MCSFA Guest Judge: Clare Plueckhahn
Presented by Wānaka.
As you’ll discover in this article, Clare Plueckhahn is a bit of an absolute legend, and has agreed to watch all of your short films.
Her resume is extensive and, let’s be honest, a little intimidating. Clare is a director with experience in scripted drama, TVC's and documentary. Most recently she has directed Neighbours, 2nd Unit on Picnic at Hanging Rock and comedy feature Ricky Stanicky. A household name in the Australian commercial world, Clare has a long list of clients including Rip Curl, McDonalds, Aesop, TAC and The Australian Ballet. Having started her career as a photographer, Clare has an eye for the visually interesting and the cinematic, and her experience across camera and producing adds depth and breadth to her work. Like I said, a bit of an absolute legend. Clare is a filmmaker with the sort of experience, charisma, and talent, that I simultaneously would and would not want her to see my film. It’d be like showing Picasso your napkin drawing and asking for feedback; a scary, but worthwhile experience. Read about what she’s like and what she’s looking for in this year’s MCSFA, and of course, good luck.
What came first, surfing or filmmaking?
Surfing.
I can’t remember learning to surf, it was just always there. It’s part of who I am.
When did you first discover you wanted to make films forever?
It was after I made First Love, my first feature surf doco. I saw the impact it had on a generation of female surfers, as well as us - the filmmakers, and knew that I would never be satisfied with remaining solely in still photography.
How did the Wayne Lynch documentary, Uncharted Waters, come about and what was front of mind for you setting out on the project?
Without sounding overly fatalistic - it’s like the stars aligned on this one. I grew up surfing the west coast of Victoria and had heard all of the near-mythical sightings of Wayne Lynch surfing these gnarly places alone. He was like a god. When I finally met him I could see why people gravitated towards him. We all wanted to hear his stories and share in his wisdom. His story was so important to tell. I knew straight away that we couldn’t just burst into his life with lights and cameras blazing, it was going to take a lot of time and patience.
Working on Uncharted Waters, spending time with Wanye, his friends and family, and interviewing over 60 surfing idols all over the world was one of the best experiences of my life.
You’re a director who has worked in both drama and documentary—what’s it like to move between genres project-to-project and how does one area influence/inform the other?
When I started in factual work my process was very raw, observational - but this was more of a reflection of who I was as a filmmaker at that point in time. From my experience in drama, I now know my process in factual can be much more scripted and in both genres it is you, the director, who shapes the story and creates the experience for the viewer.
Across both doco and drama I start with the question: what story do I want to tell?
Who are your filmmaking heroes, and is one of them Valerie Taylor?
Ha! I love Valerie Taylor. She describes the otherworldly and all-consuming experience of underwater cinematography in a way that resonates with me. Valerie’s career is inspiring not just as a pioneering cinematographer, but also as an ocean conservationist.
My other filmmaking idols are Stanley Kubrick, Yorgos Lanthimos, Sophia Coppola, and Andrea Arnold. They’re a mixed bag, aesthetically and thematically.
What film have you watched over and over the most, and how many times, and also why so many times?
This is a very tough question as I consume so much film. Growing up I loved all the cult classics. Creatures of the Black Lagoon. The Shining. The Invisible Man. Psycho…. I watched them on VHS over and over. It was my induction into the world of cinema without even realizing it was happening.
Most recently, I have watched Everything Everywhere All At Once three times. It’s just brilliant in every crazy way, and I can’t get enough.
This year’s theme is Regeneration. How would you approach it if you were entering a film in the comp?
There are so many ways this theme could swing. I am pulled in the direction of looking at the rebirth of a character or a place. Who doesn’t like a redemptive story?. Or I would cast an eerie dystopian lens on ‘regeneration’.
What will you be keeping an eye out for in judging these film awards?
I will be looking for a strong aesthetic, a voice that challenges me, and a film that leaves me thinking long after I’ve finished watching it.
What advice can you give to the budding young filmmakers reading this interview?
Become obsessed. Search for life experiences, good and bad. Live and breathe your passion but remember that the present moment is the most important one.
This year’s winner will receive $10K cash, $10K worth of Sony hardware, and an all-expenses-paid trip and production budget to shoot a short film in beautiful Wānaka, New Zealand. Call for submissions is open now. It closes on May 14th, 2023. ENTER HERE
