60Seconds

WHY DID YOU FILM IN AUSTRALIA?

This is my fourth picture for Marvel. I was told that we’re going to be shooting in Australia. That was music to my ears because I have worked down here a number of times and it is actually one of my favourite places on the planet Earth to work. You have world-class crews. The crews are fantastic. The quality of work that you get here is as good as it gets anywhere. We have a lot of building to do on this movie, that is very unique and very special, the construction teams, the art teams, every department is wonderful, camera, grip, electric, catering even, I mean, it’s a great place to work. Australia is a world-class location, featuring an incentive on par or better than the rest of the world.

WHAT WERE THE BENEFITS OF THE LOCAL, STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS?

We had tremendous support from the government here. In Australia, and this is my recollection of working the first time in 2003, we had the same situation as in the US where you feel that you’re being supported and also the film offices here are tremendous. They help expedite things; they really help make things happen. So, again, along with the crew, and the cast that you can get here… there’s tremendous depth of talent here in the acting community, there is just a can do, “we want you here” kind of attitude and how can you beat that?

WHAT MAKES WORKING IN AUSTRALIA UNIQUE?

To me, a lot of it has to do with the people. I’ve worked with Australians outside of Australia, DPs, production designers. There is an attitude here in Australia that is welcoming, open, collegial. It feels very democratic in terms of filmmaking and people come to work with a very good spirit. It’s a camaraderie, it’s teamwork and there’s a joy to that and I love coming to work every day, I really do, there’s a friendliness and kindness. It’s just inherent in the culture here.

DESCRIBE WORKING WITH AUSTRALIAN CREW IN FIVE WORDS

I love all these people. Was that five words?! I love all these people. I do! Fantastic, they’re terrific!

FAVOURITE AUSTRALIAN FILM?

Peter Weir is a director who I find particularly inspiring because I think Peter is somebody who throughout his career, never made a film that was like the one that came before or the one that came afterwards. Gallipoli is a film that really has a lot to do with heroism, tragedy, the difficulties of war, but it showed the heroism of a small group of young Australian men who go off to fight in a very tragic war. I found that film was so full of heart. That’s a film that has resonated with me over the years and I’ve seen it a number of times, and I try to watch that every few years but that one does stand out quite a bit.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IN AUSTRALIA?

I live in Woollahra. Chiswick is a wonderful place.

FAVOURITE BEACH AND/OR LOCATION IN AUSTRALIA?

I just went to Maroubra [beach] yesterday. I had something magical happen to me. I was there with my son, and we looked down and I saw something flash out of the water, I looked at my son and said “I think I just saw a whale!”. We looked again. There it was, this beautiful whale that breached. We saw five different whales. It was just sort of this magical moment, there was a pair of them that were swimming together. The majesty of the view, the beautiful rock formations, the nature that was out in front of me. That’s Australia, that is magic.

FAVOURITE AUSTRALIAN WORD?

“Chuck a You-ie” which means perform a U-turn!