Rhys Wakefield in Sanctum
After making a name for himself in Aussie soap Home and Away Rhys Wakefield has been establishing himself as a movie actor.
Sanctum was the last time that we saw him on the big screen, which is released on DVD today, a James Cameron produced project.
I caught up with the actor to talk about the movie, the training and preparation he underwent before the camera started rolling and what lies ahead.
- Sanctum is due for release here in the UK so for anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet can you tell me a bit about it?
I would describe Sanctum as a ride of a film as it is an action adventure film. It’s a film about a group of cave divers and things go a little wrong.
- You take on the role of Josh in the film so what was it about the character and the script that drew you to the project?
I think it was the action involved and the skill training that were involved as we prepared for the movie - it was just such a pleasure. Not to mention that James Cameron was on board with the whole project.
But being trained was such an amazing part of this movie as I got all these crash courses in scuba-diving, rock climbing, rope training and fight training - I just felt like a little kid.
- The movie is obviously a very physically demanding one and requires you to be somewhat of an expert in that field so what sort of preparation did you do before the beginning of the shoot? Had you ever done scuba diving before?
No I hadn’t done any scuba diving before so the preparation was pretty intensive. I was put on this crazy gym regime of just trying to get fit and look like I was a rock climber.
Then we earnt to scuba dive, I was put on this quick course in this technology called rebreathers; which is really advanced breathing aparatus that you only really learn after about a thousand hours of scuba diving.
So we got this crash course in that and I was doing two hours of swim training a day for a bout a month and it was incredibly tough - but I did end up very fit.
- You filmed a lot under water so did you have any panic moments? And how much of the diving shots are you?
I did shoot a lot under water, we did have dive doubles for some of the long shots, and there is a whole portion of the movie where I am down under water with no breathing aparatus and no eye mask so that made it pretty treacherous and scary.
But I started to find it quite meditative and you just have to keep very calm and try not to panic because then it’s not fun for anyone.
- The movie was also shot in real caves off the South of Australia so how did you find that? And just how tough did you find the shoot.
There was an additional shoot, I think for about a week, in Mount Gambier (South Australia) and it was all doubles because the water was sub-zero temperatures.
One of our producers was down there as a double, I think he might have been doubling me actually, and it was freezing cold, I think he collapsed afterwards because he was swimming back and forth and the wetsuits didn’t cover that freezing temperature.
There were many long hours, we were in these sound stages but we were freezing cold because these 3D cameras are temperamental that often break down; especially when we were shooting on location in the heat of Queensland, so they would cool the sound stages to freezing temperatures.
So we were in water in these flimsy little wet suits and being physical while carrying these 40kg rebreathers on your back so it was pretty tiring.
Pus I had to keep my fitness up because I had this wet suit that had been designed for my body at the peak of my training - that was funny trying to keep onto that.
- And there is not a huge amount of green screen in the movie - so how did that help as an actor actually being able to work in a very real environment?
That was such an amazing part of this film as it made it all such a visceral and real experience because you had these points of reference when you were in the actual space - I feel very fortunate to have been put into a set like that.
The sets were truly incredible and everyday was like a new adventure because you would walk into a sound stage and you would have this giant waterfall and these cliffs - it was just beautiful.
So I feel very lucky. Some of the green stuff is so hilarious to actually shoot - there was this one bit where I’m going down in a harness and I’m supposed to be in this amazing big cave and it’s just a green screen with all the crew standing around just two feet off the ground.
- Sanctum is very loosely based on writer and producer Andrew Wright's caving expedition that went wrong so how helpful was it having him on set?
Having someone on set all the time was a luxury, especially for Richard Roxburgh who played my father - he is supposed to be the cave diving expert so he could always refer to Andrew. And it’s always the little things like how they might tie a rope, or set up their ropes - just little idiosyncrasies that you would only have if you were an expert.
- Alister Grierson directed the movie so how did you find him as a director?
Alister has an incredible vision while he was under a lot of pressure on the shoot I think he created a beautiful looking film.
- Obviously there is all this action and all this excitement in the movie but the film is also about this difficult father and son relationship so how difficult was it to find that balance amongst all that action to keep it a very real story?
Yeah that was so important as it was such a core to a film, if you fail at that then you lose the audience, that was something that we were always trying to keep in check, especially Richard and I, finding those right beats and keeping it as genuine as possible so that audiences could relate to that relationship.
- How did you find working with Richard Roxburgh?
Oh it was a pleasure and a joy (laughs). He is a hilarious man and so talented every take he would give you something fresh so you were always on your toes. He really is an amazing actor and it was just such a pleasure to work with him.
- You made your name in soap Home and Away so how have you found the transition from TV into movies?
I have loved the transition thus far it’s nice - especially coming of Home and Away where the turn around is so fast - it’s amazing to be able to take you time and find the parts to a scene to you normally wouldn’t have time to because of the rush.
- And how has your TV work help as you have made the move into movies?
Home and Away is like training because you learn so much so fast as you get thrown into the deep. You learn what works and what doesn’t as an actor, constantly learning different lines, working with different directors, seeing how other actors tick.
I think it’s the best training and I feel so fortunate to have had than and I’m so fond of my time in Home and Away and it‘s definitely built a foundation.
- Sanctum is your first real bigger budget type movie so how did you feel stepping into this type of project?
It was a little intimidating (laughs) especially when James Cameron’s name is attached to it and knowing that he watching everything that you are doing.
- You are living out in LA Now so how are you finding it out there?
It’s good (laughs). It’s a funny little town and there are lots of funny characatures that you meet on a day to day basis. But it’s good and it’s growing on me - it’s just a different world.
- Finally what's next for you?
I have two projects that I’m about to start work and on and they should be fun I’m really excited. One is more of a drama while the other is a psychological drama/thriller.
Sanctum is out on DVD and Blu-Ray now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
After making a name for himself in Aussie soap Home and Away Rhys Wakefield has been establishing himself as a movie actor.
Sanctum was the last time that we saw him on the big screen, which is released on DVD today, a James Cameron produced project.
I caught up with the actor to talk about the movie, the training and preparation he underwent before the camera started rolling and what lies ahead.
- Sanctum is due for release here in the UK so for anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet can you tell me a bit about it?
I would describe Sanctum as a ride of a film as it is an action adventure film. It’s a film about a group of cave divers and things go a little wrong.
- You take on the role of Josh in the film so what was it about the character and the script that drew you to the project?
I think it was the action involved and the skill training that were involved as we prepared for the movie - it was just such a pleasure. Not to mention that James Cameron was on board with the whole project.
But being trained was such an amazing part of this movie as I got all these crash courses in scuba-diving, rock climbing, rope training and fight training - I just felt like a little kid.
- The movie is obviously a very physically demanding one and requires you to be somewhat of an expert in that field so what sort of preparation did you do before the beginning of the shoot? Had you ever done scuba diving before?
No I hadn’t done any scuba diving before so the preparation was pretty intensive. I was put on this crazy gym regime of just trying to get fit and look like I was a rock climber.
Then we earnt to scuba dive, I was put on this quick course in this technology called rebreathers; which is really advanced breathing aparatus that you only really learn after about a thousand hours of scuba diving.
So we got this crash course in that and I was doing two hours of swim training a day for a bout a month and it was incredibly tough - but I did end up very fit.
- You filmed a lot under water so did you have any panic moments? And how much of the diving shots are you?
I did shoot a lot under water, we did have dive doubles for some of the long shots, and there is a whole portion of the movie where I am down under water with no breathing aparatus and no eye mask so that made it pretty treacherous and scary.
But I started to find it quite meditative and you just have to keep very calm and try not to panic because then it’s not fun for anyone.
- The movie was also shot in real caves off the South of Australia so how did you find that? And just how tough did you find the shoot.
There was an additional shoot, I think for about a week, in Mount Gambier (South Australia) and it was all doubles because the water was sub-zero temperatures.
One of our producers was down there as a double, I think he might have been doubling me actually, and it was freezing cold, I think he collapsed afterwards because he was swimming back and forth and the wetsuits didn’t cover that freezing temperature.
There were many long hours, we were in these sound stages but we were freezing cold because these 3D cameras are temperamental that often break down; especially when we were shooting on location in the heat of Queensland, so they would cool the sound stages to freezing temperatures.
So we were in water in these flimsy little wet suits and being physical while carrying these 40kg rebreathers on your back so it was pretty tiring.
Pus I had to keep my fitness up because I had this wet suit that had been designed for my body at the peak of my training - that was funny trying to keep onto that.
- And there is not a huge amount of green screen in the movie - so how did that help as an actor actually being able to work in a very real environment?
That was such an amazing part of this film as it made it all such a visceral and real experience because you had these points of reference when you were in the actual space - I feel very fortunate to have been put into a set like that.