Ian Westley: Thanks for asking me!
TFM: You have had a huge stage career, before we touch upon some of them, for you, what was the highlight?
IW: I have had many highlights, but I guess the top of the list would be winning Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Script and Best Production for the first play I wrote (and first play I directed) at the Central Queensland Drama Festival in 2008. This play has since been made into a short film which will be completed later this year.
TFM: Most people know Allo Allo from repeats on television. How does such a long running series translate to stage, does it play like a lost episode, or is it a condensed version of the series?
IW: It was actually a stage version which was first produced in Britain in 1986 and has toured the world. The stage version manages to incorporate all of the key characters from the TV series usual story line of Rene trying to hide a knockwurst sausage containing the portrait of the fallen Madonna with the big boobies. We managed to stay pretty true to the characters and were lucky enough to have a Gordon Kaye look a like in the role of Rene. I played Lt Gruber who we “camped up” more than usual for this production.
TFM: How did you approach Are you normal, Mr. Norman?
IW: That was an interesting one as I was originally cast in the role of the Dentist and changed just before rehearsals began. In reality I try and avoid dentists at all costs, so getting into character for the role was not difficult! The part where Norman goes insane was helped by my fellow actors. They were so believable they made the transition from terror to insanity easy.
TFM: How the West was Warped was a musical, are you as comfortable on stage with singing as you are with drama and comedy?
IW: Luckily for me (and the audience) I only had one small solo with the music so loud they could not here my voice! No, I am not as comfortable singing in stage, but it was such a fun role I soon overcame my anxieties and enjoyed every second of it.
TFM: Revelations (A choice of faith), was that your first film? How did you make the move from stage to screen?
IW: Actually Revelations was my fourth film. The Oxford Scholar was first. I mate wanted to shoot an idea he had come up with years ago and we did the whole thing in a few hours. My second short film was A choice of DUTY. I was back stage, prior to a performance, one night and one of the other actors said he knew a bloke who was doing a short film for his uni degree and needed an ugly bald biker for a role and would I be interested. After thinking about it for a split second I agreed. After that it was a matter of networking with the people involved in the local industry.
TFM: The Sharkmen is an Australian independent film, what can you tell about your involvement in the production.
IW: I had heard about the production and contacted Jason Gibson (the writer, director and producer) to see if there was any way I could get involved. Jason then cast me in a short film called Prelude, which is a kind of back story to Sharkmen. Jason then called me a month or so later and asked me if I would play the role of Gary Kurtzmann, the crime boss.
TFM: What is a typical day on the set of Sharkmen like?
IW: Because the whole movie was produced on a small budget and over a very short time frame (fourteen days) we had a very tough schedule. A typical day for me was arriving on location at 6:00, straight into make up then shoot all day until we lost the light (around 18:30 in Queensland). They were tough days but very rewarding. However, for me the days didn’t end there. I was also rehearsing How the West was Warped and a Charity Christmas Pantomime at the same time. So as soon as I wrapped for the day I was off to one rehearsal or the other.
TFM: Just Like U is currently filming, another independent production. Do you think productions such as these are the life blood of Australian cinema?
IW: Most definitely. If it wasn’t for these independent productions we would not have an industry. Independent productions allow actors, directors, producers, writers, DoP’s etc to showcase their talents, and do what they love doing, for an audience that would otherwise never see or hear of them.
TFM: If you had to choose, would you pick the screen or the stage?
IW: This is a question that I get asked a lot. I love the stage because of the instant feedback from the audience and the thrill of walking out into the lights. However, the screen does give you a wider range to do things that can’t be done on stage and you have the opportunity to be seen by a far bigger audience. You also have the DVD that will be with you (good or bad) for ever. I guess, if I really had to make a choice it would be screen, as I really don’t feel I have put my best performance on film yet and I am striving for that point of perfection (that will probably never come!)
TFM: What is your biggest piece of advice you can give someone starting out in the industry?
IW: Have a dream, set your goals, but be realistic. There are thousands of very talented actors out there, all striving for the same dream. The thing that I have learned is to network. As the old saying goes, it’s not what you know, but who you know and in this industry that is so true! Also, be reliable and honest. It’s a small industry and people will soon get to hear if you bullshit people or are unreliable. If you say you will do something, do it!
TFM: Do you have any projects lined up you can tell us about?
IW: I have just finished Just Like U and a play called Apollo Pacific. Next up is a short film I have written called Stupid, which we start shooting in a few weeks. I am also talking to a few people about a couple of features, but nothing concrete right now.
TFM: Ian Westley, thank you so much for your time.
IW: My pleasure.
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