Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Meet Hugo Kent and Jake Smith, the directors behind Basketball Bert, as they share insights about bringing the crew together within the same vision and how universal themes strengthen the story.
The Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production Graduation Year 3 Productions culminate three years of learning, commitment to story and honing the craft. The graduation projects are driven by students’ ideas instead of the set briefs proposed through the various production exercises led during the course.
Hugo and Jake said about the film, “Unrequited Love is a strong motivator of the events in Basketball Bert. It’s made very clear in the opening act that basketball is something Bert is deeply passionate about. He’s putting himself through hell by coming back and playing each week, but the feeling he gets when we holds the ball in his hands, the squeak of his shoe on the varnished floor of the court or even the flick of the net when he sinks a 3 pointer, nothing else brings him that rush. It’s almost tragic. He has so much love for the game yet it has done nothing but allow his insecurities to fester and grow.”
They explain, “The level of passion needed to have unrequited love for something is difficult to explain, as it’s a relatively unique experience for each person. We wanted to delve into what that passion actually feels like - how singular, meaningful and dramatic it can be. We pushed this representation through the visuals, creating a distinct point of difference between the ‘in-game’ scenes and Bert’s ‘internal’ moments.”
All the stylistic decisions took this in consideration, “We put a lot of attention on colour, costume and framing in the first act as it was the best way to efficiently establish the roles of each character in the story. Bert is front and centre and he stands out in his bright blue hoodie, but the other five players stand tall, confident and loom over him from both sides whilst their colours blend in with the warm tones of the court.”.
The duo of directors conclude, “The reality is that struggles with body image are cyclical, relentless and overwhelming, and we felt it incredibly important to display that authentically.”
Body Dysmorphic Disorder centers around the obsessive focus of one’s self-perceived physical features. It can cause crippling feelings of depression and anxiety. 54% of men display symptoms of BDD. 80% of men with BDD contemplate suicide, 25% attempt it. This doesn’t account for the many too afraid to speak up. Need to talk to someone? Check Men'sLine: https://mensline.org.au/phone-and-online-counselling/
CREW
Writer – Hugo Kent
Directors – Hugo Kent and Jake Smith
Producer – Luca Blades
Cinematographer – Charlie Peiffer
1st AD – Felix Dupuy
Production Designer – Micaela Osfield
Editor – Hugo Kent
Music – Micaela Osfield
Sound – Adam Chesher and Jake Smith
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Find out more about the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS):
↳ https://www.aftrs.edu.au
Meet Hugo Kent and Jake Smith, the directors behind Basketball Bert, as they share insights about bringing the crew together within the same vision and how universal themes strengthen the story.
The Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production Graduation Year 3 Productions culminate three years of learning, commitment to story and honing the craft. The graduation projects are driven by students’ ideas instead of the set briefs proposed through the various production exercises led during the course.
Hugo and Jake said about the film, “Unrequited Love is a strong motivator of the events in Basketball Bert. It’s made very clear in the opening act that basketball is something Bert is deeply passionate about. He’s putting himself through hell by coming back and playing each week, but the feeling he gets when we holds the ball in his hands, the squeak of his shoe on the varnished floor of the court or even the flick of the net when he sinks a 3 pointer, nothing else brings him that rush. It’s almost tragic. He has so much love for the game yet it has done nothing but allow his insecurities to fester and grow.”
They explain, “The level of passion needed to have unrequited love for something is difficult to explain, as it’s a relatively unique experience for each person. We wanted to delve into what that passion actually feels like - how singular, meaningful and dramatic it can be. We pushed this representation through the visuals, creating a distinct point of difference between the ‘in-game’ scenes and Bert’s ‘internal’ moments.”
All the stylistic decisions took this in consideration, “We put a lot of attention on colour, costume and framing in the first act as it was the best way to efficiently establish the roles of each character in the story. Bert is front and centre and he stands out in his bright blue hoodie, but the other five players stand tall, confident and loom over him from both sides whilst their colours blend in with the warm tones of the court.”.
The duo of directors conclude, “The reality is that struggles with body image are cyclical, relentless and overwhelming, and we felt it incredibly important to display that authentically.”
Body Dysmorphic Disorder centers around the obsessive focus of one’s self-perceived physical features. It can cause crippling feelings of depression and anxiety. 54% of men display symptoms of BDD. 80% of men with BDD contemplate suicide, 25% attempt it. This doesn’t account for the many too afraid to speak up. Need to talk to someone? Check Men'sLine: https://mensline.org.au/phone-and-online-counselling/
CREW
Writer – Hugo Kent
Directors – Hugo Kent and Jake Smith
Producer – Luca Blades
Cinematographer – Charlie Peiffer
1st AD – Felix Dupuy
Production Designer – Micaela Osfield
Editor – Hugo Kent
Music – Micaela Osfield
Sound – Adam Chesher and Jake Smith
Subscribe for more from AFTRS:
↳ AFTRS: hyperurl.co/AFTRS_Subscribe
--
Find out more about AFTRS and follow us on socials:
↳ Facebook: facebook.com/aftrs
↳ Instagram: instagram.com/aftrs
↳ TikTok: tiktok.com/@aftrsgoodcontent
↳ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/australian-film-television-and-radio-school
↳ X: twitter.com/aftrs
--
Find out more about the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS):
↳ https://www.aftrs.edu.au
