‘There’s always one person’: The show taking a funny and frank look at filmmaking

Among the boundary-pushing new dramas selected for Screen Australia and SBS’ Digital Originals initiative this 50th anniversary year of the Special Broadcasting Service is one that goes inside the industry itself.

Based on the professional experiences of its Nyul Nyul/Yawuru creator and co-director Jub Clerc, Warm Props is a funny and scathing look at cultural ignorance and exploitation within filmmaking, alongside a moving homecoming story.

Warm Props creator and co-director Jub Clerc.

“There’s definitely been some things that have happened on sets that have caught me by surprise,” says Clerc. “Sometimes it’s a mistake – people just not being educated about First Nations culture. It becomes problematic because when you’re the only First Nations person on set, you don’t just work your job, you work the job of cultural advisor …

“The majority of cast and crew are just golden. But unfortunately, there’s always one person who spoils it for everybody. This film is exposing people in the industry that take cultural appreciation too far, or who are unconsciously biased, culturally blind or outright racist.”

A film within a film set in Broome, Warm Props – its title refers to the industry slang for extras – stars Yolngu actor Rarriwuy Hick (Wentworth, True Colours) as local identity Aunty Jilby, and newcomer Tehya Makani, a Yawuru/Wadjarri, Pitjanjarra and Wadjuk actor, as Charlie, a “warm props wrangler”.

The pair share a painful family history and are forced to confront their rift while working on an autobiographical film by a narcissistic white “writer/director/producer” named Keith, who believes he has acquired a “bush name” from a local mob and therefore identifies as Aboriginal, trampling all over cultural customs in the process.

Rarriwuy Hick stars in the SBS Digital Original Warm Props.

Clerc says there was only ever one actor for this unforgiving role: Mystery Road actor Peter Docker. “Peter Docker is a great ally,” says Clerc. “So I knew there would be no moment in any of our conversations where his white fragility would step up and go, ‘Oh, but we don’t do that!’ I knew I could just talk to him and there wouldn’t be any cotton-ball babysitting.”

Keith may be a grotesque caricature and a source of dark mirth, but Hick agrees such tropes are sadly not uncommon.

“The character does come from lived experiences,” says Hick. “Obviously, there’s always licence to stretch it out. I think through humour, maybe things start to change … With Blackfella storytelling, and also just in our day-to-day life, there’s a lot of tragedy and comedy. And Blackfellas are really good at having a sense of humour during times of hurt and pain and grief.”

The role of Aunty Jilby and her place in the community resonated strongly with Hick.

“With raising a lot of my nieces and nephews myself, that journey of being an aunty-mum is parallel to my personal life,” she says. “I was able to draw from those experiences. And Tehya [Makani] is such a beautiful actor to work opposite. I’m really excited for her future in the industry. She’s also an incredible singer.”

Having propelled the careers of directors Corrie Chen (New Gold Mountain), Dylan River (Mystery Road: Origin), Stevie Cruz Martin (Safe Home), and Mohini Herse (Four Years Later), as well as writer/actor Michelle Law (Homecoming Queens), and actor and disability activist Hannah Diviney (Latecomers), SBS Digital Originals once again showcases new talent to watch.

“Tehya [Makani] just lived that world of Charlie,” says Clerc. “Her star is rising … And I’m so proud of [co-director] Kimberley Benjamin. I think she’s going to be one of the greatest directors in Australia.”

Warm Props premieres on Thursday, June 19, at 8.30pm, on NITV and SBS.

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