03/12/2013

https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/10-2016/what-we-collect_oral-history2.jpg

Natasha Pincus

in her own words

Ken Berryman

Natasha Pincus with interviewer Mandy Stefanakis

In an in-depth interview, up-and-coming filmmaker and writer Natasha Pincus discusses her rise to world prominence with her concept, direction, production, and editing of the ARIA award-winning video for Gotye’s hit single, ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’.

Natasha describes her use of a variety of media including puppetry, animation, thermal imaging, underwater imagery and a lot of fake blood to visually enhance the meaning of songs in the videos she makes. She talks about the way in which she develops these concepts and realises them. Mandy Stefanakis interviewed Natasha at our Melbourne office in May 2013.

Natasha has worked with many prominent musicians including Pete Murray and Sarah Blasko and created award-winning videos with Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins. In the interview she describes the connections forged through her projects with these artists and discusses her short films and scriptwriting including her emotionally palpable film Love’s Labour, which received a Dendy Award nomination for Best Short Drama at the Sydney Film Festival in 2007. Her first full-length feature screenplay is for Fell, a drama directed by Kasimir Burgess and starring Matt Nable, Daniel Henshall and Jacqueline McKenzie which is currently in post-production and scheduled for release in 2014.

Born in Melbourne, Natasha spent seven years studying Law and Science at university, only to end up committing to the life of a filmmaker. She describes herself as ‘… a self-confessed workaholic, driven by a relentless urge to collaborate in the creation of films that communicate universal human stories, whatever the format’.

She is the founder of starkravingproductions, which according to the company website focuses on ‘… the creation of unique and important films that tell universal, moving stories’.

In the following extract from her oral history interview, Natasha talks about her own initial performance experiences and how this has shaped her work as a director:

NFSA title: 1113533

Natasha talks about the importance of choosing good collaborators:

NFSA title: 1113533

She discusses her two contrasting approaches to production. She explains how to ensure the strategies she’s developed for a particular clip are carried through the entire editing process, with special reference to the ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ video:

NFSA title: 1113533

Natasha responds to a question about production design in her clips, specifically the use of stop motion, body painting and the colour palette chosen to match the concept and story arc of ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’:

NFSA title: 1113533

In this extract, Natasha reflects on the battle to build and maintain artistic integrity in relation to her work and the importance of staying true to one’s creative vision: