Offspring‘s Richard Davies knows too well the fickle nature of employment in the arts and is flexing his creative muscles writing new projects.
After penning the short film When the Wind Blows during a period of non-work, its success has spurned him on.
“I’d been out of acting school for about a year without much work. I remember writing my very first script on Microsoft Word in 2008, or even earlier. I didn’t have a writing program!” he recalls.
“The first festival it got into was MIFF and picked up awards at St. Kilda Film Festival, Flickerfest and the IF Awards.
“It really whetted my appetite to do more and work with people who have the same goal to be more prolific in creating, rather than waiting for the phone to ring.”
Last year he performed in the Presto shorts, Let’s Talk About, directed by Matilda Brown, daughter of Bryan Brown & Rachel Ward.
Now Brown has directed The Caravan. a series of Offspring webisodes he wrote with performer Dave Lawson.
In the 7 webisodes, his Offspring character Jimmy has a slightly crazy dream in a parallel fantasy life, all set around a caravan.
“TEN wanted a device that had the Offspring element but with an alternate universe, so we came up with the genie idea. Jimmy takes his caravan, which was in episode 3 of the show and instead of getting rid of it he makes an oasis and has a squatter genie.”
Dave Lawson appears as the genie while the webisodes also feature Lachy Hulme, Alicia Gardiner and Matilda Brown.
“Dave Lawson is one of the funniest people going around. It’s quite hard acting opposite him because he’s so bloody funny. It’s a challenge for everybody not to ‘corpse!’”
“They’re quite absurd but we had a lot of fun making them.”
Episodes 4 & 5 will drop this Wednesday on the Tenplay site, with the final 2 on August 3rd.
“I hope to act until I drop dead but I love writing so much,” Davies explains.
“I’d love to be in a stable. Blue Tongue and Working Dog do it so well. To have a spot where you can act and write, and be more involved in the process, and to ask ‘what’s next?’
“I want to learn more and more about the entire process. Just to be across it all as much as I can.”
While he will film more of Let’s Talk About later this month, Davies is happy to be back with Offspring after a two year break.
“It’s so much fun being back with this team. They’re a great group of people. I’m very lucky to have the job. It’s so well-written, directed, produced and the crew is incredible.
“I learn so much from being with this cast. I pinch myself sometimes (over) the people I’ve been working with for 6 seasons. You never want to take that for granted. I know how lucky I am to have the role.”
The Caravan