Mockbuster

At home in Adelaide, Australia director Anthony Firth is frustrated with his job title. Not that the isn’t a bone fide director, he is just that it’s for corporate training films. Not what he had in mind when he was making short films with his friends.

But then he makes an opportunity for himself by contacting The Asylum, in Los Angeles and asks them if he can direct a film. They say yes and he’s off to LA.

The Asylum is a film company that is notorious for knocking out films very quickly, on a small budget and then making a decent profit. Their main strength is horror and fantasy most famous for creature features and a plethora of shark related films. The film here is The Land That Time Forgot.

Interviews with The Asylum executives leave Anthony in no doubt that the motivation is financial. There’s precious little room for artistic licence within The Asylum model. Nevertheless the contracts are signed and Anthony returns to Adelaide.

Back in Australia Anthony sets about gathering a local cast, producer and photographer. However with no script or budget there’s not much they can do. When producer finally sees the budget, he bails.

At this point with the production starting to flounder producer Brendan Petrizzo jets in from LA and takes over. He has an immediate impact and production begins. They have six days to complete the film.

What ensues borders on the chaotic with tempers rising, actor’s egos fraying and constant pressure from The Asylum execs. Within all this Anthony doesn’t appear to have much control until he decides to just go with the flow and tries to have some fun with the situation.

Back in LA, the film is completed but re-shoots are required which Anthony attends at his own cost. He soon realises that they have very little to do with the film rather about shoehorning in one of The Asylum’s regular actors.

Director Anthony Frith’s documentary is both funny and touching. It’s also brutal about the mechanics and motives of filmmaking. He had good access to company executives who are honest on why they are doing it. It’s to make money, at the same time they have an expectation that people will see past the budget and plot holes and be entertained.

Other than the budget for the film, there’s no discussion about salaries for director, crew and cast though you get the feeling that despite the union rules on overtime in the US, much of this is done on good will.

And that could be because they are having a lot of fun doing something they love and is creative. There’s also the tantalising hope that with some luck they’ll move on to bigger things, if maybe not better.

Mockbuster will be on digital platforms from 27 July 2026 from Miracle Media.