Director Craig Alexander (left) with actors John Rogers (middle) and
PJ Williams (right) on the set of Snatchers. Photo by Quentin Nguyen.

Principal photography commenced this week on feature film, Snatchers, created, shot, and produced entirely within the vibrant community of Canberra. Led by a diverse team of predominantly local cast and crew, Snatchers represents a beacon of creativity and talent in the region.

In a dystopian Australia, perpetually broke best friends, Mac (Craig Alexander) and Fettes (Justin Hocking), work as orderlies in a hospital, barely scraping by. To escape their dire circumstances, they decide to target the lucrative black market where The Elite pay good money for fresh organs from young, healthy (and not so wealthy) corpses.

Enter Jane Doe (Hannah McKenzie), a beautiful and anonymous corpse, ripe for the picking, conveniently declared dead at their hospital. She’s a Snatcher’s perfect ten: One hundred intact and by all accounts perfectly healthy (albeit a little dead), and worth a squillion.

While the journey to bring Snatchers to life hasn’t been without its challenges, the team remains steadfast in their commitment to showcasing the immense talent Canberra has to offer. Writer, director, and actor Craig Alexander expressed the team’s aspirations, stating, “Funding bodies need you to prove yourself before they can risk the funds, and to prove yourself, you need to create work. It’s a catch-22. We got to the point where we just have to take a risk on ourselves and believe in the work and the team around us.”

Director Craig Alexander (right) and Director of Photography Luke Patterson
(left) on the set of Snatchers. Photo by Quentin Nguyen.

The struggle for recognition extends beyond funding to distribution, with sales agents typically hesitant to commit to ‘first-time’ filmmakers. Nevertheless, the team remains undeterred, fuelled by the support of private investors who have enabled the project to progress through filming. Producer and co-director Shelly Higgs emphasised the wealth of experience within the team, highlighting the combined decades of expertise that underpin their creative vision.

“There are a lot of firsts for us as a group,” Higgs remarked, “but you’ve got to realise the years and years of experience that are also in the mix. Craig has worked as an actor for over twenty years. He knows his style, he has a voice, he knows how to tell a story. Add to that my experience directing performance and working in visual storytelling, Luke Patterson’s precision and vision as a DOP, Imogen Keen’s next-level ability as production designer – and you might begin to realise the potential of our team.”

With principal photography underway, Snatchers promises to captivate audiences with its unique narrative and showcase the depth of talent within Canberra’s creative community. As the project progresses, the team remains hopeful that their dedication and passion will inspire support from funding bodies, paving the way for future projects and solidifying Canberra’s burgeoning reputation as a hub of filmmaking excellence.

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