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Clip description
You can watch the short film Blackbuster here in full. Pirated-movie dealer Kainen (Jeremy Ambrum) is spurred into a confrontation with rowdy punters at a Queensland pub defending the honour of the publican’s daughter, Tanika (Naomi Bowly). Undeterred by the mocking of local kids and the disapproval of her father (Martin Sacks), his daydreams become reality as he fights to win her heart.
Curator’s notes
In a 2012 interview with Screen Hub, producer Andrew Arbuthnot (extras casting on The Sapphires, 2012) described Blackbuster as a ‘short comedy musical’. It is certainly an achievement to produce a multi-genre piece in under ten minutes.
Funded as part of the Screen Australia Flash Black initiative, this film is big budget in the short film world. A healthy budget can’t change the weather, however, and unexpected rain during filming is skilfully used to add to the mood of the film and firmly locate the action in tropical Queensland rather than the actual filming location of Cleveland in South-East Queensland. Combined with audio effects the rain serves to highlight the final dance number on the street as not only a celebration of the characters’ achievements but also their joy at the passing rain.
