CREATIVE
PROJECTS.
Features, shorts, documentary, music videos - for business and for lesiure, but always for fun.
TO THE TOOTH
Feature Film | Director, Writer
A fast-paced culinary crime comedy, To The Tooth is Sam's first feature film. Shot in a local restaurant in Newcastle with friends and past collaborators, it promises to be an ambitious, stylish and fun debut.
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Watch the "Taste Test" proof of concept here!
(Rest assured, Sam does not act in the full feature.)
GROWN-UP
Short Film | Cinematographer, Composer
Heartfelt and genuine, Zeno Rossignoli's Grown-Up began as a university assessment, but has now been entered into multiple film festivals nationwide, notably winning the 2023 Newbie Award for Best Short Film.
This was also Sam's first project with frequent collaborators Kia Pugh and Eve Prior Shoebridge.
DEADPOOL DOWN UNDER
Upcoming Fan Film | Screenwriter
When the opportunity presented itself to work with cosplayer Jay Vecchio and Minimum Effort Media, the team behind Newcastle's own Batman film The Vigilante, Sam couldn't resist the chance to put his dialogue in the Merc With A Mouth's... uh, mouth.​​
UNDER THE RED
Horror Feature | Cinematographer
After the success of Grown-Up, Sam was asked by PhD candidate Tyler Beckley to assist in his exegesis project - a vampire horror feature entitled Under The Red.
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His role as Director of Photography involved planning stunts, lighting, practical and visual effects - all while maintaining the integrity of Tyler's vision and intentionally camera operating to support his thesis on 'the enigmatic frame.'
AVAST!
44 Hour Short Comedy Film | Filmmaker
In participating in the first QuickTakes 44 Hour Film Festival, Sam and collaborators Nathan Winslow, Brittany Writer and Matthew Gardener created this short in, as the name implies, a 44-hour period - and in doing so won the Audience Award at the festival screening.
MORE THAN FRIENDS
Music Video | Studio Manager, Effects Supervisor
A University collaboration with Newcastle band Cooks And Bakers resulted in this energetic and damn fun music video, which went on to win Best Music Video at the 2022 Newbie Awards.
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Sam was involved in production coordination and editing, as well as supervising the 1930s-era film effects. (He was also the on-set mime consultant. But we don't need to talk about that.)
ONE FOR THE ROAD
10-Shot Film | Filmmaker
Written, shot and edited in just 24 hours, One For the Road is a testament to creativity and perseverance under pressure. With only 10 shots, a one-man production crew and a handful of actors, this was the only short of its variety featured in the 2022 Newbie Awards.
FORTUNE AND GLORY
VFX Short Film | One-Man-Production
A true exploration of ingenuity and problem solving, Fortune And Glory was Sam's first foray into dedicated visual effects storytelling - a shoot requiring him to exercise his skills in digital compositing, tracking, editing, miniatures, film emulation and, scariest of all, acting in three separate roles. His hard work earned him the Best VFX Award at the 2023 Newbie Awards.
STRANGERS IN A CARPARK
Feature Film | Production Assistant
Offered the opportunity to work alongside University of Newcastle lecturer Stuart McBratney, Sam eagerly came aboard the Strangers In A Carpark project offering "anything he could do to help."
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His role as production assistant involved lighting design, camera operation, grip work, actor transportation, graphic design and, in a select few shots, work as an extra.
THE VOID
Experimental Horror Short | Lighting Designer, Key Grip
Following his work on Under The Red and Strangers In A Carpark, Sam was asked to assist with the honours project of director Ayden Turner and cinematographer Sarah Ramsland as lead gaffer.
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This was an exercise in creative control, working within the constraints of another person's project to bring about effective and striking images - without conflicting with the work of others.