Jason Stevens is shooting for the stars now that his first feature film, Chasing Comets, is ready for its Australian cinema release on August 23.
The former international rugby league player, who lives in Cronulla but grew up in Brighton-Le-Sands, is no stranger to the entertainment industry since retiring from professional sport in 2005.
His warm and witty nature catapulted him onto our TV screens when he featured and had his own segments on The Footy Show, ABC’s The Fat, Channel 7’s Matty John’s Show and currently Sydney Weekender with his wife Beck.
But his new passion is film-making and he said the idea for the comedy drama came to him during a period where he authored two books and completed a script-writing course on the back of a Bachelor of Commerce degree at UNSW.
“I’ve been in the entertainment industry for a while but I stumbled into the film industry,” Jason said.
“I initially wrote Chasing Comets as a pilot for a TV series set in the US in the competitive field of NFL.
“A director friend of mine suggested I rewrite it and set it in Australia against the backdrop of rugby league.”
The production was a family affair with Beck the executive producer also running the wardrobe and costume dept.
They organised funding, produced and also arranged distribution on more than 80 screens nation-wide.
Jason said it’s their movie and it’s lucky they have a real passion to tell stories together.
“It stretched us every way possible,” he said.
“Would we do it again? - Yes.
“We have been fortunate that the story has resonated with viewers and with the strong Aussie cast and the cast is a big part of it.”
Jason's good friend and Cronulla neighbour, former NRL player and Channel 9 Footy Show personality, Beau Ryan, also joined his first foray into the world of feature film.
Beau said he met Jason through football but became closer living near each other in Cronulla with his wife Kara and children Remi and Jesse.
“The story is loosely based on Jason’s life and I could relate to the footy character I play,” Beau said.
“I’ve done a lot of TV and presenting but it’s my first movie and it's something I really enjoyed.”
The PG rated film stars a host of great Aussie talent including Isabel Lucas, Dan Ewing, Rhys Muldoon, Stan Walker, John Batchelor, George Houvardas, Peter Phelps, Kat Hoyos, Gary Eck and Gemma Pranita.
The story is about a character from Wagga, Chase Daylight.
Wagga is a country town that loves its sport but is divided over its loyalty for the rival codes, AFL and NRL.
Chase’s dream to play in the NRL is falling by the wayside just like his relationship to his girlfriend Brooke.
Chase seems destined to follow in the footsteps of his unfaithful Dad and at his lowest point, Chase takes a leap of faith to sort out his life.
Living this out is a far greater challenge than he imagined. Chase gets dropped from the team and dropped by his girlfriend. His leap of faith might possibly be the worst decision he has ever made.
This film has elements of faith, but there’s also plenty of humour in it.
“I loved how director Jason Perini upped the comedy and so I think that even if you have no interest in the faith element, there is still plenty of laughs and relationships viewers will care about,” Jason said.
Now that his first film is set for release Jason said he hasn't finished with the cinematic world and has already written another script called Z Unit, based on the true story of Australia’s first Commando unit and their mission to Muschu Island off the north coast of Papua New Guinea during WWII.
It is another story close to home for Jason as one of the eight soldiers in the unite was a man called Spencer Walklate – a St George Rugby League Club front rower who was tortured, murdered, lost in the jungle but never forgotten.
Chasing Comets is screening at the Cronulla GU Film House.
