Each year, the Australian Director’s Guild applauds a small handful of “outstanding Australian directors”. This year, Photoplay director, Husein Alicajic, is in the running to be one of them in the TV commercial category, for Officeworks: Let Their Amazing Out.
He also directed the thought-provoking The Fading Symphony with Tim Minchin and the Sydney Symphony, to raise awareness of motor neuron disease for MND Australia and The Works.
And Alicajic’s cross platform drama series, X, has been selected as one of four finalists at the 2015 Scripted TV Pitch conference in New York.
His current projects include writing the official biopic of country western star, Waylon Jennings. Alicajic talked to Larissa Meikle about directing work that receives acclaim.
Larissa Meikle: What does an ADG nomination mean to you?
Husein Alicajic: It’s always special to be recognised by your peers, so it’s a great honour. I remember many years back when I was starting out I would look at the Australian Directors Guild as something to aspire to, first of all just to qualify to be a member, then maybe be lucky enough to be nominated one day. It’s a pretty special club to be part of.
LM: What do you think drew the ADG judges to Office Works: Let Their Amazing Out?
HA: My hope is that it connected on an emotional level more than anything else. My aim was to convey a real sense of magic and everyday wonder to personify the idea of imagination coming to life that was inherent in the script. I had to make more than just pretty pictures.
LM: They say you should never work with kids (and animals). How do you get the best performances out of littlies?
HA: I think kids are just like adults. If you respect them, talk with them and not at them and kind of let them be themselves, then you really set the stage to bring out their best. Everyone wants to feel understood and that’s a big part of it. Plus, I’m just a big kid anyway, so maybe that’s a clue. Also, it doesn’t hurt to roll the camera without telling everyone, and say, “We’re just working things out, you muck around and I’ll tell you when we’re ready.” Lots of good stuff happens that way and you don’t get that feeling of people trying to please or perform.
LM: How did you work with the crew to get the most out of the live action shoot?
Our crew was such a big part of making this ad what it is. We worked from a structured starting point that was built around these composed halo type moments in the spot. These were meticulously planned because we had to add the stop frame animation to them later on. But for the rest, we worked at having it feel as free and natural as possible, focused on the kids and their emotions. Great set design and locations helped everyone feel as though we were in a real space, and we framed everything to feel graphic but intimate at the same time.
LM: What was the highlight of The Fading Symphony for you?
HA: It was an amazing day shooting with Tim and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. We had limited time and had to record the audio live as well as staging the shoot, so it was pretty challenging, but I’m very proud of how the piece turned out. I think the highlight is how the film connected with so many people on a real emotional level and got people talking about MND. It’s a huge thing and I’m very thankful to be involved.
LM: May we have a sneaky insight into your upcoming feature film Waylon?
HA: I’ve just delivered the script on the official biopic of country and western music legend Waylon Jennings. The story covers Jennings’ ground breaking years when he fought the Nashville music establishment and his own personal demons to define the popular Outlaw movement. Stay tuned.
LM: And the drama series, X?
HA: The series explores a ten-minute block of time in an airport terminal, told through ten overlapping points of view to solve the mystery of a missing girl. I had the concept for the series done and a trailer put together, and was lucky enough to be selected as a finalist to pitch at the Scripted TV conference held late last year in New York. We received a lot of great interest so I’m now deep in finishing the actual script. It is fun playing with all of these different timelines and having them intersect, while still keeping the overall thread moving forward.
LM: How does your personal work influence your commercial campaigns?
HA: There’s no big divide between the two really, and they bleed back and forth constantly. I guess my view on how the world works, and my belief that things can be magical if you just open your eyes and look around, influence the way I approach any story.
LM: Where to from here?
HA: I love telling stories, so as long as I’m doing that I’m happy. I’m obviously working on longer form pieces at the moment, but I get excited directing a talking head as much as I do choreographing a cast of thousands. I do think the world is blurring so there’s less difference between different storytelling forms now.
LM: What attracted you to Photoplay?
HA: I came to Photoplay not long after it opened shop and it’s been a great ride so far. Part of what I love is the commitment to approaching things not just from the expected way. The culture there has always been super encouraging for telling stories in a unique and imaginative way. It’s that kind of inspired thinking that’s a big part of their continuing success and I’m glad to be part of it.
