Short of the Day
Nash Edgerton and Taika Waititi star in Edgerton’s most recent short film.
Nash Edgerton does everything in film. I don’t mean everything like he acts and directs, maybe writes or produces, I mean everything. Primarily he’s a stuntman, a position he’s held for close to 25, years or more than half his life. His most notable work includes George Lucas’ second Star Wars trilogy, in which he was Ewan McGregor’s stunt double for all three episodes. But outside his incredibly extensive stunt résumé, Edgerton is also an actor, an editor, a director, a writer, a producer, a second unit director, and a camera operator; basically, if it happens on a movie set, Nash Edgerton can do it.
(And yes, if you’re wondering, he is brothers with Joel Edgerton; Nash is the elder.)
Over the years Edgerton has directed several short and music videos – including four for Bob Dylan, how cool is that? – as well as the feature The Square, a thriller co-written by his brother Joel and Matthew Dabner, and as if all this wasn’t enough, his second, untitled feature is in production. While the plot is being kept under wraps, we do know the cast, and it’s pretty impressive: Thandie Newton (Westworld), Charlize Theron (Fast 8), Amanda Seyfried (Chloe), Joel Edgerton of course, Sharlito Copley (District 9), and David Oyelowo (Selma) among others.
All this is to say, if you aren’t familiar with Nash Edgerton you should be, because he’s got one of the more multi-faceted and cooler careers in the modern film industry, and chances are you’re going to hear a lot more about him once this next feature is released.
In the meantime, check out his most-recent short, The Captain, made back in 2013 with co-director Spencer Susser (who wrote and directed the Joseph Gordon-Levitt/Natalie Portman dark comedy Hesher) that was written by Edgerton and Taika Waititi (director, What We Do In the Shadows, and Thor: Ragnarok). Edgerton and Waititi star, with the latter playing a man who wakes up with a hangover and discovers he’s had a pretty bad night. How bad? Joel E., David Michod – writer/director of Animal Factory and The Rover – and VFX artist Andy Bate are the only other people billed in the film, and they all play the same kind of character: “Dead Body.” But don’t worry, it’s a comedy. Kind of.
Watch for yourself and decide, then might I suggest hunting around the internet for more of Edgerton’s short work. He’s a filmmaker, and indeed a man, of great versatility and there’s a really good chance he’s going to become one of the most significant Australian directors of his time.
(there’s no direct video link, so just click below and the film will start right up)
Short Film – "The Captain" – Nash Edgerton
From The Director’s Bureau
Related Topics: Filmmaking, Short Films
