FRAMED #07 – NOISE: Putting It Together!

Sounds like a Stephen Sondheim musical? No, it's FRAMED #07! Matthew Saville and the team behind NOISE reunite one year on to discuss putting together a feature film, using NOISE as a case study.

FRAMED #07 brings together the creative team and crew behind the hit Australian film NOISE. Writer/ Director Matthew Saville will be joined by producer Trevor Blainey, actor Luke Elliot, production designer Paddy Reardon, and key crew members, to discuss feature filmmaking from concept to distribution. The panel will discuss financing, casting, getting together the right crew, locations through to scripting, directing & musical scoring.

A case study on how to bring all the right elements together when making your feature that no aspiring filmmaker should miss! FRAMED #07 will be facilitated by Age film critic Tom Ryan.

DVD prize pack courtesy of Madman Entertainment to be won!

Speakers:
Trevor Blainey, Producer
Bryce Menzies, Executive Producer
Matthew Saville, Writer / Director
Bryony Marks, Composer
Emma Bortignon, Sound Designer
Luke Elliot, Actor (Dean Stouritis)

When: Thursday 28 August 2008, 12.30 - 2pm
Where: Digital Harbour Theatrette, Innovation Building, 1010 Latrobe St, Docklands

Scene from NOISE (dir. Matt Saville)

Matthew Saville, Writer / Director
Matthew’s films have screened in over two hundred festivals. His short feature Roy Hollsdotter Live screened in 2003 at the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Locarno, Cork, and Montreal and Commonwealth International film festivals as well as SBS television. In 2002 the script for the film was short listed for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award. In June 2003, the film won the Dendy Award for best short film (over 15mins) at the Sydney Film Festival, and Best Original Script for Television at the 2003 Australian Writers’ Guild Awards, and was nominated for a Film Critics’ Circle of Australia, and two AFI Awards. The film was voted best short film at the 2003 Lexus IF Awards, where Matthew was also honoured with the Best Rising Talent Award.

Matthew has been a prolific contributor to the recent crop of Australian television sketch comedy, directing both skithouse for Channel Ten and Big Bite for the Seven Network. He has also worked in television drama, directing The Secret Life of Us and The Surgeon for Channel Ten. In 2005 Matthew directed the very successful comedy We Can Be Heroes, which screened last year on the Sundance Channel, won the Rose d’Or for Best Comedy Series, and was nominated for best comedy series at the 2006 Banff Awards. It won two Logie awards in the same year. Matthew recently directed The King, a biopic about television iconoclast, Graham Kennedy.

Trevor Blainey, Producer
In 1973 Trevor enrolled in Business Studies at Swinburne Institute of Technology in Melbourne. He spent the year playing pooling and watching films and failing Business Studies. Terrified at the prospect of getting a job he then enrolled in and completed a degree in Economics at La Trobe University. Forestalling his real interests, he worked as an accountant for Coca-Cola AMATIL until 1986 when he took up the position of Finance Manager at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. In 1993 he left the ACTF to work as a freelance Production Accountant with a view to producing his own films.

As an accountant he has worked on nearly 30 films including Three Dollars, Chopper, The Last of the Ryans, My Brother Jack, Crackerjack and After The Deluge. In 2002, nearly 30 years after missing an Accounting 101 lecture to go and see Play It Again Sam he produced his first film, a short feature called Roy Hollsdotter Live.

He is currently financing and developing a television series called Bad Debts written by the multi-award winning crime novelist Peter Temple featuring the character Jack Irish. His next feature is called Rams To The Slaughter written by Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher.

Luke Elliot, Actor, Dean Stouritis
A seasoned theatre actor Luke has appeared in over 20 plays and has won a coveted Green Room Award for his work in A Party in Fitzroy. He has been seen on television in roles in Crashburn, MDA, Blue Healers and Stingers. Luke's film credits include Holidays On The River Yarra, Road To Nhill and Roy Hollsdotter Live which was directed by Matt Saville.

Bryony Marks, Music Composer
Bryony has composed music for around twenty films, including Sweetheart (2003), Roy Hollsdotter Live (2002) and Franz and Kafka (1997), all written and directed by Matthew Saville. She has written many works for chamber forces, including three string quartets which have been recorded for ABC Classic FM by Australian quartet DeFLOCKed; 10/9 (2001), a sextet performed by the Zurich Ensemble for New Music; an opera exerpt staged by Chamber Made opera in their concert series From the Lip (2001); In Transit (2001), a quintet commissioned by Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, and Bush Dawn (2004), commissioned and performed by the Victoria Welsh Male Voice Choir (who, incidentally, are featured in the soundtrack of Noise). In 2005, Bryony was Music Director and composer on Chris Lilley’s ABC series, We Can Be Heroes, and foundation composer on Southern Star drama for Network 10, The Surgeon. In 2006, as well as Noise she scored Roving Enterprise and Channel Ten’s Real Stories. Bryony has written the music for the Foxtel/GTV 9 telemovie The King and Chris Lilley’s series for the ABC, Summer Heights High.

Emma Bortignon, Sound Designer
With 10 years industry experience, Emma Bortignon has worked on over 20 feature films as Sound Designer/Mixer/Sound Effects Editor. She has been Nominated for five AFI Awards and, in 2007 won the AFI Award for Best Sound (feature) for her Sound Design on Noise. She also won the Australian Screen Sound Guild's Best Sound Design and Best Mix Award as well as The IF Awards Best Sound Award (Feature) for Noise. Emma has also worked on numerous documentaries (Words From The City), short films (Jerrycan) and television series (Underbelly). She is currently Sound Designing Eric Bana's Feature Documentary titled Love Of The Beast to be released in 2009.

Bryce Menzies, Executive Producer
Bryce has worked in the film industry for over 25 years. Bryce's first experience in the film industry was in 1982 when he played a man in overalls opposite Gerard Kennedy! He has now worked as a lawyer on over 300 productions, films, series etc. Bryce has worked on some of Australia’s best known films in the 80s, 90s and naughties. His executive producer credits include Malcolm (1985), Death in Brunswick (1990), Two Hands (1999), The Tracker (2002), Ten Canoes (2006) and Noise (2007). His legal work can be seen in Muriel’s Wedding (1994), Ned Kelly (2002), The Proposition (2005), Like Minds (2006), Irresistible (2006), No. 2 (2006), Clubland (2007), Death Defying Acts (2007), Disgrace (2007) and The Children of Huang Shi (2007). He continues to act as legal adviser on feature films, shorts, documentaries, television series. Due to his flourishing legal practice he only occasionally executive produces. Bryce is currently a member of the Film Victoria Board. His previous board memberships have been with Screen Tasmania and South Australian Film Corporation. Bryce was the initial Chair of the current Melbourne International Film Festival when it re-invented itself in 1985. Bryce is a Partner at Marshalls & Dent Lawyers.

FRAMED #06 – Finding Your Film Project

FRAMED #06 will feature filmmakers whose films are screening at this year's MIFF, including legendary director Paul Cox discussing his new film SALVATION, outstanding young director Amiel Courtin-Wilson talking about his two new films BASTARDY and CICADA, and creative team behind CELEBRITY: DOMINICK DUNNE, Kirsty de Garis, Timothy Jolley and Daryl Dellora. Our speakers will discuss finding 'the right film project' - how do you know when it's the right project or right story for you? And once you've found it, how do you get your project up?

Speakers:
Paul Cox, director/ writer (Salvation, Man of Flowers, Innocence, Vincent, Nijinsky)
Amiel Courtin-Wilson, director/ writer (Bastardy, Cicada, Chasing Buddha)
Kirsty de Garis and Timothy Jolley, directors (Celebrity: Dominick Dunne)
Daryl Dellora, producer (Hunt Angels, Against the Innocent)

When: Thursday 31 July 2008, 12.30 - 2pm

Where: Digital Harbour Theatrette, Innovation Building, 1010 Latrobe St, Docklands

BASTARDY (Dir. Amiel Courtin-Wilson)

PAUL COX
Born in Holland and settled in Melbourne, Paul Cox is an auteur of international acclaim. He is one of the most prolific makers of films in Australia, with numerous features, shorts and documentaries to his name. He is the recipient of many special tributes and retrospectives at film festivals across the world, including a major retrospective at the Lincoln Centre in New York in 1992, and he is the subject of Alexander Bohr’s 1997 documentary Ein Fremder In Der Welt (A Stranger in the World).

He migrated to Australia in the mid-'60s, had training in photography, and taught photography for many years at Prahran Technical College. His first films were short impressionistic pieces. In the mid '70s he began making low-budget features, and has fiercely stuck to the ideals of low-budget and artistic filmmaking.

Throughout his career, Cox has received numerous international awards. These include Best Film at the 1982 Australian Film Industry Awards for Lonely Hearts; Best Film & Best Director at the 1985 Houston Film Festival; Best Director at the 1984 Rio de Janeiro Film Festival; and Best Director, Actor and Screenplay at the 1984 Australian Film Industry Awards for My First Wife.

Man of Flowers premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984, and went on to win Best Film at the 1984 Valladolid Film Festival as well as Best Foreign Film at the 1991 Warsaw Film Festival. Cactus premiered in Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986 and Vincent, his docudrama on the life and death of Vincent Van Gogh (narrated by John Hurt), won the Jury Prize at the 1988 Istanbul International Filmdays.

A Woman’s Tale won the Grand Prix at the 1992 International Flanders Film Festival in Ghent as well as being selected for the 1992 Tokyo International Film Festival and Exile screened in competition at the 1994 Berlin International Film Festival.

More recently, Cox’s highly acclaimed feature Innocence (2000) won massive audience and critical acclaim, including the Grand Prix of the Americas (Best Film) and the People’s Choice Award at the 2000 Montreal World Film Festival; the FIPRESCI Critics Award at the Taormina International Film Festival; Best Film at both the Vlissengen and Saint-Tropez Film Festivals; third prize in the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Awards and 5 Australian IF awards including Best Film, Independent Filmmaker of the Year for Paul Cox, and Best Actress for Julia Blake. The film was also awarded the Marquee Audience Favourite Award at the CineVegas International Film Festival 2000. Paul's new film Salvation is screening at MIFF 08.

AMIEL COURTIN-WILSON
Combining visceral imagery with highly personal stories, Amiel Courtin-Wilson's unique directorial style has evolved from working in documentary and drama over the last thirteen years.

After making his first film at age 9, Amiel's short film Charlie's Toy Meets Madeline Moritz won the Longford Nova Award at the 1996 St Kilda Film Festival when he was 17 years old.

In 1998, Amiel directed and produced the feature documentary Chasing Buddha which premiered at Sundance in 2000 and was nominated for an AFI for best direction. Chasing Buddha also had a successful theatrical season in both Sydney and Melbourne and went on to win a string of awards including Best Documentary at both the 2000 Dendy Awards and the 2000 IF Awards.

In 2000, Amiel co-directed the docu-drama Islands which won the Documentary Excellence Award at the Real Life on Film Festival (2001), Best Short form Documentary at the 2001 ATOM Awards and went on to tour the U.S. for a year in 2002 as part of the Margaret Mead International Documentary festival.

After collaborating with Opera Australia and the Chunky Move contemporary dance company, producing a series of music clips for SBS and Film Victoria and directing several successful music clips of his own, in 2003 Amiel directed the short film Adolescent which premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival. As a result of this screening Amiel went on to participate in the inaugural Accelerator program as part of the Melbourne Film Festival in 2004.

Amiel has currently completed directing short film Cicada; the feature length AFC/ABC funded documentary Bastardy; the feature length theatrical documentary Catch My Disease about renowned Australian pop singer Ben Lee; and the documentary Til Hell Freezes.

Amiel's most recent short film On the Other Ocean had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2006 and his upcoming feature projects include the AFC Indivision-developed drama Warm Blood and the black comedy High School.

Amiel has also worked as a freelance journalist for Inside Film and Metro Magazine, exhibited his video installation work internationally and lectured at institutions, conferences and festivals including VCA, RMIT, Australian Film Television & Radio School, Melbourne International Film Festival, the Australian International Documentary Conference and the University of California Los Angeles.

DARYL DELLORA
Daryl Dellora has been making documentaries for many years. He is an award-winning writer and director and he executive produced, co-wrote and directed his first feature length film Against The Innocent in 1989. Daryl has been a recipient of an AFC Documentary Fellowship and in 1991 his Mr Neal Is Entitled to be an Agitator won the Australian Human Rights Award. In 2005 he was accepted to the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation study centre in Bellagio. Daryl co-produced the feature Hunt Angels (2006) and has worked closely with producer Sue Maslin through their company Film Art Doco on a raft of documentary films including The Edge of The Possible, A Mirror to the People, Conspiracy, The Highest Court and Koories and Cops. In 2006 Daryl wrote and directed the new media project www.williambligh.com.au which is currently available on ABC on-line. Daryl's first film Hollywood Ten, Melbourne One screened at the Melbourne Film Festival and was nominated for an AFI award. Daryl's films have screened and sold all over the world including in the South East Asia, US, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Louisiana Museum Denmark, and the Museum of Modern Art Ljubljana, Slovenia.

TIM JOLLEY
Tim Jolley graduated from the VCA School of Film and TV in 2004, where he completed the Post Grad. Dip. (Producing). At the VCA, Tim produced two acclaimed short films, Tin Truck and Blue Tongue, both with writer/director Justin Kurzel. Blue Tongue screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 in the Critic’s Week section. The film also screened at the New York Film Festival, the Oberhausen Short Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival, where it won the prize for Best Australian Short Film. Celebrity: Dominick Dunne is Tim’s debut feature length documentary which he co-wrote, -directed, and –produced with his partner, Kirsty de Garis. Prior to pursuing his passion for filmmaking on a full-time basis, Tim worked for the international corporate strategy consultancy, Bain & Co.

KIRSTY DE GARIS
Kirsty de Garis completed an Arts degree at Sydney University in 1998, where part of her studies focused on the adaptation of books into films. She began her journalism career at 'The Observer' newspaper in London, where she also completed a Masters degree at London Metropolitan University. At 'The Observer' Kirsty wrote a variety of arts-based features such as TV and book reviews, and current affairs in the arts sphere. A highlight of her time at 'The Observer' was a series of interview with people who whose lives had been developed into feature films – including Larry Flint, Bella Freud, Frank Serpico and Frank Abagnale Jr. She returned to Australia in 2004, where she secured a role in documentary at The Australians at War Film Archive, interviewing war veterans, The work took her across rural and metropolitan NSW, interviewing war veterans from World War Two, Vietnam and Korea. She developed skills in extensive, in-depth interviewing over long time periods. The material gathered by the archive is used as an oral history record & also for documentary films made about any conflict in which Australia has been involved. 2000 people were interviewed over the course of two years for the archive. It was during this experience that the idea formed about making a documentary film about Dominick Dunne, when she interviewed him for the Australian magazine 'Autore'. Kirsty currently lives in Sydney, Australia and works as a freelance journalist for China 'Vogue', 'Belle' and 'Vive' and has contributed to British 'Elle', 'New Woman', 'Cooler' and 'Heath & Fitness'. Celebrity: Dominick Dunne is her first feature-length documentary as co-director, -writer and –producer.

FRAMED #05 – Get Smart! Getting Agent-Ready / Getting into the Screen

Come along and hear 2008 Cannes Jury Prize winner producer Stuart Parkyn and industry icon Sound Designer Gary Wilkins impart wisdom about the screen industry's do's and dont's in OPEN CHANNEL's free upcoming seminar FRAMED #05 - Get Smart! Getting Agent-Ready / Getting into the Screen Industry.

What's the relationship between the agent and the screen practitioner? Common feedback from previous Framed sessions has indicated that this is a topic that filmmakers are keen to know more about...

So, you've just graduated from film school - where to next? Getting on an agent's books, whether as a crew member, technician, writer, DOP or director requires certain experience. At what stage can you approach an agent for representation? What level of experience is expected for different practitioners? What are some of the common career pathways? Finally, we'll ask the panel about ways in which collaborations between the crew and the creative team can be strengthened. Speakers to include Stuart Parkyn, producer of Jerrycan which was recently awarded the Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.


Speakers:
Stuart Parkyn, Producer
Gary Wilkins, Sound Designer
Kristian Connelly, General Manager, Cinema Nova
Bridget Callow, Producer/ Production Manager
Kylie Smith, Marketing Manager, AT2
Sue Marriott, Facilitator

When: Thursday 3 July 2008, 12.30 - 2pm
Where: Digital Harbour Theatrette, Innovation Building, 1010 Latrobe St, Docklands


RESOURCES

FilmCrew Victoria: Getting Agent-Ready (PDF)
www.openchannel.org.au/framed/2008/05_filmcrew_victoria.pdf

The two main film technician/ crew agencies are:
Freelancers Promotions www.freelancers.com.au
Film Crew Victoria www.fcvic.com.au

Stacey Testro International represents writers, directors, producers, composers, directors of photography, and actors www.sti.com.au


AT2
Cast your own independent film using AT2's innovate new online casting tool iCast. The service is free to independent and student film productions. AT2 is an online tool, listing around 20,000 artists, that is used by professional casting directors to broadcast casting auditions to talent agents and freelance artists, specifying production dates, rates and role information. Agents and artists can submit to these roles by attaching their online portfolio and sending it back through the site. This means that casting directors aren't bombarded by emails with resume and photo attachments, rather AT2 sorts and organises the submissions by role and by agency, including contact details. AT2 provides a service to emerging filmmakers and have cast lots of work - the Matrix, Star Wars, Ghost Rider, Knowing, The Lion King, Priscilla, pretty much every TVC made in Oz, plus corporate work, student films, Tropfest entries, and more.

To find out more go to www.at2.com.au and click JOIN NOW


STUART PARKYN, PRODUCER
Stuart Parkyn completed a Masters degree in Producing at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in 2005. The six films he produced at AFTRS have won more than 40 awards and screened at 70 film festivals in 16 countries. In 2007, Stuart was nominated at the 79th Academy Awards in the category of Live Action Short Film for The Saviour. Festival highlights include winning the Slamdance Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short in both 2005 (for Splintered) and 2006 (for The Saviour); winning Best Film and Best Documentary at the 2005 St Kilda Film Festival (for Splintered and Blandville); and screening at the 2005 Annecy Animation Festival (for The Instructional Guide to Dating). Since AFTRS Stuart has produced television commercials, worked as a script assessor and has recently completed the Australian Film Commission funded short film Piranha. Prior to AFTRS Stuart worked in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Dublin and London in the areas of business management, marketing and internet development. Stuart currently developing two feature film projects and a television series. Stuart is the producer of Jerrycan which was recently awarded the Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

GARY WILKINS
A 40 year veteran and industry icon, Gary is an award winning Sound Designer on a global scale. Gary started at Crawford Productions in the sound dept in 1964, and worked as the sound technician / recordist until 1975 on Homicide, Matlock Police, Ryan, The Box and a wide range of projects. As a testament to the quality and breadth of Gary's work, he has received Four MPSE Hollywood Golden Reels, Five A.F.I. Awards, 2 Variety Club "Sammy" Statues and Two Pan Pacific Sound Awards. In early 2006 Gary was admitted to the Cinema Audio Society (CAS) in the US which is a group limited to sound professionals of high experience and recognized ability. Membership to the CAS is currently restricted and Gary is one of but a few Australians who have been honoured with acceptance into the society. Gary has worked alongside directors such as Bruce Beresford, Peter Weir, Brian De Palma and John Boorman, with a staggering 800 TVCs, countless documentaries, TV Mini Series, and 67 Australian & International Feature Films to his credit, including Romulus, my Father, Ghost Rider, Mad Max, Breaker Morant, Crocadile Dundee, Evil Angels, to name just a few!

Gary has been a guest lecturer on sound at the VCA for more than eight years. He has also served as a State and Federal Councilor for the MEAA and is currently a committee member and spokesman for the Screen Technicians Association.

BRIDGET CALLOW
With over seven years experience as a producer and production manager for film and television in Australia, Bridget has worked on long and short form drama including international feature films, television series and documentaries for the ABC and Fox 8. Her debut feature as a producer is currently screening as a World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival, New York, and she is in development of her second feature film, funded by the Australian Film Commission. As well as developing an independent producing slate she continues to freelance as a producer, production manager and documentary researcher. Most recently she production managed a feature for Cascade Films, working along side veteran producer, David Parker, followed by working with Melanie Coombs and Adam Elliot, on the $8 million animated feature Mary & Max.

KRISTIAN CONNELLY
Having worked in the Cinema Industry since 2002, Kristian Connelly has built a reputation for being integral to the success of limited release film in the Melbourne marketplace. After shepherding Village Cinemas’ upscale Cinema Europa/Rivoli Cinemas circuit from the fringe to the forefront of fine film exhibition, Kristian is now the General Manager/Marketing of Cinema Nova, which is now recognised internationally as Australia’s most influential and successful arthouse. Kristian has overseen the implementation of the Europa Movie Club (loyalty program), the creation of the world-first VTV on-line celebrity interview series, major events involving international and local talent, countless print and online campaigns as well as having guided both major and independent distributors to distribution success. Kristian has also participated in industry workshops and champions the importance of Australian Film wherever possible.

KYLIE SMITH, MARKETING MANAGER, AT2
AT2 is an online tool, listing around 20,000 artists, that is used by professional casting directors to broadcast casting auditions to talent agents and freelance artists, specifying production dates, rates and role information. Agents and artists can submit to these roles by attaching their online portfolio and sending it back through the site. This means that casting directors aren't bombarded by emails with resume and photo attachments, rather AT2 sorts and organises the submissions by role and by agency, including contact details. Artists pay an annual fee of around $100 to be on the site. It's free for casting professionals - and also for I-cast producers. AT2 provides a service to emerging filmmakers and have cast lots of work - the Matrix, Star Wars, Ghost Rider, Knowing, The Lion King, Priscilla, pretty much every TVC made in Oz, plus corporate work, student films, Tropfest entries, and more. Find out more at www.at2.com.au

SUE MARRIOTT, PRESIDENT, WIFT (Vic) & VICE PRESIDENT, MEAA (Vic), (FACILITATOR)
Sue Marriott currently works as a freelance film production and events management consultant and lecturer in arts management. She was an Industrial Organiser for 16 years with the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) and a recent Film Victoria Board Member until 2004. Sue is currently President of Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Victoria and a Vice-President of the MEAA, Victorian Branch. As a lecturer at Melbourne University for the last two years, Sue taught Industrial Relations and Arts Management for Post-Graduate Diploma students. She has a recent broadcast screen credit as Production/Location Management Consultant for the documentary Endangered. Sue knows and has worked or consulted with, nearly every established producer/production company in Victoria and many interstate.

FRAMED #04 – Digitize Me!

Distribution platforms, open platforms, Creative Commons licenses, portable content, videocast - what is it, what does it all mean for filmmakers, and how can it be used to their advantage? Join us at FRAMED #04: DIGITISE ME!, for our regular free lunchtime seminar series, at Digital Harbour Theatrette.

Presented by OPEN CHANNEL, FRAMED #04 speakers include:

Andrew Apostola, Portable Film Festival (facilitator)
Jim Shomos, Producer, Forget the Rules
Dr Lisa Dethridge, author of WRITING YOUR SCREENPLAY
Kylie Robertson, Creative Director, ISH MEDIA
Sherwin Akbarzadeh, Project Manager, TALKING DOCKLANDS

When: Thursday 5 June, 12.30 - 2pm
Where: Digital Harbour Theatrette, Innovation Building, 1010 Latrobe St,
Docklands

About the speakers:

ANDREW APOSTOLA
Andrew's background lies predominantly in community media, working for a range of broadcasters and media providers in Australia and he is well known for successfully launching the Student Youth Network alongside co-founder Simon Goodrich in Melbourne in 2003. The network is the largest youth media organisation in Australia, operating a full-time terrestrial radio license and broadcasting on television and the web.

DR LISA DETHRIDGE
Dr. Lisa Dethridge is Program Leader for the Master of Arts (Creative Writing) program. She is author of WRITING YOUR SCREENPLAY (pub. Allen and Unwin, 2003) and has twenty years experience writing for film, TV and print in Australia and the United States. She has a PhD. in Media Ecology from New York University. She has worked with producers and writers for major and independent studios and networks. Clients include Fox, Warner, Working Title, MTV, CBS, NBC, CNN, Granada, SBS, the Australian Film Commission and ABC Australia. She has written for magazines and journals, including a regular column for Vogue Australia. She has taught writing and media communications at the American Film Institute, the Writers Program at the University of California, Los Angeles; New York University and the Australian Film, TV and Radio School. Her research interests include virtual communications and community; non linear narrative; screenwriting; theatre scripts; artificial intelligence; virus and viral culture.

KYLIE ROBERTSON
Creative Director of Ish Media, Kylie Robertson is a multi award-winning practitioner, expert, and sought after speaker in the field of interactive and cross platform media. Kylie, originally trained as a scientific photographer, progressed to international recognition as an interactive filmmaker with her film ‘Silent Passages’ which won a spot at MILIA 2000 Cannes and festival screenings around the world. Kylie has worked as a senior interactive designer and studio manager at Digital Pictures where her work spanned both broadcast and interactive platforms. An alumni of the Victorian College of the Arts School of Film & TV, Kylie lectured at VCA in visual effects and broadcast design from 2002-2005 and has taught Imaging Theory to creative media students at RMIT.

ABOUT ISH MEDIA
Ish Media champions great story telling, harnessing constantly-evolving technology to create digital media concepts and content to engage and delight audiences no matter what the delivery platform: broadcast, internet, wireless, mobile. Ish Media also offers unique services to enable content creators, companies and marketers to engage one-to-one with their target audience.

JIM SHOMOS
Jim is a writer/producer or producer on a range of feature films, Heritage TV and digital media projects – and is the creator of the award winning interactive cross-media production: forget the rules. Jim is working with Clayton & Shane Jacobson (Kenny) on digital media series, Mordy Koots, starring Shane and featuring a world-first visual concept conceived by Clayton. Jim is a regular mentor on AFTRS Laboratory for Advanced Media Production (LAMP, established in Australia by Gary Hayes, ex BBC). Jim has also worked as a storyliner on Neighbours, copywriter on Sale of The Century, and is a published songwriter. Jim studied writing and production at AFTRS in Sydney in 1998 following a business and marketing background. Jim is a co-winner of the 2007 Greg Tepper award from Film Victoria. Let’s Talk Pty Ltd is a leader in the development of original cross-media and interactive TV formats. Let’s Talk co-produced forget the rules - the first comedy/drama series in the world to broadcast all episodes on TV, broadband and mobiles. FTR1 was broadcast on Channel V/Foxtel, 3 mobiles and the FTR website (39 x 3-min episodes) 10 October 2005 to 8 January 2006. FTR2 screened November/December 2007. The 30 x 3min episodes were broadcast on Optus TV, Optus mobiles the official FTR website and You Tube. forget the rules won Best Interactive Format at the 2006 MIPCOM Internet & Mobile TV Awards. Jim has been a regular speaker or mentor at digital media workshops & seminars across Australia and has been an official speaker at MIPTV 2008 & MIPCOM 2007 in Cannes.

FRAMED #03 – It's in the Can(nes) - Festivals, Funding & Distribution

The leaves are turning, the air's becoming crisper, the coffee's getting stronger....it must be festival season in Melbourne! With the Cannes, St Kilda and Melbourne Film Festivals just around the corner, join us for FRAMED #03 as our panel of distinguished speakers discuss the following:

- Funding agencies, initiatives and film festivals
- What festivals look for when selecting a film as opposed to what funders look for
- How best to market your film at a festival [ie putting together a press kit]
- Preparation for attending a major festival
- What type of travel assistance is available from government film agencies
- First hand festival experiences from around the world
- Distribution & exhibition

Speakers include:

James Hewison, newly appointed Theatrical Distribution Manager, Madman
Tait Brady, Feature Film Evaluation Manager, FFC Australia
Megan Gardiner, Professional Development Officer, Film Victoria
Andrew Apostola, Artistic Director, Portable Film Festival
Richard Wolstencroft, Artistic Director, Melbourne Underground Film Festival
Peter George, Producer, Captive Films (facilitator) When: Thursday 24 April 2008, 12.30 - 2.00pm

Where: The NAB Theatrette @ The National Bank Building, Ground Floor, 800 Bourke St Extension (cnr Harbour Esplanade) Docklands (Enter via the main revolving doors at Bourke St entrance)

Framed speakersMeghan Lew (Film Victoria)Filmmaker Paul Andersen Ian Dixon & Ryan Howard (OC member) Speaker: Andrew Apostola
(Portable Film Festival)

Seminar Notes

The Evolution of Film Distribution: slouching towards a digital Bethlehem
by: Anne Richey

Screen Hub
Friday 2 May, 2008

If one pencil does not a Rembrandt make, one iPod on a train is not the death of cinema as we know it. Anne Richey scoops up the proverbial range of views at an Open Channel outing.

Is film a dying art form, rapidly being replaced by online short form content? Tait Brady, Andrew Apostola, James Hewison, Megan Gardiner and Richard Wolstencroft discuss the changes occurring in distribution and media consumption at Open Channel’s Framed event ‘It’s in the Can(nes)’.

James Hewison, former CEO of the AFI and newly appointed to the role of Madman Films Theatrical Distribution Manager, noted that his new employer is in the unusual situation of not owning any cinemas. He believes this is fortunate, since cinema releases are likely to become increasingly volatile in the current media climate.

He refers to a Variety article - linked here - about the death of theatrical distribution and how alternate distribution methods should be explored and developed, particularly in the context of Australia film. Although there is a small appetite for Australian content in the cinema at the moment, in Madman’s DVD distribution arm, their highest grossing DVD is Kenny and in fifth place is Ten Canoes.

Richard Wolstencroft, the Artistic Director of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival, believes that Australia needs to focus on more low budget, genre oriented material, citing the examples of Wolf Creek, Saw and Gabriel which is selling very well in DVD rentals.

The Portable Film Festival has been running for a little over two years and challenges the audience to explore different methods of viewing content and story. Andrew Apostola, the Portable Film Festival’s Artistic Director, believes that telling stories through the medium of film is outdated, and that creators should look seriously at series and short form media. He concedes that cinema will still happen, but that most films will be watched on DVD.

In defence of film, it was suggested that most people don’t want to watch Lawrence of Arabia on an iPod.

James Hewison was also unwilling to agree with Andrew’s viewpoint, recalling that film’s deathknell has been sounding ever since the introduction of sound and then colour and then video, and it ain’t dead yet.

Megan Gardiner, Film Victoria, suggested that it’s possibly just a case of one form being dominant over another at a given point in time.

It seems then that reports of film’s death may be premature. There’s just one small problem to sort out first – piracy. Andrew Apostola believes that one method of combating the problem would be to release films on all formats at once, rather than delaying releases via country and then via formats. As in the case of Steven Soderberg’s film Bubble all formats should released simultaneously, although making free downloads available may not be appropriate for all products.

Ultimately, distributors and financiers are looking for risk minimisation, and given that not all films are destined for the cinema, different methods must be investigated.

James Hewison gave the example of a group of filmmakers, who, when asked what they would like for their film, all say theatrical distribution. However, when this is further discussed, it transpires that only about 50% believe theatrical to be the only way forward.

The other 50% are easily converted to the idea of running a campaign, followed by an opening night party, and then making the product available online. At least that way people get to see it. Andrew Apostola calls this Cannes versus Youtube. How many would you have see your film? 1500 at Cannes or 1.5 million online?

(With a ticket to Cannes in my pocket, and my press accreditation safely confirmed, I probably can't answer that question.)

James noted that just because everyone has a pencil doesn’t make them Rembrandt. A proliferation of online content doesn’t necessarily improve the quality. Richard Wolstencroft made an amendment to this statement – there isn’t a greater percentage of quality product, but democratisation creates quality.

Tait Brady, Melbourne’s FFC Feature Film Evaluation Manager, referring to Robert Connolly’s white paper, Embracing Innovation: a new methodology for feature film production in Australia, described how the rebate favours big budget films over the low, it favours experienced practitioners over the inexperienced, and will have an inflationary effect of movie making costs as the budget sizes increase. New practitioners are the ones who need the new agency the most and must therefore be active in helping to form the policies of Screen Australia, which will be officially instituted on the 1st of July this year.

He believes it’s likely that that the current agencies will continue business as usual until at least the end of the year as a board of management is yet to be appointed, and once this is completed, there are staff to be hired and industry consultation to take place. He hopes that the new agency will focus on streamlining the bureaucracy, investing a larger percentage of budget into films, focus on emerging and indigenous filmmakers, and find better ways of developing scripts. For the moment, all of the cards are up in the air

Whatever decisions are made to keep up with modern technologies, filmmakers must remain open to new forms of distribution. In the online world as well as in traditional distribution, it is ultimately the audience who will decide on its popularity, but the film must be made available, somewhere, somehow, for people to see the film in the first place.

Anne Richey
Anne Richey is a screenwriter and Screen Hub's television specialist.

FRAMED #02 – DIRECTING ACTORS / MAKING SCRIPTS WORK

FRAMED #02 examines the creative dynamic between directors, writers and actors. If you're a director, writer or producer you'll gain a sound understanding of the importance of one of film’s most valuable relationships – that of the director and the actor. You'll gain an insight into the workshop & rehearsal process, script development, interpretation of the material and conveying your vision on set.

When: Thursday 27 March 2008, 12.30 – 2.00pm
Where: The NAB Theatrette @ The National Bank Building, Ground Floor, 800 Bourke St (cnr Harbour Esplanade) Docklands

Speakers:
Alkinos Tsilimidos, Director (Em 4 Jay, Tom White)
Matthew Newton, Actor (Stupid, Stupid Man, The Bet, My Mother Frank)
Marc Gracie, Director (The Craic, Take Away, You and Your Stupid Mate, Shock Jock, Full Frontal, The Adventures of Lano and Woodley)

Chris Corbett, Scriptwriter (City Homicide, Stingers, Blue Heelers, The Secret Life of Us, McLeods Daughters, All Saints)

Alkinos Tsilimidos


Ian Dixon with attendees

Matthew Newton

Chris Corbett chatting with audience member after the seminar


Film Critic Tom Ryan with daughter Maddie

OC Member Sophie Kesoglidis with
Rachel Singleton (OC Membership Officer)

ALKINOS TSILIMIDOS, DIRECTOR
Alkinos has been described as one of Australia’s most important contemporary film directors. He has a reputation for being an actor’s director and is renowned for his uncompromising approach to stories of social relevance.

He graduated from Swinburne School of Film and Television (now VCA) in 1988. His début feature film Everynight…Everynight (1994) won international critical acclaim. It was awarded Best First Film (Prix D’Montreal) at the Montreal World Film Festival and was in Official Selection at the Venice International Film Festival. His second feature Silent Partner (2001) was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the AFI and Film Critics Awards and was in Official Selection at the Toronto, Montreal, Newport, US Arts Comedy, Athens, Singapore and Bangkok International Film Festivals.

In 2004, Tom White was released to extensive critical acclaim. It received thirty-one Australian feature film award nominations, Colin Friels winning the FCCA and the IF AWARD for Best Actor. Tom White was invited to participate at many international events including Montreal, Hof, and Pusan International Film Festivals.

Em 4 Jay (2006), his fourth feature, participated at Melbourne, Brisbane, Athens, Mostra De Valencia – Spain, Newport Beach – US, Titanic - Hungary and New Zealand International Film Festivals. Variety said: “Authenticity makes EM 4 JAY a Down Under low budget TRIUMPH.” Alkinos is currently working on his fifth feature, Rambles.

MATTHEW NEWTON, ACTOR
Matthew Newton has worked extensively on television including the series Stupid Stupid Man, The Surgeon, All Saints, Farscape, Water Rats, Grass Roots, Good Guys Bad Guys, Chuck Finn, The Flying Doctors, and the critically-acclaimed mini-series Changi, for which he was nominated for the Silver Logie.

As a singer he has performed on Carols by Candlelight, Studio A with Simon Burke, and ABBA Mania, and put himself through drama school working the Sydney jazz scene. Since making his film debut in Looking for Alibrandi, his feature credits include The Bet, Bitter and Twisted, Blurred, My Mother Frank, Queen of the Damned, and The Great Raid. In 2006, his directing debut Right Here Right Now won Best Film at the Rebelfest International Film Festival in Toronto, and he has just completed principal photography on his second feature. Matthew graduated from NIDA in 1998.

Matthew is currently appearing in MTC’s Rock n’ Roll written by Tom Stoppard, having made his debut for the Company last year in The History Boys. His other theatre roles include Tony in Boy Gets Girl, Marcello in The White Devil, and Mosca in Volpone for Sydney Theatre Company, as well as Lucas in Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor at the Ensemble Theatre. He has worked with some of Australia's leading directors including Robyn Nevin, Gale Edwards, Rowan Woods, Adam Cook, Marion Potts, and Kate Woods, and in 2000 toured with The White Devil for its New York season.

MARC GRACIE, DIRECTOR
Marc Gracie has been working in the entertainment industry for over 15 years and has created more than 100 hours of film and TV production. Marc started out in 1985, directing Australia's highest box office-grossing non-musical stage show Wogs Out of Work. Feature film credits include the box office hit The Craic starring Jimeoin; Take Away featuring Vince Colosimo, Stephen Curry and Rose Byrne; and You and Your Stupid Mate featuring Angus Sampson. His recent TV credits include Shock Jock, Jimeoin's Tea Towel Tour of Ireland, Full Frontal, The Adventures of Lano and Woodley and Comic Relief 1 & 2.

CHRIS CORBETT, SCREENWRITER
Chris Corbett has written episodes of Stingers, Blue Heelers, The Secret Life of Us, McLeods Daughters, All Saints and City Homicide. He also worked as a script editor on Stingers and Blue Heelers and as Story Editor on Stingers. Prior to working in television he served as Dramaturg at the Melbourne Theatre Company, directed shows for the Five Dollar Theatre Company , the Melbourne Theatre Company and performed in major festivals across Australia, New Zealand and Europe with the group Strange Fruit. He currently teaches at RMIT’s Professional Screenwriting Course and writes and produces the YouTube comedy show Tinytown.

Tinytown is a wry yet hard-hitting comedy exploring the complicated lives of two twelve year old cops. Episode 2 features a guest appearance by John Wood.

Episode 2

Episode 1

IAN DIXON (Facilitator)
Ian Dixon has worked as a professional actor for over twenty years (he took over from Guy Pearce to play the lead role in Grease). He graduated from VCA School of Film and Television in 1998 and went on to direct TV for SBS, as well as receiving director training on Blue Heelers and Neighbours for which he went on to direct full episodes. Ian directed the SBS film Wee Jimmy and most recently produced, directed, wrote and edited his first feature film Crushed due to be screened in April/May. Ian was Assistant to the Artistic Director of the Australia Korea Foundation and has worked as teacher and lecturer at tertiary institutions, notably the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Victorian College of the Arts and OPEN CHANNEL. He recently completed his PhD on the films of John Cassavetes through the University of Melbourne at VCA. Ian is in high demand as a tutor, and currently tutors at OPEN CHANNEL, Homesglen TAFE, SAE and Swinburne.

FRAMED #01 – WOMEN IN FILM & TELEVISION

Five prominent women working in film and television discuss new challenges, new opportunities and new directions in 2008 for emerging filmmakers. FRAMED #01 will present a comprehensive overview, from project development and distribution platforms, to support networks for those trying to navigate their way through the industry.

When: Thursday 28 February 2008, 12.30 – 2.00pm
Where: The NAB Theatrette, 800 Bourke St, (cnr
Harbour Esplanade), Docklands, which is on the City Circle tram line.

Guest speakers include:

Megan Harding, Executive Producer, ABC TV
Lizzette Atkins, Producer, Lawrence Johnston's NIGHT
Helen Mariampolski, Freelance TV Producer
Gracie Otto, independent filmmaker
Carmela Baranowska, Producer, How Afghanistan was Lost (MeetMarket, AIDC)

Seminar Notes

Introduction & Notes by Sue Marriott

Each month the FRAMED seminar series strives to shed some light on current issues affecting the screen industry. And I'm pleased to welcome today's speakers who are are 5 women from film, documentary making, and television, all of whom are carving out successful careers in the industry.

At the recent Australian International Documentary Conference, Peter Greenaway stated that “The online environment is creating a change to the whole way we look at the world and how we distribute films.” A question I'd like to put to the panel is: In light of some of the issues discussed at the AIDC, such as digital distribution and the whole online environment, what are your views on the future of the film & TV industries, not only in Australia, but internationally?

“Basically cinema is dead - a new technology has come along and created its own vocabulary” (Peter Greenaway, AIDC)

“The old adage of ‘content is everything' has been replaced by ‘everything is content'. Content is consumed in such a variety of different ways that content creators need to adapt…The market's number one desire is video content on demand” (AIDC)

What are audiences watching and where they will be in 2012 when we go digital and Australia will shut-down analogue broadcasting services?

• Marketing & distribution – how are these changing in light of the online environment?
• Production climate changes since the introduction of the producer’s offset deal?
• What do you like/find challenging about making documentaries?
• Recycling and repurposing film footage
• Creative Commons: a rights management system that provides a potential answer to incompatibility between the traditional broadcast licensing model and the new forms of digital distribution
• Unlocking the story in Documentary material
• There is a renewed sense of history on TV screens around the world. Audiences everywhere have shown an appetite for well-made history documentaries, and governments have dumped a lot of money into programs that help shape a shared sense of national history. That was the view of the session“The Future of History”, presented on the first day of this year's Australian International Documentary Conference

Links

ABC documentary programming - information about Submitting a Proposal, Funding, How to Find a Production Company:
more info

For Arts, Entertainment & Comedy programming queries email:
brunskill.richard@abc.net.au

AIDC 2008 day 2: The Producer Offset; The Practicalities:
more info

Film Finance Corporation Australia - Producer Offset:
more info

French Film Funding System
The French system for financing films is unique in Europe. Major TV channels (TF1, M6, France 2 and France 3) must allocate 3.2% of their turnover to cinema (including at least 2.5% to French films).For each of them, this represents 20 to 30 films and 30 to 50 million Euros. They must broadcast a minimum of 50% of French films. Canal+, a very popular pay-channel, must devote 20% of its turnover to buy the rights of films (12% European minimum, including 9% French minimum). On each cinema ticket, a 11% tax is allocated to the " Fonds de Soutien ", which is open to foreign films provided they are co-produced with a French producer. The result of this policy is that with more than 160 films/year, the French film industry is third in the world after the USA (500) and India (800) and the success does not go only to "typically so French" movies. French industry is clearly the strongest in Europe (France produces 22% of European films and has the largest market-share of nationally-produced films in Europe). (Excerpt from download pdf )

Sigrid Thornton on the Australian film and television industry:
more info

THE PANEL

Sue Marriott, President, WIFT (Vic) & Vice President, MEAA (Vic), Facilitator
Sue Marriott currently works as a freelance film production and events management consultant and lecturer in arts management. She was an Industrial Organiser for 16 years with the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) and a recent Film Victoria Board Member until 2004. Sue is currently President of Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Victoria and a Vice-President of the MEAA, Victorian Branch. As a lecturer at Melbourne University for the last two years, Sue taught Industrial Relations and Arts Management for Post-Graduate Diploma students. She has a recent broadcast screen credit as Production/Location Management Consultant for the documentary “Endangered”. Sue knows and has worked or consulted with, nearly every established producer/production company in Victoria and many interstate.

Megan Harding, Executive Producer, ABC TV
Megan Harding is an Executive Producer in ABC TV's Arts, Entertainment and Comedy department, currently overseeing the Artscape series. Since joining the ABC in 2005 she has also been involved with Rage and its 20th Anniversary, The Glass House, The Sideshow and other arts series. She has also worked at Channel 7 and on a number of Australian feature films. As an Executive Producer in ABC TV’s Arts, Entertainment and Comedy department, Megan is currently overseeing Artscape (previously Tuesday at 10), Double the Fist – Series 2, Review with Myles Barlow and a number of other short run comedy series. Since joining the ABC in 2005 she has also been involved with Rage and its 20th Anniversary, The Glass House, The Sideshow and other arts series. After graduating from Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 1996 Megan produced the multi award winning short drama In Search of Mike. Her television credits include the eight part comedy series Double the Fist, winner of the 2004 AFI Award for Best Comedy produced for the ABC, Cooking with Frank and Bruce Petty’s The Mad Century for SBS Independent. She is also the producer for the doco Death of a Cook, the prequel to Robert Gibson’s 1996 film Video Fool for Love. She has also worked at Channel 7 and on a number of Australian feature films.

Lizzette Atkins, Producer
Lizzette Atkins worked in distribution, acquisitions and exhibition (including Newvision Films and Dendy Films) for over 15 years gaining extensive knowledge in marketing, distribution and the overseas market place. In 1999 she formed her independent production company LIZZETTE ATKINS PRODUCTIONS attracting early success with the films The Way Back which won the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco Film Festival 2003 and Best Australian Film Flickerfest; Blow, winner of the Gold Plague Chicago Film Festival 2002 and the London Film Festival and The Last Pecheniuk, winner CRA Award, Sydney Film Festival 2001 and winner National Geographic Best Documentary 2002. Towards the end of 2002, she formed a new company CIRCE FILMS with Producer Beth Frey. In 2004/2005 their documentaries Passport to Parenthood, Undercover Angels: Sex, Spies and Surveillance, and AFI award winning Vietnam Nurses which included an interactive component, screened on national television. Their multi award winning TV drama Stranded premiered at the Melbourne and London Film Festivals and went on to win 3 AFI awards. Circe’s 2 x 52 minute documentary series Do Not Resuscitate with Davor Dirlic screened on SBS in November 2006. The feature Night with director Lawrence Johnston has recently been released. Circe Films have a slate of feature films and several documentaries in development including the feature projects, Kid Snowball with writer John Brumpton and director Matthew Saville, and The Serpent with writer/director Ben Hackworth.

Helen Mariampolski, Freelance TV Producer
In a career that spans over 24 years as a producer, writer and director, Helen Mariampolski has successfully produced and developed long-running and high-rating TV series and solo projects. She has worked in the management and creative areas of television production as Executive Producer and has wide experience in entertainment, lifestyle, arts, reality, business, documentary, how-to, variety, talk and children’s production – in both studio and location formats. Helen has also worked in the corporate and marketing arenas. As Series Producer for Sunday Arts, Helen created a product that within a few months became the premier arts program for the ABC. In 2005, she co-wrote and co-produced Eating History, a lively documentary that recreated Auguste Escoffier’s famous 1895 Red Dinner. As Executive Producer at Disney Entertainment during the 90s, Helen was responsible for the company’s total production output, which at one stage involved five concurrent programs including Healthy Wealthy & Wise, Creative Living and A Cook’s Journey - all top rating programs on Network TEN. This position demanded superior management, creative and technical expertise, and totalled over 300 hours of TV product. Helen has travelled Australia and the world producing, writing and directing TV travel and cultural features and hour-long specials.

Gracie Otto, Filmmaker
Gracie Otto is part of the Otto family of actors - father Barry and sister Miranda - so it was inevitable that she would be attracted to the medium of film. However, most of her work to date has been behind the camera. Gracie graduated from the Sydney Film School in July 2006 having completed an Advanced Diploma in Film. After graduating she lived in Paris for six months but returned to Australia earlier this year. Although Gracie is only twenty years old, she has directed four short films, all of which have been acclaimed. La Meme Nuit, which stars her father Barry Otto and Matthew Newton, has screened at Sydney’s Flickerfest International Film Festival, St Kilda Film Festival in Melbourne, nationally with the St Kilda Touring FF, and will screen at the US Palm Springs International Short FF in August. Tango Trois, her 2005 thesis film, screened at the St Kilda FF, Berlin Interfilm FF, Byron Bay FF, the Australia-Japan Student Film Festival (won Best Film) and the ECU European Independent Film Festival in Paris. Her other films are Broken Beat (2005) a gay love story filmed in black and white, which was selected in the Spirit on Screen Top 10 Film Awards in NZ and awarded Best Cinematography, Best Production and Best Sound Design at the SFS screenings; and Kill Blondes (2004), her first film made in her final year of school, which received a perfect score from the HSC examiners and was the only film selected in the statewide Young Writers Showcase. Gracie has recently edited a feature film and is currently putting the finishing touches to the screenplay of her first feature Rue de Tournon which she hopes to develop later this year.

Carmela Baranowska, Producer
Carmela Baranowska has been working in South East Asia for the last fifteen years, mainly in conflict and post-conflict areas. She studied at the University of Melbourne and documentary filmmaking at the VCA School of Film and TV. Her 2004 film about Afghanistan, Taliban Country was recognised with a Walkley Award and broadcast on SBS TV, RTBF, and WDR. Her other credits include Party to Independence and Lives on the Edge broadcast on SBS TV and Al Jazeera English. She was the first Australian to win the Rory Peck Award for her film The Law of Violence that covered the 1999 UN referendum and violent backlash in East Timor. She is currently post-producing Welcome to Independence, a feature length documentary about the first years of East Timor’s independence through the eyes of a 13 year old and her large, Dili based family. She is also developing "How Afghanistan Was Lost" with journalist John Martinkus and this was recently pitched at the AIDC's Meetmarket to international broadcasters. In December 2007-January 2008 Carmela spent a month filming in West Papua (Indonesia) where foreign journalists have been banned since 2003.