In 2017, Photoplay launched a playful offshoot – not playful in that it happened on a whim, in fact it was well-considered – but playful in that it was a place where creatives could experiment with and develop the ideas in their head. It’s called simply Playtime. The creativity of directors such as James Chappell, who in December won his second ARIA in a row for Best Music Video with Guy Sebastian; Stef Smith, who has shown that women can excel at comedy; and Dropbear, whose animations have made Westpac friendly and lockdowns less onerous, has been sharpened, finessed and advanced at Playtime. Lawrance doesn’t believe that play matters. He knows it does.
Lawrance chatted to The Stable about what Playtime is doing to keep Photoplay’s creativity soaring:
The Stable: How important is creativity (or play) to you in producing work?
Oliver Lawrance: Whether you’re running a business or making films, creativity is super important. I see it as lateral thinking and using the left side of the brain. As a film producer, you’re constantly asking yourself what if A or B or C happens. Creativity is about being able to think beyond what is in front of you and see possibilities that aren’t immediately obvious. Whether you’re a producer or a film director it’s equally important. I see myself as a creative producer and indeed the creative process of filmmaking and producing completely overlap.
The best creative solution is not painting by numbers. We have to ask ourselves how we can creatively build on an idea. What we can bring to it. If we regurgitate the same creative idea without new ideas that grow off and elevate it then I doubt we’d win any pitches. We often collaborate as a creative team, bouncing ideas off each other in the pitch process. We respect the difference of creative opinions in our team and often debate the best approach between us all.
When you’re actually running a film production company you have to juggle the various demands of the production, the client, agency, film director and a large film crew. Producers are constantly troubleshooting and working out if A or B happens then we can do C. Creative troubleshooting is our bread ‘n’ butter.
TS: Where did the idea for Playtime come from? What has it added to Photoplay?
OL: Playtime was launched three years ago as a separate director roster and a more playful side to Photoplay. The vision for a new roster of directors that focused on bold storytelling and being more experimental in our creative approach. It’s really been an awesome addition to the Photoplay family. Playtime pushes us into areas we didn’t venture into before. The talent that has come on board through Playtime has hugely influenced our creative approach to everything, opening us up to amazing new projects. Both rosters exist in happy symbiosis. It’s what makes our company special. I’m excited to see Playtime grow further in the coming years.
TS: 2020 was a stressful year. What was it like for Photoplay?
OL: The cliché is that challenge and difficulty make you stronger – but it’s actually true. When Covid hit in March 2020, it was like driving into a wall. The whole team at Photoplay worked together, we adjusted and tightened our belts for 2-3 months and worked remotely, putting all Covid safety procedures in place and still keeping some productions moving. Then when the Covid storm passed we actually got really busy in the second half of 2020. Australia’s success in dealing with Covid has meant we’ve attracted film productions from around the world and I don’t think I’ve ever seen our industry so busy.
TS: What makes a director right for Photoplay or Playtime?
OL: When you’re looking at new directors it starts with talent. Someone who has a creative approach that stands out from the bunch – they have a strong voice with a discernible style. But it doesn’t stop there. There also needs to be room on your roster and minimal overlap with other directors, and also an angle on how to pitch them to the industry and if we feel we can get them work. Even if a director is uber-talented, they still need to be great to work and collaborate with. Above all, we need to get along for things to gel. Life’s too short.
TS: What is the value of play? Of director’s side projects?
OL: I feel it’s really important for film directors to keep developing their craft and work on passion projects when they are not busy shooting commercials. It builds experience and skills but also offers a creative outlet. Often the work ends up garnering the interest of advertising creatives and help develop their commercial careers.
Director, Jasmin Tarasin, kept herself busy during the Covid lockdown and made a series of three short documentaries about artists living on the south coast called Together Alone. The films were beautiful humane portraits and showed people what Jasmin is capable of when working with real people and situations.
Dropbear (aka Jonathan Chong) is Melbourne based and had to endure a prolonged lockdown for most of 2020. During this time he directed and animated Goodbye Home, a short film about the Black Summer bushfire season, which is having great success at international festivals. He also made a series of Instagram animations dealing with the mental pressures of lockdown, his own creative outlet to help him deal with what was a very frustrating situation.
Gracie Otto’s film and TV directing career has completely taken off in the last year. Beginning with directing the critically acclaimed first TV series of Bump (and soon to start the second), she’s currently in post-production her debut feature film, Seriously Red, starring Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale & Patrick Brammall, and her feature documentary, Under The Volcano, is premiering at SXSW in the coming weeks. She is also the director behind the sultry, ultra-feminine reimagining of Bonds.
