Billy Rowlands of Whittlesea Smash Repairs, Ivanhoe Grammar releases feature film

The local panelbeaters might not be the first place you’d look for the next big thing in cinema, but a young man with a passion isn’t letting conventions hold him back.

Whittlesea panel shop worker Billy Rowlands enlisted friends and family to shoot an independent feature film on location at Woodstock and surrounds. Picture: Instagram

A young Whittlesea panel shop worker has Hollywood in his sights following a well-received feature film debut.

Former Ivanhoe Grammar student Billy Rowlands, 23, premiered his original production ‘Does this taste like degreaser to you?’ to a full house at Westgarth cinema in Northcote this week and has now released it to the world via online streaming.

The black comedy/crime stars three generations of the Rowlands family: Billy and his brother Max, their father Glenn, and his father Max senior aka Fox.

Self-taught Whittlesea filmmaker Billy Rowlands has released his first feature ‘Does this taste like degreaser to you?’ — shot locally on a budget of just $5000. Picture: Instagram

Following the story of two travelling conmen who run into trouble trying to scam the wrong man into buying their phony product, the script was inspired by real-life experiences at the family business, Whittlesea Smash Repairs.

Scenes were shot on location in Whittlesea, Woodstock and Eden Park over the past three years.

Max Rowlands and Maxwell ‘Fox’ Rowlands on set during the filming of ‘Does this taste like degreaser to you?’. Picture: Instagram

“Pretty much everyone in the movie is friends or family; my friend Jimmy [Giardinazzo] did the music — it was a big team effort,” Billy said.

“Now it’s out there, I hope people that are interested go and check it out — there’s a lot of Whittlesea in it, so people will be able to spot a lot of sites.”

Full-time automotive worker Billy, pictured in a scene from ‘Does this taste like degreaser to you’ says his budding film career came from a lifelong love of movies — particularly westerns — and a passion for creating skits and skate videos with friends as a teenager. Picture: Instagram

Still working full-time as an automotive spray painter, Billy plans to pursue his passion for filmmaking as far as it takes him, using morning tea and lunch breaks at the panel shop to get his ideas down on paper.

He already has another film — a documentary — in the early stages of development and is hopeful of securing some grant funding to hire a professional crew.

The film’s debut screening at Palace Westgarth Cinema was a sellout success. Picture: Instagram

“My goal is to keep making movies,” Billy said.

“If the opportunity came to do it full time, sure, I’d take it in a heartbeat; but in the meantime I’m happy painting cars and making the stories I wanna make.”

Watch the film now via YouTube.