BIOGRAPHY:    It was 1988 and Greg had to choose his subjects for V.C.E. thus ensuring a particular career path post V.C.E. Deciding then that he wanted to make films it didn't really matter what subjects he chose, as long as he passed English and V.C.E. overall. And he did manage to pass.

He tried to get into Swinburne University-Graduate of Film and TV (now V.C.A), but didn't get in - "17 years of age is way too young", he was told.

He got into La Trobe University - Bachelor of Arts (that was OK at the time 'cos Spielberg only completed an arts course).

He finished that, though the real course for Greg was the dozen short films on Super 8 and VHS that he made with La Trobe Uni. Media equipment (pretending they were for curriculum subjects), and the three plays he was involved in writing, producing, directing and acting in with La Trobe theatre, and the dozens of short and feature films he saw in class from all over the world and all though the century (20th) that he wouldn't normally have had the opportunity to see.

Concluding this course Greg decided that he was now over-qualified for the V.C.A. film course and decided to write and direct a feature. After a series of misfires, several short 16mm films, and thinking maybe he should have re-applied for V.C.A., Greg achieved what was always one of his goals - to complete a feature film by the age of 30.

The Garth Method was completed in 2004, with a sound mix at Music & Effects in South Yarra.

Greg has now completed his new feature, The Joe Manifesto, which he wrote and directed and played the lead part.

CRITICAL OVERVIEW:   Without going into the details of particular films and titles, initially when I started making films I was trying to do stuff that was entertaining for your general audience. Then as I did film studies at uni, I got caught in the trap of making stuff that maybe was a bit film academic, stuff that would go over the head of your average punter. A 'trap' for me because what I really wanted to do was make films for that average punter. Though in the meatime I learned about tight script writing, effective direction, and how to get solid performances from actors on screen and on stage and that, I think, has held me in good stead with my first feature that I have just made which is a more 'from the gut' type film than something academic. 'From the gut' for me meaning stories that make emotional sense to the audience and 'academic' meaning stories that are about an idea.

Greg Pakis, April 2003

FILMOGRAPHY:

	The Garth Method

Nowhere to Run (1988, 28 mins, VHS)

Fatherly Advice (1989, 5 mins, VHS)

On the Trail of Teka (1990, 5 mins, VHS)

The Last Minute (1990, 6 mins, Super 8)

My Blood Stained Hands (1991, Super 8)
uncompleted film - around 40 minutes in duration

Toilet Trouble (1991, 6 mins, VHS)

Untitled (1992, 54 mins, VHS)

Your Guide to Successful Hitchhiking (1997, 5 mins, 16mm)

Untitled (1998, 3 mins, Super 8)

The Garth Method (1999, 5 mins, Super 16)

The Garth Method (2004, 81 mins, Super 16 & MiniDV/DV-Cam)

Garth Goes Hitch-Hiking (2007, 77 mins, MiniDV)

The Joe Manifesto (2009, 108 mins, HD)

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY:

The Garth Method - Review, by Daniel Bernardi, Film Threat, August 6, 2005.

The Garth Method - Review - 4 stars, by Robert Flaxman, eFilmCritic, August 23, 2005.

Interview with Gregory Pakis and Garth Petridis, by Daniel Bernardi, Film Threat, September 16, 2005.

The Garth Method website

Contact Gregory Pakis

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