As well as producer, Russell was camera assistant, runner and caterer sometimes.
But why did he and his wife Amy Scully put himself up for the hell of a self funded, self distributed, independent documentary production in Australia?
"Amy and I have been making documentaries for a while," he says.
"We made Rainman goes to RocKwiz; it won a few awards, so we wanted to do another film and this one became our obsession."
The challenges filming The Man From Coxs River started with the Australian landscape.
"This might have been one of the most challenging film expeditions undertaken since Mawson went down to Antarctica."
At least Mawson eventually had a hut; Russell and crew only had tents.
"We had to do all the filming off horseback, which made you very wary about falling off, breaking the equipment, or having the equipment stick into you."
The film was made in the Blue Mountains National Park in NSW, 100kms west of Centerpoint Tower in the Warragamba catchment area. It's rocky and hard country.
The stars of the documentary other than the horses are the stockman, who are not used to being filmed. Russell bonded with the lead stockman as they both share an interest in Dr Who (their favourite Doctor is Jon Pertwee, if you're wondering).
There was rarely the luxury of a second take for anything during the filming. This made for difficult production, but an honest capture of events.
The story behind the film is the controversial project to move wild brumbies out of the area rather than have them shot from helicopters.
"Amazingly we've made a film that greenies and environmentalists go and see, bush walkers go and see and horse people go and see. I think it's an even handed film that gets people into a room that wouldn't normally be in a room together.
Russell and Amy usually talk about the making of the film and the issues raised by it after a screening. The culling of the wild brumbies is usually a hot topic.
"I feel honoured to meet the people that come to see our film. It's an experience you couldn't buy with any focus group ever."
"We've been to Murrah, Tumut, Bairnsdale, Young and Glen Innes and have tapped into a market for over 50s that want to watch Australian movies on the screen, not just yet another US superhero movie."
The movie is getting so popular that Russell can't be at every screening.
"It is incredibly difficult to market an independent documentary in Australia. Even if you wanted to ring a Hoyts or Greater Union cinema, their local phone number is not on their website."
But The Man From Coxs River has achieved something akin to Dr Who's psychic paper, where the viewer sees whatever they want to see, like a licence or a security pass.
"Everybody takes away from the film their own version of the film. This has made it even more of a privilege to meet the audience."
The Man From Coxs River screens at Lakes Cinema Boolaroo 27th and 28th June at 2pm
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