Griff the Invisible
Encyclopedia
Griff the Invisible is an Australian romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Leon Ford
.
The story is about Griff (Ryan Kwanten
) a socially awkward office worker who spends his days being bullied by his workmates. At night he is Griff the Invisible, a superhero who roams the streets of his local neighbourhood, protecting the innocent. Griff has his world turned upside down when he meets Melody (Maeve Dermody), the beautiful young daughter of a hardware store owner, who shares his passion for the impossible.
Griff the Invisible had its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
(TIFF), where it was well-received by audiences "who seemed charmed by this offbeat tale". The film also screened at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival
in February 2011 in the "generation" sidebar where it was well received by a predominantly teenage crowd.
and produced by Nicole O'Donohue. Executive producers are Jan Chapman
(The Piano, Lantana, Bright Star) and Scott Meek (Velvet Goldmine).
The idea was conceived by Ford while sitting in a café watching a child playing by himself. “He was in this whole other exciting world and it looked much more exciting than the one we were in. I thought isn’t it a shame that I’m not allowed to do that anymore. So I just thought what if you did have a guy who chose not to lose that side of his childhood?”
From a draft originally written in 2005, Ford and O’Donohue (Green Park Pictures) took the project to Screen Australia’s Indivision Script Lab in 2008. The agency invested in Griff through its IndiVision Production Fund, and it was then up to the filmmakers to raise the rest of the $2.7 million budget.
Executive Producer Scott Meek became involved after Leon Ford
asked him to read the script, which he loved. Jan Chapman
became involved in March 2009 and has said in an interview that "there's something incredibly exciting and refreshing and challenging about getting a new young team just to do their first feature. When I went onto the set of Griff, it just felt alive and every single person was there wanting to their job and do their best...It's a really charming script and Leon Ford's a very talented young man."
On casting Ryan Kwanten
, best known for his role as Jason Stackhouse
in True Blood
, producer Nicole O'Donohue said, “I think we had a pretty good idea on Ryan’s first test. It was amazing. He brought a real sensitivity to the role of Griff. He just kind of was Griff, there is no other way to say it. Ryan just brought so many layers to it straight away...the first test he did was quite a short little piece but there was a sneakiness, there was this real belief in the character. He just was Griff.”
Writer/director Leon Ford said he cast Ryan Kwanten based on test tapes. "I was here in Australia and he was in L.A. so we just spoke on the phone a lot. We didn’t actually meet face-to-face until rehearsal, but we just had to make the call and say, “Let’s just get him and we’ll work out whether we get along later.”
Griff the Invisible was shot using 16mm film rather than digital, an aesthetic choice.
Leon Ford
Leon Ford is an Australian actor who has appeared in many television and theatre productions. He is best known for his roles in the television series The Cooks, Changi and the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.Ford portrayed 1st Lt...
.
The story is about Griff (Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Christian Kwanten is an Australian actor. He played Vinnie Patterson from 1997 to 2002 on the Australian soap-opera Home and Away...
) a socially awkward office worker who spends his days being bullied by his workmates. At night he is Griff the Invisible, a superhero who roams the streets of his local neighbourhood, protecting the innocent. Griff has his world turned upside down when he meets Melody (Maeve Dermody), the beautiful young daughter of a hardware store owner, who shares his passion for the impossible.
Griff the Invisible had its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
(TIFF), where it was well-received by audiences "who seemed charmed by this offbeat tale". The film also screened at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
in February 2011 in the "generation" sidebar where it was well received by a predominantly teenage crowd.
Cast
- Ryan KwantenRyan KwantenRyan Christian Kwanten is an Australian actor. He played Vinnie Patterson from 1997 to 2002 on the Australian soap-opera Home and Away...
as Griff - Maeve Dermody as Melody
- Toby Schmitz as Tony
- Patrick Brammall as Tim
- Marshall NapierMarshall NapierMarshall James Napier is a New Zealand-born actor. He is the father of actress Jessica Napier and the uncle of actor James Napier.Before becoming an actor, Napier worked variously as an art student, factory worker and truck driver...
as Benson - Heather MitchellHeather MitchellHeather Mitchell , is an Australian actress, appearing in Australian productions of Stage, television and film. She is a graduate of NIDA...
as Bronwyn - Anthony Phelan as Detective Stone
- Kelly Paterniti as Gina
- David Webb as Gary
- Kate Mulvany as Cecilia
- Chan Griffin as Top Hat
Production
The film is directed by Leon FordLeon Ford
Leon Ford is an Australian actor who has appeared in many television and theatre productions. He is best known for his roles in the television series The Cooks, Changi and the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.Ford portrayed 1st Lt...
and produced by Nicole O'Donohue. Executive producers are Jan Chapman
Jan Chapman
Jan Chapman is an Australian film producer.Spouse= Jam Alex 2006-2010Films produced by Chapman include The Last Days of Chez Nous, The Piano, Love Serenade, Holy Smoke, and Lantana.Chapman met her first husband, film director Phillip Noyce, whilst studying English and Fine Arts at university in the...
(The Piano, Lantana, Bright Star) and Scott Meek (Velvet Goldmine).
The idea was conceived by Ford while sitting in a café watching a child playing by himself. “He was in this whole other exciting world and it looked much more exciting than the one we were in. I thought isn’t it a shame that I’m not allowed to do that anymore. So I just thought what if you did have a guy who chose not to lose that side of his childhood?”
From a draft originally written in 2005, Ford and O’Donohue (Green Park Pictures) took the project to Screen Australia’s Indivision Script Lab in 2008. The agency invested in Griff through its IndiVision Production Fund, and it was then up to the filmmakers to raise the rest of the $2.7 million budget.
Executive Producer Scott Meek became involved after Leon Ford
Leon Ford
Leon Ford is an Australian actor who has appeared in many television and theatre productions. He is best known for his roles in the television series The Cooks, Changi and the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.Ford portrayed 1st Lt...
asked him to read the script, which he loved. Jan Chapman
Jan Chapman
Jan Chapman is an Australian film producer.Spouse= Jam Alex 2006-2010Films produced by Chapman include The Last Days of Chez Nous, The Piano, Love Serenade, Holy Smoke, and Lantana.Chapman met her first husband, film director Phillip Noyce, whilst studying English and Fine Arts at university in the...
became involved in March 2009 and has said in an interview that "there's something incredibly exciting and refreshing and challenging about getting a new young team just to do their first feature. When I went onto the set of Griff, it just felt alive and every single person was there wanting to their job and do their best...It's a really charming script and Leon Ford's a very talented young man."
Casting
Casting began even before financing was complete.On casting Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Christian Kwanten is an Australian actor. He played Vinnie Patterson from 1997 to 2002 on the Australian soap-opera Home and Away...
, best known for his role as Jason Stackhouse
Jason Stackhouse
Jason Stackhouse is a fictional character from The Southern Vampire Mysteries book series by author Charlaine Harris. Introduced in the first novel, Dead Until Dark, Jason is Sookie Stackhouse's older brother and road crew supervisor for Bon Temps....
in True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
, producer Nicole O'Donohue said, “I think we had a pretty good idea on Ryan’s first test. It was amazing. He brought a real sensitivity to the role of Griff. He just kind of was Griff, there is no other way to say it. Ryan just brought so many layers to it straight away...the first test he did was quite a short little piece but there was a sneakiness, there was this real belief in the character. He just was Griff.”
Writer/director Leon Ford said he cast Ryan Kwanten based on test tapes. "I was here in Australia and he was in L.A. so we just spoke on the phone a lot. We didn’t actually meet face-to-face until rehearsal, but we just had to make the call and say, “Let’s just get him and we’ll work out whether we get along later.”
Filming
Griff the Invisible was filmed on location in Sydney, Australia, over five weeks, and was shot in and around Sydney’s inner west, with Surry Hills as Griff’s territory. Ford wrote it with that specific suburb in mind. Locations include Central Station, Haymarket, Hyde Park, Pyrmont and Surry Hills.Griff the Invisible was shot using 16mm film rather than digital, an aesthetic choice.