Many people just get up and walk out of the cinema once the credits start to roll, but have you ever stopped to think about the enormous amount of people that work away for months behind the scenes and get none of the adulation given to directors, producers or stars?
You may not know his name, but Perth born art director, sculptor, props and model maker, Craig Fison, has had a hand in making some fantastic films, including Moulin Rouge, Star Wars: Episode II, The Matrix: Reloaded and the recently released claymation, Mary and Max.
Fison says working on Mary and Max was a rewarding experience and that the film’s director and creator, Adam Elliot is an incredible artist.
‘He’s just an amazing man. He’s got a complete creative vision, from start to finish so it’s really easy to work for him and with him, because he really knows what he wants,’ said Fison.
In fact, Fison compares Elliot’s creative process to that of the great Baz Luhrmann, with whom he worked on the big-budget Moulin Rouge.
‘They’re pretty much the same in terms of their process.’
‘Baz is a very lavish director and especially that project – the more over the top it was the better.’
‘Creative license was pretty rife. They (the creative team) just don’t have time to design every little detail themselves- you’ve got to bring whatever talent you’ve got.
‘So you’ve got to come up with a whole rage of ideas, bearing in mind what the vision of the director is.’
While his work in film and theatre has taken him all over the country and the world, Fison is now based in Melbourne and says it is a shame that Western Australia does not produce enough work to keep artists like himself in the state.
‘Unfortunately, if you’re into music, arts, film, theatre, acting, anything in the arts, and you really want to expand yourself, you usually have to run away.’
In his earlier days, Fison designed and constructed sets and props for Pride WA and the XES dance parties.
‘Yeah, that was many years ago,’ he laughs.
‘I worked very closely with Gavin McGuren and Sue Ravine, it was lots of fun.
‘Everyone back then was just amazing- the energy was great. It was small but everyone was willing to put themselves out there to change things and it grew.’
When asked if he would consider coming back to Perth for this year’s Homecoming themed Pride Parade he laughs, ‘Maybe… maybe.’
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