Yes, no... maybe?

A photograph of photographs being edited...

HAIL

I've spent some time recently taking photographs on the set of my friend Amiel Courtin-Wilson's feature film Hail. It's been really inspiring sitting on the front line and watching Hail come together. Amiel is known for his wonderful documentary films and this is one of the few times he has directed 'fiction'. And I'm sure from what I have been seeing the lines between documentary and fiction will be well and truely blurred. If you are a regular reader, you'll know this is the kind of approach to film that really gets me excited. Amiel is working with a very small crew of only about five people, allowing him to work intuitively and spontaneously. I like it a whole lot! Below are some portraits I have taken of 'Dan' who not only 'stars' in the film, but the story of Hail is drawn closely from his life and those around him. The film is currently in post and will premiere early next year. Can't wait.

Divert or Engage?

Speaking of Cinema Verite I saw the legendary Albert Maysles give a master class years ago and he said something very similar to this. It's a quote I've thought about almost daily since. Albert rocks!

NEVERLAND

I was cleaning up my office and came across a dusty VHS tape of my student film Neverland. I made the film as part of a Post Grad in documentary (a course that sadly no longer exists) I completed in 1998 at the Victorian College of the Arts, an amazing institution that soon may also not exist. The year I spent at film school is up there with one of the best years of my life. I spent that year totally immersed in film, primarily documentary film. The VCA totally changed my life and set me up for the opportunities and experiences that have followed. Although Neverland is a little 'clunky' in places I really enjoyed watching it again after many years sitting on the shelf. At the time I made it I was obsessed with 'longitudinal observational films'. Documentaries that are filmed over a period of years and that take us deep into the lives of characters that no other kind of filmmaking can match. To this day I still believe that observational film / Cinéma-vérité is the most compelling and legitimate form of filmmaking. Fullstop. Films like Crumb, Paradise Lost, Bastardy, anything by the Maysles's brothers, or anything by the Pennebaker or Wiseman. Actually I'll stop this rant now... it's another post another time. Needless to say, Neverland was my attempt at longitudinal observation, shot over two weeks (course limitation), not two years.

Some of Neverlands' themes (growing up and growing older and the resistance to the responsibilities with which that brings) are themes I'm still fascinated with as a filmmaker and are ideas I'm exploring in much greater detail with the films I'm developing at the moment. One part of Neverland I was really drawn to at the time and I think still stands up is the interview with Eli at around 8 minutes where he is applying the final touches to his mohawk in the mirror. It's a sequence where what he is saying and what he is doing (literally) mirror each other. Where Eli's vision of his life in a broader sense and the details of his immediate life collide. I saw Eli a couple of years ago walking along the street. Still with a mohawk, still in leather. Looking older, but still 'the same'.

Eli above, Ron below.

Ron went back couriering and road for at least another 10 years. I would see him occasionally around the city. I haven't seen him for while though, but I imagine he still could be out there now pushing those pedals at a furious pace.

CAMERA BAG

I have really enjoyed looking through the short films and images at CameraBag.tv. A site that aims to "Celebrate image makers and highlight the beauty and style of the camera". The profiles find a nice balance between creative process and camera geekery. There are only four photographers profiled there at the moment, but it looks as though it will continue to be updated.

I can not see this soon enough!

Through a strange sequence of events I was able to see some of the 'uncut' rushes from the actual 'heavy metal picnic'. I can't wait to see the final film!

I'm BACK

I had a great time at the Vladivostok International Film Festival. The film was received really well. I always thought it had a bit of a russian thing going on in it. It's always nice to get feedback directly from an audience and I had a really lovely man come up to me after one of the screenings and say via an interpreter that he very much enjoyed the simplicity of the story, the more he watched, the more he realised there was more to the story than he first thought, and then in broken english he told me "In the final scene, my brain said 'yes', but my heart was saying 'no'..." I think that was what I was always looking for. I also had an interesting question in the press conference about the violence towards 10 year old 'Chook' (played by Tom Russell). The journalist asked "In Russia there is a saying where children tell their parents 'You did not beat me enough', meaning they have grown up to 'soft' and it is their parents fault. Do you think children should be beaten?" Needless to say there was an 'awkward' pause, before I went on to say that I could never condone any kind of violence towards a children. Not my own, and not to anyone elses. But then again, perhaps I'm one of the soft ones. It was an interesting cultural take on the film though.

I haven't travelled to as many festivals as I have been invited to this year for various reasons, but I was really glad to head back to Vladivostok. I hadn't watched Last Ride for nearly a year and although it was one of those screenings where I sat through and cringed at all the mistakes, the could have beens and I should haves and what ifs, it was really nice to be sitting in the dark and watching the film we made so far away from where we made it.

The photos I mentioned I was going to take have worked out well. I won't post any here just yet. But I wanted to say a special thanks to Dimitry who assisted me in finding a few a people and locations, as well translating and driving. It was really good getting to see another side of Vladivostok with him. Here he is posing with his cool russian made Zenit 35mm complete with a sinister looking 300mm lens and sniper like add ons. Thanks Dimity!

GOING BACK TO VLADI

Tomorrow morning I'm jumping on a plane to Vladivostok, Russia. I'm heading to the 'Pacific Meridian Film Festival'. I travelled there six years ago with Cracker Bag and the festival have now invited Last Ride into their feature film competition. The last time I was there. I got a really bad dose of food poisoning. I remember counting down the minutes till I could get on a plane out of there. I vowed never to return to Russia, anywhere in Russia, with the just the thought of it making my stomach churn for months afterwards.

But time heals all wounds it seems and I was quite pleased to be invited back. It's quite a fascinating place. When I was there last I took a bunch of photos and I have always wanted to go back and try and document the place a little better. This time I have organised a driver / interpreter / fixer to assist me. I have no real plans, just a list of places and things that might lead to one thing or another. I'm quite excited about what I might find.

Below a few selects from my last trip.

Who are we making films about and for?

I find this really fascinating...

It just blows my mind that most films don't pass this very simple test.

1. Does the film has more than two women in it, that have names?

2. Do they talk to each other?

3. Do they talk to each other about something other than a man.

Its so simple but when you start going through the movies you love, adore and respect, very few will pass the test. There will be alot of films you think will or should pass, but they won't.

Are our story telling conventions really that rigid and simplified that women can only participate structurally in the most basic of ways? I can think of very few films that pass this test. Thelma and Louise (maybe?), Kiarostami's Ten, Im sure there are more, there has to be. It's alot tougher than you think. Particularly the minute you even step near 'mainstream' cinema.

So, do you know any movies that pass The Bechdel Test?

UPDATE : Head over to www.bechdeltest.com for a comprehensive list of films which pass the test. Interestingly there is a lot of disagreement on what does and not pass with some movies on the list. It looks like alot of films at first, but when you take a closer look only films that have a ': )' after them fully pass. There are some surprising results. Who would have thought Machete would have passed!?

MASTER FILMMAKER / MASTER CHEF

David Lynch is a hero of mine, I love nearly all his films, but sadly I've never been able to get into Inland Empire. As much as I wanted to and I've attemped to watch it a few times there is something about that film which has never clicked. Anyway, the saving grace of Inland Empire is a very special extra feature on the DVD which is a 20 minute film of David Lynch cooking himself a dinner of the ancient grain Quinoa and some broccoli. Doesn't sound that exciting, but believe me it's one of the most strangely satisfying cooking shows you'll be lucky enough to see. It's not so much the Quinoa, but a story he tells while he sits on his dark balcony and has a cigarette while he waits for the the dinner to cook. Maybe it's just me but when I first saw this I was totally mesmerised. It's like Lynch draws you in and hypnotises you as he recounts a train trip he took through Europe many years ago.

I think this is one of the coolest extra features on a DVD I've seen. Bon Appetit!

Part Two is here (there is a point at 5mins 34 that is SO beautifully surreal and so incredibly David Lynch!)

And I recommend the Quinoa too, it's delicious!!

pictures of pictures

I can't help taking pictures of pictures. I'm OCD about it. To the point where I can't actually remember taking some of the photos below, let alone where they were taken. I just have to take them. If I don't take it when I see it, It will keep me awake at night. I've been taking pictures of pictures for years. My film / clip Paradise is all about shooting pictures of pictures. Kind of the motherload of pictures of pictures. I think for me it's about seeing how the light falls in the original picture and how that corresponds to the light in my picture. A selection from the last few months...

WHATS INSIDE THE BOX?

If your interested in Stanley Kubrick, or interested in film, or just want to watch a great doco. Do yourself a favour and watch 'Stanley Kubrick's Boxes'. An excellent and often amusing doco about the thousands of boxes that Kubrick filled with ideas, research, reference and obsessions. Most of which had never been opened until this film was made. It doesn't get more process driven than this. Full film on YouTube, Part 1 of 5 HERE...

Feel good

Life is chaotic at the moment. There doesn't seem to be enough minutes in the day, and my work / family balance is most definitely out of whack. But I was very happy to give 3 of those precious minutes over to this wonderful short film that a friend emailed me. Such a beautiful balance of tone. Playful but underpinned by cool ideas big and small. It made me feel good.

DONE OFF SPRING

I've finished my time with Offspring. I locked off the edits for my two episodes last week and I'm quite happy with the way they have come together (Eps 108 and 109 go to air in October on TEN). I have had an absolute ball with the cast and crew. I have learnt alot and the experience both personally and professionally, has been invaluable. My fingers are firmly crossed that the show is the success it deserves to be. Below from top to bottom. Sacha Horler, an absolute acting force, who I was lucky enough to cast for the guest role of 'Stacey'. Kat Stewart, this still was taken as part of a visual effect sequence, but here is something I really like about it. Kat is one special actor, who I can't wait to work more with. Asher Keddie, in character in the delivery suite. I have so much admiration for Asher. As the 'star' of the show she has had such an intense and tiring workload, but she continually strived to make each and every take the best she could make it, with impressive results. And Don Hany, who is one of the most down to earth and lovely guys I've ever met. It was a pleasure to watch these guys (and all the cast) at work each day.

MY OWN PRIVATE FILM FESTIVAL

I'm very much in denial about the Melbourne International Film Festival which is currently in progress in this fair city. Over the past fifteen or so years it has been my main cinematic pleasure dome. I've been lucky enough to travel to many of the worlds great film festivals, but Melbourne is and will always be, my number one. There have been years where I have gone into lock down for the two weeks and seen around 40 films. Thats between 3-5 a day for the duration. Bliss! But this year I'm embarrassed to say I haven't even had a chance to leaf through the programme. So wrong! I've just been way too busy. Which is good and bad all wrapped up into one.

So instead I have been trying to catch up on a few 'at home' screenings. Working my way through some of the 1500 before I die. And just like a film festival proper I lucked upon an amazing documentary. The other night in the wee small hours I watched Carts Of Darkness and it was so worth missing an hour of sleep for. You can watch the whole thing below. Or perhaps just wet your appetite with the trailer.

On the surface the film is about a bunch of homeless guys who have developed their own extreme sport where they ride shopping trolleys down super steep hills. But of course like all great films, it's about so much more.

The film is directed by Murray Siple who also features in the film. I don't want to say to much about this as his presence is one of the more surprisingly wonderful aspects of 'Carts', particularly the final sequence of the film which in it's own surreal way is one of the most uplifting and life affirming endings to a film I've ever seen.

I read an interview with Murray today where he discussed the way he approached the film. "I want to make the kind of films where I'm involved beyond directing and actually a part of it. Where I'm not just an outsider pretending it's something cool to document... Make the film "with" them not "about" them." this kind of filmmaking, where it's an immersive experience for everyone involved is such an amazing way of making films, especially documentary. On a personal and professional level it's something I crave.