Written and directed by Shaun A Robinson, That’s Not a Knife is a documentary about the hard and often unglamorous life of an actor. It explores the difficulties of succeeding in the industry and starting relationships.
Here’s the story of an actor who fights back against the odds by overcoming his own fears and creating his own path to Hollywood, documenting his journey along the way. He meets other actors who share their own fears and insecurities with him, helping help him to understand his own journey better and inspire others to do the same.
We caught up with Shaun to talk about That’s Not a Knife ahead of it’s release later this year.
First question, has anyone mistaken the movie for a Crocodile Dundee reboot yet?
Not yet, but there’s always a first time for everything.
Second question, should there be a Crocodile Dundee reboot?
I think there should be, sequels are hard to get right but if Paul’s involved with it somehow, I don’t think it will disappoint
In all seriousness, congrats on the film! Crocodile Dundee must have been somewhat of an inspiration to you if you’ve named your film after a line in the movie though?
Thank you very much. It definitely was; it was Paul Hogan who inspired me to go to LA, the title represents that inspiration that I felt from observing his journey and how he had achieved his success; if he could do it, why can't I? I feel the title embodies that Aussie spirit and plays on the connection between Paul Hogan and the Documentary he inspired.
Hard to find interviewees?
Yes and no, I’m a people person so I find it easy to talk to people and connect with them, the hardest part is getting through the gatekeepers for some of the bigger names in the industry like Sigrid Thornton, Noni Hazlehurst, Toni Collette, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Hugo Weaving and Rebel Wilson. I would have loved to talk to them because of what they’ve achieved, they represent the successful actors, they are the ones making it in Hollywood and I think that’s what a lot of us want to hear about, how they got there.
What kind of guidance and direction did you give those appearing on-camera?
I just wanted them to be themselves, be honest and not censor themselves too much. I purposely wouldn’t tell them the questions so that there answers were raw and real, not rehearsed.
And where did you shoot all the interviews?
A lot of the interviews were shot across various locations in Los Angeles, but I also interviewed a lot of Actors here in Australia who had either been and come back or were about to head over to LA.
Was there anyone you would’ve wanted to have involved but couldn’t get?
Since the very start of this journey and filming, I’ve been trying to reach out to Paul Hogan, the man who inspired me to do all of this but unfortunately I’ve not had a lot of luck. I would also love to speak with the amazing and awesome Rebel Wilson, as well as Hugh Jackman, Toni Collette, Jacki Weaver, Cate Blanchett and so many more.
Were there any stories that the talent refused to tell?
Not so much refused as more didn’t want to confront the reality of the situation they were in at the time. Some aren’t doing so well, and it’s hard to share that and be honest with yourself about things sometimes, especially in front of a camera.
When can we see it?
My Producer, Lucinda Bruce (Lady of the Light Productions) came on board last year and has helped me steer the documentary towards our final destination of distribution. We’re aiming for a Festival release later on in the year with the hopes of that leading to a Theatrical and VOD release in the US, with an eventual showing on an Australian Television Network.
