David John Clark (00:00)
Good morning, good morning everyone. Welcome back to the Late Bloomer Actor Podcast. As you can see, my background's a little bit different. Coming to you live from Melbourne, Australia. I'm on my way back from Auckland for doing some training. And today was the day that I had some wonderful guests on for recording. And also typically when you're away, I scored an audition. So last night I'm in my hotel room.
Trying to record an audition with no readers and on my laptop. But it all went really well. So today I've got a great couple of guests on, three guests in fact. And what I wanted to say is for years on this podcast, I've been saying that acting doesn't have an expiry date. In fact, neither does writing, directing, producing, or telling stories that matter. Today we're talking to the people who've taken that belief and turned it into something tangible. A brand new film festival dedicated to celebrating creatives over the age of fifty.
So whether you're an actor, a writer, director, filmmaker, or someone who simply had a story sitting on you inside you for decades, this conversation might just be the push you've been waiting for. So joining me today are three incredible industry professionals who are making, helping make Late Bloomers Fest a reality. Firstly we have Clare Pickering. She's the founder of Late Bloomers Fest and Late Bloomers Productions, an actor, writer, producer, and director.
Clare created the festival after recognising that thousands of talented creatives, over fifty, deserved a platform to have their stories seen and heard. So I don't want to take too much away from what she'll talk about, of course. And joining Clare is Gary Boulter.
He's the executive producer of Late Bloomers Fest. Gary is an accomplished actor, filmmaker, acting coach, and producer whose work spans film, television, and live performance. And he's passionate about proving that creativity only gets stronger with experience. And completing the panel is Ali Aitken also executive producer of Late Bloomers Fest. Ali has enjoyed an extraordinary career across theatre, film, television, live events, and podcast production. She's in my realm.
And she's a passionate advocate for creating opportunities for stories whose voices deserve to be heard. Clare, Gary and Ali welcome to the Late Bloomer Actor. Thank you for coming along.
Gary Boulter (02:01)
Thanks for having us.
Clare Pickering (02:02)
Thank you for having us.
Gary Boulter (02:03)
Gosh, we sound really impressive with those intros.
Ali Aitken (02:08)
What they said.
David John Clark (02:07)
And and apologies. I'm tripping over
my words already. You could tell I'm I'm tired and the joys of travelling. Clare, I just want to come to you first. Thank you very much for agreeing to come on the show and we really wanted to nail you down because we're in a pivotal moment or time frame for the Late Bloomers Festival. So can you just explain to us what is the Late Bloomers Fest and and time frames and what can people
get out of it.
Clare Pickering (02:35)
So I'll
David John Clark (02:36)
Yeah.
Clare Pickering (02:37)
just give you a quick bit of background as to how it all came about. I was actually with Gary and we were attending Roughcut as
Gary Boulter (02:44)
you
Clare Pickering (02:44)
part of Tropfest's 2026 sessions. And on the very first day they had a panel discussion with John Polson who's the founder of Tropfest. And at the end they had a QA and I just had a a calling. It wasn't even just it was just like you must speak. So put my hand up and luckily I was selected to speak. And I said to John
Tropfest has always been a great supporter of emerging filmmakers and young filmmakers. That's all we hear is young filmmakers and emerging filmmakers. And I said I'm probably one of the oldest people in the room. Is there an opportunity for Tropfest to support creatives like myself who've been trying to break into the industry for decades, or people who've started late in life and
John was really receptive to that. And at the end of that was actually the end of the panel discussion. And so many people came up to me and said, Clare, I'm in my 50s. I've been feeling invisible. Thank you for giving me a voice. One of the finalists was in his 60s, I think, and you know, just and then there was another person who's 85 who runs the Canberra Film Festival. So suddenly
Gary Boulter (03:51)
No.
Clare Pickering (03:52)
it wasn't just about me anymore, it was about there was a whole room full of people who were feeling the same.
And I did talk with John about it the next day and he was very, very keen. But you know, John's a busy man, he lives in LA. I just felt as the weeks went by after Trotfest that perhaps things weren't going to progress. And a business mentor of mine said, Clare, you've already got Late Bloomers Productions, why don't you just put on your own festival? So I called Gary and said, What do you think? And then
spoke to Ali and so here we are. And we launched in June. Our submissions were opened on the first of July. The rules are that the writer and director have to be over the age of 50. 50% of cast and crew have to be over the age of 50, and the story has to focus on people over the age of 50. So you couldn't make a film about
Gary Boulter (04:42)
Yes.
Clare Pickering (04:42)
two young people and throw in an older person and think that's gonna work, it's not gonna qualify.
Submissions close on the first of November and we're having a screening on the sixth of December. So I'm in the process at the moment of locking down the venue, but we are going all out. It's gonna be a red carpet event.
David John Clark (05:04)
So people can submit now, so you're open for submissions.
Clare Pickering (05:06)
Yes.
David John Clark (05:06)
How's the hair going? Are we getting any extra greys coming through now with the stress of putting it together?
Clare Pickering (05:12)
Not at all. I mean, I've got the most
Gary Boulter (05:12)
Yeah.
Clare Pickering (05:14)
amazing people, Gary and Ali, who have just been my rock, I will say. There is so much interest. We've already had two submissions. I just was up in Queensland for the Sparrowland Film Festival and met creatives there. Ironically, they've just started a podcast called the Old Film Farts and they're on board and they want to come. So there's there
Gary Boulter (05:34)
I might sign up!
Clare Pickering (05:35)
it's really resonating with people.
I need to stop talking 'cause I want to hand it over to Gary and Ali because, you know, they've been unbelievable in providing support for me to get this off the ground.
David John Clark (05:47)
Beautiful. And so Gary, I we'll switch to you quickly 'cause I don't think we've met we've met once in person. You were my first customer on WeAudition, if you remember. A long time ago.
Gary Boulter (05:58)
Yes, that's true. That's true.
David John Clark (06:00)
I just joined as a as a reader and sitting there with no no takers and no one had jumped on me and you came on and and and just had a chat with me to give me my first rating and my first experience on WeAudition. That was several years ago, so I thank you.
And I've seen you. I've seen you around the world. I've seen you, I've listened to you, you're on a podcast yourself. So I've had a lot to do with you, but let us know how did you get involved and why are you involved in the Late Bloomers Fest and we keep using the word old. I like to say we're just older. We're not old. But welcome Gary. Thank you.
Gary Boulter (06:39)
Well, well, it's, it's nice to, this is the way of the world, the modern day world, really. There were so many of my friends now these days who I haven't actually met in person, much like yourself, David. So, I'm sure one day we'll meet, we'll meet for real.
Gary Boulter (06:55)
I guess I've been in the industry for quite some time. And I was lucky enough to h be hanging out with Clare at Trotfest and when Clare brought up her question of support for people over fifty, my God, it was a swell of support. All of a sudden there was a line in front of Clare with people going, Wha my God, Clare, yes, yes.
You speak for us, be our guru. I I literally had to you know, give people tickets and said, Clare we'll be seeing you fairly shortly. But but but look, it is absolutely true what she Clare has come up with. This is a world for people the stories are all for people in their twenties and thirties and so forth. It's very rare to see
you know, mainstream movies with you know, people over fifty, our age, you know, our ages. And and this it quite simply it's what it's all about. Just telling some stories for peop for people like us. In a nutshell. Yeah, so that's it. I'm just so pleased this mic is working. So I really can't tell I I I that I can't really think straight right now. It's working, but anyway.
Ali Aitken (08:10)
you
Gary Boulter (08:11)
Here we are.
David John Clark (08:11)
Is that a
is that because you're old and you don't know how to use tech?
Gary Boulter (08:15)
I see what you're doing.
Ali Aitken (08:16)
Oooooh!
Clare Pickering (08:19)
I'm gonna say something here. Whenever we have our Zoom meetings about the fest, we are always having technical issues and s we can't see or read things and where's that tab? I've lost that document. So yeah, we it's pretty
Ali Aitken (08:30)
True.
Gary Boulter (08:29)
yeah.
Clare Pickering (08:30)
embarrassing.
Ali Aitken (08:31)
But not to say that we're not
Gary Boulter (08:31)
Yeah.
David John Clark (08:32)
Thank you.
Ali Aitken (08:33)
clever or technically challenged or anything.
Gary Boulter (08:35)
No. Yeah.
David John Clark (08:36)
That one of the biggest
Gary Boulter (08:36)
but
David John Clark (08:37)
one of the biggest things out of Covid was can you hear me? Can you hear me on this?
Ali Aitken (08:41)
Hehehehehe
Clare Pickering (08:42)
You're you're on mute.
Gary Boulter (08:45)
Yeah.
Yeah. But getting those stories out there. Yeah. I'm all for it and I'm right behind it.
David John Clark (08:51)
Welcome to the Late Bloomer Actor Podcast. We had some tech issues, Gary was very embarrassed because he's got the best setup of all of us today. But it wasn't his fault. It's not your fault.
And Ali, your background is a lot of bringing these stories to people, I believe. So is that why you're on board and how are you involved?
Ali Aitken (09:10)
Absolutely, yeah, I've known Clare and Gary for a long time because, know, as we've established, we are more mature. Actually, well, we're in age, maybe not in outlook.
David John Clark (09:22)
Yes.
Ali Aitken (09:25)
And that's it really. Sort of I started acting professionally. Again, I sort of dropped it for a while and then came back into it. So it's really hard to...
especially in Australia, if you didn't go the traditional route, going through drama school in your 20s, to get that foothold really. And you do get to that point where it is just, you feel like you're being overlooked. And yeah, when Clare came back and relayed this conversation that she'd had with John and the result of that conversation, was just like, absolutely, let's do it.
David John Clark (09:59)
I love it. I love it.
Ali Aitken (10:00)
And it can't tell you how exciting it was
just to get those submissions in actually on the first day that it opened. It was just like, yes, okay, great. We're doing the right thing.
Gary Boulter (10:08)
Yeah.
David John Clark (10:09)
And how and how long are the films? What's the is there a minimum time for the each film to maximum length? What's sort of obviously short films?
Clare Pickering (10:16)
Yeah, between five
between five and ten minutes. Yeah. Sticking
David John Clark (10:21)
Okay. So nice, nice.
Clare Pickering (10:23)
with our fifty to a hundred, you know. I mean sure there might be people
Gary Boulter (10:25)
And show them.
Clare Pickering (10:26)
over a hundred who want to participate and they are welcome, but you know, we had to draw a limit somewhere.
Gary Boulter (10:33)
And and
also other other than our our rules of five to ten minutes, the sky's the limit as to what the films can be about. You know. Literally you're only limited by your imagination. We just gotta have people over fifty on board.
Ali Aitken (10:46)
Imagination and End Your Age.
David John Clark (10:47)
Nice. So I'm
Gary Boulter (10:48)
Oof.
David John Clark (10:49)
Beautiful. So I'm just about to do the 48hr Film Challenge next week, which comes with certain themes and character requirements. You'd have nothing in in there other than those rules about the age of the pr actors and the producers. I love it. I love it. So that's
Ali Aitken (11:04)
We did talk about that,
though, didn't we? We did talk about it and decided that it's not too.
David John Clark (11:10)
No, that's good. I mean and this is year one as well, isn't it? So you're going to see where this goes and and and and hopefully goes every year. Are are are you looking at an annual production?
Clare Pickering (11:22)
Look, to be honest, I originally thought it was just gonna be me, Gary, and Ali watching some films. But yeah, it's becoming bigger than Ben Her. And I think because I've been contacted by people through LinkedIn who have seen our posts and people that I don't know at all, who have said that it's such a great idea, that it's such a great concept. So it's really, really resonating. And I don't think there's anything like it out there. So
David John Clark (11:46)
Nice, nice.
Clare Pickering (11:47)
it's just giving a voice.
As Ali's saying before,
we feel like we're overlooked a lot of the time. And also trying to avoid those stereotypes of, you know, a daughtery old grandparent in a film. I mean, that that's not how most sixty, seventy, eighty year olds are in the world. And so it's trying to smash those stereotypes as well, I think.
David John Clark (12:09)
Awesome. Awesome. And I I'm gonna go into a quick question in a minute that's about the stories that we've been all talking about straight away. But is this Australia only or are you open to anyone anywhere in world?
Gary Boulter (12:18)
International.
David John Clark (12:20)
Love it.
Clare Pickering (12:19)
International
David John Clark (12:21)
Love it. 'Cause I've got my podcast goes international. So guys, if you're if you're listening or watching this episode, this is something you can come in. It doesn't matter where you're at. So jump on board. But guys, talking about stories and and
one of the things that I bring up a lot in my podcast is lived experience. So one of the phrases I love that these stories they've been earned and not imagined. I think I read somewhere so what do creatives over fifty bring to storytelling that perhaps can't be taught in film school?
Gary Boulter (12:51)
Life experience. Really. I mean, you can't fake that. You're behind the camera, great. You've lived a life working and you can organize the hell out of the crew. And and you know, there's there's no acting required when you're over fifty because of the things you've been through. It's just there. And I'm really excited to see what entries we get.
David John Clark (13:18)
Nice, nice. And Ali, what what what's your thoughts here? What are you expecting to see in the storytelling realm? Coming back to that lived experience that we all had or have?
Ali Aitken (13:29)
Anything and everything
really I mean that's it you know as Gary said and we all think the same so it's probably why it's quite hard to think of something different to say because we all quite often repeat the same things anyway and
David John Clark (13:40)
I know.
Ali Aitken (13:40)
it yeah it is it is just that you know we know that there's such a breadth and a depth to everything I think it just makes it I don't know just more better does that you know if that makes sense you know what mean?
David John Clark (13:52)
Nice. Yeah.
Hmm. And you know, Clare, you've said you already had a couple of submissions in, which you've I'm assuming you've watched, and now we obviously don't want to let any cats out of the bags. But has anything surprised you in those submissions you've seen, whether it's quality or or or the story or just anything that you've just said I did not see that coming.
Clare Pickering (14:16)
So much surprised but just overwhelmed with joy that these stories are being told through the lens of people over the age of fifty. I think, you know, We live in such
Gary Boulter (14:25)
Yeah.
Clare Pickering (14:27)
a ageist world, not just in Australia but worldwide, where we revere young people and for some reason, as Western culture in particular.
When people reach a certain age, they suddenly are no longer as important. And yet when you look at our indigenous culture, they revere their elders. and I think I just I'm really hoping, probably for a miracle, that we can flip the switch and make it about let's really revere the people that have lived sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety years. They have so much wisdom and experience and we have so much to learn from them.
And it would be lovely to if there was a time where the words anti-aging didn't exist anymore. That's pro-aging, pro living.
David John Clark (15:15)
Nice. And and get getting
a little bit political on it, do you do you think that there is in whether the Australian film and TV industry or internationally's world in the world, do you think that there is actually they they push away from it? They don't want stories about age or is it just people aren't writing stories that need older actors?
Clare Pickering (15:47)
I I think we just
Gary Boulter (15:46)
Yeah.
Clare Pickering (15:48)
have a society that is focused on 20 to 30 something year olds. I was talking to a photographer yesterday who told me she was working with an actor who was just dumped by her agent because she turned 30 and the agent said to her, There's no more work for you. And that was
David John Clark (16:08)
Serious.
Clare Pickering (16:09)
this this, you know, only a few weeks ago. So I think there is still this
bias against people over thirty, really. And I don't know why. I don't know why that that's a cultural thing, I think.
David John Clark (16:25)
Mm. And
Ali Aitken (16:26)
still looking for that ingenue
Gary Boulter (16:27)
I mean
There there are some
Ali Aitken (16:28)
really.
Gary Boulter (16:30)
some shows coming out there. There was a show by the Duffer Brothers called The Boroughs, I don't know if any of you have seen that, but basically it was it starred people like Geena Davis, Alfred Moliner, Bill Pullman, all, you know, sixty plus. And it it it was one of the most engaging things I've seen for a long time. One might argue the story wasn't particularly
new, but because we were seeing you know, it from in this case a 60 plus demographic, I thought it was one of the most engaging, finally acting things I I've seen. So things are starting to come and we're just trying to push it along. I mean, you know, I I have to say I'm partial to rom coms. And you know what? I'd love to see a rom com with people of an appropriate age.
none of this.
David John Clark (17:25)
'Appropriate' age, I love that.
Gary Boulter (17:27)
A lot an appropriate age. Having a lovely kind of fun time as opposed to, as Clare said earlier, these I don't know, these young and sexy people. And that that's that's fine. But you know what? Why can't we kind of normalize, you know, like a fifty-five year to two fifty-five year olds in a lovely rom-com? How cool would that be?
Ali Aitken (17:47)
It's kind of bridging that
gap between the young action and the young rom-coms and then sort of like your what you call it like your just like the Richard Osman ones you know like with the old old ladies and so it's bridging that gap in between those two.
Gary Boulter (18:01)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So like
David John Clark (18:03)
It it's interesting,
isn't it? Because it it's it's just storytelling that comes down and I've I just find it so surprising that that it hasn't already happened. I I've talked about a lot with my actors that everything comes in waves and troughs. It's one year you've just as an older actor, you're getting calls all the time and then the next year you're not and you say, what's happening? Have I missed out? But do you we sort of lean is it Gary, you've been in the industry for a while. Have you felt as you've got older
that the opportunities have backed off. Have you noticed that or
Gary Boulter (18:36)
Well, I I I mean it that's a million dollar question. I mean, there's so
David John Clark (18:40)
Of course.
Gary Boulter (18:41)
many factors involved. I I mean, all I can say is as I've got older, I audition a lot more than I
David John Clark (18:52)
Nice. Nice.
Gary Boulter (18:53)
did when I was in my thirties. Now now there could be a myriad of reasons for that. You know, I you know, I just my my startling looks, talent, or just
I just happen to be in the right place at the right time with the right look. Much like you said, there there is no time limit. Whatever your creative pursuit is, just go do it. You know, don't don't let anybody say, "Your time is done. The industry doesn't want you anymore." Bullshit!
Clare Pickering (19:23)
I actually I I agree with what you're saying, but I have to say as a woman it is a different experience and I think from the ages of definitely past forty, it it is a totally different experience for women.
Gary Boulter (19:33)
Mm-hmm.
Clare Pickering (19:34)
And the reason I became a filmmaker was so that I could cast myself because th the work dried up. l hardly any auditions now compared to in my thirties and forties when I was regularly auditioning for all sorts of things. And so I don't know Ali if you agree with that, but that's what I've noticed for women.
Ali Aitken (19:50)
I
really do. think there seem to be lot more roles for males out at the moment than females definitely.
David John Clark (19:57)
One thing that I heard in in relation to that about the difficulties for older women in the acting industry is that they I think someone mentioned it to me once that there's a lot more actresses who are of our age who have been in the industry since they were seventeen. So they've stayed across the board. Whereas men tend to either be young actors and then then stop acting or come in at a later a later age like I have. Do you feel that that might be
what it is for women that they've they're up against seasoned actresses? It's just not the rolls?
Clare Pickering (20:30)
Well no, because there's not the roles. If there was lots of roles,
Gary Boulter (20:30)
No, because there's no
Clare Pickering (20:33)
then that would make sense that, you know, but there there actually is a less. I mean, you look at any scripts and we're trying to change this, but when you look at if there's a lawyer or a judge or a police officer, they usually cast them as men. Now why?
Gary Boulter (20:47)
Mm.
Clare Pickering (20:47)
Because that's just how it's always been done. So it's trying to educate people to look differently. I mean, we've had a big thing about
my gosh, what's the word? See? Getting old, senile. you know, Including diam different demographics. What's the word I'm looking for? Diversity, thank you. There's been a huge diversity, but that doesn't include. sorry.
David John Clark (21:07)
So the diversity. The diversity. And that and I yeah, I was I was gonna touch on that because sorry.
I was gonna touch on that and you're you're leading that ways because yeah, that you would think would be the change. And the diversity has swung the pendulum so much over that now you'll watch shows and just go you can actually see characters that are put there to tick that box. But
Clare Pickering (21:31)
Mm.
David John Clark (21:32)
they don't seem to be doing it for the older demographic or it or the or the female older demographic, which is
Ali Aitken (21:36)
Exactly.
David John Clark (21:37)
Yeah. Hmm.
Mm. And that's what
Clare Pickering (21:40)
Yeah.
David John Clark (21:40)
you would like to see change, obviously, Clare. Wow.
Clare Pickering (21:43)
Absolutely. And and and that stories are
about people in their fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties that are not the stereotype. So what's been refreshing about the the submissions we've received already is that they're just people like us who are still trying to make their way in the world as opposed to that stereotype of, people being sixty-five and considered old and dysfunctional and incapable of
anything and and yet, so many of my older acting friends are in their seventies and eighties and they've still got the energy of a twenty year old. So we
David John Clark (22:18)
Mm.
Clare Pickering (22:19)
need to break that stereotype for sure.
David John Clark (22:21)
Definitely and I you used the word ageism a little bit before. I've just gone for a promotion within my job. And with all my experience I've been in my job and I can't say what I do for my real job, unfortunately, for thirty six years. So my experience and my knowledge and the breadth of everything that I can bring to the role as a team leader, you'd think they'd embrace. But being fifty three years of age, they go, nah!
You're a has been. We want someone that we can, you know, train and bring up. But that you put in a twenty or thirty year old in in my role, they haven't got that experience. So obviously they're gonna get that experience and they can be trained. So I don't know what the politics of that ageism is. And obviously we're seeing that in the acting world as well.
Ali Aitken (23:04)
Definitely, I think it's true in a lot of industries and I don't know whether it is sort of that hangover from, I don't want to say bygone eras because it wasn't even that long ago really, but you when it was you sort of got to your 50s and your late 50s and then you're obviously looking at someone like you David who's 53 and thinking well you'll be retiring in a few years anyway even though the retirement age has gone up and up and up. I was wondering if it's a hangover
David John Clark (23:25)
But it's
Ali Aitken (23:27)
to that kind of thinking as well.
Gary Boulter (23:27)
Okay. Okay.
David John Clark (23:29)
Yeah, but I mean if you look at my job, I mean mine is a physical job as well, and I'm getting older and can't do it, but acting acting can go forever. And I've had actors, and people on my podcast have come on they said, look, I'm seventy and I've just decided I want to bring it up. So yeah, that's great because you've got you've got to have another twenty years in it. And so is that what we're hoping to see with the festival, to see the stories come out made by older people, with older people, and then people
might expand out and finally then take a a five to seven minute short film and make that big budget movie hopefully.
Ali Aitken (24:03)
Absolutely, there's so much out there as we've already covered. I know quite a few people who've only taken up acting in their late 40s, early 50s. It is really the
David John Clark (24:11)
Hmm.
Ali Aitken (24:12)
profession that never, well, wouldn't say never ages because clearly it does, but that enthusiasm and that passion, don't think, it doesn't leave you.
David John Clark (24:22)
No, definitely not. And if anything, it gets stronger because so many people have and it's the late bloomer
Gary Boulter (24:28)
Yeah.
David John Clark (24:28)
thing. I wanted to do it when I was younger, but then I had to become the lawyer. Mum and dad pushed me through it and then never got back to it or I or got married and had kids on my career.
Clare Pickering (24:36)
Mm-hmm.
David John Clark (24:37)
So guys, I was just a a bit of a sidestep there. You've all had a bit of experience with theatre. Is do we see the same problems in theatre as w as as we are in the acting, TV, film arena?
Gary Boulter (24:53)
I don't think so.
Clare Pickering (24:53)
Mm.
Gary Boulter (24:56)
No, no. I
David John Clark (24:55)
No
Gary Boulter (24:57)
I mean some so some of the local theater I I've seen. I mean I I saw a really fantastic Macbeth where I live and that was directed by Felicity Burke who is fantastic director and also well in her sixties. So yeah I mean I haven't seen it and
In in theatre. I don't know about Clare and Ali but it's a bit more open in the theatre, I think.
Ali Aitken (25:25)
I think so, having
David John Clark (25:26)
That's nice to hear.
Ali Aitken (25:26)
just been cast in a, I don't know if it's age appropriate but I feel it is, role. know, I say that there are some opportunities just out there.
Clare Pickering (25:36)
I was just gonna say I
feel as though, you know, when you think of plays that have been written, th there isn't the ageism in the characters that are created in those stories. Whereas I feel as though film and television, because it's such a visual medium, perhaps that's where the bias comes in. That you know, you can't possibly have an old
wrinkly old person on screen. We've got to have someone who's young and wrinkle free and beautiful. I don't know. Maybe maybe there's that's part of it. I'm not sure.
David John Clark (26:06)
I suppose i if we look
Ali Aitken (26:06)
see you.
David John Clark (26:08)
sorry, if we if we look at Hollywood as well, and I and I don't want to sort of harp on on the f female actresses, so to speak, but some of the like Demi Moore, for example, with the work that they've done, so they've they're doing the you know, work to themselves to try and stay younger. So they've they're pushing that that you need to look young on screen. Whereas I I wish I could think of an actress right now that hasn't done that and it looks wonderful on screen on there's there's a myriad of them.
Clare Pickering (26:33)
Naomi Watts.
David John Clark (26:36)
Yes, definitely. Well there you go. And so why is why is there this issue if it works? We know it works, so it's it's strange, isn't it?
And and you've all you've all done you're all directors and we've and we're coming back to that diversity now where we've got female directors pushing this area. What I'm just I'm I'm I'm confused why it's going to take a festival, hopefully, to make this work. And do you see this becoming something and a movement, so to speak?
Clare Pickering (27:08)
I mean that would be amazing, wouldn't it?
Gary Boulter (27:12)
Hopefully!
Ali Aitken (27:11)
That's the dream.
David John Clark (27:15)
And so just bringing it back onto the festival then, so beyond the awards, I'm not sure if you wanted to discuss what sort of awards you're having, but if someone enters the Late Bloomers Fest and doesn't win anything, but what do you hope that they've gained simply by being part of it?
Clare Pickering (27:31)
Well, I guess it's a celebration of being over the age of fifty and still being seen and heard. Awards are so subjective anyway. So,
David John Clark (27:45)
Of course.
Clare Pickering (27:45)
you know, if someone's film makes it into a festival, that I mean, even just to make something in my eyes is amazing.
And the connections and and hopefully that people will start to be seen, feel that they're being seen and heard, and connect. You know, the greatest joy for me is when people connect and end up working creatively together.
Ali Aitken (28:08)
And you use the word celebration,
David John Clark (28:09)
Okay.
Ali Aitken (28:10)
Clare, think it's also like a good celebration of all the work that they've put into creating this fabulous film.
Gary Boulter (28:17)
And also we're we're setting up a little Facebook page where, you know, b fifty year old filmmakers can network and touch base, ask for advice, get crew, get actors on board. So it's not just the festival as such. We're you know we're bringing people together at Late Bloomers Festival.
Ali Aitken (28:36)
Because we also know that
people might have an idea for a
David John Clark (28:37)
Yeah, I think.
Ali Aitken (28:38)
film and they might have some components but they might be missing some crew. I mean, know, it's
Gary Boulter (28:42)
We
Ali Aitken (28:45)
often the hardest things to find. So we wanted to help facilitate that as well.
Gary Boulter (28:49)
So if you're over fifty, come join us.
Ali Aitken (28:52)
you
David John Clark (28:53)
I'll use that as a soundbite. Guys, on that note,
just a a quick sound bite from each of you. If if I've got someone listening or watching today who's never made a film but has always wanted to, what advice would you give them today to to make that happen and to put put something down?
Gary Boulter (29:10)
If you've got a phone and you've got no money, you've got all you need to make a film. So off you go. Go do it.
Clare Pickering (29:19)
If only it was that easy, Gary, and I know we're in the middle of making a film using my phone, but it's not as easy. Don't include that. Don't include
Gary Boulter (29:27)
But it but go
do it. It's the point. If it that
David John Clark (29:30)
Exactly. Mm.
Gary Boulter (29:31)
then the first few films you make might be a bit rubbish, but the more you do it, they'll get better and better and better and better and people will notice, like Late Bloomers Festival,
David John Clark (29:38)
Definitely.
Gary Boulter (29:39)
come join us. And you know, hey, yeah, just do it.
Ali Aitken (29:44)
Exactly, just you know, if you've got the idea, that's what that's the best starting point. Take that idea, run with it, see what happens.
David John Clark (29:51)
I love it. I love it.
Clare Pickering (29:51)
Yeah, I I believe
we are born storytellers and I think that we should be telling stories for our entire lives. So just tell your story.
David John Clark (30:03)
Awesome. Awesome. Well, all right guys, thank you very much. I will certainly put some things in the show notes, linking everyone there. But just before we do finish up, I'm mindful that we we did stretch out with some tech issues there, but unfortunately I do have a plane
Gary Boulter (30:18)
Sorry.
David John Clark (30:18)
to catch. But no, that's hey th these things. I think we've got exactly what we wanted to discuss today and hopefully some of my listeners who are there going, you know what, I'm I'm really keen on doing this. They've got some an impedetist to to to move forward. So
Guys, normally I finish every episode by asking my guests what their T shirt quote would be. A saying that sums up their philosophy in life or or acting. But today I'd love you to imagine the official Late Bloomers Fest T shirt. What's the slogan on the front that captures what this festival is all about if you had to make one today?
Ali Aitken (30:51)
Never too late to create.
Gary Boulter (30:53)
Yeah.
I like that.
David John Clark (30:55)
Yeah,
Can we beat that one? I don't think we can beat that one, but Gary, what do you got?
Gary Boulter (31:00)
No, that's
rather I I love that one. I'm I'm standing behind
Clare Pickering (31:02)
Yeah.
Gary Boulter (31:03)
Ali on that one.
Clare Pickering (31:04)
Yeah, I agree. I'm I'm racking my brains and I was, you know, your stories only expire when you expire, but that's not as
Gary Boulter (31:12)
No that's gosh.
Clare Pickering (31:13)
Maybe that goes on the back of it.
Ali Aitken (31:15)
But they don't know Clare, do they? If it's film it's you know
Clare Pickering (31:17)
True, they don't expire. Your stories don't expire
David John Clark (31:19)
that is
Clare Pickering (31:20)
even after you've expired.
Gary Boulter (31:21)
Yeah.
Or
we might not be young,
Ali Aitken (31:24)
I don't know what to
Gary Boulter (31:25)
but we're windswept and interesting.
Ali Aitken (31:28)
You
David John Clark (31:29)
I love it. I love it. Well guys, thank you very much. is there anything that you you as a last word you want to throw in, especially Clare yourself being the the the leader of this gang, so to speak?
Clare Pickering (31:40)
Well, I'm very I just love
my gang for starters, but I do have a question for you, David. Are you going to
David John Clark (31:45)
Okay.
Clare Pickering (31:45)
be involved in a film for and submitting a film for Late Bloomers Fest?
David John Clark (31:51)
I have thought about like I said, I'm I'm going to do the 48hr film next weekend. I'm doing something with my son, so I will certainly as soon as I f finish that I'm gonna put some thoughts together. The benefit is is I can now come up with a story, it's not like the forty eight hour film challenge where you don't know what you're doing until Friday night. So and I've had that experience we were talking about before about using your phone and that and the more I've done several films now, I don't consider myself a filmmaker.
But I've made it work. So yes, definitely. I think I'll I'll be on board because I'll lead the pack with you guys. So thank you for the invite and thank you for putting this together because I I'm really excited by it. And that's how we touched base because the Late Bloomers Fest and the Late Bloomer Actor they're just molded, just made perfect sense. So thank you very much guys. This has been an awesome treat. I will put everything in the show notes for people to find you.
And can we just quickly before we sign off just confirm when the last submission date cutoff is, Clare?
Clare Pickering (32:54)
First of November.
David John Clark (32:56)
Plenty of time. Plenty of time. You can
Clare Pickering (32:57)
Planning it.
David John Clark (32:58)
make a seven minute film in in a weekend. So ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. It's been a pleasure to have you all on board. Appreciated and it's been good to meet you and have you all in the room.
Ali Aitken (33:10)
Thanks for having us. Thank
Clare Pickering (33:10)
Thank you so much, David.
Gary Boulter (33:10)
Thanks David.
Ali Aitken (33:12)
you.
