A loving mum, a teenage son, a seemingly normal morning ritual.

This is Part 1 of a 4 part filmic journey: watch the full Wake Up journey here.

Listen to Shane, the Director, talk on set about why he chose to make Wake Up.

Journey through Shane’s film Wake Up here.

“Some teenagers stray off the good path, and before they know it, they are in more trouble than you can ever imagine.” – Shane MacDonald

This is Part 3 of a 4 part filmic journey: watch the full Wake Up journey here.

A loving mum, a teenage son, a seemingly normal morning ritual. But what really happens before Mum wakes up?

Wake Up
Release: September 2011
Location: Fairfield, Western Sydney

Producers: Guido Gonzalez and Eleanor Winkler
Director: Shane MacDonald
Director of Photography: Alan Lao
Sound (shoot and post): Saif Jari
Production Design: Lazare Nyembo
Soundtrack: Saif Jari

Special thanks to the MacDonald, Lao and Gonzalez families for all their support throughout the making of this film.

The Stories Project
Creative Director: Shakthi Sivanathan
Producer: Eleanor Winkler
Mentors: Elias Nohra and Platon Theodoris

Name: Shane MacDonald
Age: 29
Work: Truck driver (and sometimes film director)
Place: Bonnyrigg (named after a Scottish village meaning “pretty hill”)
Languages: English

I like: Doing burn-outs in my ute: bad502 . I do my burnouts because I bond with my Dad. He’s more than my Dad, he’s my mate.

What story do you want to be told/have you told?
A story that I’ve been wanting to tell for a while now is about the young people from Western Sydney, and how easy it is for them to fall into the crooked and narrow.

Why do you do what you do?
I have an an interest in making films, and Curiousworks have helped me broaden my horizons in all areas of making and producing films. I worked with CuriousWorks to teach me a broad range of skills to understand how to make my own film, and help others tell their story.

Describe an average day for you in 10 words?
Up at 5, work till 5, home, hang with Jordan (Shane’s son).

What does your world need now?
More hours in the day. To work more, and more time with my son, Jordan, who is 3 years old.

Do you have a golden rule or philosophy?
Go hard, or go home !

What was your grandmother/grandfather doing when he/she was your age?
One of my grandfathers was a carpenter and the other worked on a cattle property. They were both working hard and raising a family. Time hasn’t changed the game has stayed the same.

Journey through Shane’s film Wake Up here.

Photography by www.mattsuttonphotography.com.au/

More about Bonnyrigg:
The traditional owners are the Darug. Settlement of the area dates from the early 1800s, when an orphanage was built by Governor King in 1803. Significant development did not occur until the post-war years. Rapid growth took place during the late 1970s and 1980s, spurred by public housing construction.

Coldest recorded temperature in Bonnyrigg: -2.0 recorded on 04/06/1976

Local Hot Spots: Armenian Cultural Centre, Novella Events Centre, Ming Yue Lay Buddhist Temple, St Johns Park Sports Club, Mount Pritchard & District Community Sports Ground, Hajduk Stadium