EXCLUSIVE: Director Neil Johnson on the 'scary' future of indie movies

British filmmaker Neil Johnson has made a name for himself as the go-to action-sci-fi guy in the film biz for well over two decades.

So where did it all begin? To celebrate the launch of the second teaser for his new flick Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter, Be chatted to the former Queenslander himself about once being the youngest paid director in the business, making the first wide-screen fully digital feature film, shooting post-apocalyptic sci-fi and why it takes audiences a while to warm up to his movies.

RELATED: Comic-Con 2016: All the trailers, highlights and more
RELATED: Ben-Hur exclusive clip: 'The Wild New Chariot Race'

Be: Where did you take inspiration for Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter?

Neil: “I wrote the film a few years ago, or at least a version of it. It was originally meant to be a sequel to a film I did called Humanity’s End, but during the writing process, it evolved into something else. When I worked with Tracey Birdsall in a small way on a previous film, I realised that she was someone I could truly collaborate with in a big way. The story then evolved into what it is now.

"I wanted to make the film to explore the dangers of AI technology. Specifically, what happens when we blend humans with machines. This is the next step of our evolution. Already we are sort-of dependent on machines as external devices, but eventually the joining will be absolute. We HAVE TO examine these issues now, before our humanity is lost. I think of these issues day and night. Maybe I am not normal.”

Be: Was George Miller's Mad Max an influence?

Neil: “Since I first saw it…for sure. The original film (and Road Warrior) had a unique rawness. They were very honest. In the same way, I have tried to encapsulate that same spirit. There are no big car chases or anything in Rogue Warrior, but the bleakness and the dirt permeates through this film. I like to think this film is very honest as well. I once saw George Miller across the room at an industry event. I really liked who he was as a person. I hope my own films will one day be in his league.”

Be: Where and when did your love for sci-fi movies come about?

Neil: “At the age of two, I remember seeing Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. It was while I was living in the UK. It affected me from that moment. I have always dreamed of being in space. Plus I am obsessed with lenses and telling stories. What else can I do? Science fiction, for me, is the great hope that will lead us forward in our progress."

Be: Which filmmakers do you take inspiration from?

Neil: “Stanley Kubrick was obviously my biggest influence. We share the same birthday. And then there’s David Lynch, because I love his style of art-films. It gives you uncomfortable nightmares. Ken Russel is an amazing director. The Devils is a film that I have watched maybe a hundred times. Films of that calibre get under your skin. I like directors whose films improve after many viewings.

“People usually hate my films on the first viewing, but after a time, I guess the films can get under people’s skin. Also, George Lucas was my hero as a boy. He and his producer, Rick McCallum once paid me a big compliment in the late ‘90’s. I did the first wide-screen fully digital feature film (as far as I know), and people said I was a fool for doing so. George and Rick were VERY supportive of me in those days. Since then I have gone on to do bigger budget sci-fi.

“Sadly, the independent film industry is in serious decline. I am one of the few who can make an independent film profitable in 2016. It’s really scary, but these are the times you start to tighten the belt and push onwards. I have been hit by so many obstacles, but I step over people as quick as I can and just try and do my best.”

Be: Is it true you were the youngest paid film director in Australia? Has the industry changed much since then?

Neil: “Yes. I was working as a cameraman at SEQ-8 in Maryborough, Queensland. One of the directors went on holiday and the person running the station rostered me on as a director. It was a few days before I turned 21. The station was owned by Christopher Skase, and though he had a bad reputation in the greater world, he and his staff actually saw my potential and gave me a great step up in the industry. Since then I have moved upwards. When I started in the industry, it was all 16mm and 35mm film. People now call me an early pioneer in digital film-making, but back then I was young, and hungry to make films. and desperate. I didn’t feel like a pioneer. It was just very expensive and prohibitive making a film."

"Finally, for me, the technology is in a place where you can dream it, and create what you dream. But now the onus is on the film-maker. Sometimes the best way to convey and idea is not to show it warts and all- like most Summer Blockbusters, but somehow find a way to convey the emotion in an artistic way. We are all getting tired of films that are all just visual effects. I am guilty of making these films. We, as human beings still want to watch human beings interacting. When we watch Star Wars, it’s all about the relationships with the characters. I am trying to get back to that reality, while staying relevant in today’s visual popcorn movies. This is what Rogue Warrior is for me. The intersection of humanity and visual effects, which is similar to the film’s theme."

Be: There are lots of opportunities for great sci-fi TV shows now, is that something you’d be keen to do?

Neil: “Oh yes. A TV series allows you to make great strides in story and character. What an amazing gift to be able to tell a story in such an epic way. This is why Game of Thrones is so popular. It’s better than most films. We always need time to become invested in characters and this new form of television opens these doors. I have never had an interest in episodic TV, but telling one big story of a few hours is what really turns me on. We are working on a sci-fi series tentatively called Gods of War - it will pick up where Rogue Warrior has left off. It is exciting times!!!”

Be also spoke to the heroine of the film, Tracey Birdsall about the grueling training she underwent for the kickass robot-fighting role of Sienna.

Be: What drew you to the role of Sienna?

Tracey: “I had worked with Director Neil Johnson prior to making this film so it was definitely enticing to work with him again. He’s a true actor’s director and a collaborator. That said, I have an immense love for science fiction - whilst also a love for robotics! Basically, you could say that I was truly in my element.

“I was very drawn to the physicality of the role and also to the huge character arcs. Neil kept re-working the script with each new brilliant actor that was added to the cast. What started out as a very appealing project to work on became more of a dream project. I dream pretty big, so that says a lot!”

Be: How physically demanding is a role like that?

Tracey: “Between the heat and the elements (wind storms, sand storms, unexpected heat waves) alone it was enough to turn most people away - I’ve never climbed so many mountains, followed by choreographed battles and falling down on my marks - in my life! I train very hard at the gym on a regular basis, along with fight training sporadically and I was not prepared for how hard this was going to be.

“For some reason, it never occurred to me that I would have to do these almost impossibly physically demanding scenes, sometimes up to 10 times, including aerial footage. I ate thousands of extra calories a day, went back to the room at night battered and bruised, covered myself in Arnica gel, and got up and did it again the next day. Very physically demanding yet astonishingly rewarding. I would do it all again tomorrow if I could.”

Be: Do you do your own stunts? Did anything go wrong?

Tracey: “I did all my own stunts and lots of things went wrong! It’s the nature of the beast. I think the funniest mishap was during the largest action battle in Yuma, Arizona. It took me a long time to scale up the back of those sand dunes between takes as my boots would sink above the knee with each step (going up a couple hundred feet at least) so I tried to really make each take count. I got to the bottom of the mountain running from robots who were shooting explosions at me and I had to hit my blocking at where to duck and where to fall and where to roll etc (Director Neil Johnson is very specific). I landed at the bottom exhausted and he said to me in a disappointed tone, ‘You fell at the wrong place - you were supposed to fall there’ (pointing to an area much lower).

"The problem was that I had actually fallen earlier but not on purpose! I didn’t want to ruin the whole take so I had picked up where I had left off once I was able to stop rolling in that sand with such momentum. Trust me, every fall hurts - but it’s the accidental one’s that are the worst! That said, I wasn’t going to do an action movie with a stunt double - that would have taken all the fun out of it!”

Be: What’s the greatest thing about working in an action-sci-fi movies?

Tracey: “The multiplicity of the challenge in action-sci-fi is the draw. You’re working your physicality to it’s extremes - your mind and imagination to the extremes - the verbiage is the most challenging and technical out there, and seeing as it’s character-driven sci-fi, I was also working my emotions to the extremes. I can’t think of a greater or more appealing challenge to an actor that truly loves the process.”

Be: What’s your dream role?

Tracey: “I do believe that this was my dream role! In looking to the future, I just want to be challenged even more in character arcs, physicality…all of it. We grow as actors the more that we work all of those muscles and working them simultaneously I think really raised my skill set even more. I study and prepare my roles more than most anyone I’ve ever met, and it’s not gone unnoticed. I keep getting more and more projects over the years that I don’t think just anyone can do. That said, doing a project like Charlize Theron’s Monster would be very appealing to me. I would love to do a film where the focus was completely off of looks so that the audience would focus on my talent - that would be very exciting to do.”

Be: You’re very busy – you have about four movies coming out this year alone – what drives you with such an exhausting schedule?

Tracey: “It is exhausting! It’s also very addictive to crawl into these roles and bring them to life (I call it the birth of a character.) Nothing brings me more happiness than to crawl into a script and start piecing it apart and living the lives of others… taking pages full of black and white and bringing them to full color for the audience. I’m blessed to do what I do and to love it to such a degree. The work itself is the driving force. I always wonder what I’ll be able to become next.”

Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter is coming soon.

Want more celebrity, entertainment and lifestyle news? Follow Be on Facebook,Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram