We cheer everyone who goes off to Hollywood and tells American stories but telling Australian stories is the greatest thing you can do.

Australians don't have a preconceived notion of what things have to be... we can go on a fantastic journey.

I support all Australian films.

My background was art school, documentary director and surfer with a keen interest in thrilling acts of life threatening stupidity.

So we have to be careful because if you don't protect your culture you won't have it for very long.

I kind of worry about that a little bit - we lost our film culture for 30 years because the Americans came in and bought up all the cinema chains and wouldn't show any Australian films.

Then if your movie clicks with real audiences, you'll be sucked into some sort of Hollywood orbit. It's a devil of a place where the only religion that really counts is box office.