Paola Morabito

She heard ‘action’ being called through a megaphone in Spanish Harlem, ran over to investigate and saw “the trucks, the set and the full circus”. This was the moment when former hairdresser Paola Morabito fell in love with the film industry. “I got friendly with the costume designer and helped him tidy up the wardrobe truck,” she says. “That was the day I decided this was my world.”

Nine months later, Morabito returned to Australia, where she was born into an Italian family. She began a career in film, working in costume for commercials and as a stylist for fashion magazines. After an unsuccessful application to film school in 1999, her “stars aligned” and she met Oscar winner Jane Campion, while cutting her hair. The two hit it off and Campion gave Morabito a job as her assistant. “I began collecting images, reading scripts and making coffee, and shortly afterwards we left for New York to make In The Cut,” says Morabito.

Getting into film school was less of a problem after a few whirlwind years in her new position and she completed a Masters in directing at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2007. More work with Campion followed (second unit director on Bright Star) and, following six months developing her own feature, entitled Explosions Like Stars in Amsterdam, she’s now back in Sydney, signed to Curious Films and directing full time. Her first commercial is for charity Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and features unsuspecting members of the public in mock job interviews being grilled by an ‘employer’ who is looking for someone with the remarkable dedication of a guide dog. It’s reminiscent of Henry-Alex Rubin’s Real Life ads for Sony Ericsson and delivers the same laughs alongside a serious message.

Intense rehearsal with the ‘interviewer’ was crucial as Morabito knew she wouldn’t be able to give many directions during the shoot, but it paid off. “We were jumping out of our skin with excitement because the concept was actually working,” she says. “The only difficulty was not laughing during takes. Eventually, the gaffer had to isolate my focus by building a little tent around myself and the monitors.”

The spot has already proved a success, as the director explains. “People love it and they [the charity] did see a big increase in the donations.” It’s a cause that is important to her, not least because her neighbour, Lily, is blind. “Although she does extremely well and manages to create a colourful garden, I’d love to see her with a guide pooch to help her hang her washing and get around without bumping into things,” says Morabito. “So I was happy I could contribute.”

She has since finished a spot for Vodafone as well as a promo for Le Tigre, and it seems that music is something she’s keen on, with her dream project being “an avant-garde soul punk musical”. Who knows what Jane Campion would think of that, although we do know what she thinks of The Guide Dog Interviews. “She LOL’d,” says Morabito, who will be eternally grateful for the influence her mentor has had on her career. She adds: “She’s my guide dog!”