It’s clear pretty quickly into Any Camera’s recent sit down with the team behind new independent Australian cabaret drama “True Face” that both the story of the production and the film itself is very much ‘The Lauren Batschowanow Show.’

Brazen and straight shooting, Batschowanow has a history in theatre and performing arts, and carried lessons learned in these arenas to her process as a first-time feature director. Her cast was often expected to nail performances in single takes, much as an actor would be required to do on stage. This unconventional but theatrical approach to filmmaking appears to have paid off for what can only be described as her wholly unique vision.

“NO F*CKING TAKE 2!”

True Face  Part 1

Batschowanow described the experience of making the film as a real education in the practicalities of movie making and the necessity of wearing many hats behind the scenes on small budget fare. “True Face” forced her to (reluctantly) balance considerations of marketing and financing with the task of creatively realizing her vision for the film.

Thematically the film explores performance as it occurs through cabaret and burlesque shows, and as it occurs in interpersonal relationships. If the teaser is anything to go by, the narrative appears fractured and surrealist; accentuated by cinematographer Jack Kelly’s choice to balance the film between shooting with natural light and environments (a common response to the ‘no money, no time’ challenge faced by all independent filmmakers) and a more theatrically lit look that is used to service the stage performance elements of the film. The film was shot on the Canon 60D; the type of camera anyone can pick up and shoot with, and a smart option for low-budget productions.

 Behind the Scenes of True Face

With a festival release strategy planned and their sights set on grander desires, the team behind “True Face” have a positive outlook for future productions. Despite many of the cast and crew working on the production for the promise of nothing more than a feature credit on their CVs, they’re adamant that this will be the last zero-budget production that they create, and hope that it will be a springboard to bigger and better things.

True Face  Part 2

Tips for First-Time Filmmakers:

• Good preparation will save you time during the shoot.
• Remain patient when trying to communicate your idea with cast/crew.
• Take a pragmatic approach to the filmmaking process.
• Surround yourself with great cast and crew.
• “The first one’s on you”. If you don’t go out and make your film, no one will believe you can.

“I don’t care what you think; I’m making a feature!”

True Face won Best International feature film at Illinois International Film Festival in IL, USA and has received 3 nominations at The 13th Annual Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, Canada including Best Debut Feature Film, Best Debut Film Maker and Best Foreign Feature