James Branson is a Sydney-based filmmaker and the writer, director, executive producer, co-editor, and co-writer of the original score to feature film Bunny - a post-apocalyptic quasi horror about a young woman roaming climate-ravaged Australia in search of sustenance.

In this conversation we delve into:

• James background as a musician, marketer and editor of grungy zine and YouTube channel.
• Making a documentary series about a BDSM sex cult in Armidale.
• How a forced redundancy at work led to James self-financing his debut feature Bunny.
• How he made the film completely independently with the help of producer Taylor Thompson.
• Using his marketing skills to take the film out via self distribution.

Enjoy this great nuts and bolts chat about how it is still possible to make a strong film completely independently.

The film will be touring Australia in early 2026. More details on their website: https://afilmcalledbunny.com/

Follow Bunny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afilmcalledbunny/

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James Hunter is an award-winning Melbourne-based filmmaker, originally from Canberra, who just completed his debut feature film The Latcher - a psychological horror starring Lucy Lovegrove under his production company Full Cycle Films.

In this conversation, we delve into:

• James' life as a filmmaker
• Making shorts as a child and having one play at a film festival when he was 12
• Dropping out of school at 16 to move to Sydney to study film
• Returning to Canberra and winning Best Film and Best Director at Lights Canberra Action 2016 while developing feature film scripts
• Moving to Melbourne and shooting his short Nest on film to film festival success, where it premiere at the 69th Melbourne International Film Festival, in the Accelerator Shorts program, an annual MIFF initiative designed to fast-track the feature film careers of outstanding emerging filmmakers. Alumni of MIFF Accelerator include Taika Waititi (Thor Ragnarok), David Michod (Animal Kingdom), Justin Kurzel (True History of the Kelly Gang) and Natalie Erika James (Relic).
• How he pulled off production on his debut feature film The Latcher.

You can find James on ⁠Instagram or his website: https://www.jameshunterfilm.com/

And follow his film The Latcher too.

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Ché Baker is a Canberra-based filmmaker who writes, produces, directs, edits, acts, does visual effects, martial arts, and authored the novel Rule of Knowledge under his penname Scott Baker.

Under his production company Full Point Films he has directed two feature films: Blue World Order (co-directed with Dallas Bland, starring Billy Zane) and the recently completed States of Mind, set for release in 2026.

In this sprawling conversation, we talk through:

• How Ché's ambition created himself the opportunity to attend university in North Carolina where he got a production assistant role on Dawson's Creek,
• His year in Wellington on The Hobbit trilogy and getting to do motion capture performance for Spielberg in Tintin,
• How his 2012 Lights Canberra Action short Blue World Order won him Best Performance and Best VFX and then developed into a feature length film,
• The dark side of distribution, and;
• Everything about his upcoming film States of Mind.

You can find Che on facebook and instagram.

As always, follow Truly Rotten Tomatoes on:

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⁠Facebook ⁠⁠

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Or send us an email: ⁠trulyrottentomatoes@gmail.com⁠

Ujjwal Rai is a fast-rising Nepalese filmmaker based in Canberra, who has quickly made his mark on the local scene with his prolific award-winning productions through his company Sirujal Ever Films.

He has directed music videos with 12 million views, won awards at Lights Canberra Action, Canberra Short Film Festival and Tropefest, and is in early development on his debut feature film Maha Maya, which just received funding from Arts ACT.

In this conversation, we cover everything from his upbringing on a farm in Nepal, his ambition to move to Australia, how getting residency left him feeling empty, how he started on his film journey and what he's doing next.

Follow his production company on:

Instagram and YouTube.

As always, follow Truly Rotten Tomatoes on:

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Or send us an email: trulyrottentomatoes@gmail.com

In this new chapter of the Truly Rotten Potatoes saga, Declan begins an interview series with filmmakers and creatives.

Craig Alexander is an actor who just wrote, starred in, edited, and co-directed (with his wife Shelly Higgs) his debut feature film: Snatchers, an independent film produced in Canberra that premiered internationally at Raindance.

Ahead of it's Australian cinema release, Declan and Craig talk through the details of Craig's career, how Snatchers came about, and share war stories about making independent films.

Follow Truly Rotten Potatoes on:

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Or send us an email: trulyrottentomatoes@gmail.com

This is a controversial one because this episode's subject FREELANCE (2023) is not currently on our bible: the official 0% list.

It was, briefly, but a couple late reviews came in which pumped it to 7%. We cover those in the episode.

This potato stars wrestler John Cena and Alison Brie (best known as Annie on Community) and was directed by frenchman Pierre Morel, best known as the director of the Liam Neeson movie Taken.

Only a few movies left on the official bible of 0%ers!!!

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In this episode of Australia's toughest podcast, we discuss the death of Matthew Perry from Friends, read a bit of Calvin and Hobbs and most importantly...

Terry Crews, former footballer and current actor, stars as the titular character in 2020's John Henry.

John Henry is a strong man who lives in South Central Los Angeles and no longer is in gangs with his cousin Hell, played by Ludcaris.

The story is a reimagining of the John Henry folktale, a part of American folklore since the 1800s.

Only a few movies left on the official bible of 0%ers!!!

Originally published 29 October 2023.

Morgan and Declan invite filmmaker and musician Kyneisha Murray into the studio talk about 2020's Hard Kill a film from our 0% Bible - in fact, the LAST ONE chronologically! (as of this taping)

This potato stars Bruce Willis (in his second appearance on the pod! Check out our episode on Precious Cargo to see his other appearance) & Jesse Metcalfe (from Passions! and Desperate Housewives! and John Tucker Must Die)

We are nearing the end of our 0% list, and therefore nearly free from the hellscape this podcast has enslaved us within!

Originally published 11 September 2023.