3am - A short film by Pedrera Films

3am was the second film made by Pedrera Films (then referred to as Cinema Seventy-Seven).

I was always convinced I could make a suspenseful film, one that would be right up there with the masters of the genre. Pedrera Films took the opportunity with a concept borne from a half-dream state in the early morning, contemplating the presence of an intruder in my home.

The film was shot at a couple of destinations through inner Brisbane. One friend’s home hosted the bedroom and downstairs scenes, and another friend’s Paddington home hosted the upstairs and kitchen areas. Seamless editing between the two…the magic of cinema!

Despite being amateurs with lighting, I feel we achieved an interesting & stylish look, if not entirely consistent. We certainly pushed our own abilities at the time. There’s an amazing art in film lighting.

This film also highlighted the importance of shooting with future editing in mind. There is nothing worse, when editing something together, and realising you haven’t shot enough material to connect the frames properly together. The kitchen scene caused a lot of frustration, trying to get it right.

All together an enjoyable film-making experience and still a film I enjoy watching now.

I don’t think the masters of the suspense genre have to be concerned for their livelihoods.