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The best way to answer who Sick Individual Productions actually are, is by creating a FAQ that will hopefully answer any questions you have about us, and maybe direct you to another Sick Individual location. If you still don't know who or what we are, and/or would like to ask us more, be sure to visit the forum or the contacts page! Also 'My Views on Film-Making' may also come in handy to budding film-makers!

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Frequently Asked Questions (answered by Grant)

1) Who are Sick Individual Productions and what do they do?
2) What was the first short film Sick Individual Productions made?
3) What kind of budget does Sick Individual Productions use for each film?
4) Is everything we see 'REAL' or just computer generated effects?
5) What sort of injuries have you experienced from filming some of those scenes?
6)
Why do you spend the time, energy and money on producing your short films?
7)
You draw from a broad range of films.  Who do you believe has influenced you the most?
8)
Sick Individuals is an unusual name.  How did you come up with this name?
9)
If you could produce a full-length film what would it be called?
10) Stunt and Effects-wise, who has influenced you the most?
 

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1) Sick Individual Productions are a Ballarat (Australia) based amateur short film company who make experimental and entertaining flicks. Headed and founded by Grant Meredith, and continually adding new and exciting members - view the Personalities Page for more info. They have won many awards and praise across the globe where many an entry into a short film festival has been entered. See Show Dates for previous screenings.

2) Sick Individual Productions first short was called 'The Real Jurassic Park' featuring the Robot of Power and a rubber Tyrannosaurus Rex. It was an extremely short stop motion animation piece involving the rubber dinosaur and some toy soldiers shot in my mother’s lounge room. Things have gone a long way since!

3) The budget at Sick Individual Productions is made to be as tight as possible. It can range from $100 (simply for the fuel to get to locations) to over $1000. We try to be as resourceful as possible, making props and building sets. In one production a whole rope bridge was made from scratch and spanned a 20 metre drop - Check out Tips & Tech. Every aspect of film-making costs, it's just how much you can improvise that will alter those costs.

4) Everything you see is DEFINITELY real. Download the Stunt Add (Right Click, Save As) video to see just how real it is! Aside from the occasional gun flash, it's real. All stunts are performed by the actors, and we pride ourselves in standing next to a charge to make the scene look more realistic (well, it is REAL!) People can get hurt though, but that's the next question...

5) Injuries: Bruises, Abrasions, Cuts, Chemical Burns, Shrapnel Wounds, you name it. But nothing major has happened. Just remember to always take your first aid kit along. 

6) My time and money is spent on films simply to entertain people. Film is my most capable form of communication. See the Films page for more. I love to show people my creations. You could say that I am a gladiator of film, I feed from the cheers of the crowd. As a person I am a thinker with creative thoughts constantly flowing. I do not make films for shock value or to be different, I am just being myself. Also I like to be anonymous while viewing a screening of a film of mine so then I can easily hang around afterwards and listen to what strangers are saying about them. Some comments are very funny. Some people after viewing the “Udds Armageddon” and lately "The I-Team" were shocked by the explosions and the danger involved. Those comments tell me that I have done what I think is an adequate job. The job is never perfect, but each one does show a progression in skills and techniques. Awards are great to receive but they are not the ultimate goal for me, I just liked to be shown and appreciated for my effort.


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7) Who has influenced me? This is a very hard question to answer. Firstly I grew up with an open television watching policy. When I was very young I watched a lot of English comedy such as Monty Python, The Goodies, Carry On movies, Love thy Neighbour etc. I think some of my humour comes from there. Also I loved to watch old monster movies and science fictions. I still rate the original King Kong as a fantastic movie even now. I also read heaps of myths and legends. The work of Ray Harryhausen and his visual monster effects left me spell bound and even now many years after his last movie was finished I would say they are almost unmatched for technical brilliance. Check out the fighting skeletons in “Jason and the Argonauts”. Actor wise I admire the older actors from classic Hollywood. Marlon Brando had an enormous screen presence (not his gut), Charlton Heston was also a powerful actor along with Steve McQueen. I like how Buster Keaton used to do all of his own stunts and many of his jokes were very clever. The silent era of filmmaking was visually brilliant as it lacked sound to get the entertainment across. Lately I am impressed with John Cusack, Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage and Steve Buscimi just to name a few. Producer/Director wise you cannot go past Alfred Hitchcock, Tarantino, Tim Burton and even Spielberg just to name a very few. Ed Wood I might say is also an influence. Sure he may have made fairly average movies, but he had the drive and guts to do so against so many odds.

8) The name Sick Individual Productions strangely enough, came from a friend of mine whilst viewing a movie of a car wheelie shot by some friends. After the burnout, where three tyres were demolished, one of them faced the camera and said “A very sick individual” I liked it so much that I used it myself. I think it suits my work though.

9) Producing a full length film? This is an extremely hard question. Well I would say at the moment it would be a comedy starring every character that I have ever used in some form, all my friends and I would call it “A Sick Individual - the not exactly true life story of Grant

10) Stunts and Effect Influences. Initially you'd have to go back to roots of the silent film era, looking at the physical comical geniuses of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. During my childhood, I was hugely influenced by Hong Kong/Samurai blood and guts style fims. The work of Quentin Taratino is also influencing, but more obviously would have to be Jackie Chan. Once again - visit my Tips & Tech pages for my own stunt work. Or view the Stunt Add in the Downloads section.


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