The monster of course was in my imagination. But what it made me question was - could I make a short film on my own, with a mobile phone camera?

The answer, yes!

Firstly, I took inspiration from the genre of “found footage.” Think The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity or Cloverfield.

These great found footage films are shot and told from a character’s point of view. The footage is handheld and shaky, often missing parts and jumping moments in the story. They do not have the ability to zone into conversations like standard films because they are shot from one person’s point of view., hence losing moments of exposition that normal story telling has. However, they can be extremely intimate because it is shown through one character’s eyeballs (their POV).

You might argue they are the ultimate film because they suck an audience into the point of view of the character.

Found footage films are an extremely clever way of disguising low budgets but still creating that cinema emotional experiences that audiences get from a big budget film.

Since it was me, alone, with my mobile phone, it made sense. I had NO budget.

Found footage has found a bit of niche in the horror genre, so that created my starting point. I would be shooting a horror!

Secondly, when I was a kid, I made movies.

The camera I used as a kid was borrowed from Dad’s work. Scripts were handwritten on paper. Award winning acting was provided by me, my siblings, and my parents. Wardrobe supplied by “hand-me-downs". Special Effects ripped off TV movies and commercials by filming scenes from other movies. Soundtracks were played live in the background by pressing pause or play on the CD or cassette player. Locations provided by my parent's backyard.

I cobbled everything together to create films when I was a kid. This is what I would be doing again! I would be using what I got.

So, finding myself in a forest in south Western Australia, alone and with no budget, I realised that I had be like little Mark and use what was in front of me.

In the quiet of the forest, a rustle. My hairs stood up. I look around, no one can be seen. Another rustle, the trees make an eerie noise as the wind gently blows their branches. I spin around and around but no one is there. Or are they?

Taking in the beautiful surroundings BUT also realising the isolation of where I am. No one would hear me scream if I were attacked. Goosebumps, eureka, what is that!

It is my creativity on fire.

I had inspiration hit me like a bolt of lightning. A monster would be following me in the forest and attack me. But drawing upon my storytelling knowledge - who was I? For a horror I needed to be guilty of something or just annoying. Rustle, crackle, breaking sticks are heard in the forest. Again, my imagination kicks in, I know who is annoying, a wannabe YouTube vlogger!

I had my protagonist, but I needed a monster, some sort of monster.

Suddenly by some weird creative stroke of luck, I stumbled across a cool public artwork in a special bush park. Inside this park, they had a variety of outdoor art, including a stickman like creature. Eureka! My monster would be a stickman.

My film was born!

Location = The forest is spooky on your own = check.

Camera = mobile phone to create shaky point of view effect = check.

Genre = horror with found footage = check.

Actor = a vlogger with a mobile camera, me = check.

Roll camera and action.

From there, I just played like I did as a child.

I was the actor, cinematographer, director, writer, special effects, and editor all on set. I “made” it work.

I edited it for fun. I liked the outcome and released it as a premiere online and so far, it has had a positive response from viewers.

The short film is called Stickman (2021). Available here to watch.

It is a healthy reminder to use what you got. Kids are just creative and as adults we lose that. I do not want to lose that attitude and it reminds me of the fun of just being creative.

And yes, I can make a short film with a mobile phone on my own, if I want to.

So, to your creativity and use what you got.

Be unique. Be weird. Be You...

Be a creative punk.