{
  "id": 3793946,
  "title": "Most movies take months to film. This Australian director did it in six days",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/most-movies-take-months-to-film-this-australian-director-did-it-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-27T18:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-28/mockbuster-anthony-frith-the-asylum-sharknado/107083846"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Anthony Frith, an aspiring Melbourne filmmaker, directed his first feature film, The Land That Time Forgot, in just six days for The Asylum, a B-movie studio known for producing low-budget mockbusters. The film, documenting the process, was shot in Australia and documented in a companion movie called Mockbuster. Frith, who had no film experience prior to this, secured the gig after a single email exchange and a Zoom call. Despite the low budget, lack of story, and short filming window, The Asylum was committed to completing the project. Frith and his team managed to pull off the feat, often working under tight deadlines and with limited resources. The film's success included a small wrap party and the use of generative AI for special effects, but Frith believes that the human touch in bad movies adds a unique charm that cannot be replicated by AI.",
  "summary": "The studio behind Sharknado pumps out hundreds of 'mockbusters' a year. Anthony Frith is the first Australian to bring the chaos Down Under.",
  "key_points": [
    "Filmmaker Anthony Frith directed feature in 6 days",
    "Shot in Australia for low-budget studio The Asylum",
    "Used generative AI for special effects"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}