Former NRL player Jason Stevens has taken the same drive from the field onto the big screens with the release of his first feature film, Finally Me.
He says footy was a breeze compared to filmmaking, initially writing the film back in 2011.
More than a decade later, Finally Me is finally hitting cinemas across the country, and Sunshine Coast locals can catch the screening at Majestic Cinemas Nambour from Thursday 30 March.
Set in the 1990s in the competitive world of high school cheerleading, Soula defies her father’s dream for her to take over the family souvlaki business and finds herself chosen to lead her team to victory, despite being a complete novice and far from the stereotypical cheerleader.
By now you might be thinking; “What’s an ex Rugby League player doing making a cheer film?”
“Well, I loved cheerleading films and my grandfather is Greek, so I wanted to blend the two themes into a film that would encourage younger people who had a dream but deep down didn’t believe they could achieve it,” Jason said.
“The process of making the film was challenging, and although all independent films are challenging, I must say, this was at a different level.
“Firstly, we began to film just as Omicron had broken out in Australia, there was a national food shortage because drivers were going down with Covid, and also, we had to deal with El Niño which makes scheduling challenging when it comes to outdoor shoots… you’re already limited because locations have their own commitments. Yep, you have to love challenges but I feel like in a way that being in the trenches with rugby league has prepared me to dig deep and just see the possibilities, when the horizon doesn’t look so positive.”
Like Soula in the film, Jason was not your average sports star.
“I was a bigger kid. Really, quite big, and the odds were against me ever making it in terms of playing first grade,” Jason said.
“And so there was really a point where I had to think, ‘Who are you going to listen to? Are you going to back yourself and are you going to do all you can within your power to go for what’s true to your heart?’ That was the case for me within my Rugby League career and in film.”
He went on to play Rugby League at the highest level (NSW and Australian representative) for 14 seasons with both the Cronulla Sharks and St George Dragons.
Since retiring from the game in 2005, Jason’s charismatic, warm and witty nature catapulted him onto our TV screens when he featured and had his own segments on The Footy Show, ABC’s The Fat, Ch 7’s Matty John’s show and currently Sydney Weekender with his wife Beck.
His various roles on TV have seen him swap smackdown stories with The Rock, flex his muscles at a blushing Nicole Kidman on the red carpet, sing with The Village People, talk a good plan with Liam Neeson. He learned dance moves from Carmen Electra, though it didn’t help him, as he finished last in the 2010 Dancing with the Stars series.
He may not have the disco moves, but Jason sure has proven he can write, direct and produce a film filled with a star-studded cast.
“Deep down I think I was meant to write, produce and direct Finally Me and in many ways I learnt to make films from my mother,” he said.
“No, she wasn’t in the industry. My dad left when we were young and my sister was involved in a bad road accident. Somehow she managed to do two jobs and make ends meet with four kids, one now with special needs. She handled pressure, spotted a bargain and was resilient.
“She had a vision that kept her going. That’s the nuts and bolts of filmmaking.”
Jason said casting so many roles and cheerleaders was quite the task on a tight budget, especially during a pandemic where every person on set required a Covid test.
But he managed to score one of the most influential and hottest names under 25 in Australia at the moment, Josh Heuston.
Josh shot to international fame thanks to the Netflix series Heartbreak High, which was filmed after Finally Me.
“He’s gone on to leaps and bounds, and Heartbreak High struck a cord internationally for Netflix, and now he’s scored a HBO Max series,” Jason said.
“It’s pretty cool what he’s getting up to and I could never have afforded him if I got him this year,” Jason laughed.
Jason hopes to see communities across the country step out to support independent Aussie films.
“I hope the film resonates with our target audience. I’m always laughing when I watch it but the aim is for other people to laugh as well,” he said.
“I continually tried to find ways to up the comedy and would really like people to walk out feeling happy. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true, and also, I hope the theme of never giving up will inspire someone to take that chance, even if at first, like Soula, you make a fool of yourself. That’s all part of risk taking. As it’s been said, ‘the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward’.”
What’s next for Jason?
“I have nine other scripts, some great true Aussie stories and many for the international market, so I will do my best to get these made,” he said. “One thing for sure, I’m in the film industry for the long haul.”
See Finally Me – screening at Majestic Cinemas Nambour from Thursday 30 March.
Purchase tickets online at nambour.majesticcinemas.com.au/movie/finally-me
Readers can enter the competition to win tickets at noosatoday.com.au/competitions
For more on Jason’s productions visit jasonstevensproductions.com
