September 20th 2024.
In an exclusive interview, author Craig Silvey shared an old saying that advises against working with children or animals. However, Silvey, who wrote the children's book Runt and produced the new film adaptation, couldn't recommend it enough. He spoke to 9news.com.au and couldn't stop gushing about how beautiful it was to watch Lily LaTorre and Squid, who played Annie and Runt, become the best of friends by the end of the shoot. He praised their professionalism and adored every moment of working on the film.
Runt tells the story of Annie Shearer, a young girl who enters her stray dog Runt into a dog show to save her family's farm from a drought. When it came time to find the perfect location to film, Silvey had his heart set on York, a town located about 97 kilometres outside of Perth, Western Australia. Transforming York into the fictional town of Upson Downs was no easy feat, but the enthusiastic and excited locals made it all possible.
The main street of York, Avon Terrace, is a historic site on Ballardong Nyoongar land. With its untouched landscape and surrounded by paddocks and gumtrees, it's no wonder why Silvey and the location scouts fell in love with it. However, filming in York did come with a few risks, and the production team hired a local snake catcher, Jyden Couzens, to ensure the safety of the cast and crew. Silvey shared a funny anecdote about Couzens finding a shingleback lizard on set, which ended up making it into the final cut of the film.
But the lizard wasn't the only local to make their big screen debut in Runt. 94 of the town's 2300 residents were chosen as extras, including Stacee Ross and her daughters Dakoda, 11, and Shiloh, nine. Ross, who manages the historic Castle Hotel in York, revealed that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be a part of the film. With projects like Runt, The Twelve's second season, and the upcoming film Overture, York has quietly positioned itself as a TV and movie hotspot.
Shire of York CEO Chris Linnell shared that hosting film crews brings in a lot of cash and pride to the small town. He estimated that over half a million dollars was brought in directly from Runt's production, and the cast and crew stayed in town, shopped local, and used local services during their five-week stay. The influx of people during the usually quiet months of October and November was a huge boost for local businesses like the Castle Hotel and Settlers House York.
The author, Silvey, also showed his appreciation for the town by hosting a preview screening of the film before its release. He returned to York and held two screenings at the historic Town Hall, one for the local kids and another for the wider community. The turnout was overwhelming, with about 400 people showing up. Silvey couldn't have been prouder and hopes that the film will inspire more people to support the Australian screen industry.
The people of York also hope to see their town become a preferred location for Australian productions, but Runt will always hold a special place as the first major movie filmed in town. Linnell believes that in the future, there will be grandparents telling their grandkids that they were in the movie. Runt was released in cinemas across Australia on September 19, and Silvey hopes that its persistently optimistic message will encourage more people to back the Australian screen industry. And for those who want to stay updated on all the latest breaking news, celebrities, and sports, they can follow 9news.com.au on WhatsApp. No comments, no algorithm, and no one can see their private details.
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