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John Polson on breaking into film, money and making it work

Filmmaker and founder of Tropfest short-film festival John Polson discusses the power of getting your work in front of an audience – even when the odds are stacked against you.

By Stephanie Nuzzo

  • Filmmaker and Tropfest founder John Polson shares how persistence, creativity and self-belief helped him break into the film industry.
  • From funding early projects to building a global short film platform, Polson reflects on the financial realities of a creative career.
  • Join Australia's iconic film festival, Tropfest - proudly presented by CommBank - live in Sydney or online on Sunday 22 February 2026.

How did you break into the film industry?

My school education finished quite early – I was expelled a few times and by 15, I was out of school entirely. I was pumping petrol and working on boats until a family friend asked me to audition for a play. I didn’t even know what an audition was but I got the job. That was the start of a whole new world for me.

I started using the money I made as an actor to make short films on the weekends. They started out very badly but like anything you stick at, they slowly improved. I would send the films off to international festivals and a few weeks later I’d get a rejection letter. I got so many rejections that I started framing the letters until I had an entire wall of them. And then one day I got in – I remember it was the Chicago International Film Festival.

“Limitations can be your best friend if you approach them the right way.” - John Polson, founder of Tropfest
John Polson attending tropfest

How did you make filmmaking work financially in the early days?

I didn’t come from a wealthy family so I’d borrow or find things. I had to be scrappy. Short films were very expensive to make before smartphones – they’d cost thousands of dollars, which I barely had.

I once bought a video camera on a friend’s credit card, shot a film within a week and returned it for a refund. That’s actually how Tropfest started. I had an idea for a mockumentary called Surry Hills 902 Spring Roll. A friend of mine worked as a food courier and while he was waiting for the next delivery, he would come and have coffee with me at the Tropicana Caffe and tell me all these wild stories. So I decided to make a film about it.

We screened it at The Tropicana and Tropfest was born. A big part of the spirit of Tropfest is that DIY mindset. Why wait for someone else to tell you you’re good? Just go out and make something yourself.

What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers today?

I’m a firm believer that there are no rules. If you’re hungry enough, you’ll make it work. One of my favourite quotes is from Steve Martin. He says, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” Forget about trying to impress people or trying to get in front of the right contacts: just do the work and it will rise to the top eventually.

And stop trying to make something for the audience. If you like something, there’s a pretty good chance other people will. We’re all more similar than we think. So if it’s a story from the heart and it’s something you want to watch, tune out all that other noise. It took me a long time to figure that out.

Why is Tropfest still so important for filmmakers?

Because they need an audience. Our deal is simple: you bring the talent and the idea and we’ll bring the platform. When you get into Tropfest, you’re guaranteed tens of thousands of eyeballs, if not hundreds of thousands. That kind of exposure can kickstart a career – and it has, many times.

The early days of Tropfest at Tropicana Caffe, Sydney.

What makes you most proud of about Tropfest's impact?

It feels great but I don’t take the credit. I just stuck with it when most people might have walked away. The first few years I lost money but I kept going. I’m proud we held on and I’m thrilled to see it back with partners like CommBank and an incredible board. It’s been a wild ride.

What’s changed for emerging filmmakers today?

There are pros and cons. The pros are pretty obvious: you can pick up your phone or your computer and make a film in a few hours. But I think back then, there was more of a traditional pathway to follow. If you got into film school then you would probably do well and go on to make a feature. I don’t know if it works like that anymore.

How do you balance creativity with financial pressure?

Limitations can be your best friend if you approach them the right way. You think more money or more time will make something better but creativity is free – it’s the only thing in filmmaking and television that’s free. So when you think about it like that, there’s really no excuse not to start.

CommBank is proudly presenting Tropfest on Sunday 22 February, 2026 at Centennial Park, Sydney, and online via the Tropfest YouTube channel. Visit tropfest.com for more information.

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Published: 4 February 2026

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