David Lightfoot

David Lightfoot

Australian film producer David Lightfoot is one of the most experienced and regarded production executives in the country. His credits include the highly successful 2005 horror/thriller 'Wolf Creek', The Weinstein Company's action/thriller 'Rogue' (2007) both written and directed by Greg McLean and most recently the Screen Australia financed thriller 'Coffin Rock', with International Sales being handled by Bankside Films, London.

His past credits include 'Bad Boy Bubby' (1994) as the Production Supervisor/ Associate Producer, as Producer of the mini-series, 'Three Forever' (1996), an Australian-Italian coproduction, and Producer of the feature film 'Spank!' (1998). He was also Co-Producer and Line Producer of 'The Sound of One Hand Clapping' (1997), Consulting Producer on 'Innocence' (1999) and Line Producer on 'Japanese Story' (2003).

David Lightfoot commenced a traineeship at the South Australian Film Corporation in 1982. Since then, he has held numerous positions in the film industry in roles as varied as Location Manager, Production Manager and 1st Assistant Director before becoming a Producer. He has worked on a number of occasions with internationally renowned directors including Rolf De Heer, Greg McLean and Paul Cox, has line produced an array of Television productions and has frequently acted as consultant to the South Australian Film Corporation, Screenwest, NSW Film and Television Office, NZ Film Commission, leading film study education institutions and completion guarantors.

David is the founding director of the Shorts Film Festival, an Adelaide based national festival of short Australian films that awards the winning filmmaker with an all-expenses paid trip to the Cannes Film Festival, offering the second biggest prize pool for a short film festival in Australia.

David was recently Executive Producer on Michael Craft's psychological thriller 'Storage' (2009) and Michael Henry's directorial debut 'Blame' (2010), selected as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival's Production Fund.

St Kilda SHORTS
Monday, June 21st - David Lightfoot - The Best of Adelaide SHORTS 2009
8pm at Dogs Bar, St Kilda

David Lightfoot will showcase the SHORTS Film Festival winners from 2009:
Gold Shorts Winner - Jacob by Dena Curtis (Director & Screenwriter), Producer: Darren Dale
Drama - Gina, a young Aboriginal mother finds herself in a predicament when her husband Max returns home and learns the truth about baby Jacob.

Silver Shorts Winner - Work Ready by Ross Guerin (Director), Alan Love (Screenwriter), Trent Byles (Producer)
Drama - Intimidation, pressure and hard choices, Kylie, a young woman with Downs Syndrome faces them all. Kylie confronts the challenge of finding employment when she is suddenly replaced at her dream job. With her happy world disrupted, Kylie is caught in a dilemma and has to find a place in the world where there are so few places for her.

Bronze Shorts Winner - The Cat Piano by Eddie White & Ari Gibson (Director), Eddie White (Screenwriter), Jessica Brentnall (Producer)
Animation - A city of singing cats is preyed upon by a shadowy figure intent on performing a twisted feline symphony.

Merit Award - Reach by Luke Randall (Director)
Animation - A tiny robot is given the gift of life with only one limitation, the length of his power cable. When a curious bird arrives at the workshop window, his lust to live outside of this reach may be his demise.

Merit Award - four by Erin White (Director & Screenwriter), Zyra McAuliffe (Producer)
Comedy - Two couples with troubled marriages embark on a plan of enlivening their relationships and find that love doesn't always work as it should.

Merit Award - My Uncle Bluey by Britt Arthur (Director & Screenwriter), James Grandison (Producer)
Documentary - 'My Uncle Bluey' is a personal story about the things that tear families apart, what brings them back together, and how your family is your family. Always.

Entries now open for Shorts 2011. Visit www.shortsfilmfestival.com

www.StKildaShorts.com.au

Interview with David Lightfoot

Can you tell us about your work with the Shorts Film Festival?

David Lightfoot: I'm the founding director and a current board member.


You have produced a number of successful films, including Wolf Creek, do you have a favourite?

David Lightfoot: Bad Boy Bubby.


Do you prefer to produce a certain movie genre?

David Lightfoot: Not really- as I enjoy all- I'm more into the power of a well written script and a well told story that should have an audience.


Who inspired you to originally begin in the filmmaking industry?

David Lightfoot: I began my training in the early 80's at the SA Film Corp and was inspired by the early works of Bruce Beresford and Peter Weir who both did a lot of early work there in SA and of producers such as Matt Carroll.


What inspires you to create amazing films?

David Lightfoot: I think all of us who've survived and been successful more than 20 years in this industry have never got jaded no matter the short comings/disappointments and like any art form and business we've all had them...we all seem to have a common thread of always aiming for better and more original takes on things. We all try and re-invent ourselves and strive to approach new exciting projects in a differing light.


What do you like most about creating movies?

David Lightfoot: Well that's it- creating! But there's nothing like watching an audience enthralled at a very well made, exciting film that you've put your heart and soul into.


What advice do you have to young Australians looking at getting into film producing?

David Lightfoot: Learn the business as well as the art form… and watch as much film from all genres and eras as you can. Study the greats (Writers, directors and producers) and be prepared for many years of apprenticeship and fine tuning your skills- even before financiers will entrust you with a feature film.


What are you currently working on?

David Lightfoot: I'm the Executive Producer of the feature 'Blame' from W.A currently being finished and is in the Melbourne Inter Film Festival this year. Written and directed by first time feature maker, Michael Henry. And we have a quite scary thriller called 'Sleepwalker' written and to be directed by Matt Wheeldon and is well on the way, to being financed and later we'll be producing in the USA a thriller by Rupert Glasson, called The Vault'.