For anyone with a dream. It's a Documentary about my Journey as an underdog actor. Fighting against the odds, overcoming my own fears, and creating my own path towards the Hollywood dream. Along the way, I meet other actors who share their own fears and insecurities. Helping me to understand my own journey as an actor, so I can inspire others to do the same.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Shaun Anthony Robinson

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Basically, I was sick of sitting around waiting for my agent to call. I thought the only way I was going to know what Hollywood is all about, is if I go there and check it out for myself. So despite everybody telling me I couldn't make a film about my journey, I thought, “Fuck it. I’m going to. Just watch me.” I had no clue what I was getting myself into but that decision sparked a journey that I will remember, and continue on, for the rest of my life.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

It’s raw fucking truth and honesty about the industry and about the person's journey behind the characters. Everyone sees these characters on TV and thinks something – but people don’t often think about the person behind the character.

You should watch this film because you want to be inspired by the actual journey and not some cookie-cutter bullshit about something that isn’t true.

Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey - Christian Isaiah, Shameless USA

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I suffer from dyslexia, anxiety and PTSD and I am also a survivor of child sexual assault, yet I overcame a lot of my own personal fears and anxieties about my learning difficulties to dig into this project. I wanted to give people a piece of me. To show that if I can work through my shit as an up-and-coming actor – others can too.

The Universal message I would say is: if you don’t believe in yourself, then other people aren’t going to either. You can't fear yourself. You have to get over yourself. You have to be venerable and not give up. Allow yourself to fuck up – and don’t be scared of it. You don’t learn if you don’t fuck up every now and then.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Great question! Lucky for me the film did not have an actual script. Everything I say is raw and completely unscripted other than the voice-over, which was written on a scrap piece of paper basically on the spot and then recorded.

I wasn't sure of the direction of the film at the start but as filming time came to an end, and I started reviewing all the footage it was pretty clear where the film needed to go.

There were several times when I thought this film was never going to see the light of day. I was going to give up daily because I didn’t know how to put things together. I didn’t know how to navigate some of the technical sides of production, and sometimes I just wish I never started it, but boy am I glad that I didn't quit because this film has shown me pockets of the industry that I didn’t think existed and that allowed me to see myself grow and has shown me that I have worth in this industry.

The film went through a name change before I even started post-production for various creative purposes.

Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey - Shane Conner

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The feedback I have received so far, from festivals, industry professionals, and a selection of hand-picked peers, has been quite surprisingly positive! The film has so far received 5 awards in the United States, and 1 award in Australia. It has also received honourable mentions from 3 various festivals around the globe.

When it was screened last year at Film Fest LA @LALive in Los Angeles, it was received extremely well. I had a couple of people from that screening approach me to tell me that the film took them back to when they first landed in Hollywood. It reminded them of all the things they went through while they were getting started in the industry and it made them appreciate their own journey even more.

That in itself was an extremely humbling piece of feedback. I may or may not have gotten emotional.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

No, I don't think it’s challenged my point of view, the feedback has been positive and has largely supported the message of the film. The only time I received any questionable feedback, to date, centred around the production quality of the film and being an indie film, I didn’t think that that type of feedback was worthy of me responding to.

Yes, the feedback has surprised me – but only in good and positive ways.

Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey - A candid moment as I set up my interview with Arron Jeffery

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I am hoping that by having the trailer of my movie and my interviews more visible on your site, it will attract more of an audience to the film screening in late July 2023. I’m hoping the exposure will help the movie become a stepping stone for its audience to better understand what the truths of Hollywood and the journey to becoming a working actor, are all about. Also to inspire more creatives to get out there and not give up on their dream.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Surviving Sunset needs sales agents and distributors as it would be great to get it seen everywhere – for example, Netflix, ABC, SBS or Discovery to name just a few. Journalists to review and report on the film and its message. I’d love to be approached by film festival directors and welcome that too.

Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey - Micheal G Welch , And Operation repos Matt Burch hands off my bacon

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I can honestly say that the reception I've already received, has been overwhelmingly amazing. The stories that have already made their way back to me of people being re-inspired by their own craft, by their own journey, by their own talents, have had such a huge impact on me personally already.

If just one person walks out after seeing my film and decides to actually do everything in their power to tackle their dream head-on - I have done my job.

If people walk out of my film and start talking about what they want to do with their career, if it creates conversation, which I'm sure it will, I have done my job.

I could not ask for anything more. I hope people will talk about this film for a long time to come and they find something, anything that they can use in their toolbox, because then I’ve done my job.

Behind the scenes of Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey - Setting up for the next shot

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Do I need to go to Hollywood to become an actor? Can you become an actor without believing in yourself 100%?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

At the moment I have a few fingers in a few projects in the USA. Possibly a few film roles in the works and there is talk of another documentary. Everything is in pre-production stages at the moment though. I’m a strong believer in not sitting still.

My manager has been chatting with a few record companies about me directing some music film clips as well. Lots of things to keep me busy and learn from.

I’m very excited about the future and what it could all look like.

Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey poster

Interview: May 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Surviving Sunset An Actors Hollywood Journey

Director: Shaun Anthony Robinson

Producer: Shaun Anthony Robinson

Writer: Shaun Anthony Robinson

About the writer, director and producer:

SHAUN ANTHONY ROBINSON has always loved performing, in his late 20s he was in the frontman position in a Central Coast Rock band called 'Origin of Janken'. His passion for entertaining pushed him back to his original love, film, and TV. So with a little training and his can-do attitude, he eventually started landing roles in film and TV. He gained small speaking roles in Hyde & Seek and Blue Murder, then on to guest roles in The Secret Daughter, Frayed, Home and Away and Wellmania, Shaun has also appeared in several independent feature films, The System, Event Zero, Dumb Criminals, FPVH and Malibu Crush. He has also had success with television commercials. For the last 5 yrs, Shaun has been producing and directing his own self-funded documentary called Surviving Sunset An actor's Hollywood journey.

Key cast: Matt Nable- Self, Elle Dawe- self Christian Isaiah -Self, Aaron Jeffery- Self, Erin Connor -Self, Kym Jackson -Self, Froylan Tercero- Self, Shane Connor-Self, Roger Ward-Self ,Kristy Wright-Self, Andy McPhee-Self, Matt Burch-Self, Andrew Steel-Self, Shaun Anthony Robinson -Self / Host Director , Style Dayne-self, Clayton Jacobson-Self Emily, Coupe-Self, Peter Mochrie-Self, Kahli Williams-Self, Bree Bain-Self, Jack Ellis-Self, John Molinaro-Self Daniel Musial-Self, George Kapiniaris-Self, Orpheus Pledger-Self, Nancy Rizk-Self, Omari Washington-Self

Looking for: distributors, buyers and journalists

Facebook: Shaun Anthony Robinson

Twitter: @ImShaunRobinson

Instagram: @survivingsunsetfilm

Hashtags used: #filmmaking #cinema #indiefilm #director #movies #movie #actor #cinematography #filmmakers #independentfilm #filmfestival #documentary #filmfreeway #producer #officialselection #supportindiefilm #hollywood #actorslife #firsttimefilmmaker #survivingsunset #Hollywood #Aussiescreening

Website: survivingsunset.com

Other: IMDb