Staying true to self
Ambassadors for AACTA awards reveal secret to success
Ambassadors for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) awards have opened up about their pathways into the business ahead of the event on the Gold Coast.
Queensland’s Lincoln Lewis, Savannah La Rain, Chris Alosio, Ian Zaro and the Macfarlane Bros are representing the state and the industry for the awards and festival in February.
Coming in with more than 100 million views on TikTok, the Mcfarlane Bros – Lachlan, 23, and Austin, 21 – have ridden the wave of social media since its early days.
self-taught success story, the Queensland brothers revealed social media had become the modern show reel for the industry.
“If people want our show reel we send them a link to our TikTok,” Austin said.
The online sensations who make short films on YouTube and TikTok said they were now in the process of bridging the gap between social media and traditional film.
“It’s only really in the last two years things have jumped up and we’ve had a bit of success,” Lachlan said.
“I guess the way we’ve been able to make the transition so far into traditional media is our social media pages have sort of replaced our CV,” he said.
“There have been a lot of people who have become popular online and made that jump, we’re basically trying to do the same thing.”
Off the back of filming his first feature film with Oscarwinning director Taika WaitiA ti, actor Mr Alosio said making movies was like “making babies that live forever”.
The Waititi film Next Goal Wins comes out in February and Alosio said working with the popular director taught him it was important to “stay true to yourself”.
“He’s done that at the highest level and it’s inspiring to see a Maori kid from New Zealand living out his dreams and just doing it his way,” he said.
“That Frank Sinatra song always comes to mind every time I think about what I learnt on that set – I did it my way – and it just inspired me try and do things my way too.
“A lot of actors say they’re a bit of a slave to the opportunities in front of them and the roles available, but I’ve found that when I just bring the role to myself, it makes it better for everyone without being too self indulgent.”
The AACTA ambassador said he was now in the process of writing his own feature film, “excited” to bring his vision to the forefront.
The AACTA awards are on February 8 at HOTA.
It will be a star-studded affair with the Gold Coast’s Margot Robbie to receive the Trailblazer award. AACTA president and Oscar winner Russell Crowe will play a part on the night with comedian Rebel Wilson and crooner Harry Connick Jr as hosts.
It’s only really in the last two years things have jumped up and we’ve had a bit of success Lachlan Mcfarlane