Meet the maker: Tyler Bell creator of 'Chicken Soup'

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

487548508_640.jpgSwellnet is a proud sponsor of the inaugural Sydney Surf Film Festival (SSFF), a two week celebration of surfing on celluloid. Over the next fortnight we'll be running interviews with the folk behind all the shortlisted films. This time 'round it's Tyler Bell, upcoming auteur and creator of 'Chicken Soup' (playing at Manly this Friday night).

Swellnet: Tell us a bit about yourself.
Tyler Bell: I’m a 20-year-old filmmaker from Manly.

How did you get started in filmmaking and why? Did you study filmmaking formally or are you self-taught?
I picked up a camera at a young age, like most people, just cruising taking happy snaps on family vacation. Then I guess I enjoyed it more and more so started filming friends surfing, and I'm still doing the same thing today. I haven’t been to film school or anything. I finished high school two years ago.

How did your film come about?
In July last year I was in Bali for a month with a bunch of friends surfing, partying and having a good time. I lugged all of my camera gear over there travelling for the whole month on multiple planes and ferries and didn’t touch it until I found out from a friend Ozzie [Wright] was around so we met up and shot everyday.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Friends and other cool people.

How do you feel about your work being seen on the big screen?
It’s pretty cool, don’t think I’ve ever had a film in something this big so it will be a good experience.

What equipment do you use?
Canon 7D and a bunch of old Super 8 cameras.

What do you think makes a good story? How do you set about translating that onto the screen? What is your starting point?
Majority of my previous films kind of just happened as it did. Except for some of my later projects that had a bit more thought and pre-production. I think anything can make a good story as long as it’s shown the right way.

How much of the process do you think is creative and how much do you think is technical?
I think they are both pretty similar if you are doing all of the work yourself.

Where do you see the future of surf filmmaking going?
Somewhere different.

What piece of advice do you wish you’d been given when starting out as a filmmaker?
I still am starting out. I always listen to what people around me in the industry have to say and ways to collaborate and learn off them. So yeah, maybe that, ha ha.

For dates and times of all screenings visit the SSFF website.