Alumni filmmaker’s short film kickstarts promising career

Tiếng Việt

Alumni filmmaker’s short film kickstarts promising career

With La La Land dominating awards season in Hollywood, RMIT Vietnam alumnus Robert Corrigan is in Australia beginning his career as a filmmaker, producing and co-directing the short film “Interview with a Bluesman”.

Robert, a Bachelor of Communication (Professional Communication) graduate, has entered the film into a variety of festivals.

“’Interview with a Bluesman’ is a short story in which an ageing blues musician recounts his experiences to a TV journalist,” said Robert.

“This was an idea pitched to me a couple of years ago by my film-making partner at Wirrim Media, Richard Jameson.”

“Interview with a Bluesman” has been screened at Asinabka Arts Festival (Canada, August 2016), Canberra International Film Festival (Australia, October 2016), and is set to be shown at the People of Passion Film Festival in Melbourne (Australia, April 2017).

On the set of Robert Corrigan's short film "Interview with a Bluesman"

The film deals with the fleeting nature of fame and highlights the potential talent which resides within Australia’s indigenous community. The Asinabka Arts and People of Passion are two of the many festivals promoting indigenous films and film-makers around the world.

“Many talented performers, whether through choice or circumstance, fade from the limelight into obscurity,” Robert said.

“Our main character is clearly a friendly man and even in retirement remains a talented musician, yet lives an isolated and solitary existence.”

Co-director Richard Jameson’s influence inspired Robert to take on the project, which Robert was able to visualise immediately.

“Ultimately it was the simplicity of the idea – when you only need to be told the idea once and it sticks with you, then you're onto something,” Robert said.

“I'm a very visual thinker, so whenever Richard and I discuss an idea, if I can ‘see it in my mind's eye’ then it is worth pursuing.”

Robert Corrigan (left) sits alongside his team from Wirrin Media outside the Toronto Film Festival in Canada.

Robert’s career in film started in acting, but he plans to continue his involvement largely behind the camera – directing short pieces and working towards a couple of feature projects he is developing.

“Last year we had the opportunity to attend the Toronto International Film Festival and meet with distributors to collaborate, and we are building on what we took away from that experience,” Robert said.

“I say ‘we’ because nothing I do in film happens without Richard and the team at Wirrim Media. Ultimately I hope to have directed my first feature by the end of 2018.”

Story: Daniel Eslick

Communication and design

Alumni

27 February 2017