Imperfect Cinema: Low-Budget Hacks & Building a Collaborative Set Culture

This session led by Perth filmmaker and educator Adon Blake offers a refreshingly honest look at making films without big budget.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Imperfect Cinema: Low-Budget Hacks, Flexible Production & Building a Collaborative Set Culture dives into the realities of independent filmmaking, where schedules change, resources run thin and things don’t always go to plan. Drawing on his experience directing the feature film Heretics, Adon will share practical strategies for working creatively within limits, finding smart workarounds on set, and keeping productions moving forward when key elements are missing.

This session places a strong focus on flexibility, collaboration and care — showing why looking after cast and crew often leads to better results than chasing perfection. Adon will unpack lessons learned from low-budget features and smaller shoots, offering insights that are immediately useful for emerging and independent filmmakers.

Adon first picked up a video camera at 14, sparking a lifelong passion for hands-on, low-budget filmmaking. After graduating from Central TAFE in 2014, he spent a decade freelancing across weddings, corporates and music videos before leading a 70+ person team on Heretics between 2019 and 2022. In 2023, he founded Film Industry Gateway to share practical filmmaking knowledge through free resources and online courses. He believes the best film sets are built on respect, fun and embracing imperfection.