Had it been 98-minutes shorter Serhat Caradee’s debut feature Cedar Boys would have made a perfect Play Now Act Now Short Film. As it is the Australian filmmaker will just have to console himself with feature film critical acclaim from the good and the great of the local industry from David Stratton (“…an impressive authenticity to every aspect of the film.”) to Bruce Beresford (“I have no doubt that Serhat Caradee will go on to make more outstanding films.”).
Cedar Boys tells the story of three young Lebanese men from Sydney’s outer-west who pay the price of getting caught up in the drug business. The film won Sydney Film Festival 2009’s Audience Award went on to score several nominations from the AFI, Inside Film and the Australian Director’s Guild.
Serhat was kind enough to take on our nine questions for filmmakers and provide more creative insight for budding Play Now Act Now participants.
Name: Serhat Caradee
Occupation: Filmmaker
1) What was the first film you ever made?
Dead on Time Short film, a five minute comedy shot on 16mm in 1998, which went to 10 festivals.
2) What’s one thing you know now you wish you knew then?
Write better scripts/be more original in our choices.
3) How do you approach the filmmaking process, is it something you breakdown into stages or do you approach holistically?
Yes, preparation includes planning, planning and planning. Do a shot list, storyboard, rehearse with the actors in the locations. Know the script backwards!
4) Name one personal attribute crucial to making a film…
Have a clear and strong vision, and learn to be a leader.
5) If you had a film set survival kit what would it include?
Directors view finder, video/monitor split, and plenty of fruit and snakes.
6) What filmmakers, artists or writers have influenced you or your work and why?
Filmmakers:
Jean-Pierre Melville (France), Jean-Luc Godard (France), Krzysztof Kieslowski (Poland), Mike Figgis (UK), Steven Soderbergh (U.S), David O Russell (U.S). Martin Scorsese (U.S)
Artists:
Claude Monet (Painter) Edward Hopper (Painter), Geffrey Smart (Painter), Isamu Noguchi (Designer)
Writers:
William Shakespeare (Theatre), Desmond Morris (Anthropologist), Norman Mailer (Novelist), Arthur Miller (Theatre)
7) Favourite online film resource you use for inspiration or community?
The Internet Movie Data Base (IMDb.com), Filmink Magazine online.
Play Now Act Now participants must engage our signature item of alcohol and drugs. What advice would you give a young filmmaker in tackling a thematic brief?
Don’t make the film about the signature item, tell an interesting story and include the signature item thematically…
9) If you weren’t a filmmaker you’d be an…
Acting teacher/coach
Check out the trailer for Serhat’s 2009 film Cedar Boys, which is now available on DVD:
Thanks guys for this. Serhat seems to have his finger on the pulse, and has the creative talent to show it.
I went onto his website and read how Cedar Boys was made. Now that’s inspiring!
It’s a really good account of the long process that takes the seed of an idea to script to screen. Here’s the link for anyone who wants to read the story:
http://serhatcaradee.com/cedar-boys
What an awesome film. The guy should be proud he made it with he had to go thru.
That link to how it was made is very useful as it charts a filmmakers trials, struggles and triumphs of what it takes to get a film made in this country. And they only gave him 1.36mil???
Man, the DIRECTOR makes the film, anyone who tells you other doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Click on the link above and read for yourself.
Thanks Scott.
can’t wait for his next film