SYNOPSIS

Amid a relentless housing crisis, two people from different worlds meet in an empty apartment and imagine what life might be like if they lived there. Casey makes dinner while Sophie tells him about her day. What follows is an absurdist kitchen-sink drama that incorporates existential concerns around a very real and very uncertain future.

‘Empty’ is a project that seeks to confront the fragmentation of civil society in Australia by focusing on its prolonged housing crisis. By distorting a typical, Australian middle-class existence, we are encouraging audiences to confront the motivations behind ideas like settling down, playing house and personal freedom. It follows in the tradition of Australian comedy that bites, such as ‘He died with a Falafel in his hand’ and ‘something else.’

CASEY – A twenty-something ‘art bro’ determined to change the world with his art. His penchant for unfiltered artistic expression often paints him into a corner.

SOPHIE – A young and indifferent entrepreneur, well-groomed and very matter-of-fact. She has a complicated relationship with her mother.

PRODUCTION

Boyish is an emerging production company based in Naarm/Melbourne that aims to address the deep gap in gender equity within the Australian Film Industry.  Boyish is made up of Anna Champion, Zinnia Scarlett and Ari Quig whose collective work has featured amongst prestigious film festivals (St Kilda Film Festival, Setting Sun Film Festival, Melbourne International CINEVERSE Film Festival & Chicago Horror Film Festival) as well as featured in programs such as RAGE and MTV Australia. 

Testimonial from the Boyish crew: ‘When Will first came to us with the idea we had to make sure he wasn’t losing his mind again, but after we administered the proper medications, we slowly came around to believing this could be turned into a movie.’

Heading this project are Max Tassell (Director), Will Hall (Writer, Star), Miela Anich (Star) and Indigo Tait-Atkin (DoP).

Max Tassell is a director, writer, dramaturg, film watcher and book reader. In the course of studying and practicing theatre he has travelled to Indonesia and Vietnam, completed a secondment with the Sydney Theatre Company, and graduated from VCA with a Master of Theatre (directing). Recently he’s been getting into birdwatching. You can find him at @maxwellpgtassell on Instagram and @mxt on Letterboxd.

Will is a Melbourne-based actor and graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts from the NSW South Coast (D’harawal Country). In 2022, he was nominated for Best Oceanic Actor at the Septimius Awards for the short film ‘Call Me Puritan’. His screen work includes roles in ‘Nitpicking’ (2024), ‘Sticky Note’(2024) and ‘Flide’ (2024). In 2023, he performed in the one-man show ‘Protein’ at Midsumma Festival and collaborated on projects for Melbourne International Comedy Festival and La Mama Explorations.

Miela is an actor originally from Gimuy, Far North Queensland. She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a BFA in Acting in 2021. Since graduating she has performed in both Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, worked closely with Ilbijerri Theatre Company on their social impact projects, the Australian Shakespeare Company, and Complete Works Theatre Company. In 2024, she completed an Assistant Directing secondment with Melbourne Theatre Company x Ilbijerri Theatre Company. Her short film credits include, ‘Strangers’ (dir. Ben Keller, 2023), and ‘Lincoln’ (dir. Jake Whitford, 2025). 

Indigo Tait-Atkin is a filmmaker and emerging cinematographer based in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia.
With a background in Film & TV studies at Swinburne University and the VCA, Indigo continues to explore her passion for visual storytelling across a range of creative projects, focusing primarily on short films and music videos. Drawing from previous experience as a 1st AC, director and visual artist - Indigo aims to merge a sensitive approach to image-making with a technically grounded foundation. Her work has screened at film festivals such as MIFF and St Kilda Film Festival.

Filmspiration(s)

Your donations to this project would fund the principle costs of getting this film made, including feeding our crew, equipment rental, festival submissions and various other crucial elements of this projects success. Filmmaking is an unfortunately costly process, but it is through your kindness and generosity that we can make projects such as this.