I've been holding this project for almost five years, hoping the wheels of justice would finally turn. They haven't.
The screenplay is complete, and I now feel compelled to move forward—just as I did with The Jammed.
There is, however, one important distinction.
The Jammed exposed the trafficking of young foreign women into Australia's sex industry. Hostage of the State confronts a system that, over recent decades, has profoundly affected tens of thousands of Australian children and families.
The time to act is now.
A Fresh Approach
The power of Hostage of the State lies not in scale, but in authenticity.
Hostage of the State will blur the line between documentary and drama. This hybrid approach worked in films such as The Battle of Algiers, United 93, Bloody Sunday and Nomadland, where documentary realism merges with dramatic storytelling. to create an immediacy and authenticity allowing audiences to be witnesses in a story unfolding.
This approach also transforms the economics of production. Filmed with small crews, real locations and natural light wherever possible, two cameras will capture long, uninterrupted takes, allowing performances to unfold naturally. Instead of a conventional shoot, this will be with a lean crew and an agile production model we have successfully deployed before.
Ironically, the lower the budget, the greater the creative freedom.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." alexander pope
The Road Ahead
This is an ambitious production, weaving together three stories through the character of Atlas Gray.
The screenplay presently features approximately 60 speaking roles, including four principal cast members, two child leads, around twelve major supporting roles and a many day-player speaking parts, in addition to numerous extras.
The production will hopefully make extensive use of modern technology to streamline casting, auditions, rehearsals, scheduling and production management.
As with many independent features, the project cannot presently offer full commercial rates. Initially, we will therefore rely on cast and crew who believe in the story and wish to be part of bringing it to the screen, with backend participation forming part of their reward. Our objective is to secure additional investment and distribution partnerships as early as possible, enabling us to move the production onto commercial terms wherever practicable.
