AACTA Spotlight Featuring ALL THE LIGHT THAT NEVER FADES
Featured Image of lead actor Jack Michel - Photo Credit: Matthew Nguyen
We chat with Jason Hooker about ALL THE LIGHT THAT NEVER FADES.
What inspired you to create this production?
The inspiration for this film was very personal, because as my journey as a filmmaker has progressed and shown me the eventual need to pursue it beyond the place I call home, my love for the place I call home has also increased. Personally, that has led to an extremely bittersweet feeling I carry around with me as I realise that pursuing my dreams will require great sacrifice, and I was inspired to distil that bittersweetness into a short film.
What challenges did you face in creating this production?
One of the greatest challenges was in the sequencing of all the threads of the story. It’s an extremely non-linear film, that on paper could seem chaotic and experimental, and it also is not plot-based at all. It’s comprised of fairly mundane, natural moments, but the challenge was to create beauty and meaning out of the juxtaposition of those moments, and to create a story with a tonal arc more than a plot-based arc. So basically - the type of storytelling we wanted to do was a huge risk. But we’ve been so encouraged by the reaction we’ve had to the film so far.
What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring filmmakers?
I would say, work on the script, or the seed of the idea, as much as you can before launching away with the whole production. It is the foundation of all of it, so scrutinise it, criticise it, build on its strengths and eliminate its weaknesses. The bar that you set determines how far you will reach.
What are you hoping audiences will take away form watching this film?
I’m hoping that audiences will be awakened to how beautiful life can be even in moments of the bittersweet, moments of goodbye, moments of transition… I really wanted to explore the idea that maybe it is actually possible to simultaneously hold on to something, and also leave it behind. Sometimes that is the only thing you can do, and I want audiences to know that that is ok.
Final Thoughts?
Our team is extremely proud of all that this film has become, and we are so excited to share it with you and with the world. It means a lot to us and so we hope you enjoy it, we hope it resonates with you, and we hope it encourages you.