Interviews

IN THE RAW WITH TONY MORPHETT

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 06:25:00 GMT

DFF’s Alexandra Fanning interviews Tony Morphett about his exciting film script, Return Engagement

to be read by some of Australia’s most talented actors at our next In The Raw.

Alexandra Fanning: Congratulations on your feature film script Return Engagement being shortlisted for the Australian Writers Guild romantic comedy competition! We at DFF are so excited to have this script as part of our next session of In The Raw. As this program encourages constructive comments and criticism, do you as a writer feel you need an audience perspective in order to produce your best work?

Tony Morphett: An audience perspective is always good to have but, unlike the theatre where you can adjust things, it’s rare in screenwriting because by the time the audience sees it, the film is locked. The In The Raw program therefore affords the rare privilege to see the screenplay walk and talk before an audience.

AF: Tony, can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to write the sleeping beauty story Return Engagement? Why a feature film script? Why not a television series or a novel?

TM: This screenplay has been in work through years and many drafts, and I’ve never tired of it. Many of the films I’ve most loved and admired have been musicals, romantic comedies and what I think of as urban fairytales like Moonstruck. And one day in a meeting on a very different project I got a vision in my mind of a beautiful young woman in a glass casket. So there I had Sleeping Beauty and if you have Sleeping Beauty she’s going to have to be awakened with a kiss, which raises the question of who is the kisser? Well, obviously a cat burglar who’s broken into this abandoned mansion in search of loot.
My lifetime love affair with the musical and Fred Astaire musicals were my particular inspiration - I first saw him in The Belle of New York in the Parramatta Astra as a teenager and never looked back – then kicked in and Frankie Turillo, aka Franklin Tyler III, came into being. So, Sleeping Beauty, 1920’S flapper Amanda Lane, put into suspended animation at the time of the great Wall Street Crash in 1929, is awakened in the present by a Sleeping Prince who lies about everything and loves everything retro and it’s love at first sight, a fact which he denies because he’s due to marry a socialite heiress of dominatrix tendencies. And while you could do this as a novel or a TV series, its real roots are in MGM musicals, the classic screwball comedies and the more recent modern romantic comedies by the hugely gifted Nora Ephron. Ergo a feature film.

AF: Is having your feature film script read aloud by some of Australia’s brightest acting talent an exciting prospect or is it nerve racking?

TM: Both. Exciting, nerve racking, but ultimately the feedback will be extremely useful for the next draft.

AF: Very true. So if Return Engagement were to be picked up as a feature film, would you want to be involved in the process of filmmaking?

TM: I’ve been working with Megan Simpson-Huberman for some years on successive drafts and that’s the kind of involvement in the process that I like. Megan really gets the genre – her Dating The Enemy with Guy Pearce and Claudia Karvan is a perfect romantic comedy. Collaborating with the director and/or a creative producer like Gus Howard with whom I worked on the ABC miniseries Rain Shadow (co-writer Jimmy Thomson) is as far as I want to take it. I want to spend my time writing so whenever I feel the impulse to produce or direct I take my medication and lie down in a dark room until the impulse goes away.

AF: Return Engagement has everything! From science fiction, car chases, cat-burglary and plot twists, to romance, comedy, drama and a big Italian family. Who is your desired audience? Do you think that the In The Raw session will help to target this audience?

TM: My desired audience is everyone. I see myself as an entertainer. I’m not here to preach or propagandise, I’m here to entertain. A show like Packed To The Rafters gets close to 2 million viewers, which means it’s appealing to a very wide demographic – people aged 10 to 100. The movies used to be like that and some still are. When I was a kid, people had permanent Saturday night bookings in the Parramatta Roxy and Astra even though they didn’t know what was going to be showing. These were mostly Hollywood studio films but the audience knew they were going to be entertained. It was an unspoken contract between film-makers and audiences.

AF: You have a very long history in television, writing for several of Australia’s most beloved shows, from Certain Women to A Country Practice to Water Rats, Blue Heelers, Sea Patrol and more recently Packed to the Rafters. Script writing must be second nature to you, is there anything in your field today that you find daunting?

TM: I’m not daunted, but I do know that there are certain types of shows that I’m not going to be invited to work on. This is partly because I’m not considered suitable for the sex and killing genre, and partly it’s an age thing - there’s a perception that when you reach a certain age you can no longer be trusted to write young people, though when I was young I wrote many old people. This perception is nonsense of course. Writers observe all the time and as the father of six and the grandfather of 11, I have many young or young-ish people in my immediate circle. I also travel on public transport, a practice I would recommend to all writers. Spend two hours on the Blue Mountains train and you encounter a very wide selection of people both young and old. You hear their voices, see their wardrobe, their body language, get into conversation with people you would otherwise never have met, have your preconceptions challenged. Spend two hours in your car and the only person you meet is yourself.

AF: Apart from writing for television, you have enjoyed a multifaceted career with beginnings as a journalist at ABC Radio and the Daily Telegraph to theatre, novel and freelance writing. What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

TM: It’s very hard to say because so many things have changed. When I was starting out there were no film schools, no screenwriting gurus, no access to old films except through cinema clubs or film festivals. Now if you see a movie you love (or hate) you can get a DVD of it and view it analytically to see what worked and what didn’t. It’s a golden age for film study. Having said that, the sure sign of a writer is that they write. If they say they are going to write a novel “one day” or a screenplay “when the grant comes through” then you’re not dealing with a writer but a wannabe. So write. Try different forms. Find good mentors. Film school screenwriting courses can be useful but they may not be for everyone. Many of the films you like best were written by people who never attended a film school, never read a screenwriting guru book, never made their work conform to someone else’s rules. Be wary of the seductions of the auteur theory as taught in many of our film schools. Writing and directing are very different skills, and it’s a very rare person who can do both equally well. Write from life, not from other films, respect your audience, and follow your heart.

AF: You seem to have ‘done everything’ in the journalistic and literary fields. What comes next? Are there plans for the future?

TM: I’d love to see Return Engagement made. It’s been with me for a very long time and it’s time it left home to make its way in the world. There’s another romantic comedy in my bottom drawer – written for a French director, Charlotte Brandstrom - and I’d like to see that one realised. A current project The Diary of Jimmy Porter (producers Lisa McCune and Gus Howard, director Nadia Tass) is about to go into 3rd draft and is planned to shoot next year. And then there’s my old love television drama. My plan for the future is to keep writing until they take me away in a box.

Tony, you have some very busy years ahead of you! We look forward to hearing Return Engagement’s live script reading session at Sydney Theatre on August 1st 2011. For more information click here.

FACE TO FACE WITH DIRECTOR MICHAEL RYMER

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:17:00 GMT

DFF’s Alexandra Fanning talks ‘Face to Face’ with director Michael Rymer

Read on about his recent multi-award winning Australian Film, and what is coming next.

Alex: Congratulations Michael, Face to Face has proven to be a major success, winning awards at film festivals around the globe. Did you imagine the film would be so universally understood and embraced?
Michael: No I didn’t imagine that this film would cross so many boundaries. It’s a talky, character-driven piece with thick Australian accents, and yet that hasn’t been a problem at all. I also thought that the more politically conservative segment of the population would not like Face to Face. And I’ve been very surprised at how excited business people are about the film. They come out of screenings and want to set up community conferences at their businesses.

AF: That’s a fantastic result! Face to Face also features an absolutely stellar cast including Vince Colosimo, Sigrid Thornton and Matthew Newton. How did you prepare your cast for the diversity of their roles?
MR: A big part of directing is casting and I think Loretta Crawford and Greg Apps did a stellar job. Getting those amazing actors to commit was the tricky part. We had no time for rehearsals so all the prep was in discussions. Then again, David Williamson’s source material was so strong that the characters spoke for themselves. The hardest part was cajoling the cast into tackling 12-15 pages of dialogue a day!

AF: Yes, this conversational, ensemble style of Face to Face is very different from your previous works such as Queen of the Damned and In Too Deep, did this pose certain challenges to your methods?
MR: Queen of the Damned and In Too Deep where both genre pieces that demanded visual intensity, stunt work, VFX etc. I know how to do that, but my real love is good writing and acting - which is why I wanted to do this. So I was very happy making this film.

AF: Originally written as a play, was the tragi-comic drama genre of Face to Face difficult to translate to film?
MR: When I was in film school in the States, we had Robert Altman come to speak and present “Streamers” which was a film adaptation of well-known play. Someone asked him about the screenplay and he replied “there was no screenplay, we just bought copies of the play from Samuel French.” With that in mind, I very consciously do as little “opening up” as possible. We shot a minimal number of flashbacks, which I wrote myself, but that was easy because David had described these events very clearly in the play’s exposition.

AF:....and as Face to Face was written from real life ‘case notes’ did you have much room to appropriate?
MR: David Williamson sat in on a number of Restorative Justice sessions and then fictionalised his characters to protect real people’s privacy. So we weren’t too locked into any historical facts. But we didn’t really add anything. Most of it was subtraction.

AF: The film was shot in twelve days with the new DSLR film equipment. How did this affect your technique as director?
MR: For years I’ve been walking onto sets and saying “Why are all these people here? Can’t we have a smaller crew?” Even through Stanley Kubrick shot most of his films with a tiny crew, its always seemed quite difficult to strip it down. In this case, we were really able to do that - there were literally more actors than crew. We had minimal lighting, and very unobtrusive equipment, and I think that helped the actors create more truthful and realistic behaviour. The other factor was the time: it was a lot to shoot in a very short schedule but it created a rawness and immediacy that we might not have captured if we’d shot with a large crew over a few weeks. The biggest compromise I had to make was to reduce the amount of camera movement. We didn’t have focus pullers or dolly grips and the lenses we were using were not designed for pulling focus live. So within a couple of days of shooting I decided to let the coverage become more static. But I think there is enough depth in the shots and enough variety in the coverage to keep it visually interesting.

AF: Does your return to Australia to shoot show a renewed interest/ confidence in our film industry? What are your thoughts about the state of the Australian Film Industry?
MF: I think the long-term prospects for the Australian film industry are excellent. We’re a well-educated, literate culture and we’ve proved ourselves to be excellent directors, actors, cinematographers and editors. We’re witnessing a great return of our filmmakers from overseas, bringing a fresh perspective home as well as experience and skill sets. I really feel like my generation -I’m in my forties-are just ‘coming into their own’. The challenge is to elevate our screenplay writing. There are wonderfully talented writers in Australia, but for some reason, we don’t seem to demonstrate the same imagination, variety, depth and polish that our counterparts in, say, England have achieved.

AF: Just announced is Face to Face’s inclusion in the Melbourne International Film Festival. Do you have plans to develop any more works in our part of the world?
MR: Of course! I’m actively reading plays, novels, screenplays…. There are a lot of stories yet to told- we haven’t scraped the surface. The challenge is the current state of the international market. Australian films have always been an export product because the market here is too small by itself to sustain an industry. So our films have to work internationally, but it’s a tough time for independent cinema the world over.

AF: We are very proud of our Australian filmmakers that ‘make it’ overseas, are you still excited and proud to be a part of such film festivals?
MR: Dungog Film Festival has been branded the “Australian Sundance” and it does seem to have the energy - the “do it yourself ethos” that doesn’t rely on government beaurocracies. So we’re very happy to be “branded” as part of that movement.

AF: Are there any other projects in the works that you can let us in on?
MR: It’s bad luck to talk too much about it but I’m trying to do a follow-on project from “Face to Face” - using the same team and the same gear but to tackle something a bit more ambitious.

AF: Finally, what advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your filmmaking footsteps?
MF: Well my footsteps have blown away with the wind - the landscape changes. When I went to film school, it was considered something frivolous - like getting a degree in metaphysical poetry. Now the film schools have sprouted like mushrooms churning out vast numbers of graduates into an industry that can’t employ its veteran professionals. So I actually wouldn’t recommend that path necessarily. My experience doing a small amount of teaching and having young filmmakers approach me for advice over the years is that the real energy is on the streets. With all this new gear, you can make feature-quality movies for almost no money. So my advice is write a really great script and shoot it. Don’t wait for anyone to give you permission to make a film.

Thank you for talking to me today Michael, we look forward to see what you come up with next!
My Pleasure.

For more details on Face To Face visit the official website

Working at DFF - The volunteers tell all

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:05:00 GMT

DFF's Operations and Logistics guru, Lisa Ellicott interviews Bronnagh Norris and Rachel Aps.

Read on to discover their experiences on what it is like to volunteer at the Dungog Film Festival.

Lisa Ellicott: How long have you guys been involved with the festival?
Bronnagh Norris: Since the second year (2008), so three years so far.
Rachel Aps: A couple of years, I think about three too.

LE: So, why do you keep coming back again and again?
BN: It is amazingly fun. A lot of my friends do it every year and I live locally, so why not! Plus, you meet a heaps of new people and the parties are incredible.
RA: It's fun, it gives me a chance to see some of the Aussie films and you get to meet some great people
BN: You also get a good feeling helping out the community and everyone there is super friendly.

LE: Yes, flattery of the staff will get you the best jobs! Speaking of jobs, what have been some jobs that you have done over the years?
BN: Ushering, cloak room attendant, box office assistant, ticket checker and working in the candy bar.
RA: Mainly I have ushered at the cinema. I also did the candy bar one night and some errands for the box office.

LE: What would you say would have been the best and worst tasks?
BN: The best was probably the candy bar in 2009 and the worst would be the cloak room because everyone else gets to enjoy the party.
RA: The best part of ushering is that you get to see all the people as they come in and hear about how far they have come. The worst part would be cleaning up the cinema afterwards.

LE: So, tell us how awesome some of your supervisors have been over the years?
RA: They have been great especially when things run over time, so we have to try and get back to the schedule. They also make it enjoyable for you to be there.
BN: They've all been awesome over the years especially you, Lisa and Mrs. Lowrey.

LE: What has been your favourite shirt design?
RA: The 2010 shirt with the cow jumping over the moon.
BN: Yes, definitely last years one as they were fun and also the most comfortable.

LE: During the festival, what have been your favourite films?
RA: The Sculptor (2009), Gillian Armstrong's Star Struck and some of the shorts that I watched a few years ago were good.
BN: Star Struck, The Tender Hook, Hey, Hey, Its Esther Blueburger, The Sculptor and the one on closing night last year, Subdivision, I did enjoy it a lot.

LE: Can you give us some names of any film stars that you have met?
BN: Pia Miranda, Rhys Muldoon, Rose Byrne, Lily Bell-Tindley and Emily Barclay from the 2010 Opening Night film, Lou. To be honest, most of them are just so friendly I can hardly tell whether they are famous or just the audience! I also remember the year they lost Wes Carr, when he went for a walk without telling anyone.
RA: I met Cameron Daddo of Passengers last year and I was outside on the steps with Wes Carr. Also that cool guy with the red scarf from All Saints, Henry Nixon.

LE: What does the festival mean to you as a Dungog local? How does Dungog come alive?
BN: We have had a lot more tourists since the first year of the film festival and for businesses it brings in so much income over those few days. Each year it gets bigger and brighter. The locals do so many different things during it as well. We have a market nearly every day, the window dressing competition and the parade. It also gives an opportunity for schools to do workshops on a Friday and showcase short films which students from Dungog High School have made. It’s just a lot of fun for basically everyone in town.
RA: More and more people come to check it all out each year, and try and see somebody famous. The street parade really shows the quirkiness of the town.

LE: What have you learnt by being a volunteer?
RA: To remain nice even when frustrated and how to clean very quickly. In the first year that I volunteered I learnt how to live with little sleep, which was very fun.
BN: I’m not so afraid of talking to strangers now. I can also handle big crowds and have learnt how to use a cash register and popcorn machine. It has taught me patience and also that Sydney people can have a hard time understanding what we Dungog locals say.

LE: Who do you think parties the hardest on Closing Night, the vollies or the guests, and who is the best dancer?
RA: It’s about even. There was a guy who really dances like nobody is watching and puts all his effort in, but overall the vollies have the most fun I think.
BN: VOLLIES! We dominate Sunday nights. One of the best dancers was Josh Mclartey (Dungog local) last year and his bright white shoes.

LE: Thanks for all your great answers. Do you have anything further you want to say about DFF?
RA: The film festival just gets better each year and I hope that I’ll be able to do it this year, because it will probably be my last one if I go away for university.
BN: I hope it lasts forever as it is the highlight of my whole year.

Click here for more information on how you can enjoy the fun and volunteer for Dungog Film Festival.

Aussie Producer of The King's Speech

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:58:00 GMT

Laura Macdonald, our Head of Programming, delves into the multi-award winning and Oscar

nominated feature film The King’s Speech with lauded Australian Producer Emile Sherman.

Laura Macdonald: Congrats on all the exciting nominations and awards the world over. What do you think resonates with audiences the most?

Emile Sherman: I think it's the story of an unlikely friendship, and the struggle of King George VI as he confronts his fears and finds his voice. It's the emotion of the story that seems to be resonating so strongly with audiences.

LM: Are you enjoying the ride or are you too busy to take it all in - perhaps you can you describe what's going on in your world at present, as it feels like the film has taken on a life of its own?

ES: It really is just too much to take in at once. Hoping that once it is over I'll be able to digest it!

LM: Roughly what is the Brit v Aussie ratio (in front of and behind the camera) - it is officially a UK film yes?

ES: It is officially a UK film, but so many of the key elements are from both the UK and Australia. The characters, the actors, the director (who is half Australian) and the producers. It's a true Anglo/Australian production.

LM: Was our beloved Geoffrey the only man for the job playing the 'unconventional speech therapist' - is it true he had the script slipped under his door in Melbourne long before anyone else was attached?

ES: Yes that's true. He was attached from very early on and a great champion of the project.

LM: How did See-Saw find the story, and what was it that compelled you to take on the project?

ES: We were sent a very early draft of the stage play by Gareth Unwin, the other producer. Having just set up See-Saw, which is an Australian/UK production company, naturally the 'clash of cultures' element was very attractive. But we also fell in love with this story - one we felt had a real potential to connect with audiences.

LM: Tom Hooper doesn't seem a likely choice as Director, but we hear he had a strong connection to the story?

ES: His parents had been to an early reading of the stageplay. His mother is Australian and father English so he had an innate understanding of the clash of cultures that lies at the heart of the story. He was so passionate about this film and such a talented director.

LM: Colin Firth is very good at playing angst ridden characters, but he's usually rather suave and debonair - how did he relish and rise to the challenge of playing a stuttering would-be monarch, who is transformed by an Aussie?

ES: Colin really embraced the part and worked so hard in rehearsals and through the shoot. He even developed an involuntary stutter during production.

LM: Do you feel this film could be thought of as subversive - the suggestion that a particular type of Aussie therapy helped the royal family to endure?

ES: I think Logue had to be Australian, and that the Australian anti-authoritarian nature is key to this story and his ability to 'cure the king'. No speech therapist in England could have treated him as an equal.

LM: There are so many iconic British actors in this film (Firth, Derek Jacobi, Anthony Andrews, Helena Bonham Carter...) But another Aussie (Guy Pearce) was cast as Edward VIII - why?

ES: We really just focused on who was the best for the role. Guy felt like a natural fit for the Edward VIII and he did a marvellous job.

LM: How is it possible to top this project - what's next for See-Saw?

ES: Each project we do is naturally so different. We're working with Steve McQueen on Shame. He's an incredible director. And we're working with Jane Campion, who is one of the greats - so we're excited about the future.

The Green Way Up - Behind the Scenes Interview

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:10:00 GMT

The Green Way Up is an ambitious environmental project based in Sydney.

Ex-engineer, Bob Miles, who created the idea, originally thought it might be a good idea for a little environmentally friendly get away. Now the four man team has their sights set on driving from Tasmania to Norway, crossing through Indonesia from Darwin en route to Singapore without filling up at a petrol station once. A camera crew will document the journey and the intention is that the cumulative footage will form the basis of an environmental documentary series. I spoke with Chuck Anderson, the team’s mechanic about the project.

Nick Hadland: So, Chuck, tell me a little bit about how you got involved with The Green Way Up.

Chuck Anderson: Anzac Day last year it was when Bob (Miles) came to me and put the thought to me just to see if I was into it. He needed me to build the first processor to see if the bio-diesel was going to work. So I said, ‘Yeah I’m keen to give you a hand,’ and at this stage it was nothing compared to what it’s turned into now. So, yeah I had to help him build the first one; weld up a few things and the diesel was easier than we thought and I think he had a bit of a moment and thought ‘why don’t I drive around the world on a sustainable fuel source.’

NH: At that stage there would have been little to no funding. How did you raise the capital?

CA: We got to the point where we knew how we wanted to make it happen we just needed money and we all believed in the concept enough so we thought bugger it we’ll all get our hands on the initial money to get it to start up so we all went to the bank and borrowed a heap of money each to get the ball rolling. But that’s all exciting, that’s the way we want to do it, we’re all in the red zone and it keeps you on your toes. Hopefully one day it will get fixed up [Laughs]. But you know if it doesn’t well, who cares? As long as the trip can happen - that’s the goal. We just want to be able to leave and it’s getting close to the stage where we can.

NH: So, what exactly is the goal of this project?

CA: So the plan is to leave from Tasmania and drive to the top of Norway without filling up at a petrol station. So, that’s 50,000 km we cover and we never pull in at a petrol station for fuel. That’s the main goal.

NH: And if you’re not filling up at a petrol station how are you providing the fuel?

CA: We’re fuelling ourselves I guess, sourcing our own waste oils the whole way and through the processors we’ve built converting that into diesel that can run in any diesel vehicle.

NH: But where then do you find the oil?

CA: We’re basically pulling up at pub bistros, fish and chip shops, I guess in Australia that’ll be the case, and knocking on the door to the kitchen and saying can we have your old vegetable oil. Out of a 20L tin I think, it depends how busy they are, but they go through a few of them a day and you just can’t cook with that crap anymore so it goes out and a lot of it ends up in landfill.

NH: There must be a science behind this. Is it complex? Can you explain it in layman’s terms?

CA: Well with that we can get these old tins, poor them into our convertor, we add a couple of chemicals, spin it round at 60 degrees for an hour, let it settle and we’ll get 20% glycerine which is essentially soap – if we can add fragrance to that we’ve got a nice little product on the side there, keep us clean going through all those dodgy joints – and then the rest will be 80% usable diesel.

NH: It is definitely a worthy issue that the team is tackling. Do you hope to promote awareness of the green message as you travel through these different countries and continents?

CA: It’s not so much awareness. A phrase that’s been thrown around a fair bit, I guess – what we’re trying to do is more create conversation, not so much awareness. As soon as there’s awareness there’s like that stigma of it being ‘greeny’ or hippy or boring and that’s exactly what we want to go against – kind of give the same information but just deliver it in a way that normal people are interested in and make it interesting.

NH: Well you have made it easier to become more involved, especially with the new interactive website. It’s a very savvy idea to become more user generated.

CA: Yeah, we want to make everyone worldwide be able to contribute to this whole thing and get involved in it. We’ve got a general route but then off this thing (website) from people’s ideas and from what they think would be a cool thing to go and see we can then veer off our track and go and see these initiatives that people have got going.

NH: The clock is counting down. How are you feeling and how are the final preparations coming along?

CA: At the moment it’s nothing but nerve racking for me. Just planning it’s hectic. There’s so much red tape you’ve got to get through and stuff but we’ve got through most of that now so, now’s the time it’s just starting to build and it’s becoming a reality. We’ve got material turning up and that’s going to be really exciting.

The Green Way Up expedition will leave in late March/early April from Hobart and travel the East Coast to Darwin. Check out www.thegreenwayup.com for more information.

TROPFEST RUNNER UP - DOP INTERVIEWS THE DIRECTOR

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:14:00 GMT

The Unspoken, Tropfest’s Runner Up DOP, Gavin Banks interviews director, Jason van Genderen.

Gavin Banks: Can you tell us a bit about The Unspoken?

Jason van Genderen: Sure. It’s a video portrait of my dad, as he nears then end of his battle with lung cancer. The narrative explores my relationship with him, what life skills he’s instilled in me and what I’m grateful for. It was an intensely personal film to make, but it carries some very universal themes about the love of family and the grace of ageing.

GB: Why a film... what was your inspiration?

JVG: For me, I closed my eyes one day and pictured standing at my dad’s funeral... unable to deliver a eulogy. Then it came to me – the idea of telling my father what he means to me whilst he’s still alive to hear it. It seems so common sense yet so controversial all at the same time. How do you do that without seeming like you’re writing him off already? I decided I wanted to make a short film that was shot with love, compassion and beauty. Being an artist himself, I knew he would appreciate the aesthetic... and being a film, he could replay it (or stop it) as many times as he wanted to – soaking up the affirmations at a pace he was able to handle.

GB: Was the film scripted shot-by-shot prior to the shoot or did you use another process?

JVG: Well, we started with a very rough storyboard but it only illustrated some basic camera positions, pictures I could see with my eyes closed when I thought of my dad. We filmed him at home (with my mum) in their own environment, it was a very ambient and organic shoot, things just appeared and became stunning shots.

GB: This was a very personal film. Seeing as you are pretty good with a camera yourself, why get Gavin Banks (me) involved?

JVG: Sometimes, you need to step beyond your own abilities and vision to make something better. I’ve worked with you on a number of projects now, mostly commercial, so had been longing to work with you on a film which would allow both of us to explore our interpretations a little more. Whilst I have filmed in the past, it’s not something I readily enjoy... especially when there’s far more talented DP’s around like you Gavin! What I enjoy most about opening the concept up to your eyes and vision is the ideas you bring to a composition, you have a wonderful eye for seeing things as a story in a frame – and I love that.

GB: What was he/me like to work with?

JVG: Dad was very cool, he understands and trusts what I do so he didn’t question us once during the shoot, even when we asked him to take his shirt off to reveal his emaciated frame. I talked him through the basics of why I was filming him, but naturally the full context wasn’t going to be relevant until I could present the final film.

And Gavin – you’re super easy to work with and are always open to my ideas and ill-informed suggestions. I think we have a very natural understanding of what the other is looking for, that’s why we can work so seamlessly together. Neither of us have ego-driven work styles so we’re both quite chilled and easy-going, I dig that. It would be interesting to see one day if I was holding the camera and you were directing Gav, how would that flow? Let’s try it!

GB: Mmmmm... food for thought - you've suggested that a few times now! How did your mum and dad respond to the idea of being filmed?

JVG: They were totally fine. I think they’re so used to seeing me filming or with a small crew, it was all a bit of a novelty but nothing more than that. Luckily my parents are both pretty open-minded, so they had no issues with me wanting to make a story about them. Having said that, they’re also not afraid of speaking their mind, and if they didn’t like what I was doing they would absolutely tell me!

GB: What was the most confronting part of the process for you - pre, production or post?

JVG: Definitely post-production. There was almost 12 months between the shoot and the edit... it took that long for me to come to grips with finding the right words to express what I was trying to say. It’s funny, on reflection – you and I spoke for about an hour on the phone about doing the shoot, then the actual shoot was about 2/3 of a day, then almost a year of procrastination, then the whole edit & sound came together in less than a day.

GB: How did your dad react to the finished film?

JVG: It was emotional of course, but he was also intensely proud and humbled. For a man who never thinks much of himself to see someone express that on film – it’s a pretty confronting experience. They both loved it though, and mum called me afterwards to say they’d watched it pretty much daily for a week since. How sweet is that?

GB: Nice. How would you describe the experience of being a Tropfest finalist?

JVG: Manic, intense and amazing! To have the opportunity to screen your work in front of such a massive live audience is unheard of. Tropfest has become symbolic as a launching pad for so many film makers – it just has so much credibility now and opens doors. It’s not just the night itself, it’s the broader representation they provide afterwards, representing your film to other festivals globally, plus publicity and industry introductions.

GB: How do you manage your hopes and expectations... any advice for future finalists?

JVG: You just can’t... hopes and expectations are wild animals that can’t be controlled. My best advice to future (potential) finalists is to focus on the message and uniqueness of your story, rather than the prize. If you have the magical idea that’s perfectly born, then the awards, screenings & prizes will take care of themselves – they’ll happen organically. Don’t ever try and replicate other films or ideas – always focus on your own voice and unique story. And don’t polish something if it’s better raw... sometimes we are our won worst enemy!

GB: Did your dad (and mum) go to Tropfest?

JVG: Unfortunately not, dad was too unwell to attend. However – Foxtel came to the party (after reading about the film before Tropfest) and offered to install it for him so he could watch the live telecast – which he did. It was a very moving gesture and meant the world to both my folks and me.

GB: After seeing the other films, and the audiences responses to the comedy shorts I didn't hold a lot of hope of placing. Were you surprised when The Unspoken won second place?

JVG: Actually, yes. Whilst I knew it was a strong film, it was also very risky for a live audience. Placing a film like that in amongst comedies can work both ways can’t it? It’s not like people can clap and cheer loudly after seeing a film full of gravity and emotion, like they do after a rib-tickling comedy. As I stood by the stage, I was just really blank... expecting nothing, but quietly hoping we may pick up something. To win Runner-up was a real surprise, it was a wonderful gesture from both the judges and the audience.

GB: Do you think that the culture of Tropfest is changing toward more 'serious' films with a message?

JVG: I think Tropfest is continually evolving. It’s definitely changing from the traditional punchline comedy of years gone by. I think audiences are more demanding now anyway, with their exposure to YouTube and social media – they are after higher-concept ideas, something more nourishing. Even comedies are becoming more intellectual, it’s great to see the depth of films growing.

GB: Where to from here?

JVG: Next stop... a reality documentary titled Me&Megan. My partner and I spent last year separated by 12,000km, as she volunteered in Ethiopia and I kept the fires burning at home in Gosford. We each had a pocket video camera to record daily video diaries, the 100’s of hours will now be fashioned into a compelling story about love and life apart. We have a Facebook page with some 6,000 followers – jump on and check it out!

GB: What is your best piece of advice for other filmmakers?

JVG: Never stop looking and observing life. The very goings-on outside your window are the greatest inspiration for story telling. Challenge your environment and ideas... explore things that inspire you – there’s films in every conversation!

Click Below to watch The Unspoken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttA2Nk-bFog

INSIGHT FROM DRAMA TEACHER AT DUNGOG HIGH

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 01:32:00 GMT

Robyn Pinkstone, our Community Public Relations Officer, talks to Louise Rowley.

Louise, a Drama Teacher at Dungog High School, describes her students’ experiences at Dungog Film Festival (DFF).

RP: Since its inception, DFF has expressed its strong commitment to educational programs and involving local students in the festival experience through its Rural Students Program. How did your students benefit from the 2008 Adobe editing workshops?

LR: The students got to see first hand how they could manipulate images and sound through working with tutors in this workshop. Students are much more computer savvy these days and they enjoyed the fast-paced presentation showing them what the software could do.

RP: For DFF 2009, Dungog High students made a short film Dead Dog Dreamin’ – which they produced from the original pitch to the final edit. What previous filmmaking experience had these students had?

LR: The students haven’t had much experience with serious filmmaking. I have always had a camera and have videoed students’ work as part of their feedback and learning. We have made lots of little improvised films and played around with film, but we have never had the time to follow the filmmaking process in such a detailed way as we did in 2009.

RP: What were the highlights of making Dead Dog Dreamin’?

LR: I think the students amazed themselves at how professional they became within the process. We had fun but there was no fooling around. They loved seeing their film up on the big screen in front of their local community and the Sydney folks. They also enjoyed the social events and the opportunity to frock up!

For me, filmmaking is another way of telling a story, another literacy that can help develop students’ skills. The students learnt a lot about film and possible career options. I was very proud of the students and it was great to see them grow in confidence as we progressed through the process. It was a really worthwhile project.

RP: For DFF 2010, another group of Dungog High students made an advertisement under the mentorship of Jane Caro (The Gruen Transfer). How did the making of this ad help develop students’ skills in literacy and communication?

LR: Teen Talk was a lot of fun and I think they felt valued that their way of communication was being recognised. The students were not only engaged in lengthy discussions about teenage language but they also wrote the script, organised the filming and then wrote a log about their processes and learning. This project again gave them more confidence in themselves and it showed in their logs and responses about the work.

RP: Students and the local community saw the short film (2009) and the advertisement (2010) showcased at the closing nights of DFF and their creatives were given the 'red carpet' treatment. How did the young filmmakers react to this public acknowledgement of their work?

LR: The acknowledgement was terrific. They were very proud of their achievements. They were also slightly over-awed by the glamour of the event for Dungog, but they rose to the challenge and really enjoyed themselves.

RP: How did your students benefit from working with industry professionals and how was their perspective broadened?

LR: The industry professionals were impressed with the student’s desire and passion to learn more. We were very lucky to have worked with Newcastle Uni professionals, Adobe specialists and local writer, John O’Brien. All these people have been very approachable and fun to work with.

Particularly, students have gained belief that this industry is open to them if they so desire. They can see the opportunities within the many roles that are available within the media industry. A number of our students are attracted to the Communications degree and one student, Sami Swilks, went to the ABC for work experience.

RP: The success of the filmmaking projects by Dungog students encouraged DFF to expand the educational program this year to other NSW schools. Having pioneered projects like these, do your students realise how important their participation in filmmaking for the festival has been?

LR: Probably not, but they are pleased that other students may have the same chances they have had. They are also keen to continue their involvement with Dungog Film Festival, to learn more and to take advantage of any further learning experiences.

RP: Overall, what have been the benefits of participation in DFF’s educational projects?

LR: Dungog High School students have loved getting involved in local filmmaking projects. DFF has helped the community become more involved in this festival. The parents have become more supportive of the festival; they come and watch their kids and their movies on the big screen.

The students for all years have enjoyed seeing the films and taking part in the Education Program on the Student Day

They have also marched and played in the parade, played music at the local railway station to greet the Party Train. They have also volunteered in a number of other positions. This festival, therefore, gives students real life learning, a real audience, real events, and a real public to deal with. It is a lively entertaining event.

RP: How can other teachers and schools benefit from Dungog Film Festival?

They can get involved! There’s the Oovie Student Film Project, they could organise an excursion to the Schools Day on Friday 27 February, volunteer, or come and watch some of the films themselves on the weekend of the festival. There is so much to see and do during the festival.

Anna K delves deep with Ariel K

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:29:00 GMT

Producer Anna Kojevnikov talks with talented young director Ariel Kleiman

Photo - Sarah Cyngler (Producer), Ariel Kleiman (Director), Ben Gilovitz (Producer) and Anna Kojevnikov (Producer) at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival where their short film Deeper Than Yesterday won a coveted prize.

Anna Kojevnikov: Where are you in the world at the moment?

Ariel Kleiman: I am currently in Dalston, London. There are a lot of police sirens.

Anna: Are you causing trouble again?

Ari: Kind of, but probably safer not to talk about it

Anna: Has this got anything to do with the script you're writing that's set in Georgia?

Ari: No I'm staying out of trouble. The script is coming along however it is not set in Georgia but rather a mythical land.

Anna: Full of ninja kids?

Ari: Not yet - but maybe that's worth including. It's pretty much a classic tale of redemption starring a pack of cheeky Estonian talking dogs.

Anna: Did you know that Goddard has expressed that he is making a film with talking dogs?

Ari: Really!? Are they Estonian?

Anna: I don't believe so, anyway, you've had a very successful year resulting in Warp Films Australia commissioning you to write a screenplay and you've also been signed to Partizan - has it been everything you've expected it to be?

Ari: It’s definitely been an amazing year. To be honest it's all happened so quickly that it hasn't left much time for reflection... I just heard another siren.

Anna: Well, say this is your chance, is there anything that you would have done differently?

Ari: As with any film I make there are heaps of things that I would have done differently. I find that "what ifs" are way too depressing to think about. That's filmmaking baby.

Anna: I don't think that many people know, but you actually didn't graduate from your bachelor degree. Any tips out there for the budding filmmaking students? And do you think you would have been this successful without the support of an educational institution?

Ari: That is true Anna, thank you. Am I allowed to ask you questions?

Anna: Are you planning on answering that last question with a question?

Ari: Maybe I should answer your question and then create my own question?

Anna: Go for your life.

Ari: Yes, much to the disdain of my parents, I still haven't graduated from VCA. I may have forgotten to hand in a few written assignments....therefore I’m not sure I’m in any position to be giving other people advise. It was however an amazing experience for me - being surrounded by film everyday for three years was totally invigorating. Anna, how have you found your first year out of film school?

Anna: Hard hitting question there, Mr. Kleiman. It’s been quite the whirlwind, really. I knew I was onto a good thing when I first met you at VCA and heard you talking about your script - but it's been something out of this world to have pulled off such an incredible film and reap the benefits. Though, I still feel like I have a lot to learn outside of the realms of film school.
Two more questions for you before I head off to lunch...

Ari: And then while you eat lunch I will sleep.

Anna: You and your girlfriend, Sarah Cyngler (also a producer on Deeper Than Yesterday), work very closely together on most projects, and in fact are co-writing the screenplay for Warp - what do you find are the pros and cons?

Ari: I feel very lucky to be able to work so closely with Sarah. It's all good. I feel if I say otherwise I might get myself into trouble...wait is this off the record?

Anna: Well, I’m just putting it out there but everyone knows that behind every man (great or not) there's an even more fabulous woman!

Ari: I very much agree

Anna: And final question - out of all the festivals you've been to in the world, which have you found your favourite and why?

Ari: I have been very fortunate to attend quite a few festivals this year but my personal favourite had to be Sundance (attended in January 2010 for previous film – Young Love). Maybe because it was the first festival that I attended? It had the best vibe - like the ultimate school camp, where all the other kids are amazing filmmakers. There was something really magical about the combination of snow and films.

Anna: Well, you know what they say - done Cannes, done Sundance... I think it's time for you to do Dungog

Ari: I couldn’t have said it better myself

Anna: Thanks for your time Ari - I know it's late over there... I’ll let you know how the AFIs go!

Ari: Thank you - don't forget about us

Anna: OK... now off the record...

Ari: She's a blood sucker

THE FUTURE MACHINE -- ANDY RYAN CHATS TO MATT OKINE

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:42:00 GMT

Lead Actor Andy Ryan interviews the multi-talented Matt Okine (Writer, Producer, Star)

Andy Ryan: First of all, tell us about The Future Machine…

Matt Okine: The Future Machine is an independent comedy series produced specifically for short-format online and mobile viewing. It follows the story of two mates who build a time-machine in their lounge room, in order to resolve an argument they had whilst drinking the night before.

It was created by Dirty Karma Productions, which consists of Award-winning director, David Barker, Comedian Matt Okine (that’s me), & Tropfest Finalist, Tom Sheldrick. It also stars two of Australia’s rising stars, Cariba Heine (H2O, Bait 3D) & Andy Ryan (Tomorrow When the War Began, The Jesters). I round-out the incredibly talented (and modest) cast.

AR: What are the next steps now that the show is finished?

MO: Our plan is to release the episodes gradually over the next few weeks, building a strong and loyal fan-base, and implementing several unique marketing techniques to help spread word of The Future Machine to the masses – first locally, then nationally, then intergalactically.

AR: What exactly was “PubeGate”?

MO: “PubeGate” was one of those unique marketing techniques.

To spread word that the series was about to launch, we thought we’d send some funny hand-written letters to various important people in the media in order to generate a bit of interest in the show.

The letters were allegedly from the future, claiming that the economic meltdown of 2045 had resulted in everyone trading in celebrity pubic hair…. And attached to the letters were some stray hairs. Three ‘Efrons’ and a ‘Clooney’, to be exact.

Some people LOVED it, and some people absolutely hated it. We got various pieces of press both online and in papers that catered to both sides… It was an interesting campaign, nonetheless, and it certainly showed us that some people have absolutely NO sense of humour and are more interested in reporting about which sushi-bar Jodi Gordan likes to eat at, than they are at supporting independent film in this country.

AR: What was David and Tom’s (fellow co-creators) reaction to the final product?

MO: David, Tom & I are all extremely proud of the final product. It’s always an amazing experience watching something that you’ve written on some pieces of paper in a backyard, turn into a fully-fledged production with some of Australia’s rising stars as the faces of it. We’re all particularly excited too, because we’re getting such a great response from the first couple of episodes, and we already know just how freakin’ awesome the series continues to get, so we can’t wait for everyone else to see them!

AR: Will The Future Machine go for a second series?

MO: The beauty of The Future Machine is that there really are no boundaries. From the moment the characters decide they’re going to build a time-machine, they break-down that wall of ‘reality’, creating a world where anything is possible, and we hope to explore so many of those possibilities in - not just a second series - but several more series to come.

Oh yeh – We also need someone to give us a shit-load of cash…

AR: What’s next for Dirty Karma Productions?

MO: Well - we still have the Time Machine left-over from filming, so I’m thinking of taking a cheeky trip to the 2014 Brazil World Cup…

If that doesn’t happen, we’re really looking to continue making state-of-the-art webseries for the public to enjoy. I’m genuinely hoping to be a major part of the format’s rise in this country.

AR: What was it like working with the Andy Ryan?

MO: When you’re running an incredibly tight schedule, with difficult set-ups, green-screens, and a story that jumps back and forth in time, it’s SO critical to have an experienced actor! It’s absolutely safe to say that without Andy, we couldn’t have accomplished what we did. Even if he did spend the entire shoot in his underpants, and demanded that his trailer be filled with ‘maltesers with all the chocolate-covering removed…’.

AR: How could you afford the Andy Ryan on such a low-budget production?

MO: We really just had to cover his wage at the call-centre for one week….

Haha! No – in all honesty – Both Andy & Cariba worked for really generous ‘mates rates’, as did most of the crew. When everyone involved is willing to donate so much of their time and effort for such modest wages, it’s definitely a sign that you’ve got a truly great product on your hands! (Or that the blackmail worked…)

AR: Will Andy Ryan get to have his first on screen kiss the second series?

MO: Whether Andy’s character, Tom, and his on-screen love, Katie Hill (Cariba Heine), will ever kiss, will eventually depend on whether we can lift the AVO that Cariba placed on Andy after the first season…

AR: Being a stand up comedian, are you amazed at Andy Ryan's comic timing, much like the rest of the nation?

MO: As a stand-up comedian, I definitely have an eye for what’s truly laughalicious, and I would definitely say that Andy Ryan’s true talents lie with being funny, without realizing that he’s being funny. Much like Johnny Drama from Entourage.

I could definitely see Andy Ryan being a Comedy-Magician…. Or maybe even a funny Busker.

AR: Was Andy Ryan a professional?

MO: If needing 17 takes on a simple one-shot, at the end of a 12-hour day, two days in a row, because me and him are laughing too much is ‘professional’….. Then, yes. He is definitely professional.

Now, can we please stop talking about you??

AR: Oh, sure… What was the hardest thing about the whole shoot?

MO: Filming the scenes with the cat was definitely the most stressful few hours that we had all week.

I mean, we had rain, and crew having to leave, and re-shoots, and continuity issues, and costume malfunctions like any other shoot, but if anyone out there is thinking, “Hey, this shooting schedule isn’t quite hectic and stressful enough….” Just throw a wild, untrained animal up in that mix, and it should sort you right out, champ!

AR: How did you get the cat to film in the future machine?

MO: Our professional animal wrangler provided “Kitty” from one of the ‘film animal’ training centres….

And by “professional animal wrangler”, I mean “production manager”….

And by “film animal training centres”, I mean “stinky back-alley in Western Sydney”….

And by “provided”, I mean “cat-napped”….

What I’m trying to say is -- If the cat in The Future Machine looks disturbingly like your treasured “Mogi”, then it’s only a coincidence!

The Future Machine is available to view at here. Watch, subscribe, and tell your friends!

Producer Al Clark Discusses 'Red Hill'

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:06:00 GMT

Laura Macdonald, our Head of Programming, talks to legendary Aussie Producer Al Clark

Laura Macdonald: Red Hill is described as a neo-western - it's an unabashed genre film. What attracted you to the story as a producer?

Al Clark: It excited my imagination. Without that, there’s nothing else.

LM: Patrick Hughes is the talented writer/director, tell us why you had faith in him for this, his first feature film?

AC: I’ve known him since he finished film school. I thought then, as I know now, that his first film would be extraordinary.

LM: How did you attract top level talent such as Ryan Kwanten, Steve Bisley and Tom E. Lewis to the cast?

AC: Patrick sent each of them the script, then they talked. Ryan was filming “True Blood” in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the time, so he didn’t meet his director face-to-face until he arrived on our set after a 15-hour plane ride and an 8-hour drive.

LM: Can you tell us a little about the setting of Omeo and the challenges of this production?

AC: Isolation is an important element in the movie, and the town of Omeo – in the Victorian high country, just below the snow line – is very isolated indeed. The assets and liabilities of that are pretty much as you’d imagine.

LM: Red Hill's release is much anticipated, what do you think makes this film such a crowd pleaser?

AC: The elements are familiar, but the way they’re mixed is full of the unexpected. I think audiences cherish surprise.

LM: Tell us a little about launching Red Hill at the celebrated Berlin Film Festival?

AC: The Berlin invitation arrived early January, with most of our post-production team still on holiday. We had to go into overdrive to get the film ready. Patrick arrived in Berlin with a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) exactly 12 hours before the first screening – no time for a print at that stage. Suddenly we were watching the film in an 1100-seater cinema, and within a couple of days we’d made 14 sales.

LM: Sony is releasing the film on Nov 25, can you share some insight about the challenge of getting distributors on board?

AC: We were reliant on securing one in order to find completion finance for the film - we’d only raised enough money for the shoot itself - so we were relieved to get Arclight for international sales and Transmission for Australian release. However, when we later showed it to Sony, they were in a position to give it the wider release, by then in keeping with the film’s prospects, so the change was made quickly and amicably.

LM: There is a strong American element to the film - the music, the filmic influences, Ryan's profile in the US is huge - please discuss the battle to make an Aussie film that will appeal in the US.

AC: The western is one of the defining genres of American cinema, so this is hardly surprising. But our landscapes are different, as is our sensibility, so one hopes that the film’s idiosyncrasies are evident too. We were thinking more about doing something completely distinctive in that realm - and if America liked it that would be fine too.

LM: You've been making top notch Australian films for many years, if you had to talk about one of your best filmmaking experiences, what comes to mind and why?

AC: Although I sometimes wish that making movies were easier, it’s the ones that break all the rules in the middle of nowhere – “Priscilla” and “Red Hill” being prime examples – that most excite me. I don’t see filmmaking as a domesticated medium with familiar comforts, but as an adventure you set out on that must be completed before anybody gets to go home.

LM: What advice would you give to young Aussie talent that's trying to get noticed and their stories into production?

AC: Pay attention – a motto for life, really – and identify what’s unique about your project. To flourish in a crowded marketplace, you must have something people want.

LM: Your past projects range from '1984' to 'Priscilla Queen of The Desert' to 'Chopper' and 'Blessed' - do you prefer to walk on the dark side?

AC: I prefer to walk on the interesting side – with whatever illumination it comes.

LM: To finish, what makes a great film pitch? Feel free to simply share a story about a great pitch you've heard.

AC: I’ve only done one really good pitch, so it may as well be that one. To a distributor in Cannes before we started “Chopper”, I said: “It’s about a guy who thinks he’s in ‘Good Fellas” but he’s really in ‘The King of Comedy’”. He understood the film completely and immediately.

For more info check out the website: www.Redhillmovie.com.au