We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ruben Russo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ruben, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

On a conceptual level, Arlo And The Sea was always intended to be an internal and psychological look at a ‘post-love story’. The endlessly brilliant Damian Overton – who wrote and directed the film – was clear from the start that this film would pick up right after the end of a relationship. We wanted to delve deep into the messy, disorientation of a broken heart and how you encase yourself in somewhat of a cocoon, as you heal. We spoke about those subconscious reminders that you’re now alone, you’re in the space of someone’s absence who you once saw as a completion of yourself. Overall, these notions took Arlo’s trajectory and focussed it on redefinition when reconciliation isn’t an option.

In execution, we embedded these ideals within the film through metaphors. The bathtub being a perfect example, as we used the imagery of Arlo being submerged as his ‘fortress of solitude’ so to speak, his cocoon. The bathtub has no clear literal correlation with the events of the film, it exists out of time and so did Arlo. When it came to editing these shots became the four pillars that the story stood upon. This state of reflection Arlo find’s himself within, this messy array of memories and dreams also informed the continuity of shots and the overall editing style. As the film itself isn’t sequenced chronologically by any means, instead features key moments in Arlo’s history and then intercuts constantly with the present day. These decisions were present from the first draft and it was important for both Damian Overton and myself to ensure that made its way into the Final Cut. To me, this was the most truthful depiction of this post-love period of self-discovery… I related and identified with it on a fundamental level completely.

Ruben, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Ruben Russo and I am a twenty-one year old actor based in Queensland, Australia. My entire life I have been fascinated by film and the brutal industry as a whole. I made the decision when I was far too young to strive for a career in film, when I was ten years old. For so long the inner workings of the industry – getting from A to B – was a complete mystery to me. A daunting and seemingly unachievable task and for all of my early teen years it stressed me out, filled me with so much anxiety. After all, it had been my self-perceived purpose since I can remember.

It was only in high-school when I finally started realising the scope of the industry and the difficulty it would entail to pursue a life in it. I was in year eleven when I got onto my first film, having been to a networking event and talking to the director of an upcoming short film, Bradford Walton. I had an internship whereby, I was required to study the camera man and his method on the set of 5 Moons Of Pluto. It’s safe to say, I did anything but that. I spent my time on that set chatting to everyone I could, forming relationships that were meaningful to me and that turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.

I soon fell under the mentorship of Brenda Papworth, Jennifer Holt and Tony Bonner. I am forever thankful for their guidance and support, it meant the world to me. Tony Bonner helped me land my first agent in 2020, Gilchrist Management and without his referral and backing I would have been far off achieving something that fundamental with such little experience. Jennifer Holt and Tony Bonner dedicated much of their time to coach me on my performance and improve my self-worth and ability as an actor. Once I was confident enough and had a level of self-belief, Brenda Papworth graciously allowed me to attend the Australian Screen Industry Network Awards, where I would come to meet Damian Overton.

I then graduated school and worked on a number of student films, such as, ‘The Master Cow’ directed by Nick Elson – which was my acting debut. Along with, ‘A Loud Silence’ directed by Dhwani Agravat, and these two films in 2021 allowed me to explore diverse characters for the first time on screen and they were blessings in disguise at the time… allowing me to learn a lot about myself as an actor, my strengths and weaknesses. I then went on to work on a few armature films before getting the call to work on ‘The Curious Case Of Dolphin Bay’ directed by Christine Luby. This was the biggest film I had worked on at the time as a featured extra. It gave me the means to continue in what was then a trialling time in the industry post-Covid.

Years had then past with very little work, with pressure to make a living for myself from my family and no solid evidence that I was making progress in the industry, I became disheartened. It had been almost three years of on and off work in the field, right as I was contemplating getting into the police-force, I reconvened with Damian Overton. The rest is history.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

For me as an actor working in film, I have always had a very specific view of the craft. One that is founded in a deep-routed respect and admiration for the work put into telling stories and bringing characters to life. There’s no motivation of fame or followers, in fact I was always taught and have come to see that aspect of the industry as a sacrifice. Whereby, in order to be a storyteller – to me that’s what an actor is fundamentally – if you do a good job you connect with people and they relate to what you’ve portrayed. That is the goal.

There is so much in life that I have learned from films, things you can’t necessarily learn from your parents or your friends. Those intrinsic aspects of yourself that is explored on screen through the vulnerability of actors, I learned about myself and life through them and the grey that people live within. Through writing, acting, editing, colouring and hopefully one day directing, I’d like to do the same for others. Let them in on the personal and interpersonal experiences in life and all that’s come with it. In the case of Arlo And The Sea it’s a complicated and bitter end to a relationship that re-defined Arlo’s perception of himself. I hope that’s something people Identify with, the notion that you define yourself by those you love… and really you shouldn’t.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I was in year twelve in 2020, the year Covid was very much so at its peak where I lived in Australia. I vividly remember all of the expo days whereby, universities would come to our school and show what they had to offer going forwards into a future that at the time, was very unsteady and vague. I was always set on going to university for film and acting and I had been working hard at school specifically in those fields to guarantee that. Then lockdown happened and I missed out on a large chunk of my final year at school, it completely redefined the landscape I had been working within for six years up to that point.

So when the time came and I had to start applying for a University, I had actually made it past the first stage of auditioning for the acting course at Griffith. And in the weeks that followed before the second stage of auditions I was constantly uneasy with the thought of going to university at all. Essentially the entire film industry was levelled in the wake of Covid, and now I was about to get myself into a large amount of financial debt to study in an industry that’s heart was barley beating at this point.

Despite this, I went to the second stages of auditions and gave it my all at the time. About a month later I received a letter in the mail saying I wasn’t accepted into the course. At the time I was a bit humiliated, that I didn’t make it through, and even took it as an indication of my talent. Still, time passed and I found motivation again and essentially the path chose me, I had to pivot as a result and it was the best decision, university wasn’t for me in the end. I had to go out and make my own way and from that point it was all too clear. As a result however, I had no safety, no routine, no outlines purpose… just a goal.

I had to constantly work and motivate myself, I had horrible experiences in acting classes also when I attended an acting school in Brisbane. So I decided to practice it by myself in my room, I think I learned more about acting through just living than I could have ever imagined and the same goes for film itself. All of this would eventually turn out to be best for me, as if this course didn’t take place… I might not be where I am now. I’m so incredibly grateful for where I am now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13630952/
• Instagram: @rubenrussoreturns

Image Credits
Image featuring green back drop: Anthony Byron Image featuring Green Suit: Anthony Byron Image Featuring New York Yankees Bomber Jacket: Lachlan Thompson