Eumundi Voice Issue 114, 3 April 2025

NEW HOME SOUGHT FOR MOVIE MEMORABILIA

Kev Franzi has been entertaining, informing and inspiring visitors at his Kenilworth based CinemaWorks museum since 1990. Over his extensive career as photographer, director, producer, editor and picture show man, he has assembled a treasure trove of Australia’s film and TV history. His collection spans over 120 years of cinema history, with cameras, film reels, videos and memorabilia.

Now aged 94, Kev would dearly love for someone to take on his collection. A university recently showed interest in acquiring the collection, however after 14 months of preparing everything they unfortunately withdrew their interest. The museum now only opens once a month, where Kev welcomes visitors to his 55-seat tiered theatrette, that he and Ron West – from Pomona’s Majestic Theatre – obtained from Brisbane’s Regent Theatre.

they unfortunately withdrew their interest. The museum now only opens once a month, where Kev welcomes visitors to his 55-seat tiered theatrette, that he and Ron West – from Pomona’s Majestic Theatre – obtained from Brisbane’s Regent Theatre.

Kev Franzi’s journey into cinematography began after failing a maths test at 13yo, when he received a vest pocket Kodak camera from his father because, “Photographers don’t need brains.”

His passion began as a 14yo messenger boy for Jolimont Films in Melbourne, where he was responsible for sending movie reels by train to theatres around Australia. Returning late one night he found a man cleaning a motion picture camera. “Three minutes later my career was decided,” Kev said.

Australia’s first moving footage was of the 1896 Melbourne Cup filmed by Frenchman Marius Sestier on a Lumierè Cinematographe. Kev spent 2 hours looking at, but unable to touch that camera. It is now located in the Qld Museum. He made a replica instead, which takes pride of place in his museum.

Until the 30s, outback towns relied on picture show men who travelled around bringing American movies and documentaries to halls or outdoor screens. The 1977 film The Picture Show Man – starring John Meillon and Rod Taylor –depicted the life and struggles faced by many picture show men.

The Great Depression and war years almost saw the death of motion films in Australia. Kev worked for the Commonwealth Department of Information editing films documenting WWII. He was inspired by the courage of Australian cameraman Damien Parer who filmed on the front line of many battles. His film Kokoda Front Line won an Oscar in 1943. He died filming US soldiers fighting Japanese forces in 1944.

Kev worked in every department, eager to learn everything possible about the industry. He eventually joined Crawford Productions as a senior film editor where he worked on documentaries and classic TV series such as Homicide and Division Four, where he became close friends with leading actor Leonard

Teale. His wife Jennette worked in the clerical department.

“It has been a privilege to meet and work with so many wonderful people through my career,” Kev said.

The long hours and full-on demands of being involved in every department saw Kev and Jennette move to Brisbane in 1970 to work on TV commercials, training videos and government documentaries. He loved the excitement of new places and challenging camera shots, such as down mine shafts or perched on the end of a boom filming a ship loading.

A 2-hour film – Capturing the Australian Image, Past, Present and Future – awaits those wanting to share moments, memories and magic at Kev’s CinemaWorks museum, located at 2655 Kenilworth-Eumundi Rd, Kenilworth (approximately 3km from Kenilworth). Bookings are essential. Contact 5446 0341 or visit: cinemaworks.net.au. Eileen Walder