Rising star BOURNE READY FOR NEXT ROLE

Apollo Bay actress Ella Bourne doesn’t cower at the thought of committing herself to something.

Returning to the coast from Los Angeles, the hardworking film buff has spent the last few years tapping into the production side of the industry.

Dabbling in writing, directing and performing, Ella’s recent project, Awoke, boasts multiple international acknowledgements including best environmental film at the California Film Awards.

Ella still pinches herself at the film’s success.

“I don’t know how I managed to pull it off,” she says laughing.

“About six weeks before I moved to L.A., I said to myself ‘I want to make a film’. It was crazy.

“I wanted to make something that was different and had a purpose. I said to some people I thought might be interested ‘I’ve got this idea’ and everyone came on board.”

Upon arriving home, Ella played Helen of Troy in Melbourne production Women of Troy, which she also produced.

Most recently, Ella’s locked herself in as a producer and cast member for a new Australian and United Kingdom coproduction feature film, The Jailer Within. While the film finalises castings, Ella is basing herself between Torquay and Melbourne.

“I grew up in Apollo Bay and always gravitated towards coming back,” she says.

“I needed my ocean fix to calm down and recharge. The film world is so crazy and different.

“Some days I’m working from 8am to 1am the next morning.”

Ella will work alongside international director Cathrin Blickling and AFI nominated executive producer David Redman to bring The Jailer Within to life.

The film – which is powered by a mostly female creative team – is about posttraumatic stress disorder in women who have experienced childhood abuse.

Ella says the script brought her to tears when she first read it.

“It (the script) was so gripping. I was turning the pages as quickly as I could,” she recalls.

“It’s a story that needs to be out there as it’s not really explored in our social climate, but things are changing.

“It’s really cool to work on a project that’s really female driven. We’re not intentionally excluding men; the voice naturally came out to attract strong females in creative roles.”

The Jailer Within will be shot early next year in Australia and the UK.