The entire experience was so rewarding — meet Madeline Blake

Can you tell me what role you held with your recent film Say?

I was fortunate enough to partner up with Chloe Kemp, Director of the short film Say, by taking on the role of Producer.

As a student in the Screenwriting stream at the VCA, my only experience as a producer was during my Year 12 Media subject where I wrote, directed, and produced a short film for VCE assessment purposes during the height of Covid lockdowns. I was very grateful to Chloe for seeing the benefit of taking a risk on my other transferable skills and my palpable eagerness to develop my skills in the role.

I had worked with Chloe earlier in the year and really appreciated her approach to filmmaking. I was instantly engaged with her concept.

We were afforded the very fortunate opportunity to work in the virtual production facility at Nant Studio. I learnt so much, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the project and to represent the University by developing the partnership between the VCA and Nant Studios.

How much of this film was shot using the virtual production facility at NantStudios Docklands?

Nant Studios very generously provided us with two and a half days in their virtual production studio to shoot about 85% of the film. It was a mad rush to shoot all the required footage, but the team at Nant, our crew, and cast did an outstanding job to make the most out of the allocated time.  Almost the entire film takes place within the confines of the car as it is travelling, so having the ability to playback the loop of the exterior road, alter the lighting and speed all without our team having to worry about the logistics was a godsend!

What was the experience of working at Nant Studios like? How was it different from films you’ve made previously?

The level of professionalism demonstrated by our cast and crew, most of whom are still university students, stood out as a highlight, and differentiated our shoot from others.  On other student shoots there is often more of a ‘chilled out’ atmosphere, but our shoot was extremely focused. I was so proud of the way our crew conducted themselves on set and how they managed the pressure of the experience. On a side note, it was surreal rocking up at Docklands studios to work each day - definitely a childhood dream realised.

What were the advantages of shooting your film using the virtual environment?

There are so many creative advantages to using this technology. From a producer’s perspective in a nutshell – Occupational Health and Safety, logistics and cost! Prior to receiving the opportunity to shoot in the studio, we were prepared to invest hundreds of dollars of technical equipment to rig the car, tow it with a trailer, close down roads, book traffic management and safety supervisors, all just to portray that the car is driving. In hindsight I don’t think we would have been able to achieve the quality of the end production as we did, and perhaps even would not have finished shooting.

What did you learn through this experience?

I learnt how to be the logistical brains of a production in the role of Producer. The new skills I developed will be transferable for the rest of my career, while the proficiencies that I already had foundations for, such as relationship and people managing skills, definitely came in handy. The role of producer for a short film essentially covers every pre-production role that a larger production would require, so whether that was booking accommodation, auditioning cast, or processing health and safety paperwork, I got a taste of it all!

What challenges did you face?

Time was a major constraint on the production. There were some extraneous circumstances that led to us getting the green light to using the studio about two weeks before production was set to start.

In this time, we had to alter all existing arrangements to make it work - sleep was a luxury during those weeks. I definitely developed a coffee addiction!

On the week of production, we were so fortunate to have such a great team from Nant, VCA and XM2 work to make everything possible. It was a mad rush though; shooting the plates on location in the country on the Monday, editing them on the Tuesday to have the studio ready for the Wednesday to start shooting. The turnaround time was insane and we will be forever incredibly grateful for the massive effort put into our production.

What did you most enjoy?

The entire experience was so rewarding. Seeing all of our hard work ultimately pay off, when the first day of shooting ran seamlessly was thrilling.

I remember after all of the cast and crew left on the first night, Chloe and I were just hugging and laughing with combined exhaustion and elation that we had made it to this point, and everything had turned out not only as we’d dreamed, but better! The feeling of accomplishment and pride was the highlight of the experience.

Based on your experience, how do you think virtual production will change the screen industry in the future?

When comparing all of the requirements for shooting on location to using virtual production, especially in the moving vehicle space, productions shouldn’t and won’t look back.

Virtual production was not only better for dealing with all of the logistical and safety elements, it contributed to getting the best possible performance from the actors. It was so important to the integrity of the film because the studio enabled such an accessible space for actors and directors to work together. The possibilities with the technology seem endless, with simulated travel only a small component.

You’ve noted previously that you’re devoted to social change filmmaking. Can you tell us a little bit about your future projects and what they might explore?

It was a privilege to support Chloe to bring her idea for Say to life and it was so rewarding working alongside organisations such as Safe Steps throughout the filmmaking process to promote their important services. Chloe and I look forward to working together on our next project, which is sure to have a strong female lead, with an even stronger partnership of female filmmakers behind it.