Colac filmmakers on the run

A LOCALLY-FILMED movie coming to Geelong is all about following your dreams – even if they are a bit backward.
Young Colac filmmaking team Jarrod Theodore and Lachlan Ryan say they are enjoying unprecedented success with their quirky Aussie sporting comedy, Reverse Runner.
The film premiers at Geelong’s Village Cinemas on 21 February after becoming Colac cinema’s “third most-successful film of all time” with more than 4000 attendees.
Theodore said the movie’s hero was “slightly backwards” Kid Campbell who “doesn’t fit in” until he discovers the sport of reverse running at an “Alternate Athletics”.
“Kid Campbell gets sucked into the world of the Alternate Athletics, which has things like chair-throwing and the 100m backwards sprint – all the sports no one else wants – and he finds a lot of obstacles along the way.”
Geelong’s John Landy Athletics Field features in the film as the site of the athletics competition. Marathon runner Steve Moneghetti, sports commentator Bruce McAvaney, comedian Dave Callan and Geelong actor Bianca Linton make appearances in the film.
Theodore and Ryan travelled to the United States to successfully lure The Mighty Ducks director Stephen Herek into the role of executive producer.
The story’s theme of “following your childhood dreams” and “doing something left of centre” rings true with the film-making pair, who grew up together in Colac making films then both attended film school in Melbourne.
“Growing up in a small country town, most of our mates were playing footy and cricket when we’d want them to be acting in our films,” Theodore remembered.
Theodore and Ryan spent four tireless years working on the self-financed film in between jobs in radio and television.
They created the idea for the Alternate Athletics after main actor Dan Cannon saw a fun backwards race at a sports carnival.
The team since discovered reverse running enthusiasts actually do exist.
Theodore said he and Ryan “never planned” Reverse Runner would be such a success.
“We were just these young kids running around with a camera. We never thought it’d be the biggest film in our home town, let alone branch out to Geelong.”