Camera Obscura: Why Aislinn Lowe's Obsession with Performance Runs Deep

Aislinn Lowe is an Austrian-Australian director and writer, currently based in Sydney, Australia. Equal parts sensorial and surreal, her work marries powerful performances, deft camera movement and striking art direction to create uniquely dream-like moments.

Initially picking up a Super 8 camera to shoot short films and music videos with friends at the age of 16, Aislinn’s work has since been featured on MTV, Rage, and The Ellen Show.  

Having studied psychology before pursuing film, Aislinn has gravitated to traditionally complex and nuanced subject matter; including gender identity, diversity, youth culture, and sex. Exploring these topics has allowed Aislinn to bring out captivating performances from actors, musicians and untrained talent alike.

Aislinn’s practise spans campaign films, documentary and music videos and she has worked her magic most recently on an Affirmative Consent campaign for NSW Gov, a brand campaign for Modibodi, and a live performance with Rita Ora for The Ellen Degeneres Show.

LBB> What is your niche craft obsession?

Aislinn> My craft niche obsession is: performance! Great performances are something that people really look out for in narrative and long form, but my obsession is bringing that same level of believability and attention to detail to my commercial work. 

LBB> How did you first come across this obsession?

Aislinn> I think performance has always been incredibly important to me, but I realized it most keenly last year working on the NSW Gov #MakeNoDoubt Consent Campaign. I found myself delving into the details of breathwork, body language, tone, and very precise timing to allow for immersive worldbuilding that can transport the viewer into the moment in a very short timeframe. 

Although each of the 6 spots I directed for the #MakeNoDoubt campaign were only 15 seconds each, the performances in each of them really resonated with the audience and led to a great response to the campaign. 

LBB> Was it an obsession straight away, or something that has evolved over the years?

Aislinn> My obsession with performance has evolved over the years, from a keen eye for performance details to now creating a shared shorthand with the performers I work with. 

I think coming from working with musicians and untrained talent I had to find ways to articulate the performances I wanted without too much jargon. Showing references and discussing details with the performer before they even get on set is key, as well as going into every shoot with a very detailed plan for how we will achieve the best performance in each shot.

LBB> What are the most interesting debates or conversations you are having around this obsession?

Aislinn> I think one of the most interesting conversations around filmmaking right now is about AI, and how that will affect filmmaking and production. I know there are a lot of people worried about losing their jobs due to advancements and accessibility of AI but I actually think that for many of us (especially directors and actors) AI will only make the humanistic qualities of filmmaking and performance more sought after, as people look for realism and humanism amongst the artifice. I’m looking forward to embracing the new tech and using it to our advantage, especially for things like pre-vis and mock-ups in pre-production. 

LBB> How widespread do you think this obsession is with your peers?

Aislinn> I think performance is an often neglected part of the craft of commercial filmmaking, based on discussions I’ve had with actors and DP’s that I’ve worked with! It’s something that is easy to recognise when you see great performances, but can be hard for people to replicate or create without taking the time to delve deeply into it. 

LBB> Can you share any examples of work where that obsession really came to the fore and elevated the final production? Can you tell us about it and share links if possible?

Aislinn> Here are some of the spots from the #MakeNoDoubt campaign where I worked with a mix of actors and real couples to achieve believable performances (can you guess which spot is a real couple vs actors?). 

I’m also quite proud of the Modibodi Comfort Is Power campaign I directed last year (another one with a bit of breathwork choreography!).

For anyone just getting into your field, what advice would you share to help them get their head around this particular thing?

I would recommend reading Directing Actors by Judith Weston, and also watching your favourite films and ads over and over to hone in on exactly makes the performances believable. There’s always a new detail or technique to uncover.