Violet” is, at its core, a character study framed as a revenge film. Our titular character becomes the catalyst for the story arc of struggling playwright Arthur, who deliberately recasts Violet in his make-or-break stage adaptation of a film he made years earlier. Enter his new muse, Georgia — through her, the film adopts a detective-noir sensibility, as she relentlessly interrogates Arthur’s checkered past with her predecessor.

The audience gradually uncovers how Violet’s success has, in a way, derailed Arthur’s career trajectory. There’s something both darkly comic and tragic about Arthur’s obsession with someone so unattainable. Here is a man who once invited Violet into his creative world, only to watch her rise beyond his reach.

At the centre of this emotional fallout stands Georgia, the fresh-faced outsider, caught in the middle like someone trying to break up a fight between two bitter parents. There’s something about her curiosity and innocence that my co-writer Izzy and I found captivating.

The act of recasting itself becomes symbolic — a way to literally place Georgia between Arthur and Violet. By “replacing” Violet with a new actor, we invite the audience to consider Arthur’s motives. Is he seeking closure? Revenge? Redemption? Through this, we get to experiment a lot with perspective, exploring whether Georgia or Arthur emerges as the more reliable narrator — at least when it comes to peeling back the façade that Violet presents.

I was still undertaking my Bachelor of Secondary Education over the last two shorts and two features I made, churning through my Maths and English majors. The latter subject may strike many people as an odd combination, but it was partially inspired by how Christopher Nolan undertook literature during his time at UCL. I knew this would be just as instrumental as watching endless films, and it continued to shape my passion for writing, and if anything, qualified me as both a Maths and Film Teacher now at a High School in Brisbane, Australia.

Before moving overseas, I’ve already had a habit of watching films growing up in Hong Kong. The films of Johnnie To and Stephen Chow, as well as action thrillers of Hong Kong cinema really inspired me as a kid. It was until I watched Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’ which made me intrigued by the capacity of film directing. When I was 15, I discovered gems such as ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘A Clockwork Orange’, ‘Schindler’s List’, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, and ‘Fight Club’, and I became transfixed with the elevated power of what the possibilities of cinema were.

I always find myself rewatching Martin Scorsese films in terms of the way he moves the camera and how he elicits such electrifying performances out of his actors. And I love studying the way Steven Spielberg masterfully blocks a scene through how he moves the camera and positions his actors, all while capturing important moments in such well-choreographed oners. It’s difficult to pick a favourite film, but some of my favourite filmmakers apart from the already aforementioned ones, include Yorgos Lanthimos, Christopher Nolan, Stanley Kubrick, Terry Gilliam, Wong Kar-Wai, Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola, Ingmar Bergman, Luis Buñuel, and Charlie Chaplin etc.

I don’t consider myself a genre filmmaker. I’ve never sat down to write a screenplay thinking, “I’m going to write a western today,” or, “I’m going to make a film in this specific genre.” For me, it always begins with the characters and the ideas I want to explore. From there, I adapt whichever genre conventions best serve the story, while leaving enough room to experiment with the elements I’m working with.

Before I begin any film, I ask myself one question: Do I have something to say?

I can’t recall exactly when I first recognized this guiding principle, but I’ve followed it since my debut short film, Flying Solo (2021). Over time, as I’ve shared my work with audiences, I’ve come to realize how much satisfaction I get when people from different walks of life engage with my stories — whether through cinema screenings I’ve hosted, festival runs, or even through those who rent or purchase my previous rom-com, The Wing Girl (2023), on Amazon Prime.

Those experiences have only reinforced why I love telling stories and the transformative power of the medium — its ability to connect with someone and speak directly to them.

We had over 50 cast and crew members on the film, so in terms of people management, that certainly was the biggest challenge as I’ve never dealt with such a large group of people on a set before.

It’s a fine line: you want to give everyone the space to share their thoughts and ideas, but not at the expense of filming a take. Balancing that with staying true to your vision — and being ready to justify why something matters, can be tough, especially when I dislike being an authoritarian.

One moment that comes to mind is the dolly shot around Georgia near the end of the montage sequence, when Arthur recalls his infatuation with Violet in the house. By 11:30 p.m., we were running out of time, and I was told we could just do the shot on a tripod. I had to really advocate for that dolly move — it was crucial for creating a sense of momentum, almost like the interrogation scenes in The Usual Suspects. Thankfully, my cam-op Chris nailed the move quickly, which saved the entire house scene from feeling completely static.

Another challenge was making split-second decisions while building trust with the cast and crew, especially when figuring out new setups or changing the blocking on the fly. Sometimes it’s hard for people to see how a scene will come together until everything is in place — and I wish there were a way to make that process less abstract. At the end of the day, it’s about holding on to clarity of vision while staying open to improvisation and keeping the flow of creativity alive, even when the realities of a film set threaten to shut it down. Honestly, some of the best moments came from those spur-of-the-moment decisions. If filmmaking were just about grinding through a shot list and obsessing over continuity, it wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding.

The best compliment after the film’s premiere was from my DP Josh, who admitted he was surprised how the final product came together given the occasionally chaotic days on set. For me, having the unknown hover over us is what leads to discovering the beauty within the chaos.

I do pride myself in my casting instincts, as I’m blessed to have had many fruitful and collaborative relationships with actors over the years, particular on this project. I remember a gaffer once asking me, ‘how do you manage to make your actors all feel like they are your friends?’, and I remember feeling both complimented and startled. Shouldn’t you always have a positive bond with your cast members? At least for me, that’s something I’ve always valued. I can never imagine how an antagonistic or combative collaboration would result in anything productive.

For ‘Violet’, we had a lengthy audition process of over 40 actors before we landed on the final ensemble. This cast really made me step up my game as a director. I’ve often worked with actors coming from theatre, making their screen debuts in my projects, but this group already had plenty of short film credits prior. That meant I had to make sure the usual production hiccups — reframing shots, fixing lighting issues, or racing the clock at a location — didn’t stop me from staying present with my actors.

Even if it’s just giving a quick note or suggesting one small adjustment for the next take, I always want my direction to feel supportive rather than results-driven. I never want the actors to feel like I’m taking their performances for granted — just that I’m giving them a little nudge to find something new in the moment.

And of course, I think it’s just as important to leave time to laugh and not take things too seriously. A bit of banter goes a long way in keeping the set from feeling too heavy or overwhelming. Whatever stress I might be under as a director, I try to make sure it never spills over onto the performers.

Through our screenings, audiences tend to debate on where their sympathies should lie with Violet, and particularly whether Arthur makes for a likeable character. Many people surprisingly found the film quite amusing in terms of the way Arthur’s pettiness is turned against him. From his perspective, Violet never truly respected what he contributed — and that gnawing resentment drives the narrative. People have said that it almost plays like a love story, but a twisted one, because there was never any romance to begin with. So it really stems from just obsession over someone who’s leagues ahead of him. What I am the most proud of, is the way audiences connected with Georgia, played by Eloise Molloy. She brings such a quiet, observant, and controlled restraint towards the character that allows the audience to discover the narrative just as her character would, and it makes her eventual role in the third act all the more powerful.

Anyone who’s watched my previous feature film ‘The Wing Girl’ on Amazon Prime and my short film ‘I Have a Boyfriend’ would know that I’ve dabbled in comedy for a while, but I’d say ‘Violet’ is in many ways my funniest film having seen some of the reactions, even though broadly speaking, it’s still deeply rooted in the vein of a character drama.

Many people have asked me whether I’ve based Arthur on myself, and whether there is indeed a real Violet in my life. Perhaps that is why I become a bit sensitive when people label Arthur a villain. I suppose that’s the inside joke of the film, which I was initially worried that I would be the only one in on it. But based on the reactions so far, it seems that everyone is on the punchline too.

At its core, filmmaking for me is about being in dialogue with the films I love watching on screen. When it comes to what we bring to the table, we are given a toolkit of conventions to draw on, whether it’s a new A24 release or a classic I’ve recently discovered. What we choose to draw on comes down to the ideas we are hoping to convey. This, together with how audiences engages with the filmic language presented, will result in an experience that is unique and most of all – original.  

I don’t think there’s a single filmmaker who isn’t chasing exposure. Filmmaking is already an expensive endeavour, and submitting to film festivals adds yet another financial commitment — one we don’t often discuss. Not to mention we’re competing with thousands of filmmakers around the world for a coveted official selection. To get the most out of a festival, the first step is researching which ones align with your needs as a filmmaker. Will the festival allow you to network with producers who might finance a future project? Will you have the chance to connect with distributors who can expand your film’s reach? Or is your goal simply to screen your work and generate interest from peers for future collaborations? Ultimately, understanding how your values align with each festival helps narrow your focus and make smarter, more intentional choices about where to submit.

Currently, I’m in the final stages of post-production for a Gothic Music Video for an LA band, which is evolving into a short film. It follows the arranged marriage of a young girl in the 17^th century to an elusive and vampiric count, where she unravels the bloody fate of his ex-wives. Add in some reincarnation elements and complex dance choreography, you’ll get an experience beyond just a riff on Angela Carter’s ‘The Bloody Chamber’, and I’m excited for that to premiere early next year.

Violet is arguably my best film thus far, based on its festival recognition and the team that I’ve put together has generated a finished product that far surpasses the quality of anything I’ve done before. It’s also one where I’ve had a stronger grasp over its thematic and narrative heft, so I’m working towards getting it distributed on streaming platforms beyond simply Amazon Prime.

There are two feature films I am writing now, and I am hoping Violet generates enough traction to secure greater funding, as one of my goals is for them to be filmed outside of Australia. As I have never really planned too far in advance in terms of where I see myself in the future, I am excited to see what happens next.