BY DI SNEDDON
Emily Caelli is a young, beautiful, polite, and energetic woman. The Singletonian is also executive producer and actor in the movie, Site Unseen, currently being filmed in the Hunter.
Emily’s character is murdered. How, I ask?
“Axe to the back of my head,” she confided with a little smirk.
While there is lots of excitement on the set, huge energy and talent, the film also exposes the potential for the Hunter Valley to be centre stage for the prospect of major film production opportunities.
Written by Tristram Baumber, Site Unseen stars actors Nick Cain and Nadia Talotta who are pressured to sell their serene country property.
The couple kidnap two real estate agents, played by Olivia Suleimon and Zac Garred and that is when the horrors begin.
It is an ambitious ten day shoot which has taken place at the Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle along with two locations in Lovedale, including Tony Cheetham’s Talga Road property.
Tony is pleased to see his ‘shack’ being used and the location is perfect. It’s a timber building he constructed with a mate for his 50th birthday. Twelve years later and the shack is used for parties, weddings, and photographs but this is the first time its been a screen set.
Tony is pretty blase about the filming, simply happy to see his shack being used.
Tristram Baumber and Allan Brady are the film’s directors and Site Unseen is the first to come under the pair’s production company, Bad Rev Films, with Zac and Emily joining the production responsibilities for the film.
Allan believes the Hunter’s potential for screen is undiscovered.
“The Hunter has so many prime locations for film given its glorious beaches, the lakes, the natural bushland, rainforests and vineyard settings,” Allan told The Hunter River Times.
“There are so many really good locations in the Hunter Valley, it’s crazy, you could shoot anywhere in the world but the Hunter Valley is the place.”
Emily could not compliment Cessnock City Council enough for their cooperation in the production process.
“They are the best council I have worked with, open and receptive to everything we wanted to do, there were no blocks, they understand the opportunities, the potential impact on the economy in the Hunter region, the opportunity to showcase the region,” Emily said.
Newly elected Cessnock Council Mayor Daniel Watton said it was incredibly exciting that this professional film production is taking place in the Cessnock local government area.
“Our stunning region, with its idyllic scenery, offers the perfect back drop for these talented filmmakers, and I’m so proud that Council has such a strong record of supporting local creative industries.
“I can’t wait to see how this project unfolds and look forward to watching the final film,” Cr Watton said.
The ten days of filming will have wrapped up by the time this newspaper has gone to print. The film is anticipated to be released on the big screen in 2025 and Emily hopes she can organise a screening under the stars in Cessnock ahead of its premier.
That is if she survives an axe to the back of her head.
