Interview: Cameron Daddo
I had the pleasure to speak to Australia’s own Cameron Daddo, who talked about his experiences in Hollywood, his new film Passengers, and what he really misses about life in Australia.
So let’s talk about your new film Passengers. Do you know when it is due to be released in Australia?
There is no release date yet. We are having sneak previews at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, in order to get distribution in Australia… Passengers had its festival premier at Mill Valley in California and did really well. Mill Valley is known as one of the top ten US Festivals, and we were very excited to get in there. The film has also been accepted into the California Independent Festival, and another festival that I’m not allowed to talk about because it hasn’t been announced yet!
In Passengers, you play an Australian living in L.A, working in Hollywood – how much of this character could you draw from your own experiences?
Well it’s hard not to draw from my own life, because it’s a story of how a couple are navigating the waters of living in a different country. It is a tale of how when you arrive at a place you make agreements about certain things, but then after five years or so, things change. Alison and I have certainly experienced that, so I was able to draw on that.
Passengers has been labelled “honest, thought provoking and confronting”… Was it difficult to bring a level of intensity to every scene?
It was intense. I was actually driving the car in real traffic and I had the director in the car, the camera operator, the actress, the sound person, and the continuity person. There was a car full of people… and I guess that environment really forced me to focus on the material and the job at hand. I had to manoeuvre that vehicle through peak hour traffic for 20 nights. It was nuts. I also produced the film as well, so I had a lot going through my mind.
What do you think is the film’s message?
The main message is that things aren’t always as they seem. Some people live in this world where their veneer is polished but on the inside they’re a mess. And then there are other people who are a mess on the outside, but they are harmonious. The second message in the film is.. listen to what your partner is saying. I feel we learn more through relationships than we do on an individual level. The two characters in the film find themselves in a place where they really haven’t been listening to each other, and they suddenly end up in this worm hole. Listen to what your partner is saying, whether it’s a business partner, a sibling relationship, a parent child relationship or lovers. Stop and listen and pay attention.
Audiences have commented that they can relate to the themes in the film. I remember some viewers saying “Oh my god, I’ve been in that exact situation. I’ve had that conversation, I’ve sat in that car”. The film could be set anywhere – in a restaurant, in a train, in a living room (well maybe not a living room because you can always leave!). But not when you’re stuck in a car, with the metaphor of the traffic… in the bloodstream of L.A.
Did you enjoy working with Michael Bond in his first feature film?
Yes. He is very thorough and smart. He has a great sense of humour and is very educated in film making and how he sees things. He knows his shots, knows what he wants, and is also collaborative. He is willing to let people run, which is great. It was a pleasure to work with him, and I’m sure it’s going to be the first of many joint projects.
What was it like producing the film?
I kind of remember comments that Mel Gibson made when he was shooting Braveheart. He was acting in it, but also directing and producing the film. [As a producer], there is so much going on 24/7. From the preparation of the film to post-production. I’ve produced three films now (the other two have not been released yet) but this was certainly the most ‘hands on’ work as a producer in terms of raising finances, organising cast and crew, post-production, and then selling the film as well. It’s a business. You’re like a contractor building a house from scratch.
Just briefly, you worked with David Lynch in Inland Empire a few years ago. What was it like working with him? And did you fully understand the script when you first read it?
(Laughs…) There was no script! David is a fascinating man to work with. I understand that the hallway in his house was covered in index cards and that was the movie. A lot of it was improv as well. It was ‘organised mayhem’. What a treat it was to work with a Hollywood legend and to talk to his muse, Laura Dern… he adores her. Harry Dean Stanton was in it as well… it was just a great experience. And when I saw the final cut, I didn’t understand it at all!
What are you currently shooting in the US?
I’m shooting a movie in Memphis about passa fino horses, with Amanda Santay and Luke Perry… it’s a lot of fun!
One last question: what have you missed about life in Australia?
The ironic sense of humour. And I do miss that very easy going quality of Australians, and the laid back attitude that Australians have. There are moments where I just go “oh wouldn’t it be nice to have levity”. To just go and have a beer, or a ‘cuppa’ tea, and take five minutes off to take in some fresh air. I also miss Australian wines and the freshness of the food. And, I’ve got to say the beach.
Passengers premiers at the Adelaide Fringe Festival on the 24th and 26th of February…
