For eight years, I stepped away from filmmaking to support families whose children had been wrongfully removed. During that time, I published over 120 articles onGumshoeNews.com, produced a video series, and ultimately wrote a book - The Child Protection Racket.
I came to believe that cruelty had become normalized and that the closed nature of court proceedings often left families without a remedy. In my book, I describe the system as a "Wheel of Misfortune"—a modern-day echo of the Salem Witch Trials and the Court of Oyer and Terminer of 1692.
Several years ago, I attended a gathering of influential people brought together to discuss how Australia's child protection system could be fixed. Throughout the day, conversation centered on policy, procedures, reviews, training and reform. Eventually, I offered a different perspective.
"Changing the culture of child removals may take fifteen years or more. Legal action against public officials whose conduct amounts to criminal wrongdoing is one path—but it will take years. There is another way."
"Make a movie... and change the mindset of the nation."
Every Film Starts Somewhere
Making the Impossible Possible
We've started several feature films from almost nothing... and even shot one in 8 days.
Deadly Chase was the first feature Andrea Buck and I made
together in 1992. We had started with $10,000 for catering and the essentials,
and after scouting the twisty roads, old bridges and rundown petrol station at
St Andrews, I knew we could make it work. Cast and crew came aboard, and we
shot over 18 wintery rainy days. Crystal Sky in Los Angeles picked up
the film, financed post-production and sold it to about 35 countries.
In 2005, I read the story of a
14-year-old girl trafficked into Melbourne's sex industry. It became the
inspiration for The Jammed, and once again, we started with almost nothing - but for a committed cast, producers and wonderful crew. A few weeks before shooting, an investor contributed $400,000. The film went on to break the Australian screen-average box office record, taking $48,000 at Melbourne's Nova Cinema for two consecutive weeks. It enjoyed a 20-week theatrical run, won major awards and reached audiences far beyond anything we had imagined.
Now, twenty
years later, I believe Hostage of the State has to be
made—and I do not say that lightly. These stories are still unfolding and the mother who inspired "Jade" has been separated from her son for nearly three years.
