Director Lawrence Johnston rose to international prominence in the 1990s through his stylish, introspective portraits of contemporary urban life. His debut short film Night Out was an Official Selection at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, and his subsequent works received acclaim in LA and Toronto. With a history of circling around themes of uncertainty, violence and urban loneliness, the interviewers in this recording observe that he seems to have 'a penchant for the dark side’.

This excerpt reflects how wide-ranging artist interviews allow filmmakers to dive deeper into their process, beyond public perception of established credits. Johnston lightly pushes back on the interviewers’ characterisation of his work, unpacking a broad range of inspirations through a discussion of his unfinished projects.

Vocalising his affection for Dumber and Dumber-style comedies, he discusses an unmade film, Land of the Long White Sheila, that exists somewhere between script and myth. The story, a surreal odyssey of two Texan boys following a treasure map across Australia’s roadside icons, reveals Johnston’s fascination with national identity, kitsch and cinematic possibility. The clip also offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the global film industry through brief mentions of cross-cultural collaborators and incomplete projects yet to take form.