Prawn
An exploration into the grey areas of consent and the complexities of adolescence
Directed by Ella Carey
Directed by Ella Carey, powerful short film, Prawn, delivers a deeply personal and poignant exploration into the grey areas of consent and the complexities that come with teenage life. Drawing from her own experiences, Carey courageously brings Eliza’s story to life with raw emotion, intimate cinematography, and an evocative soundscape. Speaking about her approach, she explains, “I really felt it was an important story to tell, and that filled me with confidence and, I guess, a sense of obligation in telling this story for what it was.” Through her thoughtful direction, she translates vulnerability into art.
Prawn resonates deeply with audiences, creating a space for reflection, empathy, and recognition of an extremely difficult period of life.
Prawn is based on your own experiences, which must have been both challenging and cathartic to portray. How did you navigate the process of sharing such a personal story through film?
It was only until I decided to sit down and write the film, that I truly began to make sense of that moment and what had occurred and the effect that it had on me and my life. I really hadn’t understood it up until then and so it was a deeply cathartic experience not only writing the film but then going on to make it. Before Prawn, I had tended to write stories that were complete fiction. Everyone always says, write what you know. Of course, there is something to that - there is also something in having the opportunity to direct what you know.
Once I began to discuss this project with my family and friends and then my cast and crew, I became aware that many other people have been through a very similar experience and just brushed it off. I really felt it was an important story to tell and that filled me with confidence and I guess a sense of obligation, in telling this story for what it was.
The film emotively addresses the grey area of consent and the fraught complexities of navigating teenage life. How crucial was it for you to bring this message to the forefront through Eliza's journey and how do you want it to resonate with those who might see their own experiences reflected on screen?
We often see films and works that explore either the really soft side of non-consensual situations or the really extreme, that are hard to watch. Both are important portrayals. However I hadn’t really seen this grey area reflected on screen. It’s one that even I didn’t really understand until I was in my late twenties, several years after it happened to me personally. I think moments like this define and impact us over the years, in very complex ways, almost because they are so confusing at the time. I felt it was crucial to explore this portrayal through film and really push the realism, allowing the viewer to almost experience it and therefore have more of an understanding of consent, or feel seen in their own experiences.
The cinematography in Prawn has such a real and raw feel, almost as if the camera is an invisible observer within the group. Can you share your approach to filming and how you managed to achieve this intimate and immersive style?
I worked with an incredible cinematographer, Joey Knox and he was so gentle and sensitive in his approach to the story and then on set capturing the scenes. It was certainly our intention to shoot the film from an intimate perspective, a fly on the wall observing. This was to really deeply immerse the audience in the content so that they really felt what Eliza was feeling and experiencing. It was important to always prioritise Eliza’s perspective in the cinematography, but it was also important to ‘watch’ Eliza in her most vulnerable moments too. At times we wanted to position the audience as an observer and at times, a participant.
I worked with an amazing cast of kids that had incredible chemistry. We would often roll on takes that were written down as a few lines in the script, for 10 minutes at a time on set. Going into a scene I always had an intention or a line of dialogue that one of the cast members needed to hit, but otherwise I wanted the dialogue and conversation to feel natural around that.
Effectively communicating sensitive topics requires a lot of care. Can you walk us through your process of working with the actors on and off set to ensure they felt safe and supported? What kinds of conversations and support systems were in place to foster an open environment of trust?
This was certainly a huge consideration for me going into the rehearsal period. We worked with a really wonderful and experienced intimacy coach, to really block those sensitive scenes. We didn’t over rehearse anything, I think it was more about knowing exactly what we needed to block to tell the story.
On set, we closed a few of the setups to also just give actors privacy and space. I think it’s about just giving actors all the love and support and information to empower them to navigate sensitive scenes alongside you. I'm very grateful to both of my leads, Cecilia and Darcy, for being so willing to work with me and portray this story.
“We often see films and works that explore either the really soft side of non-consensual situations or the really extreme, that are hard to watch. Both are important portrayals.”
The sound design in Prawn is incredibly impactful, especially in moments where the music cuts out to heighten the intensity. How did you approach crafting the film's soundscape alongside Haresh Patel and Simon Porter?
Haresh and Simon’s work really gave the film so much life. It was such a joy working with them both. The sound design really helped craft the feeling of every single scene. It was really about emphasising the highs and lows, because when you’re a teenager, the highs and lows are so extreme.
Working with a composer is one of my favourite parts of the filmmaking journey. I had fairly strong references for the music, like the ‘Eight Grade’ and ‘MONOS’ soundtracks. But Simon took it to another level. His work focused on portraying that teenage experience, really elevating the genre of each track, to align with the early 2000's and push the feeling and mood of the moment, whether it be romantic, confusing or sinister, I loved the way he incorporated school band instruments and nostalgic train crossing bells, with darker synth sounds.
After the impactful storytelling in Prawn, what’s next on your creative horizon?
I am currently in development with a climate fiction narrative television series titled ‘The Ark.’ I am also writing my first feature film based on my childhood, which is an atmospheric and immersive drama about a young girl dealing with the disappearance of her cousin, set over one summer in rural Victoria.
Written & Directed by ELLA CAREY
Starring CECILIA KARLOVIC, ABI WILLIAMS, ROSE KAVANAGH
Produced by ISABELLE LOVE-DACK, GRACE CAREY & CAITLIN SPILLER
Co Written by FRANCESCA CAREY
Cinematography by JOEY KNOX
Edited by CAITLIN SPILLER
Production & Costume Design by FRANCSCA CAREY
Music by SIMON PORTER
Sound Design by HARESH PATEL