Judith Lydia Mercure: I’d like to welcome the Principal of Australia’s Inkwell Films, Stephan Wellink, to ‘The Artful Gluffster’. After a stellar career in universities and research organizations taking scientific products and research to the marketplace, Stephan made a remarkable career move several years ago. He entered the film industry, arguably one of the hardest industries one can imagine breaking into without a deep network of professional contacts. Stephan made a name for himself and Inkwell and showed aspiring film makers that this was possible. He made four documentary films in a little over a decade, most celebrating the careers of extraordinary personalities in the entertainment industry. That is exceptional in an industry where many people spend decades trying to make one film.
JLM: Stephan, you were educated as a scientist. Yet your 2006 ‘Winners’ Guide to the Nobel Prize’ was your only film celebrating excellence in science. What made you decide to make documentaries about the lives and work of Sam Spiegel, Jerry Lewis and Rod Taylor–all known for excellence, but in the very different domains of film production, comedy and adventure?
Stephan J Wellink: “I like character-driven narratives and I believe I can pick a good story. The films I have made have a similar theme despite the different professional settings: facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, the protagonist succeeds against the odds. In the ‘Winners’ Guide to the Nobel Prize’ Marshall and Warren were ridiculed by the medical establishment and the pharmaceutical industry for reporting their observations that ulcers were a consequence of a bacterial infection (helicobacter pylori) and not lifestyle. Winning the Nobel Prize justified their courage.
The film industry heroes we chose also battled through enormous opposition. Rod Taylor took a chance as a relative unknown by leaving Australia for 1950s Hollywood. Through hard work and talent, he became a movie and television star, handling the crossover between these mediums effortlessly, despite it being a time when movie stars would not usually lower themselves by appearing on television. Rod succeeded at both, setting a precedent for other Australian actors, and he went on to appear in films made by legendary Directors George Stevens, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Antonioni and Quentin Tarantino.
Jerry Lewis proved he was more than a sidekick and stooge for Dean Martin by becoming an auteur. He introduced innovations that revolutionised film production. His film The Nutty Professor is a hilarious retake on a literary classic, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. When we interviewed Martin Scorsese, a big fan of Lewis, Scorsese told us that this film inspired his filmmaking.
Sam Spiegel took on the big film studios and pioneered independent filmmaking. His battles with powerful studio heads such as Harry Cohn, Louis B Mayer and Sam Goldwyn are part of Hollywood folklore. Entirely on his own, Spiegel packaged The African Queen, On the Waterfront, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia. He is the only person to win three Oscars as a sole producer—for all but the first of these films.”
JLM: “Have you discovered big differences or surprising similarities between the industries surrounding film and science? Do you have any advice for aspiring film industry entrants?”
SJW: “There are similarities in how science and film projects are realized. In simple terms: science and film projects start with an idea. Both involve teams of creative, talented, opinionated and passionate people. They need to be managed so their creativity is encouraged while being reminded that they need to deliver quality products – whether a finished film or research results people and industries need. Both scientists and film industry professionals sometimes need to be reminded to focus on their audience as customers. And that they need repeat business to keep doing what they do.
I have the following advice to anyone wanting to enter the film industry (mostly excluding performers). Try to:
- become attached to a film unit.
- find a mentor.
- work out what you are good at doing. (Is it directing? producing? writing?)
- hone your craft.
- make a short film. (Then make another short film.)
- study the works of filmmakers.
- study the history of film.
- find your own style and voice.
- don’t mortgage your house for a film. (It’s a movie, not your life.)”
JLM: Three of your films focus on luminaries with full and celebrated histories in the film industry. Did you worry that their stories had already been thoroughly mined?
SJW: That’s a good question. For a biographical film, it’s important to have detailed knowledge about the life and work of the person whose story you want to tell. In the case of Rod Taylor, Sam Spiegel and Jerry Lewis I watched as many of their films as possible, read books, news clippings, watched interviews and I spoke to historians about the cultural significance of their work. I ask myself a number of questions before committing time and resources to any biographical project:
- Is it interesting?
- Has it been done before?
- Is the subject alive and accessible?
- Are people close to the subject accessible?
- What are the sources of investment?
- Who are the potential producing partners?
- What story should we tell?
- How will we tell it?
- What’s the best distribution route to market?”
JLM: What made you choose these particular people?
SJW: “We were fortunate to have access to Rod Taylor and Jerry Lewis in person so we were able to get their own accounts of their life and work. In both cases we wanted to emphasize what was unique about their work. For Rod Taylor it was about being a trailblazing Australian who made good on the biggest film stage in the world – Hollywood. For Jerry, the title of the film is Jerry Lewis: the Man Behind the Clown. That tells it all. We focused on his artistry beyond the ‘Martin and Lewis’ double act. He was an innovator. Like Chaplin, he was a great artist able to write, direct, produce and star in his own films.
Although Sam Spiegel passed away in the early 1980s, we were able to interview actors, writers and historians who knew and/or worked with him. Sam was a great filmmaker. His story was as much about a changing industry as his career. He was known as a being ‘very fond of women.’ We began production before the #MeToo movement. It was interesting to hear from women who were at the time of our interviews aged in their late 70s through early 90s. They compared Sam’s interactions with them with Harvey Weinstein’s , which led to insights into changes in what is tolerated or even encouraged in an industry. So we were able to talk to women who could provide context for this aspect of the industry.”
JLM: Our blog explores the challenges and opportunities that are arising in arts fields traditionally dominated by big studios and publishers, iconic awards and relatively few high-profile players. What have been your greatest discoveries, disappointments, and surprises in a changing industry?
SJW: “My greatest discoveries? Producing a finished film is a minor miracle!
My greatest disappointments? We (and I am speaking here as an Australian film maker) don’t value the creative industries as highly as we should.
My greatest surprise? There is great respect internationally for Australian creatives.”
The Artful Gluffster 