Interview: Brian Vining / The Last Video Store (2023)

Walkden Entertainment (aka Peter Walkden) had the honour and pleasure of chatting with Brian Vining, director, writer and executive producer of The Last Video Store (2023), which is Now Available on major streaming platforms in Australia on Apple TV and Tubi and in the US and UK on Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi and Reveel.net.

I’m guessing you were a fan of video stores. If so, what do you miss the most about them?

I miss the ritual of it. You got in your car, drove to the local video store, looked through the Horror, Comedy or Romance aisles and picked one or two films for the weekend watch. On the way out, you grabbed a box of caramel popcorn or mixed lollies. The whole process of watching movies was different. With video rentals, you caught up on films you might otherwise have missed in the cinema and then have to watch straight away to get it back the next day to avoid a late fee. For some strange reason, it seemed easier to decide what you wanted to watch than it is today with all the digital choices around.

Why did you want to make a film set in a video store?

Video stores were inherently interesting places with lots of colour and, dare I say, tacky atmospheres, which I love. You had movie character standees or cutouts, movie posters, movie nostalgia everywhere, junk food and knick-knacks and, of course, VHS/DVD/ BLURAY heaven. Not to mention all the colourful characters that came and went through the doors. I always liked the idea of making something in a single (closed-in) location for efficiency and cost reasons as well.

Where did you get your inspiration to make this film?

Anything by the Coen brothers or Tarantino. Growing up in the ’70s and 80’s, I loved films like Star Wars, Grease, Raising Arizona, and Midnight Run and looking back at 50’s classics like An Affair to Remember and Hitchcock’s seminal Vertigo (my favourite film). There is a lot of myself in the movie as well, and it’s very personal in a lot of ways, but I’d rather keep the audience guessing on which bits. 

Where was The Last Video Store filmed?

The Last Video Store was filmed at That’s Rentertainment on the Gold Coast in Runaway Bay.  Producers Nicole Leo, Nicole Acworth, Berry Salem, Iain Ewing, Ahmad Popal and myself had fantastic support from the local store owner David Hooklin for the entire duration of the shoot. Sadly the That’s Rentertainment store has now closed along with many video stores in Australia and the rest of the Western world. 

What was your biggest challenge while making this film?

The biggest challenge was actually finishing the film, the post-production. It’s no surprise that a lot of big Hollywood films have hundreds of people in the credits. The post-production process is quite time-consuming and expensive to do correctly. The shoot went like clockwork, though with no reshoots or extra days, thanks in part to our killer camera crew Vito Leo, Damian Hussey, Hannah Smith and gaffer Rob Stocks, with special mention to Kim Lodington, our 1st AD.

I noticed that most of the film occurs during the late evenings when the video store is trading. Was this for budget reasons? How late would you and the cast work to make this film? How many days were spent making it?

Well spotted.  The video store scenes were filmed on location at That’s Rentertainment store in Runaway Bay for 15 days, starting at 8 pm and ending before dawn. The store was open during the daytime as a functioning Video Store. It is funny to think now that the movie was filmed while neighbours all around us slept. Particularly when you consider we filmed three robberies at the store without permits!

I noticed there were plenty of minor details (especially in the background) that went into this film, such as fake DVD movies.  How many fake DVD movies and other props were created for this film to create the classic atmosphere?

We made 700 (or so) fake DVD/Blu-Rays with original titles and artwork by Steve Osborne. We were worried at first about just how long it would take to place down the DVDs etc., covering real in-store DVDs on the shelves. But we soon realised that it was only necessary to cover the DVDs that were in the shot. So the process would be, rehearsing with actors, blocking out the scene, figuring out where the camera would be, and then looking on the camera monitor to decide what shelving would need to be covered or replaced with our fake DVDs.

The film has many random and witty moments, particularly in the dialogue and the many customers who visit. Did you ever allow the cast to make lines up and ad-lib, or was the filming process always kept tight to the original script?

Thank you. Yes, there is a particular scene where a lot of colourful characters come in to interview for a job. This scene was all filmed in one night, and we definitely had a lot of improvisation. The cast and crew cracked up a lot of the time during takes.  There was probably four times more footage filmed than what made it into the final cut of the film. Maybe we could release it as a DVD extra or something in the future.

What was it like working with the film’s leads, Jayden Latcham & Danni Clowes, and how well did Jayden and Danni work together on-screen?

Jayden and Danni are both true pros and massive talents and had great romantic chemistry together. I would work with them again in a heartbeat. I remember Danni, Jayden and myself doing rehearsals at my house, and a lot of nuance, slang and flirtatious banter was added to the script. I definitely think it’s a great idea to do this kind of improvisation and rehearsal with actors to improve the scripted dialogue and interaction as much as possible before shooting.

Would you like to continue working in the romantic comedy genre in the future?

Definitely, without hesitation. I have many other scripts written and in various stages of development for both live-action and animation, and I’m speaking with producers currently. Let’s see what happens.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can reveal?

I have two newish feature projects that I’m very serious about at the moment: a comedy caper film and the other a horror film.  I also have several kids’ tv shows written for live-action and animation. Looking for the right collaborators at the moment.

As our interview ends, what would you like to say to the people of Australia as to why they should check out The Last Video Store?

If you are looking for a sweet tale of love, mystery, and movie nostalgia? Look no further than “The Last Video Store.” The story of two young employees as they fall in love amidst the shelves of a Gold Coast video rental store, only to be threatened by a shady ex with a terrifying secret.

Making the film has been a labour of love and a dream come true. I’m incredibly grateful for all the talented cast and crew that worked on the film. I genuinely hope it’s a springboard for everybody to get noticed for their talent and initiative.

A big thank you to Brian Vining for making himself available to chat about his new comedy film! For more information, check out the link here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8560648/

CAST & CREW

Director Writer Producer, Brian Vining  

Producer, Nicole Leo 

Producer, Nicole Ackworth 

Producer, Iain Ewing 

Producer, Berry Salem  

Producer, Ahmad Popal   

Unit Production Manager , Giorgia Stawaruk  

1st AD , Kim Lodington 

Director of Photography , Vito Leo  

Assistant Camera , Damian Hussey  

2nd AC , Hannah Smith  

Grip / Onset Art Dept , Matthew Hussey  

Runner / Onset Art Dept , Ahenata ah mu  

Gaffer , Rob Stocks  

Gaffer / Best Boy , Jali Rodriguez   

Gaffer / Best Boy / BTS , Teko Mariussen  

Data Wrangler / BTS , Shaun Lister   

Sound Recordist , Callum Taylor  

Backup Data Wrangler / Boom , Bowen Hopper   

Backup Data Wrangler / BTS , Jesse Seeley  

Production Photographer , Dinah Ding  

Media Designer , Steve Osborne 

MUA , Brandi Jasmine  

Production Designer , James Flett  

Art Director  , Mat Hussey 

Casting Coordinator, Krystal Shuttleworth 

Art Dept Coordinator, Berry Salem  

Art Dept Assistants – Pre-Production, Carol Wong 

Art Director – – Carey Ryan 

Motorbike Rider / Supplier, Macca Maclachlan

20th August 2023
Written by Peter Walkden

WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT

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Actor Anthony Miller, also known as Tony (Russell Crowe), is preparing for an upcoming audition for a dramatic horror film.  At the same time, his daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), returns home after being suspended from school.  Tony hopes that succeeding in...

Inside Out 2 (2024)

It’s been a while since we last saw Riley (Kensington Tallman). Recently, Riley turned thirteen and has officially entered her teenage years. Once again, we delve into her mind's lively range of emotions - joy, disgust, sadness, fear, and anger. There have been...

The Watchers (2024)

Mina (Dakota Fanning) is a young artist who works at a pet store in western Ireland. Aside from her job and passion for drawing, she enjoys assuming different identities at local bars to pursue one-night stands. Mina frequently receives phone calls from her sister,...

Frogman (2023)

On August 7th, 1999, a family was on vacation, making several stops.  During their travels, they ended up in a town called Loveland and discovered something strange near some bushes.  Thanks to a family video recorder, the family's youngest member,...

Uptight (1968)

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee and was buried in Atlanta, Georgia. His death had a significant impact on the community of Cleveland, Ohio, leading to ongoing crowds and riots. Four days after King's funeral, we follow Tank...

The Music of Chance (1993)

Jack Pozzi (James Spader) is a professional card player and gambler. One day, he is found lying on the side of the road in a suit covered in blood. Jim Nashe (Mandy Patinkin), who is driving by, offers Jack a ride, and a friendship begins. Living off a large...

About Last Night (1986)

Danny (Rob Lowe) and Bernie (Jim Belushi) are good friends who live in Windy City. While walking around the streets, Bernie boasts about his latest romantic conquest, and Danny listens eagerly. Later, they enjoy playing baseball with their close friends, and a group...

Delia’s Gone (2022)

Louis (Stephan James) lives with his sister Delia (Genelle Williams). One day, when Louis and Delia are driving into town, Delia requests that Louis stop the vehicle and pull over. Delia leaves the car with a gun, which surprises Louis, but when he questions the...

Alice in Terrorland (2023)

After a tragic fire takes her parents' lives, Alice (Lizzy Willis) must move in with her grandmother, Beth (Rula Lenska), in a woodland home. As Alice tries to cope with the loss of her parents, Beth offers her various forms of comfort and support, including reading...

Stopmotion (2023)

Ella (Aisling Franciosi) is a highly skilled stop-motion animator. While working on her newest project, animating various monsters, we discover that her mother, Suzanne (Stella Gonet), is watching and guiding Ella's every move. Suzanne is guiding the entire film,...

Sight (2024)

Set in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2007, we follow a successful laser surgeon, Dr Ming Wang (Terry Chen), who works at the Vision Institute. Dr Wang has spent over a decade bringing young children out of darkness by fixing their vision. Many in the media and public claim...

The Beast (2023)

The film opens with a woman (Léa Seydoux) acting in a room surrounded by nothing but a large green screen. Instructions are given, and the actress is informed where key objects are. Lastly, the actress is advised about the location of ‘The Beast’ so she can react....

The Garfield Movie (2024)

When a tiny kitten is abandoned by his father and left alone in an alleyway in the rain, he discovers a restaurant serving hot pasta and pizza. Sitting all alone inside the restaurant is Jon (Nicholas Hoult). By luck, Jon discovers the tiny orange kitten outside the...

Clawfoot (2023)

Janet (Francesca Eastwood) is a housewife living in a luxury upper-class suburb. Upon waking up, she finds her husband, Evan (Nestor Carbonell), has apparently vanished. Despite supposedly going away on a work trip, his luggage is still in the house. To make matters...

Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever (2023)

In an interrogation room, a young man named Bent Segenius Midjord (Casper Kjær Jensen) is being questioned by an officer named Kramer (Paprika Steen). Bent is covered in blood, and Kramer accuses him of cutting a vicar's throat. During the interview, Bent claims that...

Corner Office (2022)

Orson (Jon Hamm) is a new employee at The Authority Inc. On a snowy morning, he parks his car and begins his first day, hoping for great things ahead.  Walking through the front door, he feels at peace, as if he has come to the right place. Through narration, we...

Jericho Ridge (2023)

In North Washington, Deputy Tabby (Nikki Amuka-Bird) wakes up and prepares for her day as a sheriff. She takes various pills, and we see her moving about with a crutch due to her bad limp. While Tabby has been a sheriff for some time, she has been on leave due to her...

Crocodile Swarm (2024)

Four friends decide to enter an old cave that used to be a mining system. As they enter the mine, they discover a lighting system that, once powered up, makes it far easier to wander around instead of just relying on lighting from their helmets. Soon, they hear...

The Taste of Things (2023)

In 1889, in France, we follow the story of Dodin (Benoît Magimel), a highly skilled chef, and Eugénie (Juliette Binoche), who works as a cook closely by his side. The movie begins with Dodin and Eugénie preparing various meals, and Eugénie selecting vegetables from a...

Golda (2023)

In 1974, Golda Meir, played by Helen Mirren, attends a hearing where she is asked to speak about The Yom Kippur War in 1973, during her tenure as the Prime Minister of Israel. Sworn in to tell the truth, she reflects and recounts her experiences. Despite dealing with...

Skeletons in the Closet (2024)

Mark (Terrence Howard) lives with his wife, Valentina (Valery M. Ortiz), and their daughter, Jenny (Appy Pratt), in a peaceful home. One morning, Mark prepares himself for work, speaking positively about himself to build confidence and ask for a pay raise. Meanwhile,...

Infested (2023)

A group of men carrying large knives and other equipment are exploring a mysterious desert, hoping to discover riches or perhaps a rare species. When one of the men lifts a large rock and finds a strange hole in the sand, he’s curious to see what’s inside. Instead of...

Conan the Destroyer (1984)

When Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is surrounded and attacked by a group of unknown armed men—whether to kill him or for some other reason-, he does what he does best: uses his sword to protect himself and his sidekick Malak (Tracey Walter). After defending himself...

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)

The story follows a blind man named Zatôichi (Takeshi Kitano). We meet him as he takes a break from walking on a dirt road, and a group attempt to rob and murder him. He easily defends himself despite being completely blind. Zatôichi is a master swordsman with a...

Lost in the Stars (2022)

He Fei (Zhu Yilong) and his wife, Li Muzi (Huang Kay), go on a holiday together in Southeast Asia to celebrate their anniversary. Unfortunately, while they looked forward to relaxation and celebration, the holiday turns for the worst as Li Muzi suddenly disappears. He...

The Book of Solutions (2023)

Marc (Pierre Niney) is a passionate filmmaker determined to complete and unveil his latest film. However, when Marc presents his current work to a group of producers, they find the storyline impossible to understand and the imagery and style awful. Instead of letting...

Bluey S3. EP49 – The Sign (2024)

It's time for the biggest event of the year. The Heeler family is having a wedding in their backyard for Uncle Rad's (Patrick Brammall) and Aunt Frisky's (Claudia O’Doherty) wedding. At the same time, The Heelers are dealing with massive changes, particularly with...

Interview: Allee-Sutton Hethcoat / The Stolen Valley (2022)

Walkden Entertainment (aka Peter Walkden) was delighted to chat with Allee-Sutton Heathcoat, actress from The Stolen Valley (2022), available digitally from April 17th in Australia and New Zealand thanks to Lightbulb Film Distribution....

Interview: Briza Covarrubias / The Stolen Valley (2022)

Walkden Entertainment (aka Peter Walkden) enjoyed chatting with Briza Covarrubias, the lead actress of The Stolen Valley (2022), available digitally from April 17th in Australia and New Zealand, thanks to Lightbulb Film Distribution....

Interview: Jesse Edwards / The Stolen Valley (2022)

Walkden Entertainment (aka Peter Walkden) enjoyed chatting with Jesse Edwards, director, writer and one of the producers of The Stolen Valley (2022), available digitally from April 17th in Australia and New Zealand, thanks to Lightbulb Film Distribution....

Civil War (2024)

In the near future, the United States of America has undergone significant changes. At every turn, the world is plagued by war, violence, and suffering. This film follows the journey of a group of war journalists - Lee (Kirsten Dunst), Joel (Wagner Moura), and Sammy...

Bluey S3. EP48 – Ghostbasket (2024)

Hoping to finally make a house sale, Bandit is parked outside the Heeler's home, pretending to be a real estate agent. Chilli, the potential customer, is given a tour of the house; however, the tour is interrupted by the current homeowners, Janet and Rita, also known...

Origin (2023)

A young (black) man walks around the streets one evening while chatting playfully with a young girl on the phone. While walking, he stops at a local corner store and continues his conversation. But when a car drives past him, he begins to suspect that the mysterious...

The Stolen Valley (2022)

Lupe (Briza Covarrubias) is a Mexican-Navajo mechanic who saves every dollar with her mother, Adamina (Paula Miranda), to buy their own sanctuary and home. On the flip side, Maddy (Allee Sutton Hethcoat) is currently homeless, with no money in her pocket and desperate...

Freud’s Last Session (2023)

The story is set in 1939 London, where tensions are high as the German forces have recently invaded Poland. The story's protagonist is C.S. Lewis (Matthew Goode), and he is joined by Sigmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins). After reading C.S. Lewis' latest book, Pilgrim's...

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

Through a montage and voiceover, we are transported into the world of the 1970s. It was a time of fear, mistrust, terror, and violence. And who was there to document all the chaos? Television. In 1971, a new late-night program called "Night Owls" was launched, and a...

Robot Dreams (2023)

Set in Manhattan around the eighties, we follow Dog, who currently lives on his own. Dog is at a point where being alone has become boring. He spends his evenings playing video games or watching late-night television. Keen for a change, Dog soon discovers an...

Before Dawn (2024)

It is Friday, February 18th- 189 days since Jim (Levi Miller) and his fellow ANZACs left home. Amidst the continuous rainfall and long walks, they find it impossible to rest. The introduction is accompanied by flashbacks, allowing us to learn that in 1916, Jim was in...

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (2024)

After Christopher Robin (Scott Chambers) successfully escapes from Pooh and Piglet (Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey), the locals are determined to hunt Pooh and Piglet, destroying various forest areas to find them. With no other options left, Pooh (Ryan Oliva) and...

Mute Witness (1995)

One night, a woman is alone in her home as she prepares to head to bed. But little does this woman know; she's not actually alone. While in the bathroom, a news bulletin is heard on the radio advising listeners that Ernest Strohbecker and two accomplices escaped from...

Io Capitano (2023)

Seydou (Seydou Sarr) is a teenager who dreams of a better life for himself and his family. Eventually, Seydou and his cousin Moussa (Moustapha Fall) decide to leave their home in Dakar and travel to Europe, hoping to achieve fame and fortune so they can support their...

The Blues Brothers (1980)

When Jake Blues (John Belushi) is released from the Joliet Correctional Center in Illinois, his brother, Elwood (Dan Aykroyd), is waiting for him outside in a second-hand police car. The brothers go to visit ‘The Penguin’, a nun (Kathleen Freeman), immediately upon...

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

When Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) tells Po (Jack Black) it's time to pass on his title of Dragon Warrior to someone else and become a spiritual leader, Po can't bring himself to choose anyone but himself. Po is now struggling to find inner peace and is highly...