David Field – Director

David has been an actor in theatre, film and TV for the last 25 years. He has acted for all the major theatre companies and received many awards such as the Sydney Theatre Critics award for best actor (2005) and the Helpmann award for best actor (2004).

His film and TV credits are also many with over 20 feature films and awards such as Best Actor at the St Tropez film festival and AFI awards for best actor as well as many nominations for the Australian Film Institute. In 2003 he was awarded The Centenary Medal of Australia for contributions to the Australian film and television industry. The Combination is his first feature film as director.

On David Field:

“I’ve had the great privilege of knowing Dave for many years and working with him on two projects.  In both his life and work Dave brings insight and intensity to everything he touches. More importantly perhaps, Dave is probably the most ruggedly honest person I’ve ever met. When he’s acting or directing, truth and credibility will never be compromised.  It’s an all too rare and valuable asset.  And as a friend, you know you’ll only ever get it straight from Dave – and you also know that sometimes he’s not only prepared to call a spade a shovel but he’s ready and able to crack you over the head with it.”  Peter Duncan (Unfinished Sky, The Passion, A Little Bit of Soul, Children of the Revolution)

“I have worked with David Field many times over the last 20 years. We first met on the set of John Hillcoat’s powerful first feature film “Ghosts .  .  . of the Civil Dead” in 1986. I was the Director of Photography and David had been cast in the lead role. We instantly got on. Since then David has been a script consultant, a casting consultant and an acting coach on the three films I’ve directed. I have fully entrusted the intense rehearsal period on my films to him and constantly sought his generous, honest counsel regarding all aspects of my work, from the earliest stages of script development, right through the shoot to the final cut. It is no exaggeration to say that David has been intrinsically involved with each film and made a profound contribution to them all. So it is with great excitement that I have watched David develop his film project The Combination with the writer George Basha over the last 7 years.

From the outset it seemed to me that David was onto something special with this project. You could see and hear it when he talked about it. Here was a script that was bold and took risks with strongly drawn, engaging characters, a unique setting (geographically, socially and culturally), seldom seen in Australian films. A script full of provocative, heartfelt ideas woven into a courageous, compelling cross genre story that packs a real emotional punch. It became clear that he had something real and urgent, raw and affecting to say here. Unmistakably, I think, his whole career has been building towards this film.

I think David’s very singular creative vision and energy as a director: angry but compassionate, insightful and streetwise, humorous and down to earth, has delivered a film that will excite and entertain audiences. This script could not have been in any better hands than those of David Field - an intelligent and dissenting voice who is brilliant with actors, powerfully visual and an extraordinary, natural storyteller.

The Combination is a timely project with enormous potential to tap into a wide audience seldom served by Australian films. I think plenty of people will want to pay good money to go and see this film.”  Paul Goldman Writer/Director (Australian Rules, The Night We Called It a day, Suburban Mayhem)