ABOUT
With a career spanning 25 years, Martin Wilson is an internationally awarded Australian film director and writer. His debut feature film Great White released in 2021 through Universal Pictures, stars Katrina Bowden (30 Rock, Bold and the Beautiful) and Aaron Jakubenko (Tidelands, The Shannara Chronicles).
The New York Times film reviewer commented, “Director Martin Wilson, follows in the footsteps of Deep Blue Sea and 'The Meg’ to deliver a hair raising survivalist set pieces…it’s still not safe to go back in the water.” The Hollywood Insider commented “Lensed with a keen eye for framing and location, Great White is visually polished and transitions elegantly between wide-angle wonderment and finite claustrophobia. Wilson is a highly accomplished commercials director and his modishness and brevity lend a touch of esthetical class to the chomping and screaming.”
The New York Times named Great White as one of top 5 film action films to stream globally in July 2021 while Polygon named Great White as one of the top 12 movies to stream globally in November 2021. Despite Covid 19 Great White earned a coveted North American cinema release in 2021 and was picked up by premium horror streamer Shudder in the United States. Locally the film can be seen on Amazon Prime and Foxtel.
Martin’s short film Wait ’Til Your Father Gets Home had a string of success across prestigious international festivals including; Boston, Atlantic, St Kilda, Telluride, New York Melbourne International Film Festival and Palm Springs. The film won Best Short Film for Showtime at the SPAA Conference in 2002. He also directed 2004 tele film Roll, which was funded and distributed by ShowTime, Screenwest and SBS Independent.
His extensive commercial work includes directing the national 'Cowards Punch' TVC campaigns with 4 x World Boxing Champion Danny Green. This ground-breaking campaign has won and been nominated for several awards and has garnered International acclaim rebranding terms like “King Hit" and “One Punch" attacks as the “Coward's Punch". This term has now become part of the national vernacular and is recognised through the Urban Dictionary.
Martin has written several screenplays and is a Bill Warnock Award nominee. His screenplay Wolf Force One was recently optioned by Ambience Entertainment (Storm Boy, Tomorrow, When The War Began, Killer Elite).
Martin co-owned premier Film Production company, Soul Films for 18 years and is a co-founder of Third Storey Pictures. He has serviced a variety of commercial clients including; Bankwest, BHP, Brownes, Fremantle Dockers, HBF, Hungry Jacks, iiNet, Lotterywest, RAC, Kleenheat Gas, Synergy, Toyota and the West Coast Eagles.
Martin is a passionate advocate for social issues and has several clients in this space including; Helping Minds, Mental Health Commission, Parkerville Children and Youth Care, The Australian Child Protection Authority and the Waalitj Foundation, focussing on important social issues such as mental health and child abuse awareness. Martin is an Australian Directors' Guild 2018 Award nominee for his work on Helping Minds - Real Stories and a WA Screen Culture Awards Nominee 2021 for Outstanding Achievement in Direction for STOP The Coward Punch. He is also the winner of the PADC Diamond Skull Award for Best Director in 2021 and 2023. This has led to Martin being represented by the number 1 ranked Asia-Pacific Production company – The Directors Think Tank.
Martin’s second feature film a drama/thriller titled PIECES (2022) is an Independent production that examines the lives of those living with complex mental illness. The film aims to highlight the contribution and effort carers make as they are often the invisible, unheard champions for the people they care for. And importantly, it looks to break down the stigma and stereotypes and other misconceptions often attributed to people living with mental illness. PIECES is nominated for two 2022 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) awards for Best Indie Film and Best Costume Design in Film.
