click for contents ROVE IS BACK SCREEN AUSTRALIA | INVESTs IN TALENT MIFF PICS | wish you were here PICS | BAIT 3D PICS | WRITERS LAB
THEBOOMERANG AUSTRALIANS IN FILM
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2012
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The Boomerang
THEMONTH
Managing Editor Andrew Warne Editor Matilda Haddad Designer Sam Kramer samk@kramerproductiondesign.com
Australians in Film |
Would like to thank the following volunteers who, behind the scenes, help the organization run effectively
Board of Directors Paula Paizes Rob Marsala Andrew Warne Tracey Vieira Michelle Day Ian Sutherland Paul Thomas Cover | Rove McManus
CONTENTS President’s Note
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Reel Alerts
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Rove McManus is back
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Screen Australia | Invest in local talent
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MIFF | Melbourne International Film Festival
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The Second Coming
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Sam Kramer, designer of the Boomerang and invitations
News Submissions Please email the Editor with any Australian or member film-related news or announcements.
Michael Kelleher for website design and IT support
Australians in Film | 23975 Park Sorrento, Suite 365 Calabasas, CA 91302
Member Profile | Jo Long
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Susie Dobson Greg Cook John Freeman Ingrid Bloom Sophie Scarf
Tel: 310 452-5939 | Fax: 323 446-8724
Pics | Wish you were here
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Pics | Bait 3D
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Pics | Writers Lab
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www.australiansinfilm.org | michael@australiansinfilm.com
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PRESIDENT’snote And so begins year two of my term as President. Despite my ambivalence at this time last year, I find myself enormously proud of what we have been able to accomplish as an organization over the past twelve months.
technical education, but the practical networking opportunities. The impetus is to make AiF a more recognizable industry base for Hollywood to support and exploit, to populate their productions through interaction, and collaboration, with our organization.
At the dawn of our second decade, we made the strategic decision to change our mission statement to become a more useful and effective organization for our members. With this new agenda to become more of an industry-based membership, we created several professional stands to help our members advance their careers.
We already have begun to raise the profile of the organization, most notably with our Inaugural Awards and Benefit Dinner on June 27. This was an extraordinary evening that captured huge amounts of press coverage and notoriety, thanks not only to our amazing honourees, but to a certain bidding war between fiancés! The creation of our two new International Awards also caught the attention of Hollywood because of Harvey Weinstein’s gracious acceptance and John Polson’s recognition. So we are becoming more visible, and hope to become more significant, if not indispensable!
The AiF Writer’s Group was launched earlier in this year, and has met at least each month with enormous success and positive feedback, our most recent meeting focussing on selling spec scripts to Hollywood. Our Producer’s Panel began with an excellent seminar about securing rights to source material, screenplay option agreements and copyright laws, and will continue with a seminar on the peaking digital domain. Our Visual Effects Lab will launch as soon as the survey results give us an idea of the areas our members in that field would like to focus on, but we have some great topics in mind, and a number of skilled professionals ready to contribute. All of this initiative is designed to expand our industry membership, to appeal to those working in Hollywood who can benefit, not only from the PRESS ESC TO EXIT
Clearly, what motivates most of us, and compels our members to join, is our collective love of movies, so we will continue to screen not only the latest Hollywood films that boast an Australian component, but the notable Australian films that we can help promote and support in the film capital. With that in mind, we intend to create two different kinds of membership at Australians in Film: an “Industry” membership, which will allow access to our professional strands, plus
the screening events, and a “Film Fan” membership, which will include attending our numerous movies, Q&As and receptions. Titles are not confirmed, so suggestions are welcome!? Details will be announced shortly and will take place at the beginning of the year, but please anticipate a small increase in the price of membership to cover the additional costs of the putting on the strands, and a more ambitious screening program. You will be given the opportunity to renew before the increase, however, so please don’t miss out and spread the word! Obviously, we are going to these efforts to increase the value of our organization to our members, and to become a more desirable partner for collaborators in Hollywood. Please help us by encouraging your friends to join, and by taking advantage of all the new products we offer. Thanks, as always, to our tremendous sponsors, to the Board of Directors who have done unbelievable work this year, to our amazing volunteers, especially Greg Cook and Steve Greig, and most importantly to Michael Kelleher our tireless Executive Director. I hope to see you soon at one of our next events. With kind regards, Andrew Warne
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REELALERTS Isabel Lucas is slated to star in a new “Basic Instinct”-style thriller titled Careful What You Wish For for director Elizabeth Allen.
Gale Hawthorne, and the film is set for release 22 November 2013.
L. Jackson and Michael Keaton are also officially on board.
Congratulations to director Cate Shortland. Her new film Lore (an Australian-German coproduction) is Australia’s entry for best foreign language film at next year’s Oscar awards.
Jason Clarke is in negotiations to play Tom Lincoln, the often callous and abusive father of America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, in The Green Blade Rises. This is another big role for the rising Australian actor. Clarke next stars in the hunt for Bin Laden film Zero Dark Thirty, he is currently in John Hillcoat’s Lawless, and will be seen next year in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Clarke is also currently in production on White House Down for Sony Pictures.
Rumors are swirling that brothers Chris Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth are in the running to play Christian and Elliot Grey in the film adaptation of E L James’ novel Fifty Shades of Grey. Sam Worthington has been cast in a new drama-thriller The Riders. The film will be directed by Robert Connolly and is an adaptation of Tim Winton’s awardwinning novel of the same name. Isabel Lucas
Wrekin Hill has acquired the Aussie surf drama Drift, which stars Sam Worthinton, Myles Pollard, and Xavier Samuel. The film will be released early 2013 in North America. The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire has officially commenced shooting under the direction of Francis Lawrence. Liam Hemsworth will reprise his role as PRESS ESC TO EXIT
Cameras have started rolling on Chris Hemsworth’s upcoming Alan Taylor directed blockbuster, Thor: The Dark World. Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins costar. Abbie Cornish is cast in the female lead role of Betty in the Henry Bromwell directed Fellini Black and White. Cornish will play the veterinarian Fellini meets and falls in love with before he disappears. Cornish will also play Robocop’s wife in the upcoming reboot, Robocop. Stars Gary Oldman, Samuel
Jason Clarke
Nicole Kidman will be honored for her career achievements at the 50th-annual New York Film Festival in October. Her film The Paperboy has also been added to the festival’s slate. Hugh Jackman will be honored by New York’s Museum of the Moving Image at its annual fundraiser, the Salute, which takes place Dec. 11 at Cipriani Wall Street. One of Australia’s most popular actresses, Sigrid Thornton (Sea Change, The Man from Snowy River, The Lighthorsemen) has been cast in the American independent feature film BFFs. Callan McAuliffe (The Great Gatsby) has just finished filming a lead role in Aron Gaudet’s coming of age indie Blue Potato. The film is due for release in 2013. Melbourne-based production companies December Media and Pemberton Films have won an Emmy for their documentary Immortal (known as Decoding Immortality in the USA), at the 33rd News and Documentary Emmys. Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment and Australian-based film company Arenamedia will produce The Shipkiller, an adaptation of the
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REELALERTS Justin Scott epic revenge thriller novel. Australian filmmaker Robert Connolly (Balibo) is attached to direct. Hurd will produce for Valhalla with Connolly producing via Arenamedia. Henry Morrison and Andrew Myer are executive producing. Mia Wasikowska is set to play opposite Adam Driver (who plays Lena Dunham’s lover in HBO’s Girls) in Tracks - a saga of a young Australian woman’s camel trek across the Aussie Outback in 1977. UTA has just signed Wayne Blair, who Mia Wasikowska
made his feature directorial debut with The Sapphires. It’s the first U.S. representation for the Australian filmmaker. In her first US television role, young Australian actress Rebecca Breeds has landed the female lead in Ex-Men, Rob Greenberg’s single-camera comedy pilot for CBS opposite Chris Smith, Kal Penn and Tony Shalhoub.
Sullivan Stapleton
A&E Network has picked up its flagship drama series, The Glades, for a 13-episode fourth season to premiere in 2013. The show stars Aussie Matt Passmore. Actor Sullivan Stapleton has been cast as the Athenian general Themistocles
Aussie author Jessica Shirvington, the wife of champion athlete and Foxtel presenter Matt Shirvington, is poised to conquer Hollywood with her supernatural young-adult novel series Embrace. It is to be adapted into a TV series by the famed producer Steven Spielberg. Queenslander, Brenton Thwaites, known for playing Stu Henderson in Home & Away, has landed the role of the young prince in Maleficent. The film stars Angelina Jolie and is a retelling of the “Sleeping Beauty” story from the perspective of the princess’ evil nemesis, Maleficent.
Bryan Brown will play an Australian soldier in France during World War I in An Accidental Soldier, a tele movie directed by the actor’s wife, Rachel Ward- their first collaboration since the 2009 movie Beautiful Kate. Eric Bana is in talks to costar in Lone Survivor, the Peter Berg-directed drama that is being financed by Emmett/Furla Film. Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster are already poised to play the other main roles in the drama centered on four Navy SEALs.
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in the prequel to 300, The Battle of Artemisia. It has been dubbed the film that will launch his Hollywood career.
Heath Ledger Scholarship finalist, Lachlan Buchanan, has been cast in two American films, Feed the Dog opposite Selena Gomez and Heather Graham and Horror flick Muck with American model and actress Gia Skova. Both are scheduled for a 2013 release. Annie Buckley from Sydney - the rosycheeked 11-year-old has been plucked from obscurity to star in Disney’s coming blockbuster Saving Mr. Banks with Hollywood heavyweights Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell and fellow Australian, Rachel Griffiths.
Fox Searchlight announced Hitchcock is set for a limited platform release November 23, 2012, meaning it will now be placed at the heart of the movie awards season. The film features Toni Collette as Hitchcock’s faithful assistant Peggy Robertson.
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WAKE IN
FRIGHT COMPETITION
In honor of the 40th Anniversary of a lost classic from the outback, WAKE IN FRIGHT, Landmark theatres and Australians in Film are giving seven lucky film fans two tickets to see this seminal Australian film at the Nuart Theatre. WAKE IN FRIGHT opens on October 19, 2012, at Landmark’s Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles for a one-week engagement. To win, simply enter the competition and pick a date that’s best for you and a friend! It’s so easy you should tell your friends!
ENTER NOW
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ROVEMCMANUS IS BACK By Matilda Haddad Australia’s favorite talk show host, Rove McManus has returned for a second season of Rove LA, with a new home to broadcast from, more A-list celebrities and a series of hilarious segments in the pipeline. Rove LA premiered in Australia on Sunday, September 30 at 7:30pm AEST on Fox 8. Due to a growing international following, TV Guide Network has picked up Rove LA for US Broadcast, and will air the show Saturdays at midnight/ 11c from October 6. Rove LA continues to be a weekly, one-hour comedy talk show that sees multi TV Week Gold Logie winner Rove McManus “hanging out” on his couch with some of Hollywood’s biggest names. The first season attracted a stellar lineup of stars, and the second series is shaping up to be even bigger, with Rove moving to Stage 12 at the iconic Warner Bros Studios, alongside another hit show with an Australian star, The Mentalist. Every episode, three celebrities will
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stop by for an informal chat with Rove, often with a drink in hand. The casual Aussie atmosphere allows the celebrities to relax and enjoy themselves - often with surprising results. Rove and his team ensure they cast interesting and unusual celebrity guest combination to inspire real conversation and unpredictable interaction that you won’t see anywhere else.
Do you have any advice for Australians considering a move to LA, or for those who are still finding their feet? You need to be prepared for driving on the wrong side of the road, with people who don’t like to indicate, and freeways that are just demonic. Also, if you’re new and you have to get to auditions, just give yourself at least a half hour, no matter how close you think it is.
AiF 1 on 1 We recently chatted with Rove about his shows, both old and new, talked comedy, writing, and his new life in Los Angeles… Like many Australians in Film members, you moved out here to pursue a career in Los Angeles. Tell us about the big move and your transition process. Mine wasn’t initially to have a career here. I moved to get away from what I was previously doing. It wasn’t part of a game plan, but I found myself here, and I was lucky enough that work has kept me here. It has been an easy transition for me, because I haven’t put any pressure on myself to do anything or achieve anything by a particular time.
“Writing is one of those things you have to keep at. It’s as simple as that” You got to LA & quickly landed the job as a roving reporter on one of network TVs most iconic shows, The Tonight Show - can you tell us how that come about? That came about from my Australian show. The Tonight Show became aware of me and offered me the opportunity to come out here to be a guest on the show. I did that about three times. Jay really likes the idea of talking to a guy who does what he does on the other side of the world. When I found myself in LA, I let them know, and they invited me back
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ROVEMCMANUS IS BACK on the show- that turned into regular appearances on three segments. The Tonight Show is very accommodating around my Rove LA schedule - they’ve been very supportive and I’m very appreciative.
“I just want to strap myself in, hold on tight and enjoy the ride” You hosted Rove Live for 10 years. With Rove LA, you’ve introduced some format changes- you now have three different personalities, casually chatting & drinking on your couch from the top of the show. Tell us about that. I love it. It wasn’t until we had a rehearsal for the first show that we realised, we haven’t actually tested this. We hoped the guests will play along and get involved, but there was no guarantee. Thankfully, it worked out. The guests embrace it and really enjoy it. After I left my old show in 2009, I knew I really needed to be inspired again. Rove LA is spontaneous, and it’s challenging for me as the host, because it is creatively and mentally demanding to juggle three people at once. I certainly have found it to be fulfilling.
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Last year, you shot a fun segment with the Wheel of Fortune wheel. It was great. Can we expect the same whacky stuff this year? Any sneak peaks into the new show? The conversational part of the show – the dinner party element, is fun, but I don’t want to just rely on the conversation to keep the show going, that’s why we add fun elements like the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ bit. We also want to introduce more characters to the show. We just shot a bit on Venice Beach called The World’s Friendliest Roller Blader - it will be me, on rollerblades, in a mullet and wayyy too short shorts, just skating up and down
“After I left my old show in 2009, I knew I really needed to be inspired again” the Venice Strip being very, very friendly to people. He’ll be making appearances during the course of the series. Rove LA now shoots at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, which is filled with cinema & TV history. Are you excited or invigorated by the new lot? Yes, definitely. By shooting on this lot, we are a part of that history in a very
small way. The first thing we did was jump on the Studio Tour- it inspires you to think of ideas and to incorporate your surroundings. Do you have any advice for our members who are aspiring writers or comics- maybe touching a bit on your writing process? Writing is one of those things you have to keep at. It’s as simple as that. You’ll get better the more you do it, just keep flexing the muscle. If you stop for too long, you lose some of that strength. I used to write a lot more heavily than I do now, but I’m at a stage in my career, and especially for the TV show, where I like to keep it loose. I, obviously, have a structure, and write a skeleton of what I want to do, and do think of jokes, but I like to keep it loose in between so we can play around. Do you have any talk show idols or aspirations for The Tonight Show? You are introduced on that show as “Australia’s Jay Leno”.
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ROVEMCMANUS IS BACK Jonny Carson was incredible at doing this. He is the inspiration for anybody who does what I do. If someone was to offer me The Tonight Show, I would be very, very happy to take it. The daily show, The Colbert Report and Chelsea Lately have taken the show in a different direction. It makes the audiences smaller and a bit niche, but it goes to show that you can always try to approach it from a new direction, which is hopefully what we are doing at Rove LA. Will you adapt your material for an American audience watching you on the TV Guide Network? I know that censorship regulations in Australia & the US differ greatly. No, we are embracing it. We are launching a segment this year called ‘Can You Say This On American Television?’ Rather than try to homogenize the show too much, I’d rather just acknowledge that we are all watching in different parts of the world, and maybe just be mindful of making less Larry Emdur references.
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Do you see yourself hosting Rove LA for 10 years, or are you already looking beyond it to another show, either here in America or back in Australia? I’m not looking beyond what’s in front of me. A lot of my career has been about long term goals and plans, and
“It will be me, on rollerblades, in a mullet and wayyy too short shorts” I’ve basically gotten to achieve them. I take it day-to-day, week-to-week. At the moment, we are signed on to do 13 weeks of Rove LA. In the mean time, like with most of the roller coasters that I love in this city, I just want to strap myself in, hold on tight and enjoy the ride. On Rove Live, you had a fun, supporting cast in Peter Helliar, Corinne Grant, Dave Hughes – is it exciting being on your own, or do you miss that Australian sensibility by your side to bounce thing off of? That first taping of Rove LA was my first show without Peter Helliar. He has been
with me since Community TV, so it was weird being backstage by my self for the first time ever. I can no longer throw to Peter for the next segment, and then relax knowing he’s going to give a great three minutes. It’s all up to me now, and I think that’s something I probably needed to do to keep myself comedy fit. If you could go back in time and say one thing to young Rove, what would it be? I’d say, “Don’t worry, it will all be OK”. There were times when I was starting out when it was very tough, so it would be nice to let myself know that. I would say, “Your compass is pointing you in the right direction, so just stick with it”.
Join the party. Tickets to attend the live tapings of Rove LA are available now: on-camera-audiences.com/ shows/ROVE_LA
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Get ready to explore a different side of Australia Beautiful words, stunning photography and absorbing multimedia combine to tell the compelling stories and rich insights of Australia’s entrepreneurs, inventors, scholars, artists and humanitarians. Discover what it is that makes Australia Unlimited with the iPad magazine – free to download, every month. Download the iPad app from iTunes or visit australiaunlimited.com
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SCREENAUSTRALIA Invest in local talent Screen Australia, a Commonwealth Government agency, has pledged almost $20m to assist the Australian film industry. 23 Australian-made feature films, documentaries and television series have been identified as successful candidates for financial assistance. This is a major step forward for the Australian film industry, as it will catapult the quality and breadth of local productions, and will also trigger the future investment of Australian productions. The projects and talent selected to receive Screen Australia funding are diverse, ranging from emerging filmmakers to highly acclaimed directors, screenwriters and actors. “The high calibre of screenplays coming through our door backs up positive feedback we are getting from the domestic and international marketplace,” said Screen Australia’s Head of Development Martha Coleman. The funding will also give two talented Australian filmmakers the opportunity to work abroad. Ariel Martin-Merrrells will be flown to Los Angeles to work on the television series House of Cards, under director James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross). It is a political drama series created by actor Kevin Spacey and director David Fincher (Fight Club). Similarly, Ma’ara Bobby Romia will relocate to New Zealand for six months to work with Screentime Group. Around $5.5 million of the funding
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will go towards three particular films, including Greg McLean’s Wolf Creek 2, Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s Country and Predestination from Michael and Peter Spierig. Screen Australia’s chief executive, Ruth Harley said “These three diverse feature projects supported by Screen Australia today come from some of the most exciting filmmaking teams in Australia.” According to Screen Australia, the $5.5m investment alone is expected to trigger $17m in production. Below is a detailed list of the various projects to receive funding from Screen Australia.
FEATURE FILMS Predestination Predestination is a weird mix of science fiction, crime, thriller and film-noir. Brothers Michael and Peter Speirig will be leading the production, after their 2009 vampire horror film Daybreakers, with Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe. “Predestination is a strong script which will be executed by a proven and talented team passionate about the sci-fi genre,” said Harley. Wolf Creek 2 Director Greg McLean will return for this highly-anticipated sequel. The film had been delayed for several years after
a disagreement with the film’s original financier.
Harley says, “Felony has international breakout potential.”
Harley says, “The long-awaited return of the mad killer Mick Taylor in the sequel to Wolf Creek comes from an experienced team which can take advantage of the significant pre-existing market awareness both in Australia and overseas.” Charlie’s Country Director Rolf de Heer and actor David Gulpilil will reteam after their first collaboration on The Tracker. Once again, Charlie’s Country explores the Aboriginal culture and is expected to receive the same kind of accolades as de Heer’s 2006 film Ten Canoes. The Rover Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson will star alongside Australian Guy Pearce for this futuristic Western. The Rover brings together producer Liz Watts and writerdirector David Michôd, who collaborated on the 2010 true-crime thriller, Animal Kingdom. “The Rover is a powerful, wellcrafted script from a talented team, with an impressive cast,” says Harley. Felony With The Great Gatsby in postproduction, Australian actor Joel Edgerton is returning home to work on a script he has written. He will be working with director Matthew Saville, who stunned audiences with his debut Noise. It’s about three male detectives who are involved in a tragic accident that leaves a child in a coma.
Healing This prison drama brings together television heartthrob Don Hany (Offspring, East West 101) and screen legend Hugo Weaving. It will be written, produced and directed by Craig Monahan, who has already worked with Weaving on his two other films, Peaches and The Interview. Aim High In Creation Harley said in a statement. “Anna Broinowski’s Aim High in Creation is a distinctive, ambitious film with a humorous and entertaining story.” This is Broinowksi’s second film, following Forbidden Lie$. It’s about the late Kim Jong-il, making a film-within-a-film, based on the rules of his manifesto The Cinema and Directing.
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SCREENAUSTRALIA Invest in local talent Los Alamos Screenwriter Luke Davies, who penned the adaptation of Candy with Heath Ledger and Abby Cornish, has written this script. The project has already sparked the interest of Oscar-winning producers Emile Sherman and Iain Canning (The King’s Speech). Los Alamos is about a murder investigation at a military base.
David Jowsy are also onboard. The Riders In 2011, Tim Winton’s novel Cloudstreet was transformed into a hit television series, and his 1995 novel The Riders is due for a big-screen adaptation. The screenplay was written by Susie BrooksSmith and will be helmed by Robert Connolly, who has directed The Bank, Three Dollars and Balibo. Enemy Alien Suzanne Baker’s novel is also getting a feature adaptation. Joan Sauer has written the script, which tells the true story of the classical violinist, Richard Goldner, who escaped Nazi-occupied Austria and moved to Australia.
The Berlin Syndrome Writer Shaun Grant is following up from the critically acclaimed Snowtown with two follow-up films. The first is his script for psychological thriller The Berlin Syndrome, which follows an Australian journalist who is unable to leave his Berlin apartment. Jasper Jones The second of Grant’s projects is Jasper Jones, which he adapted from the bestselling novel from Australian author Craig Silvey. Producers Vincent Sheehan and
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Remarkable Creatures Jan Sardi has completed a script for Tracey Chevalier’s period drama Remarkable Creatures. It’s a drama set in the 19th century, following two women who make some of the most important scientific discoveries of their time. Cartagena Novelist Nam Le will adapt a big-screen version of his own crime novel. It’s about a teenage assassin living in the slums of Columbia. Producers Naomi Wenck and Kristina Ceyton are also onboard. The Removalists Based on David Williamson’s play of the same name, this is also scripted
by Williamson and directed by Craig Monohan (also attached to Healing, above). It’s a crime drama, which explores unequal social relationships and abuse of power. The Actresses Writer/director Tony Ayres received praise for local films Home Song Stories and Walking on Water, and he will be helming this one, penned by Katherine Thomson. It’s about five women who are competing for an acting position. The Devil’s Staircase Director Ben C. Lucas impressed with his 2010 film Wasted on the Young. He returns with The Devil’s Staircase, written by Sergio Casci. It follows a teenage girl who runs away from her home in Australia and moves to London. Defiant Writer/director Bill Bennett is best known for his comedy The Nugget, starring Eric Bana. His next film is a thriller based on true events, about two young lovers in India, who are marked for honour killings. The Canary Cottage Heath Davies is working as writer and director for his black comedy, which is about a young man who moves into his mother’s nursing home. Davies will be working with producer Luke Graham. Son of a Gun Producer Timothy White is working with writer/director Julius Avery on this film
about a young man who is sent to prison, only to become the apprentice to ‘public enemy number one’. Mary Shelley This self-titled biopic has been scripted by Emma Jensen, which depicts the life of the author of Frankenstein. It explores her quest to write the groundbreaking novel and her passionate affair with poet Percy Shelley. Michael H This highly-anticipated biopic will recreate the life of INXS front-man Michael Hutchence. Writer/director Richard Lowenstein will be focussing on the height of Hutchence’s career, with a series of personal battles that ended with his death at 37. Training Grounds This action film from writers Oscar Redding and Jonathan auf der Heide, is about a group of Western travellers who discover an abandoned Al-Qaeda training ground. Director Jeremy Sims is onboard, along with producer Ranko Markovic. Marauder This true-crime murder-mystery was written be Lee Sellars. It follows the three intertwining lives of a rookie detective, a fugitive and a mother. Gin & Tonic Scripted by Alice Bell, it’s about a 14 year old girl who finds a baby abandoned on her doorstep. Director Hattie Dalton will
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SCREENAUSTRALIA Invest in local talent be working with producers Leah ChurchillBrown and Amanda Higgs to bring it to life.
DOCUMENTARIES
Little Fur Trish Graham’s family/fantasy film is about an elf-troll, no larger than a four year old, is able to overcome her fears and become a hero. Graham is also attached at producer.
It is not just feature films that are being given the green light thanks to Screen Australia, nine Australian documentaries have also been granted funding. Screen Australia will invest around $1,750,000 in these projects, which are expected to trigger almost $5m in production.
The Stockpicker This romantic comedy is written by Dave Warner and will be produced by Phillip Bowman. It’s about a stockpicker who is copying his picks from a female client, but when she falls in love it starts affecting her success, he makes a ploy to break up her relationship.
Among the documentaries planned is Ian Thorpe: The Swimmer, about the Australian athlete’s attempted comeback before the London Olympics, Peter Sculthorpe: A Journey Through My Life, about the gifted Australian composer, and The Sharp End, about the young Australian artist Martin Sharp.
An Oddball Solution This drama is written by Peter Ivan and produced by Steve Kearney and Richard Keddie.
Screen Australia’s documentary manager, Liz Stevens, believes the funding will have a huge influence on the national dialogue.
News of the World This film’s screenplay was written by TV writers Stephen Ramsay and Bob Ellis, who have worked on Australian series True Believer, Number 96, Dynasty and Winners. Silent Disco This coming of age story is written by Lachlan Philpott. It’s about two teenagers who are in love, but are torn apart by a betrayal of trust that also puts their futures at risk.
Two other documentaries planned are 10 Days That Shocked the Nation, which
documents the Cronulla Riots in Sydney, and Canberra Confidential, which explores the hidden political history of Australia’s capital. The other four projects will be The Vasectomist, which follows a urologist on a mission to reduce overpopulation by spreading the ‘gospel of vasectomy’; Kids on Speed, a three-part series that examines the current medical treatments for kids diagnosed with ADHD; Ten Bucks a Litre, which explores Australia’s energy options for the future; and Shark Girl, which will tell the story of a young Australian conservationist on a mission to protect sharks in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Park. “Screen Australia continues to invest in distinctive one-off documentaries. These three biographical documentaries promise to deliver inspiring and insightful accounts of three of Australia’s living legends, as we’ve never seen them before,” said Stevens.
TELEVISION The funding will also be used to assist the production of Australian television series, with everything from adult drama to children’s television. Screen Australia’s Chief Executive, Ruth Harley, believes that the investment is very important to the growth of the industry.
slate of distinctive and compelling adult drama and children’s programs, delivering unique Australian storytelling at its best,” she continued. “Across both adult and children’s television, Screen Australia’s investment commitment will produce 66 hours of television and generate budgets of $73.6 million. Screen Australia is committed to investing in a production slate that encourages new talent, develops successful screen practitioners and promotes ongoing achievement.” Included in the long list of adult dramas is Better Man, which is about the consequences of drug trafficking, Gallipoli, based on the book by Les Carlyon, the second series of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, based on the novels by Australian author Kerry Greenwood, Parer’s War, about World War 2 frontline cameraman Damien Parer, and Wentworth, about life in the Wentworth Detention Centre. For the kids, a range of educational and entertaining shows are in the pipeline, including The Lost Boys, about four boys in an alternate reality, Sam Fox: Extreme Adventures, which is a action-packed adventure series, and The Worst Year of my Life - Again!, about a kid who has to relive the last year all over again.
“It’s great to support such a substantial
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Melbourne INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL By Chris Bright The 61st Annual Melbourne Film Festival came to a close on 19 August, and after ten films in two weeks, I am almost sick of popcorn and red wine... almost. This year, festival organisers and staff outdid themselves: the choice of films was incredible, the venues were perfect and non-film events were just as entertaining as the actual films.
The program is becoming more prolific each year, showcasing some of the biggest film-makers and film stars working today. Audiences had the choice of big-budget indie films, like Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, low budget docos, rare ‘70s classics, cult foreign films and many local gems. The festival opened with Australian breakthrough film The Sapphires, which received standing ovation. Earlier this year, it received a similar response at Cannes Film Festival and was purchased by Harvey Weinstein’s Mirimax studio for
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international release. The film has even received early Oscar buzz, particularly surrounding the performance of Australian songstress Jessica Mauboy.
The festival closed with the Australian film Mental, starring Toni Collette, Liev Schreiber and Caroline Goodall. This touching film boasts an amazing local support cast and most of them arrived for the premiere screening, including Anthony LaPaglia, Rebecca Gibney, Deborah Mailman and the film’s director, PJ Hogan (Muriel’s Wedding and My Best Friend’s Wedding).
The main cast, including Mauboy, Deborah Mailman, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell, joined director Wayne Blair and writer Tony Briggs on the red carpet for the MIFF opening night screening, which also marked the Australian premiere of The Sapphires.
The festival was a huge success and all credit goes to the organisers and volunteers involved. MIFF plays a crucial role in the development of Australia’s film industry and provides the opportunity for local talent to showcase their work.
Throughout the festival, filmmakers and film stars from around the world made guest appearances to introduce and discuss their work, with Ben Lewin (The Sessions), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Lee Hirsh (Bully) among the long list of attendees. With the tragic death of Beastie Boy Adam “MCA” Yauch earlier this year, the festival paid tribute to his work as both a musician and film-maker. Three films which Yauch directed were included in the program, including the music video for Make Some Noise, starring Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Elijah Wood and many more big-name celebrities, Awesome, I F#@king Shot That, in which Yauch gave 50 audience members video cameras to record a Beastie Boys’ concert, and the basketball documentary,
We are already looking forward to next year! Seeing Songs
Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot, which followed eight aspiring players. In between movies, film-goers got the chance to catch up and relax with a drink at the MIFF Lounge, located at The Forum Theatre. During the two weeks that the festival ran, the MIFF team organized a range of fun and film-related events, including trivia, bingo and secret screenings.
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Melbourne INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL Chris’ miff top 10 10. Sleepless Night (France) This fast-paced French film already has a Hollywood remake in the works. Almost the entire film takes place in a shady nightclub, and involves corrupt cops, cocaine and kidnapping. It’s edge-ofyour-seat type stuff. 9. Awesome, I F@#cking Shot That! (USA) Beastie Boy Adam “MCA” Yauch handed out 50 portable video recorders to random audience members before their 2004 concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The footage has been edited together, showing the sell-out concert from the fans’ point of view. Benh Zeitlin
8. On The Road (USA) This is the film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s best-selling novel of the same name. It stars a handful of unknowns and a well-known support cast, including Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen and Steve Buscemi.
6. Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot (America) Another film by Adam Yauch, this follows a group of American students as they prepare for a basketball game. The game brings together the best players from around the country, and offers careermaking opportunities.
coach as they try to turn their final season around and win their first playoff game in the team’s entire history. 2. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (USA) Steve Carrell and Kiera Knightly are charming as the lead couple in this bizarre doomsday comedy. It’s basically a road trip movie, as they drive crosscountry in search of love and family before the end of the world hits. The support cast alone is worth the watch.
7. Wild Bill (U.K.) Directed by Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ star Dexter Fletcher, Wild Bill is a violent but moving tale. Bill returns home after spending the last eight years in jail, only to find that his two sons have been abandoned by their mother.
5. Your Sister’s Sister (USA) This emotional indie is held together by a strong leading trio, including Emily Blunt and newcomers Mark Duplas and Rosemarie DeWitt. It creates an unconventional love triangle that had audiences laughing as much as they were sobbing.
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Mads Brugger
4. Liberal Arts (USA) Josh Radnor’s second feature film shows incredible promise for the aspiring film maker. Radnor also plays the lead, with the magnetic Elizabeth Olsen as his on-screen love interest. It’s fun, quirky, thought-provoking and incredibly emotional.
1. The Sapphires (AUS) Believe the hype! The Sapphires is one of the best Australian films of the last decade, with an inspired story that’s as moving as the soul-filled soundtrack. With awards season around the corner, let’s just hope the cast and filmmakers receive the accolades they deserve.
3. Undefeated (USA) This powerful documentary follows the Manassas Tigers, a very unsuccessful and underprivileged American football team. It follows the personal struggles of team-mates and that of their dedicated
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The SecondComing The producers of hit Australian film Wish You Were Here - starring Joel Edgerton and Teresa Palmer – are turning to crowdfunding to raise money for their next film, the apocalyptic noir The Second Coming. The Second Coming is based on the award-winning novel of the same title (published by HarperCollins) by acclaimed Australian writer Andrew Masterson. The film is written and directed by David Barker and produced by Angie Fielder of Aquarius Films.
The filmmakers have raised much of the film’s budget through investors but have turned to crowdfunding to raise the final piece of finance needed to make the film.
Producer Angie Fielder says, “The Second Coming is a unique and ambitious film, and we need to think creatively about how we make it.” She says crowdfunding is a “revolutionary” way to build a dedicated audience for a film. “When people The Second Coming pledge money to support launches crowdfunding campaign a film, it gives them a vested interest in it and The film follows Joe Panther, a man its success. That kind of audience who believes he is Jesus, who becomes dedication is incredibly important to the prime suspect in a murder and filmmakers.” must clear his name. Set in a fictional metropolis where draconian laws and The Second Coming is among the corruption are ever-present as the first major Australian feature films to fog that engulfs the city, The Second seek crowdfunding, following in the Coming is provocative, blasphemous, footsteps of Iron Sky and low budget bold and original. It challenges religion indie film The Tunnel. The filmmakers and the church, while providing a are hoping to inspire 2,000 people to riotous, gripping ride via a classic pledge $100 each, which will allow them murder-mystery into the seedy to reach their dream target of $200,000. underbelly of Joe Pantherʼs world. The money will be used to create the fictional, dystopian world that the film is PRESS ESC TO EXIT
set in, via production design, costume and visual effects. Writer/director David Barker says: “We are in the midst of a filmmaking revolution. It’s mind-blowing. Sites like Pozible are pipelines to a larger community that’s evolving in completely new ways. Imagine where this could lead to? A massive creative community, more intimately connected to each other and their stories. This is not about charity, or wanting something for nothing, it’s about growing a community where everyone gets rewarded for being part of a creative endeavor. And this is only the beginning. I can see entire feature films being produced in Australia through crowdfunding, with the right approach. We could all play a part in that.”
finally going to make it on to the screen. Andrew Mastersonʼs novel, The Second Coming, which won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Fiction when it was released, is full of dramatic possibilities. I urge fans of Australian creativity to support the crowdfunding and join the ride.”
HarperCollins Publishing Director Shona Martyn says: “We are hugely excited that larger-than-life Joe Panther is
For more information, or to pledge, visit: www.pozible.com
Supporters can pledge anything from $25 and upwards to receive exclusive rewards from the film. Rewards include posters, DVDs, visual ʻmaking ofʼ books, signed copies of the script, set visits to meet the cast and crew, the chance to be an extra, your own private screening of the film, tickets to the world premiere and the after party, film credits and more money-canʼt-buy experiences.
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memberprofile JOLONG Where were you born and raised? I was born in Kerang, a rural town in northern Victoria but I predominately grew up in Bendigo, Central Victoria. At age 6, my Dad sent me off to work in the goldmines, not really. I had a very normal country upbringing consisting of catching yabbies in damns, playing Volleyball and running under sprinklers.
How did you get into television? From the moment I first watched Working Dog’s TV Show Frontline in the 90’s, I knew I wanted to work in Television. After finishing up at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, I moved to Melbourne for University and graduated with a double degree in Media and Cinema. I then kind of accidently “fell” into advertising, working
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at M&C Saatchi for 2 years, before realizing it wasn’t really my cup of tea, and I was getting slightly sidetracked from what I truly loved - TV Production. So I quit and took a job as a Runner on the Aussie Soap Neighbours.
Factor and the UK show, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. I also love working on comedies, and have been part of the producing team on such shows as Thank God You’re Here, Hamish & Andy and Rove.
How did you decide which role/path in TV Production was right for you?
How long have you been in LA?
Landing a gig as a Runner was the best start to my TV career because there’s no better way to learn all the different jobs/roles on a show. I had to deal with absolutely everyone on the production on a daily basis, from the Executive Producer, to the scriptwriters, caterers to the animal handlers - I knew everyone. Whenever my work was done, I’d try to spend time with the editor or director, I’d ask questions and observe, just to learn about their job and how it all worked. After leaving that role, I did a bit of assistant directing, production coordinating and contestant coordinating but quickly discovered producing was what I truly wanted to do. What else have you worked on? I’ve worked so many different styles and types of TV shows- from live event television, such as The ARIA Music Awards, The Logies (TV Awards), and Live Earth, to large international formats such as Dancing with the Stars, The X
What makes a good television producer? Being able to juggle 75 things at once, keeping everyone happy and ensuring you’re making the absolute best product possible for the time and budget available, oh and all whilst smiling.
I settled in Los Angeles a year and a half ago after travelling all over the States producing Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year. We did something like 12 states in 8 days, which was a fantastic way to see the USA – Catfish Noodling in Oklahoma, going to NASA in Houston, Texas, and entering a Combine Harvester Demolition Derby in Washington State. I sometimes wondered how I was getting paid to do it, it was so much fun!
What are you working on at the moment?
What has been your career highlight?
Any advice for Aussies thinking of moving to LA?
I’d have to say working on the MTV European Music Awards in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2006 with Grammy and BAFTA Nominated Director Hamish Hamilton was an absolute highlight for me, as I’d never worked on something so big. Moving to England to work on Coronation Street was also pretty amazing, considering that show is in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest running soap opera – it’s an institution.
I’m currently the Supervising Producer on Rove LA. We’re about to start shooting our 2nd Season at the Warner Bros. Lot in Burbank. I pinch myself daily that we’re working somewhere with so much incredible history - not to mention currently shooting along side such TV shows as Ellen, Conan and The Mentalist.
Save up and sort your VISA, never take no for an answer, and roll with the massive peaks and troughs - it’s a tougher town than you think it’s going to be, but it’s so fabulous, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be!
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pics | Wish you werehere
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pics | BAIT3d
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pics | WRITERSLAB
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