Marty Pepper

Executive Director, Post Production, Kojo

Recent Work

VFX Supervisor for Anthony Maras’ film Hotel Mumbai; Scott Hicks’ film Fallen;  Greg McLean’s The Darkness;  Nick Verso’s Boys In The Trees; and the Wolf Creek TV Series for Australian SVOD, STAN.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES?

Handling the fluctuations in the Australian dollar – but right now the dollar is helping us to be more competitive. We can do incredibly good work here but matching the rates offered in Asia can be tough. But that’s a problem for the US also.

TRENDS?

Right now, countries offering the best bang for buck get the larger VFX and post projects. Studio execs are very savvy about the world money market.

WHAT MAKES AUSTRALIA UNIQUE?

When we meet with studio bosses they’re always saying ‘You’ve worked on that (new system) already?!’

As a nation we adopt new technology quickly. We are thought leaders. We are seen as a very hardworking nation – whether building railways or movies. We’re willing to give everything a try, go the extra mile, take things to a new level and scare ourselves. We’re a big country physically but tiny in population. Yet we hold our own against the magnitude and scale of LA, for example. Always having to prove yourself makes you very good at what you do. It gives you an incredible level of confidence. Australians are also brutally honest in world business and it’s appreciated.

INSPIRED BY?

It’s very rewarding to present Scott Hicks’ latest finished picture, then see how happy and engaged one of our young animators is with a television commercial he’s doing; and then realising that our work is seen on many different screens, all over the world.

OBSESSIONS (OUTSIDE FILM)?

My wife works as a producer at Kojo and we now live this 24 hour a day. Oh OK, I do have other passions: fishing, music and cars. Working in the US is heaven because I can hire outrageously cool rides.


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