping an Australian-Western, Justice in a Smoking Gun, set during the Victorian gold rush starring Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck, Fantastic Four).Or as one crew member put it: "A Charles Bronson movie across the gold rush!" I hope to film in 2014. It's a long slog, but it's moving forward inch by inch. https://www.facebook.com/justiceinasmokinggunmo vie

David (Centre) in his 2011 Short Film Instruments of Darkness- Credited as Actor, Writer, Producer and Director. - And YouTube is a brilliant tool to upload, share, and distribute your work. Put those 3 elements together and you have ALL the things required to get cracking right now. Go write some 5-10 minute shorts (5-10 pages) and start making content. You'll learn and get better very quickly. And by the time you're 25, you'll be a gun.

"If you really, really, REALLY want to make films... you'll make films."
JUSTICE IN A SMOKING GUN IS SET TO BEGIN FILMING NEXT YEAR.