Liz Kearney – Reflective
Words by Lien See Leong
Liz Kearney is one of the most successful producers that has come out of Western Australia.
This feels like a bold statement, but why?
I know Liz to be a quiet and unassuming achiever. She doesn’t shy away from the big conversations, like she might do when a camera is pointed at her. Or compliments, when they are sent her way. She is whip smart with a big heart, who strides into budget meetings with the same poise and wry smile that she would have watching me attack a wayward tree branch with a kitchen knife.
Liz cut her teeth in the production office of a number of films shot in Western Australia, after joining Arena Media she moved to Melbourne, since then she has brought films back to WA to be made.
When asked to write this article I realised, in truth, that I didn’t really know what the role of a Producer entailed. It’s feels relatively self-explanatory from the job title, but having worked with many Producers over my career I can safely say that none of them were similar… as different as every human being is when compared to another. I asked a well-respected colleague to tell me what they thought the qualities of a successful Producer were. In their opinion, there were three types of Producers : Money, Creative and Organising. How do we rate the success off these three categories?
Without money the film/tv show cannot be made…. without enough money it cannot be made to it’s full potential. The search for the story or idea that should be told, the chase for the rights of it? Like money, creative covers a lot a ground. Does it extend from the first words of the script to the smallest button on a costume? Or is hiring the right creatives that align with the vision of the film? Finally, organising… from pre-production through to the premiere I don’t think the emails ever stop. How good/diplomatic do you need to be to put out all the metaphorical fires burning at once and still keep the film train rolling?
I am, of course, approaching this from the perspective of someone who doesn’t completely understand the complex nuances of another department – only how this might affect mine. The producing role starts before and extends far beyond the small (time wise) creative role I might play in its initial inception.
I did a little research, trawling through Screen Australia’s ‘Top 100 Australia Films Ranked by Box Office Gross’ and Liz’s profile (possibly slightly outdated) on the Arena Media website.
These Final Hours (2013 feature) – whilst it didn’t go nuts at the box office it was screened at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes.
Paper Planes (2015 feature) – took 9.6 million at the box office (worldwide) and number 37 in the afore mentioned Top 100 Australian films. Selected for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and won the Cinefest Oz award.
Acute Misfortune (2018 feature) – received the Critics prize at Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)
Sweet As (2022 feature) – just debuted recently at MIFF receiving the excellence award and headed to TIFF where it won the NETPAC award.
Blueback (2023 feature) – yet to be released, this film has also been selected this year to screen at TIFF.
It appears that patience and passion are also qualities needed in spades as well as being the quintessential fixer of problems, bearer of bad news, bearer of good news, convincing cast they are important, convincing crew they are equally important…all of these things I have witnessed watching Liz at work. Being successful, I always thought, was having a crew be willing to work with you again. And again.
It’s a definite yes from me.
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