LIGHTS, CAMERA, FREO

Fremantle is positioning itself at the centre of WAs’ burgeoning film industry with the help of the City’s Film Friendly Policy and the state governments $100m commitment to build a state-of-the-art film studio in Victoria Quay.

Freo local writer and director Renee Webster recently shot her debut feature ‘How to Please a Woman’ in her hometown and shares what she thinks about film-friendly Freo.

Why did you choose to make a film in Freo?

Fremantle offers so much as a filming location. The city has so many varied urban looks and architecture, from city streets to different residential pockets. Also, there’s water everywhere—river, beaches and the harbour. To have all of that so close to each other is just gold.

What it was like to make a film in your hometown?

Filming in your hometown brings all kinds of good things. I kept running into people I knew and all sorts of unexpected people from my community kept turning up on set in costume as extras. All of our cast were staying in Fremantle, so everyone kept bumping into each other. I love the Freo community and having a bit of that vibe as part of our production was terrific. I grew up on Leighton Beach, so personally it meant a lot to me to be shooting a feature film there.

What you think the future might hold for the film industry in Freo?

I would love to see a future for Fremantle where a studio also had a production hub that included places for ‘above the line’ the content creators—writers, directors and producers. This would help connections between local and international productions. Then there is the sense of community that continues whether the studio is in use at any one time or not. A busy studio means workflow practice, craft and technologies continue to develop, and if local directors and producers can also access that close to home it means we can create studio-based, high-end product on home turf. Currently the gearing up is massive, or you have to leave town to access a big enough sound stage. On How to Please a Woman our cast were accommodated in Fremantle, so having a situation where all your key creatives and cast are in town would be terrific. Often the reality for the cast is they turn up and start shooting without rehearsal and perhaps only the briefest of meetings with their co-stars, so creating community among your interstate and international cast actually has huge payoffs for what you get on screen.

The City of Fremantle has welcomed plans for a film studio to be built at Victoria Quay, saying it would be a terrific boost for the local economy and help reinforce the port city as WA’s ‘creative capital’.

Earlier this year the State Government announced $100 million in funding for the project which, while having its detractors, is another feather in the cap of Freo’s film friendly reputation.

“Fremantle is a perfect destination for film makers because we’ve got a great mix of locations, including beautiful heritage buildings, funky shops and the river and the ocean,” Deputy Mayor Andrew Sullivan said.

“We need to find new ways to diversify and strengthen the local economy and the City has been actively encouraging opportunities to create a large scale studio and production hub because of the broad range of benefits it will bring.

“Our Film Friendly City Policy provides a supportive and welcoming environment for film makers wanting to shoot and produce movies or television shows and we pride ourselves on being a centre for the arts and creative industry.

Freo is a perfect fit for a film studio and we look forward to working with all involved to help make this dream a reality.”

• How to Please a Woman (2021) Comedy drama starring Sally Phillips currently in production.

• I Met a Girl (2020) Romantic drama starring Brenton Thwaites now streaming on Netflix.

• Below (2020) Black comedy filmed at Fremantle Prison starring Anthony LaPaglia and Ryan Corr.

• Son of a Gun (2014) Prison break crime thriller starring Ewan McGregor, Brenton Thwaites and Alicia Vikander.

• Bran Nue Dae (2009) Film adaptation of the beloved Jimmy Chi musical starring Geoffrey Rush, Jessica Mauboy, Ernie Dingo, Dan Sultan and Missy Higgins.

• Two Fists, One Heart (2008) Boxing drama based on the life of screenwriter Rai Fazio, starring Tim Minchin and Jessica Marais

• Last Train to Freo (2006) Thriller directed by Jeremy Sims and starring Steve Le Marquand.

• Thunderstruck (2004) Four AC/DC fans make a pilgrimage to the grave of Bon Scott, starring Stephen Curry and Sam Worthington.

• Wind (1992) Based on the events of the America’s Cup defence in 1987, starring Matthew Modine, Jennifer Grey, Stellan Skarsgard and Jack Thompson.

This article was originally printed inside the 2021 Spring edition of FRE-OH! magazine. Click here to read the electronic version on pages 12-13.