By Marcus Uhe
In her bid to take High Street to Hollywood, local show business allrounder Alyssa Scott will shoot her next short film project in Berwick.
Ms Scott, a director, filmmaker and actor, has chosen to film her short film ‘Thea and Lucia’ in her home suburb, with the 15-minute piece to be filmed at a local home.
The short film is a modern day, “queer” adaptation of 1991 film ‘Thelma and Louise’, according to Ms Scott.
“We’ve focused on the girls’ story and them overcoming oppression from societies’ views on queer relationships and overcoming an abusive relationship,” Ms Scott said.
“Berwick is such a beautiful suburb. I’ve lived in Berwick for a few years and very much grown up in the area and feel very safe and comfortable.
“It’s set on one night at a party. Thelma and Lucia are a couple; they’re in love but have abusive ex-partners.”
As lockdowns hit in previous years, Ms Scott mentally transported herself to the United States’ Southern States, engrossing herself in the setting of the original film.
Upon its completion, the project will be submitted to a number of film festivals, including notably the Queer Film Festivals in Melbourne and Los Angeles.
As someone who identifies as Pansexual, giving the story a connection to the LGBTIQ+ community was significant for Ms Scott.
“I’ve loved the characters and it’s still a relevant story because it challenges stereotypes,” she said.
“There’s innuendo about whether they were a couple and we thought, ‘How cool would it be to tell this story if they were a couple?’”
‘Thea and Lucia’ will be the second film produced by Fitzcarraldo Pictures, an all-female ensemble led by Ms Scott, Cassidy Krygger and Nikki Apostolidis.
The trio has a focus on telling stories from a female’s perspective and have already made an impact in the industry, taking out Best Thriller Film in the Thrills and Chills film awards with Ms Scott’s production of Fostered.
The world of acting and show business means a great amount to Ms Scott.
As someone who has battled anxiety, being able to throw herself into the role of a fictional character did wonders for her at high school.
But having been told to look elsewhere when it came to practical career pathways, she put her goals on the back-burner while she looked into careers in other fields.
A car accident in 2013 changed her outlook on life and made her reassess what she really wanted to do.
Wanting to diversify her skillset, she added production to her repertoire, having been in front of the camera or on stage for much of her career at that point.
While apprehensive at first, it has only strengthened her relationship with the field.
“I was really nervous that I would miss acting, but I got the same feeling acting as I did creating. It’s still storytelling at the end of the day.
“In acting, I get to live another life and tell a story. But doing directing/creating gives a nice sense of control and it’s a good feeling to be responsible.”
Since that pivotal accident, she has spent time in the United States both studying and gaining experience in the field, with long-term ambitions to land there permanently.
“I would love to live in Hollywood. I want to expand and develop my production company and bring on a strong team of females to create a female-led empire.”
