Not mad about Mad Bastards
Brendan Fletcher’s debut feature Mad Bastards (Transmission Films) opened with $81,597 on 27 screens (average $3,022).
The film’s release was clouded by “life imitates art” reports about the sentencing of one of the cast members, Roxanne Williams, for manslaughter. Read more »
Yoram Gross: A pioneer of three countries
Millions of Australians grew up watching Dot and the Kangaroo and Blinky Bill, but the story of Yoram Gross, the man behind such beloved characters, is far more interesting than any piece of fiction.
Jerzy gross was born in October in 1926 in Krakow, Poland, where his family owned a couple of fine home mart stores. His father disappeared, presumably killed, when Gross was almost 13 and preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. But that coming-of-age ceremony would never take place; the German forces invaded the country in 1939.
Something to Tell You commended at Hot Docs
The eight-minute short Something To Tell You, directed by Pete Gleeson and co-produced by Melissa Haywrd and Kate Neylon, has received an honourable mention at the Hot Docs documentary festival.
“I wanted the film to be both a tribute to the subject of the film – who refuses to accept the tacit expectations imposed on people with disabilities by mainstream society – plus an interrogation of our own attitudes toward people with disabilities as romantic prospects,” said Gleeson. Read more »
The Day Hollywood Died – poster
Rising Pictures has launched the poster for the action/comedy The Day Hollywood Died.
“The poster uses a colour palette and style similar to that of recent American blockbusters, but maintains the raw intensity and mystery of its Australian roots,” said executive producer Sam Kanj.
From storyboard to screen
In this guest post, Popcorn Creative’s Matthew Packwood discusses the production of the graphics for Tony Robinson Explores Australia.
We were commissioned by WTFN, to produce the broadcast brand, full graphics packages for the new series Tony Robinson Explores Australia which premiered on May 3 on the History Channel in Australia. It will also be distributed to the UK. The creative process used a stop animation technique and we executed a comprehensive shoot to deliver opening titles using a modern stop motion animation style of unfolding origami as a style reflecting the host’s story-telling personality supported with detailed animated in-show travel maps. We think the result is bold and entertaining, complimenting the host and appealing to the target audience. Read more »
East Timor’s first feature takes the crowd-funding path
FairTrade Films and Dili Film Works are using a crowd-funding strategy to raise finance for A Guerra Da Beatriz, which they claim will be East Timor’s first feature film.
John Maynard is one of the producers, and SBS and the World Movies channel have acquired the film for broadcast in Australia; even the president of East Timor, Jose Ramos-Horta has already contributed to the project. Read more »
NZ adds screen industry celebration to Rugby World Cup
The Real New Zealand Festival will incorporate a branding exercise for its national screen industry, entitled New Zealand on Screen, to celebrate “Kiwi spirit and identity as seen on screen”.
The festival is an official New Zealand identity celebration running alongside the rugby World Cup. The New Zealand on Screen component will showcase the best of the country’s film and TV production as a free public exhibition. Read more »
Freeview launches its biggest ever campaign
Freeview will launch a new campaign Everyone loves Freeview, featuring more than 40 competing on-air faces from across its member networks, to reposition Australia’s free digital television service.
“This is testament to the success of the partnership between the free-to-air networks, having all the talent come together to support the campaign. When we talk to viewers about all the Freeview channels, they overwhelmingly love it – especially the huge amount of choice now available to them on the Freeview platform. In this new campaign we have aimed to leverage this love for free-to-air TV to build on the emotional connection Freeview has with its viewers,” said CEO Robin Parkes. Read more »
Here I Am – trailer
The trailer for Beck Cole’s directorial debut, Here I Am.
It will be released in Australia on June 2.
SPAA Producer Distributor Film Fund – full video coverage
For those who couldn’t attend the SPAA forums this week, we have the full Sydney presentation and Q&A session.