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South Australian Emerging Talent Spotlight: Cordell Horsell and Kiki Gibbons
10 April 2025
Bring Her Back is the highly anticipated SA made horror from Adelaide filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, set for release in May. The follow up to their wildly successful debut Talk To Me, their newest feature sees the Philippous team up once again with Causeway Films to deliver another nailbiter, filmed last year in Adelaide with the support of the SAFC.
Starring two-time Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Jonah Wren-Phillips and newcomer Sora Wong, Bring Her Back is set to hit Australian cinemas on 29 May 2025.
Emerging South Australian screen creatives Cordell Horsell and Kiki Gibbons both undertook SAFC Professional Crew Attachments on Bring Her Back as part of the majority South Australian crew on the production. We sat down with them to ask about their experiences on set, what it’s like to work in the screen industry, and their advice for other emerging screen creatives.
Cordell Horsell is an actor-turned-emerging Assistant Director who got his start as 2nd AD on SA made web series Behind The Seams, before working as an Additional AD on Ladies in Black and Jimpa.
Immediately following his SAFC Professional Crew Attachment in the AD Department on Bring Her Back, Cordell was hired to be 3rd AD on SA writer/director Dario Russo’s upcoming feature film The Fox, also from Causeway Films. He’s been keeping busy as 1st AD gigs on smaller projects like short films, music videos and TVCs until his next 3rd AD role kicks off later this year.
How did you get started in the screen industry?
I’ve always loved filmmaking. When I was a kid me and my mates would run around with this camcorder making short films. We did our own makeup and would edit in-camera. The films were utter rubbish, but that’s where it all started.
As I grew up, I started to really consider taking a proper stab at it. After a few years of acting, I went to school to study film and television production and met some amazing people who gave me my start. A year or so later I found Assistant Directing and it has just kept growing from there.
What do you love about working in the screen industry?
It’s the creativity and the community of it all. Everyday is so unique: different challenges, different places. But it’s the people that bring it all home for me. Getting to work with weird and wonderful like-minded individuals, the ones who get it. I’ve been lucky enough to find a few who I now get to call my friends. That’s the best part.
You recently participated in the SAFC’s Attachments Program to complete an Assistant Director Department Attachment on upcoming feature film Bring Her Back. What was that experience like?
Bring Her Back was a whirlwind – an incredible, eye-opening experience to work on a film of that scale right in our own little corner of the world. It was intense, exhausting and absolutely illuminating. I learned so much about the industry, about myself, and about how I want to approach my work in the future, and that kind of experience is invaluable.
What was the biggest highlight working on Bring Her Back?
The highlight for me is the people, really. So many beautiful individuals worked incredibly hard, and I felt humbled to be on set with them. They had my back, even when things were tough, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with many of them since. It has been amazing to forge those relationships.
What was the most useful or surprising thing you learned during your attachment?
The sheer number moving parts on Bring Her Back was incredible, with so many departments from vehicles and stunts to prosthetics. Learning how to communicate and collaborate across all these departments, and how we can make the work better for everyone, is a key thing I’ll take with me moving forward.
Why do you think initiatives like the SAFC’s Attachments Program are important?
These initiatives are lifelines for us little guys. They’re so important because it gives you the opportunity to get your foot in the door. You get given training, experience and a great screen credit to add to your resume all while getting paid to do it. This attachment has really catapulted my career; I never would have progressed this quickly without it.
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming crew members who are considering applying for an attachment?
If you’re considering applying for an attachment, take the plunge! I applied for a few before I got this one, but I knew that once I got the opportunity, I wouldn’t waste it. You just need to get that foothold and then you’re able to prove yourself on a level that has the potential to provide you with consistent work, something we’re all after. If you want it, keep going.
Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I hope to still be working in film, having some small part in creating great Australian film and television. I don’t mind what form that takes, I’m just going to keep working at it.
Kiki Gibbons is an emerging cinematographer and camera department crew member. They have previously completed an SAFC Professional Crew Attachment in the camera department of First Day S2 and has worked on SA made and SAFC supported projects like Firebite, Aftertaste S2 and The New Boy.
Following their attachment on Bring Her Back, Kiki was hired on RFDS S3, joining the camera crew on location in Quorn. They say they felt “right at home” in the country town working with crew they were already familiar with thanks to the tightknit SA screen community.
How did you get started in the screen industry?
I actually got my start through another SAFC camera attachment in 2021, on season two of First Day. I was six months post study, decided to apply for the attachment and was lucky enough to get it! It feels like a lifetime ago now but it kickstarted it all.
What do you love about working in the screen industry?
It’s my passion. I get so much joy and fulfillment from being on set. Working together in a team to help bring stories to life, side by side with people who have the same passion and commitment to something – it’s truly wonderful. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of challenges too but the good outweighs it and I keep coming back.
You recently participated in the SAFC’s Attachments Program to complete a Camera Dept Attachment on upcoming feature film Bring Her Back. What was that experience like?
It was a bit of a roller coaster (in a good way!). No two days were the same and each day came with its own set of challenges, which is also what makes it so interesting.
It is an amazing job to look back on and I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to work on a feature film.
What was the biggest highlight working on Bring Her Back?
I honestly say this to everyone who asks but: being a part of such an incredible camera team. Sometimes the pressure of these kinds of jobs can get to people but there was always a positive and happy vibe amongst the team. Every single person was brilliant, and it was truly a joy to work with them all. They pushed the boundaries creatively and technically and I’m grateful I got to be a part of it all.
What was the most useful or surprising thing you learned during your attachment?
I learnt so much during this attachment I think it’s hard to pinpoint one thing. The film is very water and rain-centric so I definitely learnt more about trying to keep camera equipment dry and running in extreme situations than I ever expected! The camera team had to do a lot of problem solving and research, I benefited a lot from watching it all unfold.
Why do you think initiatives like the SAFC’s Professional Crew Attachments are important?
These initiatives are a great way for people to get their foot in the door, connect with industry professionals and learn on the job. There’s nothing like hands-on experience in the professional field.
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming crew members who are considering applying for an attachment?
Apply! Back yourself, take initiative when you can, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years?
I’ve always disliked this question because I’ve never really been someone who looks too far ahead! I hope by then I have more credits to my name, I’ve formed some lifelong relationships with my peers, I’m happy and I’m using my resources to help bring someone else up.
Story by Alex Knopoff