“As the locals gather at the rodeo arena in a barren outback mining town, a young man watches the rider as he battles with a rearing horse, one hand tightly holding the reins. It’s a bizarre dance, playing with danger, living for that momentary rush of adrenalin. But as if signalling a dark omen, black smoke rises skyward from a huge chimney. A series of events unfold, and a young man bears witness to something he will never forget.
No stranger to flawless cinematography, Velinda Wardell ACS presents a nine-minute film noir (literally in black and white) and places it squarely within the context of a contemporary story and contemporary filmmaking. The visuals are stunningly crisp. Utilising an emotional voice-over device to push its narrative forward, After the Smoke is a multi-layered short film from director Nick Waterman that comes to life in three acts that connect, yet have their own individual life. It’s a unique yet effective film that makes it one of those rare experimental shorts that actually works… very, very well.”
After the Smoke - Reviewed in Australian Cinematographer Magazine
