ABBESS, SHANE – GABRIEL
ANGELS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMERA
Debuting filmmaker Shane Abbess was determined to make an Australian gothic
action movie, and the lack of money didn’t deter him. Now the film has been
picked up for worldwide distribution by Sony – a deal he could have only dreamt
of when his own movie ‘angel’ first came to rescue. Andrew L. Urban visited the
set during production of Gabriel and talked to Abbess.
The outwardly conservative Vaucluse House in Sydney’s elegant harbourside suburb
is seething with sin inside, as the crew turn it into Funhouse, a brothel run by
the character in the film who represents Lust. Arcs (angels) and the Fallen,
battle for souls in purgatory … not a place with which Vaucluse House is
generally associated. Writer/director Shane Abbess sits on a wobbly chair next
to my wobbly chair in the gravel outside to talk about his debut feature,
Gabriel. “It’s a gothic action drama,” says Abbess, a young man with a long face
and an intensity – or perhaps determination – about him.
"an impossible film that Abbess was determined to
make"
Gabriel is an impossible film that Abbess was determined to make; it’s a
genre film with an unknown cast, made for ridiculously small amounts of money
(and lots of deferred payments to cast and crew). That strategy seems to have
paid off, because on the eve of the film’s Australian release, Sony – which had
acquired the Australian & New Zealand rights - also bought world rights. It was
James M. Vernon’s Screen Corporation that picked up Gabriel at its inception and
guided Abbess through production, helping with finance and experience. Vernon
was the ‘angel’ that saved Gabriel, as it were.
“We very pleased with the outcome of the arrangements with Sony” says Vernon.
“Sony was extremely responsive to the movie and we believe that they are the
right company to do the best job marketing the movie world-wide. Screen
Corporation is not a traditional sales agent. We act more like an asset manager,
positioning a movie to get a better distribution and financial outcome” says
Vernon, who gathered a small group of private investors to support the
production.
Abbess has a very definite view of what it is he is trying to do. “I want to
make a film in Australia that’s entertaining and fun. People go to see Spider
Man for fun … I think there’s a place for all types of cinema. And I’m not going
to be held back by a lack of budget.”
In a film that deals with angels and fallen angels, souls and sin, set in
purgatory, you’d think CGI would be a must, but Abbess is adamant that he wants
to “go back before CGI” and use reality as far as possible. The neutral setting
– purgatory – also allows him latitude with accents, and for the sake of popular
culture, the prevailing accent in the world is not Australian, but American. “We
accept that these sorts of characters sound American, not Australian. As a film
fan I accept certain accents as they have been implanted in my head. Popular
culture is the issue.”
Of course the Australian film industry has argued long and hard that it’s
precisely because of this cultural implantation of American accents that we need
a vibrant film industry of our own – with our own accents – to ultimate provide
an alternative voice in popular culture.
“We’re making a very commercial film,” says Abbess confidently. His confidence
seems to have been well founded, in view of the Sony deal. But it was bravado at
the time.
The film is shot on a new JVC HDV camera. “It has areal look to it,” says
Abbess. “It’s set in an oppressive world, so there’s a lot style .. but it’s not
over stylised. And there’s no tongue in cheek stuff … it has more a comic book
feel. It’s intended to be closer to Bladerunner than Batman.”
"the clash between good and evil"
The story of Gabriel, says Abbess, “is basically the clash between good and
evil. Story is imperative, and I want to do something that’s also interesting on
an audio visual level. It has to be cinematic.”
Published November 15, 2007
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Shane Abbess
GABRIEL
Shane Abbess (center) on set
GABRIEL
Directed by Shane Abbess
Australian release: November 15, 2007
Arc Angel Gabriel (Andy Whitfield) is the last of the seven Arcs to step into
the ancient war between the Light and the Dark, whose warriors, seven each side,
have warred over the souls in purgatory for centuries. As Gabriel takes human
form – as do all the Arcs and the Fallen – he faces an all-powerful enemy in the
ruler of purgatory, Sammael (Dwaine Stevenson) who now holds the balance of
power. But he revels in the redemptive power of love when he rescues Jade
(Samantha Noble) and resolves to end the savage war.
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