Film-maker seeks region's support

The region is to be transformed into 1960s France for an impending feature film.

STARRING ROLE: Stanthorpe film-maker Stephen Osborne with actors Joshua Campbell (left) and Braden Laurin (right) who will appear in his next film, The Peculiar and Uncanny Augustin Hotel. Picture: Contributed

THE region is to be transformed into 1960s France for a feature film.

The Peculiar and Uncanny Augustin Hotel is the latest project from local filmmaker Stephen Osborne, acclaimed for his last effort, Roommate Wanted for the End of the World.

The latter scooped Mr Osborne 11 international awards and he's keen to replicate that success through his new venture.

He's eager to work with the community to create what he's dubbed a "110- minute tourism campaign for Stanthorpe”.

"I'm seeking support from the local community, otherwise you really can't shoot it,” Mr Osborne said.

"Funding is obviously the biggest thing but also access to local venues for shooting.

"I'm even reaching out to the Stanthorpe High School to see whether any of the drama students or art students might be interested.

"I'm planning on shooting September this year. I've started pre-production this month so very early stages still.”

He's hoping if he gets enough community support, it might help his case to receive money through the Regional Arts Development Fund, which is allocated by Southern Downs Regional Council.

"The beauty about it is if it's Stanthorpe money through the RADF, 90 per cent of it is going back into Stanthorpe and Warwick,” he said.

"The reach of the project, like my last film Roommate Wanted for the End of the World, has won 11 international awards so far.

"That's been Italy, France, the US, the UK, Russia, Japan... so they're seeing this area. Why can't we put Stanthorpe in a feature film?”

The film centres on the Augustin Hotel and head concierge, Mr Martin.

Mr Osborne says it's part murder-mystery, part comedy.

"It's a comedy set in France in the 1960s. Stanthorpe, it's so beautiful and has so many kind of European vibes and feels to it that I feel I can achieve that visually through this film,” he said.

"The way I'm looking at it, it's almost a 110-minute tourism campaign for Stanthorpe and Warwick.”

He's already cast some of the lead actors and assembled part of the crew.

"The exceptional team we have assembled are very well known for outstanding work within the film industry and collectively have worked on several studio films including Thor: Ragnarök, Aquaman, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Tidelands, Pacific Rim 2 and San Andreas to name a few.”

He doesn't have the budget of those films, but believes he can achieve his goal with some support.

He also intends to hold the films premiere here.

"(I'll) maybe hire the Civic Centre out and have a red carpet event,” he said.

To find out more about the project, email Mr Osborne at micamedia @outlook.com