Ben Croker’s short film True Colours, which was made as part of his course at the WA Screen Academy, has been selected for screening at the 2016 Flickerfest short film festival in Sydney.
Camera IconBen Croker’s short film True Colours, which was made as part of his course at the WA Screen Academy, has been selected for screening at the 2016 Flickerfest short film festival in Sydney. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie        d447782

Ben shows his True Colours

Julian WrightEastern Reporter

The Dianella resident signed up for the Edith Cowan University WA Screen Academy Masters course this year to explore his creative side and found immediate success.

His short film True Colours, that he wrote and produced about high school bullying and homophobia, was screened publicly in Perth and last week it was announced it would be screened as part of the international short film festival Flickerfest.

His documentary Skin and Bone, which shows the after-effects of him losing 60kgs, was also screened in Perth this year and gained positive feedback.

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Mr Croker said he did not expect this level of success so soon.

"I had hopes that I would make something of my 12 months of studying, but I did not expect this," he said.

"I just wanted to get the message of the short film across because it is important and needs to be raised; people have been genuinely affected by it."

Mr Croker said screening it as part of Flickerfest would open it up to other festivals around the world and qualify it for an Academy Award or one from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

He said it was time to pursue a new career.

"The family business of manufacturing airconditioner ducting has been going for many years and I am giving up full-time employment to pursue filmmaking," he said.

The 25th Flickerfest international short film festival runs from January 8 to 17 at Bondi Beach, Sydney.