Film director and writer Zak Hilditch.
Author | Carmelle Wilkinson
Walking out of his local video store with a stash of new movies is a childhood memory Curtin Film and TV graduate Zak Hilditch will always cherish.
Twenty years on, the now Australian writer and director is living his passion of bringing stories to life through film.
This month, Zak announced his fourth feature film – We Bury the Dead, which will be filmed in WA’s great southern region.
Still pinching himself, he also managed to secure one of Hollywood’s brightest stars Daisy Ridley (Star Wars sequel trilogy) for the lead role.
Daisy Ridley starred as Rey in Star Wars Trilogy -The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker.
“Filming a movie at home and to do it with someone of Daisy’s talents is a dream come true,’’ he said.
Captivated by cinema from a young age, Zak said his love for movies and storytelling only deepened as the years went on.
“Mum was a true cinephile, she loved movies, and it obviously rubbed off on me,’’ he said.
“When she was younger, she enjoyed going to the pictures. To be honest, she was probably an aspiring actress who just didn’t have the confidence to pursue acting.”
Zak said watching his first Quinton Tarantino movie when he was 16 was a game changer – opening his mind to the different worlds and possibilities of movie making.
A year later he purchased his first camera from Cash Converters and began writing short scripts.
“I filmed anything I could,’’ he said.
“I’m not tech savvy but I knew that if I was going to enter this industry, I had to know how to work a camera.
“Growing up in Girrawheen I felt like Hollywood was a million miles away, but I dared to dream.”
Looking back, Zak said enrolling at Curtin to study Film and TV and Script Writing was the best decision he ever made.
Zak on set.
“I knew I had to figure it out if I wanted to become a director one day, and going to Curtin was the first big step towards achieving that goal,’’ he said.
“From the first year you start making films. My tutors and lecturers were really passionate about their craft and knew what they were talking about.
“My training and experience at Curtin allowed me to find my voice and set me up for the big bad world, so to speak.”
Zak said the overwhelming support from his lecturers and peers at Curtin created a safe space where likeminded creatives like him felt comfortable failing.
“My Curtin bubble allowed me to take chances, explore different sides to humanity and discover my point of view and difference,’’ he said.
After graduating with Honours, Zak took on numerous casual jobs to fund his passion of movie making.
These included a high-pressure hose cleaner, delivery man, helping his dad set up shop displays at major department stores, and returning to Curtin to teach a second-year script writing course.
Thanks to some serious saving and funding support from the WA State Government Zak was finally able to direct his first film – These Final Hours – which screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014.
Since then, Zak has gone from strength to strength directing several Netflix Original films including Rattlesnake (psychological horror) which follows the story of a mother who makes a desperate deal to save her daughter bitten by a rattlesnake.
So where do these gripping storylines come from?
“Haha anywhere honestly,’’ Zak said.
“I could be driving, having dinner, talking to a friend. My mind is constantly thinking up storylines.”
Zak said he was living in LA with his wife (fellow filmmaker) and young son when the idea for his latest movie sprung to mind.
Zak enjoying some down time with his young family.
“It was just before the pandemic. I had recently lost my mum, and I remember thinking a lot about grief and how people deal with grief in a multitude of ways,’’ he said.
“Then Covid hit, and we decided to pack our things and come back home to WA.”
Now based in Mt Hawthorn Zak credits his strong start in Western Australia as the perfect springboard into his US filmmaking career.
“It’s important to make a splash with your work if you get given the chance, as you might only get one shot at it. Luckily, I made just enough of a splash,’’ he said.
His advice to budding film makers?
“There is no silver bullet to success, but if you truly love what you do and want to succeed, then you’ll get there,’’ he said.
“If you want something bad enough and work hard, the odds should be in your favour.”
Zak is always happy to share advice to aspiring film directors.
Produced by Kelvin Munro and Grant Sputore (Curtin graduate) of WA production company The Penguin Empire (I Am Mother, The Furnace), We Bury the Dead is a terrifying yet moving story about grief, loss and the undead.
Written and directed by Zak, the movie follows main character Ava (played by Daisy) whose husband goes missing following a catastrophic military experiment.
The film will start production in Albany in February 2024.
Author | Carmelle Wilkinson
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