John Polson
The Australian film and television industry of the late twentieth century produced a generation of practitioners who moved fluidly between acting and directing, contributing to both domestic screen culture and international productions. John Polson, born in Sydney on September 6, 1965, belongs to that generation, having built a career that spans performance and direction across film and television.
Polson was educated at Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School and North Sydney Boys High School before pursuing work in the screen industries. As an actor, he took on roles in both film and television, working in English-language productions and establishing a presence across multiple formats. His engagement with performance across these two distinct formats reflects a broader pattern among Australian practitioners of his era, who frequently worked across different areas of the industry rather than confining themselves to a single medium.
As a film director, Polson extended his professional reach beyond acting. This combination of roles — appearing before the camera while also directing film — placed him among a cohort of Australian screen professionals who brought practical knowledge of performance to their directorial work. His output in both capacities contributed to the range of English-language screen production associated with Australian cinema and television during the period in which he was active.
Recognition of Polson's contributions to Australian screen culture came in the form of the Byron Kennedy Award, a prize whose receipt marks a concrete point of acknowledgment from within the professional community. His background — from his schooling in Sydney through his work as both actor and film director — traces a career shaped by sustained engagement with Australian and English-language screen production. The Byron Kennedy Award stands as the most clearly documented honor attached to his name, anchoring the record of a career that moved between two distinct professional roles within the same industry.
Quotes by John Polson
I do prime time network shows like 'Blue Bloods.' I've done 'Fringe,' I've done 'The Good Wife,' done a lot of 'The Mentalist.'
All my best friends are women except for one or two. I feel women are superior to men, and I love having them around. All that female energy is good for me.
The Australian film industry has recognised Tropfest as a place to nurture young talent. It's a stepping stone between amateur and professional.
I have a great team. A lot of my focus every day is with my television and film career, directing and producing, and I guess you can say that my moonlighting gig is Tropfest. Obviously, when I am not working I am in the Tropfest office full-time.
If only I could look up and touch a tetromino-filled sky... Until then, I thankfully have Dream of Pixels.
Artists need support, time and money to develop their ideas, and if people rip stuff off, you don't have to be that brilliant to figure out that you're ultimately going to affect the end product.
I do think Australians as a rule have a very good sensibility to them, and I think most people, if they were given the option, wouldn't choose to rip off a filmmaker or an artist - I don't think its part of the Australian psyche.
I like people. That's me. I like people on the street, and I also happen to like other people who have power. But I'll go to a party and realise I haven't spoken to anybody who can do anything for me.
I made 'Siam Sunset.' In Australia, it was pretty much universally hated, but I did notice that almost any American who saw it loved that film, so in 2001 I made a film in America called 'Swimfan,' and they released like a big studio movie, and it made money.
Australians love to pump you up when you're nobody. Then, when you start to put your head above water and say, 'Well, actually, I am a bit different, I am an individual and I do have a particular talent', or whatever, they want to go after you. But the good news is that once you reach a certain level, I think they start to leave you alone.