MEET THE FILMMAKERS: MIGUEL BAUTISTA

Part 1 of The Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival IN CONVERSATION Series, hosted by Festival Director and SCREEN-SPACE Managing Editor, Simon Foster.

GRAY (The Philippines; 11.38 mins) Set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic future, Gray, an ex-mercenary, searches for a signal jammer to shield his family from detection by the organization he left behind.

Screening in the INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SHOWCASE, Saturday November 21. Entry is FREE when you purchase any session ticket.

Director's Statement: "Gray was my thesis film for the Film and Media Arts International Academy. I was 19 years old when I made it, [inspired by] love of visual effects and the sci-fi genre. It was meant to expand the horizons of what filmmakers can do when they are truly passionate about something. In this case, I as a filmmaker, wanted to explore a brand new post-apocalyptic-sci-fi world, which has led to an extensive use of visual effects. With this being one of my first few films, I wanted to see if it truly was possible to make a film that is both entertaining and hopefully inspiring to filmmakers that want to pursue this genre, especially here in the Philippines."

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SIMON: What have been the science-fiction works – books, films, art of any kind – that have inspired your work and forged your love for the genre?

MIGUEL: Growing up, the biggest movie influences for me were definitely the Star Wars originals and prequels. I loved seeing galaxies filled with different adventures and species, technology that blew my mind, and powers that don't exist in the real world. I never really grew out of that love. Video games with futuristic gadgets also played a big part in my love for the genre.

SIMON: How did the original concept for your film take shape? What aspects of your film’s narrative and your protagonist’s journey were most important to you? 

MIGUEL: The original concept for Gray actually just popped up into my head one day. I wanted a post-apocalyptic future where survival wasn't easy and people had to either sacrifice themselves or the ones around them to survive. What was important to me was definitely the sacrifice. I wanted my protagonist to go through tragedy after tragedy for the welfare of those he loves.

SIMON: Does the ‘science-fiction’ genre have deep roots in the art and cultural history of your homeland? Were the resources, facilities and talent pool required to bring your film to life easily sourced?

MIGUEL: Not at all. Coming from the Philippines, sci-fi is either not that well made, or it just takes from what already exists in Hollywood, etc. It was really difficult trying to explain my concept to people; with it being a student short film, very few people would even dare to think about it and actually try to do it. For example, I had to do all the visual effects myself because of the sheer workload of it and with deadlines that moved closer each day. I don't have a giant workhorse pc. I used a laptop with just enough processing power to get me what I wanted.

SIMON: Describe for us the very best day you had in the life cycle of your film…

MIGUEL: I definitely loved the days I had on location with the cast and crew. Cause we had to travel for a few hours just to get there, and when the filming started, it was really fun. It was truly one giant collaboration and we all shared ideas where we could and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life.

SIMON: Having guided your film from idea to completion, what lessons and advice would you offer a young science-fiction filmmaker about to embark on a similar journey?

MIGUEL: To young filmmakers, I would say NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR IDEA. It will always go through revisions, it will always have setbacks, but don't let that discourage you. Whatever mountain you encounter, find a way to climb it.