Perth Voice Interactive

URBAN mini-cinema The Backlot has marked 10 years, growing from a thought bubble to a hub for local filmmakers and film lovers.

Before opening The Backlot, Ian Hale had worked for the big end of film town, handling Australian releases for international studios.

“It was a startup business, and comin g from a background where I’d worked with Paramount and Universal for 20 years… the first few years were really tough, they were hard work,” he says. 

With his business partners Jason Dover and Sian Collins, “we were the first arts-based business in this area,” a little West Perth locale between Newcastle Street and the Freeway known as The Pickle District. 

“I think there’s something like 10 or 15 arts-based businesses in the area now… we’re really proud about establishing that.”

The Backlot opened as a 50-seat hire space for private screenings, presentations, and functions. It’s hosted a slew of indy films that have gone on to make it big, they’ve nourished nascent film festivals, screened archival WAFL footage to sold-out crowds, and even live-streamed competitive video gaming events, where local fans gather to watch international pros play computer games for surprisingly large purses. 

Some of Mr Hales’ other highlights from the past 10 years have been featured in these pages, like the time farmer Terry Brennan made a four-hour round-trip to see The Irishman at The Backlot in 2019 (“De Niro and de far-o,” Voice, November 30, 2019). 

“He’d only ever seen four movies in his life!” he chuckles. 

Technically it was three-and-a-half movies, as Mr Brennan had fallen asleep during a 1972 screening of The French Connection. 

“That was amazing that he took the time to drive out here from Goomalling to see [The Irishman] at 11 in the morning.”

But the farmer and the film fanatic made fast friends as they got chatting about the Martin Scorcese flick, which was highly regarded by film critics but earned only a “five out of 10” from Mr Brennan, who thought the last hour could’ve been condensed into five minutes. 

Mr Hale says it’s the social aspect that’s been the most enjoyable element for him: “At the end of the day, if the business is ticking over successfully, that’s fantastic… but it’s the people you meet, and the friends you end up making.”

by DAVID BELL