Se7en Questions with Filmmaker and Actor
Benji Wragg
Who are some of the
artists or some of the works that inspired you to get started in your field? Of today’s current artists, who do you draw inspiration from?
As a filmmaker and theatre maker, I am greatly inspired by the films of John Carpenter and Lucio Fulci. I think The Thing and The Beyond are two of the greatest examples of the horror genre. I also love the work of Arthur Miller, I believe Death of a Salesman is one of the greatest plays ever written. Furthermore, I am also inspired by works which focus on dystopian futures, such as Nineteen Eighty-Four, Battle Royale and The Running Man. These works inspired me and continue to inspire my films.
What have thus far been some of the negatives of being an indie artist in your field?
Funding. To be an indie film maker you mainly must be self-funded. You must also have a weird desire to never sleep again.
What have thus far been the positives of being an indie artist in your field?
The positives of being an indie artist are working with a wide variety of artists in different fields of art. Plus being an artist is a good way to pick up at bars.
The Filmmaker Dia Taylor has taught and helped me more than I can ever thank her for.
What have been your favourite completed projects to work on up to this point? Can you tell us a little bit about them?
So far, my favorite projects completed have been The Ballad of Captain Vengeance and Trailer Trash.
The Ballad of Captain Vengeance is a film about a about a young woman who dreams of being a superhero but lacks the necessary powers. Her obsession takes hold of her and the tale veers into a dark outcome.
Trailer Trash is a full-length dark comedy theatre performance. It focuses on the residents of a caravan park who are all being evicted because of a drug deal gone back. It features a protagonist who was a Meth Dealer and an Arsonist.
What projects are you currently working on or have planned for the near future?
Currently I’m working on two short films: Answer Your Phone focuses on a man walking home while an obsessive force stalks him. The film is in post-production and should be completed in the very near future.
Ramen Noodles is a script I am currently working on and am planning to send out to festivals soon. It is about two people trying to travel to Sydney in a war-ravaged Australia.
There are also two theatre performances in the pipe line. AL’USRA, which focuses on the relationships between family members. It is being made in collaboration with the artists Lauren Huggard and Dia Taylor and is scheduled to premiere at the 2021 Melbourne Fringe Festival. I am also currently writing another full-length play By Infernos Light, which looks at a con man infiltrating a religious cult.
Where possible, I also try to regularly upload content to my Crazy Moo Productions YouTube channel.
Where do you see yourself in a few years and what would it take for you to consider your career a success?
I will be a success if a can afford a Falafel Kebab. I honestly don’t know how one can rate success as an indie artist. I mean I don’t particularly care for fame or fortune. Perhaps if I inspired someone?
If you couldn’t do this anymore, what career path do you think you would have followed and why?
I would choose to be a Steven Seagal impersonator and take over the world.
