Dark, short and dry: the ingredients that went into Heckler’s ambitious short film, Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey, an ambitious short film written by David Nobay, directed by award-winning photographer and filmmaker Simon Harsent, and produced by Heckler’s Will Alexander.
For Harsent, recently named Photographer of the Year at AWARD and long regarded as both a celebrated fine art photographer and a leading commercial photographer, Cold Turkey marked an exciting creative departure. While his career has largely been defined by striking, visually driven briefs in advertising alongside his acclaimed personal work, this project offered something altogether different, a dialogue-heavy script and the rare chance to fully immerse himself in performance-led storytelling. “As I move further into directing, this was a chance to push myself in a new direction, to focus on rhythm, dialogue, and character. It felt like the perfect way to expand my practice,” Harsent said.
The film stars Lee Perry, widely recognised as one of Australia’s most accomplished voice actors. While Perry’s vocal performances have long been a mainstay of the industry, his recent foray into acting has seen him take on a memorable role in George Miller’s Furiosa, where he played The Bullet Farmer. For Cold Turkey, Nobay, who has collaborated with Perry for years, was intrigued to see how Perry might embody the film’s central character, Carlton. “One of my guiding philosophies has always been to ask people to step outside of their comfort zones,” Nobay explained. “When you ask someone to do what they don’t normally do, you often get a fresher, more surprising perspective. That’s what I wanted from Lee, and he delivered.”
Nobay also highlighted his long-standing creative partnership with Harsent as key to shaping the project. “I’ve known Simon for years, and I know how incredible he is visually,” he said. “But I also knew he’d be great with dialogue. Cold Turkey was the perfect opportunity for him to bring those two worlds together.”
The project was first developed by Nobay and Harsent before finding a home with Heckler’s Executive Producer, Will Alexander, who was instrumental in guiding it through production. Like any independent project, Cold Turkey relied heavily on passion, ingenuity, and a willingness from everyone involved to go above and beyond. “You simply can’t pull off something this ambitious, with no working budget and such a tight shooting window, unless the entire team, from sound to supers, actors to crew, is prepared to throw themselves into it 101%,” Nobay reflected.
He also acknowledged the extraordinary commitment of the crew, adding: “At this point I need to say a massive thank you to everyone who pulled together to make it happen, especially Heckler’s producer Isobel Jones, Piotr Stopniak for his stunning opening titles, editor Andrew Holmes, Johnny Green and Bonnie Law at Heckler Sound.”
What truly sets Cold Turkey apart, however, is the creative freedom with which it was made. Shot in a single day and produced on a shoestring budget, the film had no client, no committee oversight, and no distribution agenda, only the simple desire to make something bold and original. The result is a testament to what can happen when talented creatives come together not for commercial gain, but for the pure love of storytelling.
Production: Heckler Sydney
EP: Will Alexander
Writer :David Nobay
Director: Simon Harsent
Producer: Isobel Jones
Director of Photography: Elliott Deem
Editor: Andrew Holmes
1st AD: Michael Chitters
1st AC: Dylan Jeffrey
2nd AC: Bronte Mednis
Gaffer: Jakson Daley
Production Designer: Joe Ayling
Hair and Makeup: Lida Harsent
Sound: Piotr Wasilewski
Runner: Jack Okeby
Music and Sound Design: Heckler Sound
Composer: Johnny Green
Producer: Bonnie Law
Titles: Piotr Stopniak