When a group of close friends dip their collective toes into the world of crime, they are met with calamitous misfortune! After their latest heist goes awry, this now desperate group gather at a rendezous to find answers. Tensions soon rise and loyalties are tested. When shared history faces off with self interest, the question soon becomes: is there truly honour among friends?  

 Our cast of third-year actors from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).

Australian actor James McMahon has appeared in lead roles on stages around the country in classics such as ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ and ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs' and as writer/ performer on the long-running Melbourne Comedy Festival Show and the five thirty show. 

After completing his training at WAAPA later this year, James looks forward to bringing his signature wit, gravitas and versatility to the Australian public on stage and screen. He is excited to be part of the cast of ‘With Friends Like These’.

From a young age Lila has always had a keen interest in acting and singing. In 2020, she began pursuing her dream of becoming a performer by completing the Aboriginal Performance course at WAAPA. 

In 2021  Lila performed at the Naidoc Awards singing ‘Scars to your beautiful’ by Alessia Cara and she also sang the 2020 at the Kambarang Festival with Della Mob. She was assistant producer for Kalyakoorl Collectives’ Fire, and she also played Molly in Yarra Yaakins’ Panawathi Girl during the 2022 Perth Festival. 

Lila is currently studying at WAAPA and will be finishing her third year of the Bachelor of Acting in 2023. 

Introducing Isabelle, whose journey began in the enchanting village of Orsa, nestled in the heart of Sweden. This quaint little place, renowned for its bears and captivating folk music, served as the backdrop to Isabelle's humble beginnings.

With a strong passion for the arts, Isabelle embarked on a quest to refine her craft, traversing various acting schools throughout Sweden, including the Actors Studio in Stockholm. Along the way, her love for exploring different cultures led her to the vibrant shores of Australia.

Currently, Isabelle is honing her skills as she diligently pursues a Bachelor of Arts in Acting at WAAPA. She recently portrayed the character of Beatrice, a formidable, intelligent, and quick-witted female character, in Shakespeare's timeless play, 'Much Ado About Nothing.'

Isabelle appreciates the nuances of different acting styles and is excited to explore bringing her own unique energy to the world stage, no matter where that may lead her.

A team of filmmakers creating a short film at the WA Screen Academy. 

In 2018 Sarah begun studying for her Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Communications, majoring in Film and Video at Edith Cowan University. While Studying for this degree, she took her first role as a producer. This experience sparked a desire to explore the role further, leading Sarah to undertake the Masters of Screen Studies at the WA Screen Academy in 2020, specialising in producing.

She is the producer of 'Walk Run Strive' which was one of three finalists at the 2022 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. While in her second year at the WA Screen Academy Sarah produced the short documentary 'A Ride to Remember'. She aims to continue producing a wide variety of content and is excited to return to the WA Screen Academy as the producer of ‘With Friends Like These’.

After completing a Bachelor in Media & Communications, majoring in Media & Cultural Studies at Edith Cowan University, Nick has been working towards his Masters Degree - as an aspiring screenwriter and producer at the WA Screen Academy. He has a passion for engaging filmmaking in both the narrative and factual space - crafting worlds and opening a window through which audiences can connect and become immersed in storytelling.

With an eclectic interest in genres and styles Nick loves following his storytelling drive wherever it may lead him. Through his varied roles in all stages of a production, from development right through to post-production, Nick thrives in this highly collaborative space, be it on his own project or someone else’s. 

Back for his second year at The WA Screen Academy Nick is thrilled to be diving into such an interesting project alongside his fellow 2nd years. Applying his specalisation in new and exciting ways Nick is excited for 'With Friends Like These'.

Jethro Gartrell is an aspiring filmmaker born and bred in the great city of Perth, Western Australia. His passion for cinema began at an early age and continues strongly today as he undertakes the Master’s program at the West Australian Screen Academy, specializing in directing. 'With Friends Like These' has been an opportunity for him to explore his love of genre film, presenting high stakes, conflict, friendship and flair in a fun interesting way! This project has presented challenges that he has relished the opportunity to tackle head on with a phenomenally talented team.

Tyler’s journey into the arts began with an interest in acting in high school. He went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Creative Media at Murdoch University majoring in film, theater and drama. While studying there, he discovered his interest was to work behind the camera and thus his love for cinematography was born. He enjoys a variety of genres, ranging from drama to comedy, sci-fi and fantasy. His focus is to learn the best way to capture an actor’s performance on screen. He is eager to bring ‘With Friends Like These’ to life.

Shane has a background in music and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Media, Majoring in Sound and Photography. He is currently at the WA Screen Academy studying screenwriting and sound production. Shane has recently been working as a videographer/ photographer. He has worked on several short films and has produced a music video local Perth Diamond Sky as well as live event photography.

Shane is also an avid film lover and alongside writing and recording music he decided to expand into creative film media as another creative avenue for expression and communication of the human condition. While maintaining his passion for sound and recording he will be doing the location recording and post production sound design for ‘With Friends Like These’. 

As an aspiring editor and production designer, Christian is driven by a passion and love of collaborative filmmaking. He completed his Advanced Diploma in Digital Cinema at North Metropolitan TAFE before coming to the Screen Academy to complete a Bachelor degree and immerse in the collaborative environment. He is proficient in Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve.

Never one to turn down a challenge, he worked as both the editor of 'Playin’ Possum' and production designer on 'All is Well'. He is always willing to learn and improve himself, an attitude that has served him well and been evident through his dedication to all the projects and his fellow students. He is excited to be a member of the ‘With Friends Like These’ team.

With a minimum goal of $2100 the team behind 'With Friends Like These'  aims to bring this story to life, exploring friendship, trust... and a life of crime? With your support, and the hard work of the cast and crew, all funds donated will go towards:

The Location: We are currently casing multiple locations... by supporting us, we can secure the best location for a post-heist rendevous.

Equipment: Everyone has their own tools of the trade, criminals and filmmakers are no exception. In order to create a memorable film we want to push the boundaries of not just law, but our own vision. In order to make this project the best it can be we hope to utilise some speciality lens, lighting and equipment, and we'd rather not steal them... this time at least.

Costume, Hair and Make-up: What sort of criminals would we be without disguises?! The cast of 'With Friends Like These' have been hard at work developing their characters, and through costume, hair and make-up we can bring these aspiring criminals to life.

Unit: It takes a lot of work to pull off a heist, not to mention a short film. Like any good team, we can ensure loyalty through nutritious food, and catering for our cast and crew.

Film Festivals: Once the job is done, we'll need to show off our ill-gotten gains. In order to do this we aim to submit 'With Friends Like These'  to film festivals both locally and abroad. Yet such distribution requires finances to enter into film festivals... and I just don't think we stole enough.

For answers to any questions, or if you would like to contact us regarding potential sponsorship, please email: [email protected]