Producer: Kylie Pascoe
Kylie Pascoe. With a 20-year career in film and television, Kylie Pascoe broke new ground in subscription television, creating innovative campaigns alongside several Hollywood Studios. In 1996 she moved into film and has been behind the release of over 30 films and series.
Kylie spent two years as director of Queensland’s largest film festival (GCFF) establishing three of their flagship events before relocating to Victoria in 2016 to focus on producing. A keen collaborator, Kylie has produced a broadcast documentary, and co-produced eleven feature films and a Netflix series. Her latest feature documentary – The Art of Incarceration – was acquired by Netflix for global release mid 2022.
So what exactly does a producer do, and how is it different from being a director?
A Producer is a really important part of the filmmaking process, because without the Producer, the film wouldn’t get made and audiences would never see it. Producers start by finding a great story, and then we find a way to finance the film so it can be made. Once those things are done (and they can take a long time – sometimes years) we pull together a great team to get that story told. Part of a Producer’s job is to find a Director to then technically and creatively bring that story to life on the screen. This is called the Director’s Vision, and it’s our job as producers to help the Director realise that vision. One thing worth noting though, is that ultimately the Producer has the final say and will always own the copyright on the film. So I guess we’re the ultimate boss!
What made you want to start your own business?
I was working in television and travelling a lot both domestically and internationally when I fell pregnant with my first child. I really wanted to spend time with both my children as they grew up, but also keep working in an industry I love, so running my own business was a way I could balance both. Red Thread Studios has been around for almost 20 years now and I don’t regret a moment of it!
What do you love most about film?
I think it’s the way film can evoke such emotional responses. Whether it’s laughter, sadness, fear or joy, film has the ability move people in different ways. It also has the ability to change lives and I love that!
What were you like as a tween/teen?
I was a horse crazy, Baycity Rollers/ABBA loving teen. I spent my weekends competing at horse shows and listening to records! When I got my first Walkman, I was so excited to be able to ride and listen to music at the same time. Guess that shows my age ha ha!
What has been your most career defining moment to date?
Taking the leap in starting my own business was probably my most career defining moment. I had been in the corporate world for around 15 years, but going it alone brings all sorts of great challenges and opportunities. One of the best things is the freedom to pick and choose the projects - and the people - I want to work with, and not that I have to work with.
And then there was that time that Steven Spielberg loved the campaign I created for the release of Shrek, and DreamWorks implemented it worldwide… that was quite a buzz.
What is some advice you’d give to a teen who wants to enter the Australian film industry?
Watch movies and not just for the entertainment value. Take notice of things like where the story peaks and changes direction. Look at the backgrounds and how they are used in the story. Watch how the actors interact with each other - Are they believable? When you’re old enough, get a job at a local cinema, basically immerse yourself in film! Many films are looking for extras and will often advertise on local social media channels, so if the opportunity arises, do it! Nothing beats immersion like being on a film set. Also remember in production, people like to work with nice people, so be kind, courteous and helpful.
Which actor would you like to work most with?
Wow, where do I start? I was reading today how kind and generous Keanu Reeves is (hope it’s true!) so he is the kind of actor I’d like to work with. I was privileged to work with Uncle Jack Charles on the feature documentary The Art of Incarceration before he passed away, and he had that same kindness mixed with a wickedly fabulous sense of humour.
What are you working on next?
I’m currently in production on a lovely romance film, in development on a documentary about the artform of hip hop, and about to release two amazing films in cinema – the documentary Beyond the Reef and the holiday romance Mistletoe Ranch, so quite a varied slate really! I love being busy, and the diversity of projects I work on definitely keeps life interesting!