Film directing beyond tender years

The ambitious and prodigious young talent has already made nine films and has 11 national and international film awards to his name.

It is little wonder he still holds the record for the highest Year 12 WACE score in Media Production and Analysis of 100 per cent.

Meeting him, it is hard to believe he only finished high school a year ago.

Edith Cowan University put him straight into third year for filmmaking as there was not anything the first and second year units could teach him.

Currently working on post production for two films, The Toymaker, and his longest film to date, at 45 minutes length, Red Dirt, Prince-Wright is looking forward to the premieres of both films in early December in Perth at Warwick Cinemas.

With the final stages of sound production being applied to Red Dirt by Wolf Creek composer Jamie Murgatroyd, Prince-Wright and the production team have returned from Yalgoo where the story was set.

Red Dirt was written six years ago when Prince-Wright was only in Year 9 at school.

“It all started with a small idea which my friend Riley Mercer and I nutted out,” he said.

“It was only later we decided to develop it into a script.

“As time went on it was worked on over and over again, until the beginning of last year just as we were starting on The Toy Maker that I made the decision to start major pre-production.”

Prince-Wright said things took off quickly at the start of this year for the shooting of Red Dirt.

“I flew up north to the small town of Yalgoo and had various meetings, the town also came on board and assisted us greatly,” he said.

“The Shire even built a road for us for the set of the movie, and when it was windy and dusty came in and watered the road down with a truck to make it easier to film and lower the dust levels.”

The whole production team travelled the eight hours to Yalgoo for a two-week shoot.

“We were lucky enough to be provided with free accommodation from the Shire and also they were extremely helpful with anything else we needed,” he said.

After nine days on set, and 114 hours of filming, the crew were exhausted Prince-Wright said.

“Sometimes we would start at 4am for the light and then finish at 1am the next day.”

With post production Red Dirt has been condensed in to a 45 minute feature.

The cast included Michael Muntz (A Country Practice), Troy Coward (These Final Hours, The Mint, Swindle), five very talented kids and their mothers, and an amazing supporting cast.

“The whole team was fantastic and it was for all of us an amazing experience being in the middle of nowhere for such a long time creating a film,” Prince-Wright said.

“Naturally we were all family at the end of it.”

A third short film, La Chienne Francaise, shot in early 2015, will also be shown on the night.

To attend the premieres visit the Prince-Wright Productions or Red Dirt Film Facebook pages.

Premiere tickets are $15.