Wiley Park resident Rachael Belle Myers’ short film, ‘They’re Listening’, has been selected for the 2019 SmartFone Flick fest (SF3).
In its fifth year, SF3 sees the best films from around the world and Australia compete, all of which are shot and edited entirely on a smartphone.
The plot of Myers’ piece involves a paranoid technophobe who goes too far when he tries to convince his girlfriend that his conspiracy theories are true.
Myers’ own paranoia set in when she was on holiday and mentioned to her partner that she had a sore neck.
“The next thing I know, my newsfeed was flooded with ads for pillows and mattresses. Somehow it interpreted what I said and delivered me a solution without me even saying the words pillow or bed,” Myers said.
“By using technology we do tend to surrender ourselves, our freedom and our privacy for pure convenience.
“This film was made to bring to light the fact that this is happening to all of us now. However, you still have a choice.
“You can still find a corner of the earth where your conversations will not be recorded. You just need to let go of that extra limb you’ve learnt to grow and love.”
With five successful short films already behind her, Myers is now working on a cyber-bullying series and an animated short film about the dangers of over-sharing information about your children online.
On her first time shooting a film from using just her phone, the creative said she had enjoyed the experiment.
“It was a really interesting experience. You have to take different things into account like lighting but I wouldn’t mind doing something like this again in the future,” she said.
Ambassadors of the Australian made SF3 festival, which attracts filmmakers all over the world, include Australian Director Phillip Noyce (Rabbit Proof Fence, Dead Calm), as well as actor David Wenham (Lord of the Rings, 300).
“A filmmaker with a smartphone is only limited by the boundaries of the imagination,” Wenham said.
The festival will be held September 14-15 at Event Cinemas in Sydney.