Filmmakers
Medit Kit
Download Checkpoint Media Kit (PDF)
Ben Phelps - Writer/ Director/ Producer
Ben completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Film Studies, at the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia. He has since been involved with a variety of experimental video productions and installations. Checkpoint is Ben’s distinctive film debut as a Writer/ Director/ Producer.
In 2006 Ben was invited to participate in the prestigious director’s workshop, Accelerator, at Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia. He is currently completing a Masters in Directing and has a feature screenplay in development. Ben’s recent short film, Nice Shootin’ Cowboy, is currently in post-production.
Tim Kreibig - Producer
Tim completed a Masters in Producing from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), Sydney in 2003.
After working in visual effects and animation on the feature film, Deck Dogz (2004), computer games, Stalker and Constantine (based on the movie), Tim founded a multimedia company, Dragonfly International (DFI), with Kynan Hughes. Alongside the core business of 2D and 3D graphics and web development, DFI has a number of animation and drama projects in development.
Tim has produced six other short drama films, two documentaries, and multi-camera 30-minute live music projects. The films have competed at over 25 national and international festivals and received 7 major awards and an AFI nomination. Highlights include competition in the Aspen, Tampere, Palm Springs, Boston, NYU, Chicago, San Diego, Filmfest, Hamburg, Madrid, St Tropez, Tokyo, St Kilda, National Shorts, Flickerfest, WOW, Australian Effects and Animation, Graphite 2003 and Celluloid Soup film festivals.
Director’s Statement
Checkpoint is a drama/thriller with a political subtext. It is inspired by Ben’s frustrations with the abuse of power and the rise of racism in contemporary Australia.
“Since 11 September 2001, several friends of mine have been discriminated against because they are of Lebanese or Turkish heritage,” he said.
“This type of discrimination is different from the racism experienced by other migrant groups during the post-World War II migration boom. Today, many Australians of Middle Eastern heritage find themselves the victims of prejudice because of global fears about terrorism.”
Ben points to the race riots that occurred in December 2005 in a Sydney suburb, Cronulla, Australia.
“The riots between young Anglo Celtic-Australian surfers and Middle Eastern-Australian men occurred while we were editing Checkpoint . It was an eerie moment of ‘life imitating art!’” comments Ben.
The look of the film emphasizes the tension and the uncertainty of the situation that the family find themselves in. Handheld cameras create a sense of unease as the interrogation unfolds. Unpredictable focus-pulling reflects the growing anxiety and confusion experienced by Nedal and his family – What is going on? Who are the soldiers? What do they want? People aren’t always who they appear to be.
Checkpoint was funded with a grant from the Young Filmmakers Fund (YFF), a program of assistance for emerging filmmakers that was created by the New South Wales Film and Television Office (NSW FTO). The NSW FTO is an Australian government department that funds the development and production of Australian films.