By Joyce Schwarz, blogging at www.hollywood2020.net
Earlier this summer I became entranced (there is no other word for it) with the short film that won the Pepsi Grand Prize with a project called "TOMORROW (GPS)" that I saw online.
So I blogged about it in July and then was fortunate enough to get ahold of Abe (thanks so much) to get some background on this amazing film that tells us about what I call in my books the WHO OF THE HOW!
Thank heavens Abe took the time to answer some email questions -- he's in preproduction on yet another new TV series! SO ENJOY (PS I scrounged up a great pix of Abe online -- so thanks to the Australian website for using it here. The vibrancy of the background and the joy he exudes is just so, well FUN!
HOLLYWOOD2020.net EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ABE FORSYTHE by Joyce Schwarz, bestselling author THE VISION BOARD book.
Who is Abe Forsythe? According to Wikipedia: Abe Forsythe (born Abraham Forsythe on 26 July 1981) is an Australian film and television actor, director, writer and producer. He is the son of actor and comedianDrew Forsythe.
Forsythe has also guest starred in several Australian TV shows, including Blue Heelers, All Saints, Water Rats and Blue Water High.
In 2009, Forsythe wrote and directed the Tropfest short Being Carl Williams. The short won second prize and the Best Comedy award.[1] The 2010 Tropfest saw him win first prize with Shock, a short tribute to Radio Personality Kyle Sandilands.
He first appeared on the TV series The Miraculous Mellops. He has since appeared as Campbell Todd on the Australian TV seriesAlways Greener, starred in the mini-series Marking Time and starred and directed the 2003 film Ned. He also directed and starred in a parody of The Matrix called Computer Boy. Forsythe has also written a number of acclaimed sketches for the late night sketch comedy series Comedy Inc - The Late Shift. He also stars in the Australian/British television series co-production Tripping Over.Forsythe is married to Helen Dallimore, star of the musical Wicked.
JOYCE SCHWARZ interview with Abe Forsythe follows here:
***Do you have a personal mission or vision statement? If so what is it
Not consciously. Starting to notice similar themes now I have work and life to look back on. Rather not say what they are as they are personal - but they're there for everyone to see.
*** Do you have a life motto? If so what is it?
I don't. Other than trying to live a good one.
**Would you describe yourself as religious or spiritual?
Not at all. I'm amazed by how insignificant we all are in the scheme of things.
**How long did it take you to produce TOMORROW GPS?
Wrote it in one afternoon and shot it in another. It was edited over a weekend and then sent away to a competition on that sunday night. So from start to finish probably 4 days. I didn't think about it too much and just followed my instincts.
** What makes your character listen to the GPS -- he could have just "shut it off" or "drowned it out" or screamed expletives at it -- but why did he just listen to it and act albeit reluctantly? Or was it reluctantly?
He just does what he's told. I think you can maybe read into that without me going into too much detail.
***In being the character (and I am assuming that IS you?) how did your character feel when he saw the woman at the beach?
I would rather not go into detail about this. I think it's best left for the audience to interpret what this moment means.
***Is the GPS an angel or telepath or ??
See the above answer for this one too.
***was your purpose to be inspirational and take their shoes off? The film seems so "sincere"
The GPS is just forcing him to do something which people like him should do every day.
***are married people or couples as affected by the film as singles?
They seem to be. It seems to resonate in different ways for all types.
What else would you like people to know about filming the project ie backstory etc?
Over the years I've learnt to only pursue things I'm passionate about on multiple levels. If you can make something that people experience on an emotional level (whatever the emotion) then it's going to be worth peoples while in watching and re-watching.
So the trick for me is not to pursue working on something unless I can do it without instinctively and without thinking. GPS was like this.
What is your GPS? Or WHO?
Didn't really have one until recently, and now it's my son. I've now got no excuses to waste my time working on things that don't mean anything because it would be wasting his. Which is a great position to be in.
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THANKS ABE ! YOU ARE AMAZING -- such an inspiration or should I say GPS for many of us!
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For more info on Abe's strategy for winning Tropfest see this article on the web:
www.smh.com.au/.../how-to-make-a-winning-tropfest-entry--by-someone-...
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