A DARK, stormy night was the perfect setting for the short film ‘Private Matter’ being filmed on a property at Central Tilba over the past week.
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Friday night was the shooting of the party scene for the film that called for as many extras to party around the main characters as they played out the plot of the movie.
It is the project of writer, director and producer Kate Halpin and it’s her major project for her course at the International Film School Sydney (IFSS).
'A Private Matter' is a dark drama about a sensitive, young woman whom is tormented by the fear of ‘coming out’ and travels with her outgoing girlfriend to her rural hometown to spend the weekend with her conservative family in an attempt to live an open and truthful life.
However, the ramifications are far worse than they could have ever imagined. This film deals with the socially relevant issue of homophobia and the horrors of human ignorance.
Halpin said the response from the community to her call for extras to appear in the shooting of the party scene on Friday night was above and beyond incredible.
“I’m so happy,” Halpin told all the extras after the party scene wrapped up.
“You guys have all been amazing and I was half expecting five people to show up.”
She later said they were the best extras she worked with ever.
The film was shot mainly on the 250-acre Halpin family property Henkley Farm at Central Tilba over the past week, as well as scenes on the main street of Central Tilba village.
Henkley Farm was first selected by John Palmer Seccombe in 1870.
The grave on the property, which features in the film, is that of his brother William Eastcott Seccombe, who had the neighbouring property.
A subsequent Henkley owner, John McFaul in the 1920s bought the part of William's old property north of Cemetery Road, which included the grave.
John Parker, a director at Rural Press and The Land newspaper, bought Henkley in 1993 before the Halpins acquired it about 10 years ago.
The cast gets around in a 1964 EH Holden utility supplied by Eurobodalla Classic Car Club member Phil Southwell from Tuross.
Southwell and his friend Werner Nagel from Tomakin also decided to be extras in Friday night’s shoot.
Halpin hopes to enter it into as many local and international film festivals. It should go 20 to 25 minutes and perhaps could be shown at the classic Narooma Kinema in the closest town.
Editing back at the film school will however take several months.
IFSS handpicked her crew that consisted of fellow students Croatian cinematographer Phillip Staresinic, Abrahan Joshi on sound, James Medlam on camera assist, Jacinta Lai as assistant director and Marc Andrews on continuity.
The lead actor is Cain Thompson and the two lead actresses are Bianca Bradey and Giselle Van Der Wiel.
