Career Profile: Kerreen Ely-Harper, director

Kerreen Ely-Harper - a director in real life and virtual worlds.   

Kerreen Ely-Harper is a filmmaker, actor, and director who has been making waves for years with innovative, independent stories. Her latest project took her into Second Life to direct Shakespeare! She tells us about that experience, and her craft as a whole.

How did your training prepare you for work (and the search for work)?
My training at the Victorian College of the Arts (Drama School Acting Grad and Film School Directing Grad) gave me 'a foot in the door' so to speak, in that they are both industry based training courses with a focus on preparing you for a professional career. The primary reason for me training was to gain skills and experience that would stand me in good stead for a long term future in the performing and screen arts.

In regard to the search for work, training at well established, professionally accredited institutions did make it probably easier to get interviews and introductions initially. And there was an emphasis on being industry prepared and connected in my training so there were no shocks when I went from student to professional. But I have to say nothing can prepare you for the ups and downs of a freelance industry other than living it.

What's the best thing about your job? And the worst?
The best thing is the opportunity to create and work imaginatively with other practitioners, and to discover, make and share stories with others.

The worst thing is the poor financial return and employment uncertainty of project based work.

How have you found your experiences in Second Life?
Fascinating. I was very cynical at first, and initially disinterested as I'm not a computer gamer. I'm a cinefile and the large screen in-cinema experience is sacred to me. I saw the small screen domestic virtual world as nebulas and threatening - a place for lonely hearts, nerds and psychopaths.

But I could not ignore the figures (numbers of participants) and the research coming out about people's positive experiences. I attended an Australia Council Literature Board and LAMP (Laboratory of Advanced Media Production) AFTRS workshop in March in Melbourne. And gained a more informed insight from the presenters (a combo of writers and new media producers).
Their emphasis on community and participation, collaborative storytelling and narrative intrigued me because it varied so little from the things I cared about as a filmmaker and educator.

Kerreen in Second Life

So after my first workshop introduction I ventured into Second Life less judgemental and more curious. At first the technology was frustrating - very slow, constant crashing. But I have since upgraded my broadband and it's made a big difference. I would also easily give up and if something didn't go my way I would just swear and log out. But then I (as avatar) started to ask for help and I found most people (other avatars) really helpful (many had been struggling themselves at one time or another) and they would assist me and soon things began to change.

I've met some great people and had some intriguing conversations. I've also met some people I've not connected with and been to some islands that have been incredibly boring. My favourite thing is to meet friends and colleagues from real first life in Second life in favourite haunts - ABC, Melbourne Laneways - where something is actually happening (i.e.., events). The most powerful thing for me so far is how emotionally connected I feel to my avatar. As an extended self, totally independent with incredible freedom to come and go it can be quite liberating.

What do you see as the performative and educative possibilities of this world for you personally?
People most often enjoy role-playing a persona in a safe, co-creative space where things can happen that never could in real life. Virtual worlds offer people spaces to tell, devise and act out stories. They are not substitutes for live theatre and cinema, they are alternative spaces.

I am personally interested in these virtual spaces as domains for collaborative story telling and role-play through the participants investment in the shared world experience. I see great potential in developing these narrative possibilities especially in the area of education.

Some of the most exciting things happening in Second Life are on the Teen Grid (i.e. Global Kids) where communities of young people are creating and self-managing innovative projects many of them being presented in both first and second life.

I am keen to find new ways of engaging teachers and students in this new narrative playground especially in the area of re-imagining classical (i.e. Shakespeare) and Australian historical texts (i.e. First Fleet documents).

There is a wealth of material waiting to be uncovered and re-invented in the virtual story world. If given the necessary resources and infra-structure many of these new forms will become great learning tools in schools.

What¹s the first career related thing you do each day?
Check the e-mail.

You've worked across many forms, wearing multiple hats. Is diversifying your skill-set and experience the best way to get consistent work? How else does it serve you creatively?
Yes, I have continued to adapt and change to meet the demands of my profession to stay employable but primarily to become better at my craft. At times there has been a conflict about identity and art form. And I've been guilty of spreading myself too thin especially in lean times.

Acting was never enough for me and once I had achieved many of my goals I basically out grew it and lost the desire. I progressively found my film director's voice through teaching, writing, theatre and short film making. Directing film is where I am most comfortable, excited and challenged.

I work across art forms because I can. I find they are often inter-related and sometimes the answers to questions can lie in another medium for me. My work with actors is informed by my own training and experience as an actor. My work as an educator has assisted me in dealing with people, and in communicating and developing ideas. These skill areas may not necessarily be directly related to film direction but are relevant.

My 'multiple hats' serves me creatively if I apply the right process to the desired outcome. And I try to be quite disciplined in getting that equation right. For example when in teacher role I focus on facilitating a learning process for the student actor but when I am directing I will make demands on the actor to meet a specific performance outcome that could be inappropriate if applied in a teacher-student context.

Do you have a favourite or preferred forum in which to create?
Film - the moving picture.

What's next for you?
I have a number of projects in development - an interactive virtual role-play narrative (recent recipient of LAMP residency), two short narrative films, a long form documentary - and a documentary Even Girls on girls who play Australian Rules in post-production. All these projects need constant attention and funding, so lots of investment and grant application writing ahead!