Film Courage: You mentioned previously your love for acting and going to a performing arts
high school. You've been in not one but two like viral ads or videos on YouTube
that have received what millions of video views. How does that happen? Julian Shaw, Writer/Director/Actor: Well you
know my acting career kind of got kick-started by studying directing
that's the irony because the person who directed its time which is an
[Australian] advertisement supporting marriage equality was one of the directors I went
to film school with his name is Steven McCallum so he saw me acting and then he
kind of got the idea to put me in this short and it was produced by another guy
Peter Slee who I also went to film school with and I got to tell you you
know that two-minute piece it's time I mean yeah I think it's had like almost
17 million views on YouTube Madonna shared it Stephen Fry oh my gosh I got my
own float in the Mardi Gras in Sydney literally you know in front of a million
people I was there on a float waving like it was so cool it was so surreal
and it was a political ad it was basically supporting gay marriage
which was not legal at the time in Australia it is now thankfully it's
crazy to say this will probably never happen again but it was crazy being
involved in something that actually did shape the way people voted you know it
possibly we would like to think had some effect on policy which is a pretty crazy
situation to be in but what I will say is we had a positive message in that
short it was all about love it was all about equality tolerance and it really
showed me the power of short form content on the Internet because I'd
spent years making these documentaries but once that little two minute piece
came out in 24 hours my life was changed people now wanted to hire me as an act
that people were interested in what I was doing it was like a game-changer
overnight so it just goes to show sometimes a short little piece of
content if it hits people in the heart can open a lot of doors
so when Stephen the director yeah released it he led I'm sure all of
you know and and how soon after did like people start
emailing you and I'm sure you were recognized yeah what it was oh it was
released by a company called get up who are kind of this activist organization
in Australia you know what it was pretty instant it was one of those things that
went viral I guess it got through a million views in a day or less so for me
it was instant it was being recognized in the streets it was people coming up
to me you know and like telling me that they were you know like people said that
they came out of the closet you know because they saw the ad like they hadn't
told their family and the ad gave them the inspiration to do that and made them
feel like it was okay and that was the you know that's the best price I've ever
got for anything I've been involved with I'm sorry Mel you know I feel emotional
because it really connected with people and that was like what we hoped when we
made it we hope that would touch people's hearts and make people feel it
was okay you know just to be who they are so hearing that back was the best
part and it was it's the nicest thing that's
ever happened to my career honestly being a part of that yeah and how soon
did it take for it to get to the 17 million you know it's just kept creeping
up and you know there's still places in the world where obviously it's not legal
so it's kind of being this evergreen piece of content and yeah it continues
to be seen we're so proud of it and yeah I still see it popping up I still get
recognized in the in the streets for it to this day so it's it's really been
cool yeah hope people can what we'll put a link to it and great yeah yeah it's a
great piece of work and Stephen McAllen did a great job directing it
Michael Pont and pedis Lee great producers get up we're amazing great
team ya know it's very heartwarming and you see it and you don't totally know
well I don't want to give it away it's alright I recommend people check it out
yeah then you had a second one was it a
second ad or something you know I made a film about depression called All Blacks
don't cry and I played my childhood hero John Kirwan he was a famous World
cup-winning old black and he almost lost his life because of his struggle with
depression so I made a short when I was a lot younger about that
and you know again - I guess I've been drawn to making entertainment that can
change people's minds about issues or do reflect the world that we're in and do
reflect social issues that is something that excites me now the most important
thing is to entertain people but if you can make them think about an issue or
maybe change their mind that's that's pretty cool - so then that one has over
a million views let me see you know what that one probably is only around a
hundred thousand oh okay that's good it's been good and it's it's hope people
will be very open about depression which is which is great you know because
asking for help is the first step with depression you know Annette's thing I've
experienced myself and it's something that you know trying to be a filmmaker
if you have some underlying anxiety it'll bring it out in you because it is
a hell of a challenge but the day that I asked for help was when I started to get
better and you know I haven't been depressed in a very long time because I
put a lot of energy into my mental health yoga meditation I drink very
little you know these are all things that help me is if they'll make it
because I feel like I you know I got a I got to be at my best because it's a
tough industry so looking after myself is how I've been able to have a career
with some longevity yeah because there's so many opportunities to become
depressed with doing this whether it's you don't get a role or you something
fall through it's it's so easy for little things to happen and then or you
make a great film it's done it's out there in the world and now what and it's
like who cares right it feels like that can't feel like that this game is all
about perseverance you know you have to be an energizer bunny you just have to
keep going but for me I can see my whole career ahead in my mind you know so I'm
always moving towards that it kind of pulls me forward that's fine for me but
when you're working with other people you have to inspire them too and I guess
the thing I would say to filmmakers who are trying to get funding or trying to
get an audience try and get people to work with you make it all about what
they're gonna get out of it don't talk about what you're going to
because it's obvious what you're gonna get out of it if you make a film that
wins awards or makes money educate people about what they're gonna get out
of it that's something that's helped me get financing get films made and that's
been critical like I can tell you a story about you know when I went to my
high school right when I was 17 years old or 16 and I wanted to make my first
documentary and I to convince them to let me work on it three days a week so
I'd miss school for three days right I go to school two days a week I'd work
on the documentary I was so arrogant it's almost embarrassing now but I said
to them this is a good thing for you because I'm gonna get great results I
promise you I'm gonna get between 95 and 100 for my final mark in high school but
I'm gonna make this film that's gonna be super successful it's gonna win awards
it's gonna go to festivals it might take a while but it's all gonna happen okay
and when it does you were gonna be seen as so avant-garde and that you really
did support the independence and individuality of your students which is
what your school was meant to be all about I said this to my principal
Margaret Markham I'm so embarrassed now I was so sure of myself but it worked and she
even found $5,000 and gave it to me and she gave me that independent learning
contract so I could go to school two days a week and work on my first
documentary and I look back on that the reason she did it is because I told her
what the school would get out of it in the long run not me but the school so
that is my number one tip for pitching and financing tell your prospective
financier what they're gonna get out of it that's great advice
and then did you have certain things you had to present to her by a certain time
- absolutely you know and I had to get great marks academically I mean I put
myself under a lot of pressure with my arrogance luckily it did all work out I
kept them up to date I told them how the production was going and then eventually
the film kind of caught fire you know and it went to the Berlin International
Film Festival at one an audience award and so they would delight it they were
really delighted but it was fun he's like everything I kind of said would
happen did happen so again you know I'm not you know positive thinking and all
that stuff can be a bit of a cliche but I do believe in manifestation I do
believe as the rector of a project you have to hold in
your mind where it's gonna go and then transmit that belief to people and I've
been lucky you know I have an amazing producer Jonathan green from Australia
who I've worked with since I was 16 so I've had that one person always backing
me and believing in me and you know I would say if you're just starting out as
a filmmaker you probably do need one person in your corner so find a producer
who believes in your talent and will support you and be tough on you and make
you work hard that relationship will be critical in making work overtime
you