Dean Krywood as Kit Savage in Old Mate.

An Aussie thug uncovers a live-streamed fight tournament to the death and finds himself the star of the show, while facing a second fight that can’t be fought with fists: finding a reason to get up tomorrow.

On the surface, Old Mate is a high-impact story with a supercharged soundtrack not taking itself too seriously: a wild, authentic ride that flips a middle finger to The Man. But its core function is a purge of the stress and anger of the chaotic modern age. It’s tonally similar to Fight Club, Snatch and Two Hands. Our elite team are injecting the same flare and production value into Old Mate as they’ve brought to films like Mad Max: Fury Road, Ocean’s 8, Alien: Covenant, and for Marvel/DC. Right now has become one of the hardest times to make movies (for real). We have zero industry support. This film is for the people, by the people. That means, you decide if it gets made or not. Reaching this target finances the shoot. Once we do, Mitch the writer/director (an award-winning VFX artist and editor) can keep working and prevent the project from stalling while producers engage finishing funds, which get much easier to negotiate the closer to completion (funny that).

John Harding as Nigel the Nihilist in Old Mate.

We’re making the film we’ve wanted to see with a message we need to hear but haven’t. Beneath the carnage are 3 core messages: 1. It’s not healthy to be healthy in a society that’s sick. 2. Everyone falls, but only a good enough reason helps us get back up. 3. Living for the self doesn’t fulfill us for long. But living for each other fulfills all of us forever. Audiences will walk away revitalised with practical tools for realistic hope, happiness, and purpose in an increasingly confusing world, and a renewed drive for any mission they feel passionately about. Each character reflects the ideologies an individual can slip into when they lose purpose: hedonism, masochism, nihilism, existentialism, sadism, and ultimately, altruism. “Pleasure, pain, profit, and power, running towards or running away, running around for so long they forget why they’re running” – Old Mate Kit is the archetypal individual battling and navigating them to escape the wheel of self-sabotage.

Reaching this target, gets the film made. We won’t stop until it is, and your dollars decide when. The end result has all the ingredients of a commercially appealing cult classic that will engage activism and reverberate a critical message for decades. The writer/director’s and cinematographer’s, experience with cutting edge tech have led us to create lighter workflows and a strategic story which drastically lower costs and allow us to make a film that rubs shoulders with big-budget films for less than one episode of a low-budget series. Mitch has founded 3 production companies, one with Alex Proyas (dir. I, Robot, The Crow) and his most recent, Savage Charm Media Co. (Mythbusters, AC/DC). He and Jordan were tech consultants to install the LED volume at AFTRS, on which they’ve also shot some of Old Mate‘s concept short.

Meet the Crew!

Mitch Charman Writer and Director

For over 7 years, Mitch has carved a career as a multi-award winning VFX artist, creative director, motion designer, and editor for film, TV, and advertising. He’s best known for his work on OCEAN’s 8, Mythbusters, AC/DC’s music video Realize, and his work with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Australian Federal Police (AFP). He’s taught at and consulted for the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), the Australian Film, Radio, and Television School (AFTRS), and Billy Blue Academy of Design; and has co-founded three production companies including the Heretic Foundation, a VFX/virtual production company with Alex Proyas (dir. Gods of Egypt, I, Robot). Mitch is also a twice-published author and his artwork has been exhibited internationally, including at TEDx@Perth and Paris Fashion Week. He is the director of Savage Charm Media Co.

Savage Charm is an elite collective of media mercenaries bringing our experience from studio films to an indie action/dark comedy with a critical, charged message and an authentic voice: the passion project we’ve wanted to see – but haven’t.

“We’re making our $1.5M production budget look and feel like $5M by bringing the same flare and production value we’ve learnt from working on previous productions including Mad Max: Fury Road, Aquaman, Alien: Covenant, Ocean’s 8, Mythbusters, and for AC/DC and Madonna,” says Mitch.

Armi Marquez-Perez Producer

An entire army in one Armi, he leaves a trail of legal, cultural, gender, and identity reform in his wake. As well as curating film festivals, he was also a guest judge and programmer for Stiges, Melbourne Queer, and Shanghai International. He knows movies. As well as the slate of films he has produced, most recently The Flood, his work with marginalized, under-represented, and disempowered communities and individuals continues to compound his profound societal impact.

Jordan Allison Cinematographer

The Head of Cinematic at SunStudios and a career lighting tech/grip for Australia’s elite, Jordan brings a world class skill set and strong network to Old Mate’s production: a significant asset. He wields light and perspective with wit and eloquence, bearing witness to the meaningful absurdity in the every day. The ideal eye for Old Mate.

Dane Hallett Production Designer

An adept concept designer, creature artist and prop maker. In addition to the illustration work for Alien: Covenant, his work has also been featured in The Wolverine, and several hero vehicles and props on Mad Max: Fury Road. He’s bringing his studio experience down into the mud for Old Mate, leaning into our vibe with one driving phrase: authenticity.

Boo Stojanovic // Costume Designer Croatian/Australian costume designer & stylist, Boo Stojanovic is a sidewards thinker with a “Mary Poppins” bag of solutions (and a not-so-Poppins sense of humour). She’s the first-pick designer for many Australian films, series, and music videos, most recently for John Curran’s Mercy Road.

Mason Vellios Composer

What Mitch is to the eyes, Mason is the ears of Old Mate. He has been a composer, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist for over a decade. When he’s not winning awards, he’s playing to sellout crowds. He’s had firework shows choreographed to his music, and even opened for the Wildcats as a Blues Brother. He’s been making the soundtrack for Old Mate since 2017.

Click here to find out more about the Old Mate crowdfunding campaign.