Little Fish

The lonely, echoing piano tune that haunts the movie also plays over the DVD menu, and along with the set up and scene options there is a slew of extras. The theatrical trailer and deleted scenes - with or without writer and director comentary - are joined by two 25 minute doccos, (to use the Aussie vernacular) - an interview with the director and a making of.

The making of reveals the depth of research and lengthy time scales director Rowan Woods employs in his work. The high-profile cast all seem keen and comitted to the project, attracted primarily by Blanchette's involvement. And the informal more relaxed work methods have brought out fine performances from the principal players, who all contribute interviews. Writer Jacqueline Perske and Woods discuss the development and pre-production phases, then the rehersal process - longer than for a Hollywood project, but suited to this intimate domestic piece.

Woods uses a timeline which he puts up on a big long wall. As well as story elements on index cards he employs a colour line to indicate the mood of the shots as the story evolves, interesting. All of the actors praise the research that Woods encourages, even if some found the sheer amount of interviews and DVDs daunting. This is echoed by Woods own words in the seperate interview where he answers a series of standard "Where do you get your ideas..." questions. Here he reveals the seed of the project germinated 11 years earlier and the writer only came in late in the project and changed the central character from brother to sister.

The deleted scenes comentary are relevant and shed light on modern Aussie film making.

All in all, an hour of intersting and stimulating jaw for movie buffs, check it out.