When an alien object lands in a backyard in rural Victoria, one family will stop at nothing to capitalise off the anomaly.
It’s the story that young Gisborne multimedia artist, Lucas Taylor, tells through creative animation and puppetry in his latest project: Out of Halmsway.
Lucas describes the film as an absurd, short bush-sci-fi set in the fictional town of Halmsway and follows Sam, a neglected 10-year-old who struggles to navigate his unstable home life.
At first the Sphere seemingly brings his family together, but little by little, it gains media attention and Sam’s parents begin to construct Sphere Street: a backyard carnival that lives off the Sphere’s fame.
“What follows is a playful explosion of animation and puppetry as Sam fights to keep his family together, using paper, pencil and his imagination,” Lucas said.
“The film blurs the lines between reality and Sam’s reality.”
Lucas is an Alice Miller School graduate who had works featured in Top Arts 2024 at the NGV Australia, as well as Top Screen 2024 and Top Designs 2024 ACMI and Melbourne Museum.
Since then, he has continued to fuel his creative mind through international travel and engaging with a range of art, theatre and cinema.
“I had been thinking up stories and drafting up script ideas for my first short film outside of high school,” Lucas said.
“When returning to Victoria, I was re-inspired by home, and more specifically the Macedon Ranges.”
The concept of Out of Halmsway has stayed in the back of his mind and continued to evolve. Over the past year, Lucas has completed 11 drafts of the script and has grown a crew of fellow creatives to help build the characters and story from his pages.
“I think a lot of young people are drawn to this kind of hand-made film and art,” Lucas said.
“The unconventional pairing with the Macedon Ranges makes us confident as young artists that this film will find success in crowdfunding or we will find another way to make it work.
“It is a passion project and we’re all just really dying to get it out there.”
FILM CROWDFUNDING
Last week, Lucas and his team launched a crowdfunding campaign through the Australian Cultural Fund with a target of $9000.
As independent creators, all funds raised under the ACF will go directly into the film, supporting all artists involved, as well as theatrical production design, costumes, props and puppetry, gear rental, post-production costs and other creative needs.
The team aims to begin shooting the film within the first half of next year and has already found the ideal location at a property overlooking Hanging Rock.
To contribute the project’s crowdfunding campaign, visit: artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000jxnn3/out-of-halmsway-short-film
Updates on the film’s creative progress will be posted via Instagram: @outofhalmsway
