Strangers in a Car Park tells the story of a cleaner working backstage at an awards show, who unexpectedly recognises the medallist as her assailant. The plot unfolds as they converge with other strangers in the venue’s car park, where accusations meet denials and secrets unravel. Writing the script in 2022, McBratney’s vision was to create a captivating and engaging narrative. He explained: “It’s a film about compulsion and connection, triumph and tragedy, culminating in a chaotic and revelatory finale. I’m hopeful that the audience enjoys the ride, having a few laughs along the way.” Principal photography was completed in mid-2023, and post-production is now in its final stages.
An experienced director with multiple TV commercials and indie productions to his name, McBratney wrote the story set primarily in a single location in one night. A concrete car park at The University of Newcastle in Australia where Stuart works as a university lecturer, provided both inspiration and practicality. “I prefer to write scenes which can be filmed in locations I can access, without the need for additional set dressing or special effects. The university’s car park is really cinematic, so I used it as a starting point, and built the story around it,” he explained. He also collaborated with some of his students, who were offered roles in the production.
