Tag Archives: Australia

MEET TALENTED AUSSIE DOCUMENTARIAN BENJAMIN SCOTFORD WHOSE LATEST FILM FOLLOWS WWI FEATURE FILM CAST & CREW

As you know, I search out any Australian film or TV news I can find online – so much content is not shared with those of us on the other side of the world: streaming platforms for films are geo-blocked due to distribution deals that don’t include the Canada/US territory so I have to live vicariously thru my Down Under production mates and various news sources. I recently discovered a very talented filmmaker, BENJAMIN SCOTFORD (pictured below) who produced an exciting behind-the-scenes documentary titled IN THE TRENCHES that follows the machinations of a feature film production called Before Dawn, directed by Jordan Prince-Wright.Benjamin’s doc has been getting lots of buzz on the festival circuit and this past weekend, was premiered at the Revelation Film Fest presented in Perth, Western Australia (my childhood/teenage home) – the WWI action/adventure feature was filmed in the southern part of the state complete with muddy trenches (hence the title of Ben’s film), cannons and gunfire, and Ben took his own crew into the fray, following the actors, the director and crew, to shoot all the activity from the busy set. It was quite the feat – staying out of the way yet capturing all the action of a war film production in close-up.
Director’s Statement: This documentary is intended to be a standalone story, enjoyable for a wide range of audiences, even if they are unfamiliar with Before Dawn or Australia’s involvement in WWI. I have aimed to capture the story in a manner that closely reflects my first-hand experience of witnessing a group of dedicated filmmakers working against a mountain of obstacles before knowing the final outcome.
I spoke with Benjamin recently and asked that he share his thoughts and stories…from the trenches.

How difficult was it for you to shoot all the behind-the-scenes footage amongst the film crew, the mud and the actors? There’s always an element of challenge with BTS footage because the most important part of your job is to stay out of the way and avoid disrupting the production itself. That said, it’s quite a fun challenge to find ways of filming what’s happening while keeping a low profile and staying out of the way. One big challenge with this project was that I also had to look out for my own camera gear among the rainy conditions and muddy set. By the end, I had worked out a streamlined setup that protected my gear from the wet weather, while still having the flexibility to move quickly and get quality footage.
Aside from that, a lot of the creative challenges come down to building scenes through the on-set footage to help tell the story in the edit. I had to make sure that each time we moved location, I got a variety of shots that could build upon each other. Sometimes this meant following different crew members in a way that would showcase their process. It is easy to get one or two good angles of something happening, but having a series of shots that tell a full story really helps in the edit. What inspired you to undertake this project? I love watching behind the scenes content and noticed recently that there hasn’t been a regular influx of high quality, insightful documentaries in that space. I’ve always thought it would be a fun area to work in, and since I’ve started doing it, I’ve grown more and more passionate about seeing it done in an innovative way.

I know you’ve submitted to film festivals around the world…are you hoping to showcase your doc via streaming platforms, too? Maybe Prime or Netflix? Absolutely! Details to come soon. Am sure there was a great deal of camaraderie on-set – were you and your small crew included or did you remain separate from the feature film folks? A bit of both. During lunch breaks and other moments throughout the day, we enjoyed getting to know the cast and crew and feeling like a part of the team. However, we did try to stay a little bit separate on set so that we could tell the story from a more observational perspective. Overall, it really did feel like we were all part of a big team, since we were all going through a very similar experience together. Did you relate to the young director/producer Jordan Prince-Wright, both being of the same generation of filmmakers? Did that make you sympathetic to his tremendous responsibility? Yes, I’ve got a lot of respect for the way Jordon works and how much he is able to accomplish. I’m not sure I would want as much pressure as he’s under, but it’s been inspiring to see him make it work as well as he has. I think passion breeds passion. Seeing how much he was putting into the project got me really excited to bring the same level of passion to my part, which also transferred to the team I was working with for the behind the scenes. Hopefully, we’ll see you at film/doc festivals over the coming months – what’s next for you? Exciting times! We are hoping to screen In the Trenches in some more film festivals, since a lot of our target market is made up of people who are excited by the filmmaking process. I’m also producing behind the scenes content for a few other films, and working towards doing a lot more of it in the future.

Thanks, Benjamin. So here’s a taste of what an incredible shoot this was, for both the feature filmmaker AND documentarian, Scotford.

Photos courtesy of Keana Naughton

You can follow Ben on his filmmaking journey via LinkedIn or https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.scotford

The doc made me proud to be an Aussie, especially one who loves the movies. Bravo, Ben…I can’t wait to see more of your work.

INTRODUCING THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF AUSTRALIA

The International Film Festival of Australia aims to recognize and honor exceptional artists, directors, producers, and the commendable works of feature films, short films, and documentaries from around the globe. The IFFA reaches out across all continents, unites cultures, and celebrates the power of storytelling. So after seeing numerous Instagram and Facebook posts (you know I love anything about my homeland of Australia) I decided to reach out and learn more about this new, diverse film festival.

When was the IFFA established and why – was there a specific creative gap to fill? IFFA was established in 2021 with its first Awards night in 2023. The International Film Festival of Australia (IFFA) is dedicated to celebrating the captivating world of cinema. As a key player in Australia’s film and digital industry, IFFA showcases outstanding work in feature films, short films, documentaries, and digital media. We are passionate about both local and international talent, and our mission is twofold: to promote Australian films globally and to bring exciting cinema to Australia. At IFFA, we firmly believe that art transcends boundaries, bridging gaps between cultures, nations, and communities. Through innovative storytelling, technological marvels, and raw human emotions, we strive to foster connections and create a global community united by the power of the silver screen.Who is the Founder and what is his background? The IFFA’s director and the creator who brought the festival to life is Jatinder Kumar (pictured below). Born in Delhi, India in 1980, he moved to Melbourne in 2007 and embraced an entrepreneurial spirit which began in India after he graduated from the University of Delhi in 2002. He encountered many people from the film industry and began networking with them; having always been interested in film, this began his passion for the world of cinema, culminating in the creation of his own production company, Creative Production Studio, with a short film shot and several projects in development, including a series and a feature film.
Kumar’s IMDb profile: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm15864117?ref_=hm_prof_photo

This passion for film and cinema is what ultimately led Kumar to create IFFA. Born from the challenges he faced in his own career, IFFA represents his ideals for removing barriers of diversity within the industry, bringing all communities to one stage, and providing an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to showcase and celebrate their work. Starting a new festival from the ground up is no easy task, and Kumar had to wear many hats to bring his brainchild, IFFA, to life. The first annual IFFA (2023) had a great attendee turnout including local and international VIPs, such as consulates and international film stars and directors. Reception from guests, filmmakers and actors alike was one the biggest highlights, and the venue and sponsor support was phenomenal. More than that, support and submissions flowed in from around the world, which was the best proof of IFFA’s concept and reach. (Canadian Consulate representative pictured below L)Does the Festival target emerging filmmakers or does it embrace established, more mature creators? The festival targets both emerging and established filmmakers on the one stage.With the numerous online platforms for viewing films, docs, shorts, etc. do Australian filmmakers embrace non-theatrical distributions for their projects and how does IFFA support that? Australian filmmakers have increasingly embraced non-theatrical distributions through online platforms, driven by the need for wider audience reach and the flexibility of digital viewing.

IFFA supports this trend through:

Partnerships with Streaming Platforms: We are open to collaborating with leading online platforms to showcase films globally.
Promotion and Marketing Support: We promote films on our website, social media, and through press coverage.
Dedicated Non-Theatrical Awards: We recognize excellence in online releases with our annual awards night.
Networking Opportunities: We facilitate connections between filmmakers and digital distributors.

Being based in such an isolated country, how does IFFA reach out to filmmakers and industry creatives from around the world? IFFA employs several strategies to connect with the global film community:

Online Submissions and Networking: We use a robust online platform for film submissions, making it easy for filmmakers worldwide to participate. Our virtual networking events also facilitate global connections.
International Partnerships: IFFA collaborates with international film festivals, industry organizations, and cultural institutions to foster global relationships and cross-promotional opportunities.
Social media and Digital Marketing: We leverage social media and digital marketing campaigns to engage with a global audience, keeping filmmakers and industry professionals informed about festival updates and opportunities
Festival Ambassadors: We appoint festival ambassadors in various regions to promote IFFA and encourage submissions from their local film communities.

Through these efforts, IFFA successfully bridges the geographical gap and maintains a strong global presence, ensuring diverse and international participation.Does IFFA offer any online/streaming of the awards or special screenings for those of us around the world? IFFA does not offer online streaming, but we hope to stream the annual awards night through our website in the future.
You can follow the Festival’s activities via social media:

Instagram: @iffaawards
https://www.facebook.com/iffaawards
https://www.tiktok.com/@iffaawards
and their website: https://www.iffa.com.au/

Well congratulations to Kumar and all at IFFA and we’ll look forward to this year’s festival later this year, on the 5th of November at the Palms at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

INT’L FILMMAKER ALEX PROYAS LAUNCHES STREAMING PLATFORM FOR SHORT FILMMAKERS AROUND THE WORLD

Yes, I admit it – I am a film junkie! Growing up in the bush in Australia back in the 60s & 70s, I didn’t get to the cinemas in the big cities as often as I wanted to; I did, however, get to see Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen which changed my life – I had to be…needed to be…a part of the cinema world. Thank goodness for the local library (Kalamunda, just outside of Perth WA) where I devoured all the books on film stars, filmmaking and the history of Hollywood (years later, I taught Film History at a film school here in Toronto so all that geeking out paid off in the end). Back then everything was all about Hollywood, Tinseltown, the centre of the film industry universe. But now, thanks to everything being online, the biz has changed…well some of it has. There are still barriers for emerging writers, directors, producers to get their work shown in cinemas or on tv – it’s all about the $s and access to the suits. Sure, there is a global market for film with active film communities in just about every country – ever heard of Nollywood? Nigeria is second only to Bollywood (India) for annual production output leaving Hollywood in the dust but people still think California is the place to conquer professionally.
For the past few years, I’ve become so homesick for Australia that I’ve searched for Aussie-based platforms for films and tv series that we just don’t get up here in North America, apart from the odd Indigenous show (eg: Mystery Road, Total Control), thanks to channels such as APTN in Canada and PBS in the US. Every time I clicked on videos or film industry news broadcasts, I always got the geo-blocked message on screen: “not available in your territory”. Urgh! Isn’t the world wide web supposed to give us access to stuff from around the world?? Then I discovered VIDIVERSE, a streaming platform out of Australia created by award-winning filmmaker ALEX PROYAS (pictured below) best known for directing I, Robot, The Crow, Dark City and numerous music videos including those by Sting, Mike Oldfield and one of my fave Down Under bands Crowded House with whom I worked when they toured Canada.Alex realized there was a huge online opportunity for indie short filmmakers whose work is often the stepping stone to feature work and big-time careers. He knew he could make a difference when he launched Vidiverse and saw the audience numbers grow exponentially along with a loud buzz within the film community – there was suddenly a greater respect for short films, especially those in the specific horror/thriller/chiller genre. I became a member and have spent many hours viewing a variety of shorts – some make me laugh, some scare the bejesus outta me, others illuminate issues I’ve not had to confront up here in Canada. I knew I had to talk to this talented filmmaker to learn about his decision to step up and kick open the doors for all who share his passion….

Alex, you’ve enjoyed much success throughout your career as a filmmaker, director and writer, both critically and at the box office, so why get into the streaming biz with Vidiverse? The mainstream of film is broken right now – and less accessible to brave new voices than ever before. I wanted to encourage indie filmmakers and more importantly filmmakers who are attempting to build a new way forward. I was writing and directing my own short films and I found the only place I could share these films was on YouTube, a site that pays a pittance to anyone who doesn’t have millions of subscribers or views, and where great work is at the mercy of the algorithm and can get lost, buried beneath so much rubbish. What hope is there for up-and-coming filmmakers if they have nowhere to showcase their work, so they can continue to create? Vidiverse is my attempt to change that.What excites me about your streaming platform is that it’s not geo-blocked here in North America like most, if not all, of the Aussie platforms (incl. the tv networks and festival outlets). How did you manage that? I feel that to improve the situation for indie filmmakers it needs to be a global effort. We don’t just want to showcase Australian filmmakers to Australian audiences. Vidiverse is evidence that across the world there are unique, rich, unheard stories from filmmakers that deserve to be shared globally. We simply can’t claim to champion indie filmmakers if we’re limiting their potential audience. A few of our films are blocked in some territories due to existing licenses already arranged by the filmmakers, but these are very few indeed.Many of the films listed on the site maybe “cool” but are definitely outside of the norm (or “genre” films) and would probably never make it into traditional cinemas – why is it important to support and champion these films? We are about diversity in film. Whether that be in style, content, structure, ethnicity or culture. Filmmakers grow and learn and change. When you provide a platform for their work, they can build their fan base, they can earn money, they can develop their unique style of filmmaking and ultimately add more value to their own brand. Nothing changes if nothing changes and by highlighting different films, we open up an industry that is trapped in a cycle of using the same actors, filmmakers, directors, stories, etc, told from the same perspectives. It’s a monopoly of sorts, that is almost impossible to break into without the finance and the connections. Vidiverse is about building an alternative.

Since its inception, I’ve seen more and more indie filmmakers add their films to Vidiverse, how did you reach out to them and convince them this was the most ideal & targeted platform for their projects? And how difficult is it to curate specific genres or subjects? I, fortunately, have very committed followers, many of whom are filmmakers themselves, and it was with their help that we initially launched Vidiverse and secured our first lot of submissions. Additionally, blogs like yours, podcasts, social media, etc. are how we generate further submissions. In terms of ‘convincing’ filmmakers it’s the most ideal platform, I’d say that little convincing was necessary. We offer a place for them to showcase their work and generate potential financial return to put back into their craft. It will also increasingly function as a way for them to build their own individual brand – we are ‘creator-centric’, we don’t boost individual videos like Youtube – we are about encouraging and rewarding those filmmakers who have a body of work on Vidiverse. On top of that, our contract is non-exclusive. We don’t want to limit our filmmakers and if they want to share their work on other sites and streamers, we won’t deny them the potential opportunities they might find through those sites. Though I hope they will increasingly view Vidiverse as the best possible way to showcase their work. Again, at the heart of Vidiverse is the desire to improve the situation for all indie filmmakers, and though we have a long way yet to travel I hope we’ve already shown we can and will succeed.Like the “big boys” (Netflix, Prime, etc,) Vidiverse plans to help finance and produce projects for indie filmmakers in the future. How difficult is it currently for filmmakers to get their projects from page to screen Down Under? Hugely difficult. Funding for shorts is almost non-existent, or out of reach for most filmmakers. Here in Australia, we are very much an entire industry built on the indie model – we don’t have studios here, and the number of streamers or TV concerns that are in a position to finance content are limited and often produce extremely conservative stuff for mass consumption. It can be difficult to engage investors for anything challenging and ground-breaking, even in the ultra low budget indie world of Aussie movies. Australia has some incredibly talented filmmakers with great ideas but it’s a long road to improve it. But this can all be applied to the larger indie world – as I say, the model is pretty much broken worldwide. A good film is always a kind of miracle, every film has odds it’s trying to beat – but in Australia a good film is a very special kind of even more rare miracle. We need to pull together as filmmakers, and build our own alternative model – one that services the artists as well or better than the commerce.Your website’s “Hope” page says…We want to represent the broadest spectrum of voices possible. What we lack in deep pockets to stream the mass-market and narrow-minded, we make up for with embracing the open-minded, the challenging, the brave, the original. What advice can you offer to indie filmmakers around the world who want to showcase their work on Vidiverse, and are there any specific submission protocols for doing so? The only submissions requirement is that the submitter owns all rights to the film. In terms of advice: get out there and make something! It’s films made with passion and dedication that capture our hearts. You don’t need to have lots of money to make a great film, you just need to work at your craft. And make the films you want to see, not the films you think others want to see. Creating with that mindset will give you more clarity in your decisions, and no doubt create a better film than if you made it with the hope of external praise. Just start, make a film, and keep making them no matter what anyone tells you, whatever negative criticism you might get. Passion is all you need.
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Thanks, Alex, good luck as you build your portfolio of short films produced by talented filmmakers from around the globe. And a big THANK YOU for being such a patron of the artform and emerging fellow filmmakers. So, attn all filmmakers around the world – if YOU have a project that needs to be seen by audiences, why not reach out with a submission?

You can follow Vidiverse and select films and filmmakers to view here: https://www.vidiverse.com/

And follow Alex and Vidiverse on all social media platforms @vidiverse

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE Pt. XVIII – A VISIT TO KINGS PARK

Towards the end of my 2-month Down Under odyssey, I took a day trip to the fabulous gardens overlooking the city of Perth, Western Australia, and although it was only just the start of Spring, the flower beds and meadows were filled with colourful wildflowers and trees indigenous to Australia.Many years ago, as a child, we would often take family Sunday drives through the acres and acres of bushland in the heart of the city. This time, I got to go with my kid sister, Jenny, and traveling companion Suzi, reliving so many memories and realizing how much has changed over the past 50+ years. There used to be a massive fallen tree trunk, either a Jarrah or Kari tree (Australian hardwoods), where we would pose in front for photos but it had long disappeared from the park. There used to be a giant flower clock as well as a fancy-schmancy restaurant where my father would often host business dinners that I actually attended as a well-behaved (!) little kid. But my memories of school trips from up in the hills down to the park every ANZAC Day (April 25) to pay respects to all the fallen & wounded old Diggers (Aussie soldiers) from WWI and II came rushing back. I remember standing to attention as WWI veterans marched by, some on crutches some in wheelchairs and some a little bent over but marching proudly.

The trees were magnificent, especially the Queen Elizabeth II tree she planted as a sapling on her first visit back in the 50s. Look at it now…So many plants and blooms to view…and the fragrances were heady and exotic, too. We also visited at night to view the spectacular city lights and skies….wow! Just typing this brings back memories of the scents and sounds, as well as the views I saw a few months back. I really hope I can make it back to Perth again…such a beautiful city – clean streets, mostly graffiti-free, friendly and welcoming. Am buying more lottery tickets this week…I just got a feelin’. LOL

https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park

MEET THE YOUNG GUNS OF OPAL HUNTING DOWN UNDER

During the 2yrs of Covid lock-down here in Toronto when there were no film, tv or theatre productions for me to promote, I got hooked watching Outback Opal Hunters on TV’s Discovery Channel. Turns out, that was a good thing ‘coz when travel restrictions were lifted last year, I booked my ticket home to Australia and headed out to the opal fields in Queensland to buy a pair of opal earrings. I’m obsessed with the stunning ancient gems, as well as pearls (yes, I purchased a really big pearl in Broome, WA, too). For the uninitiated, opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a silica deposit. This cycle repeats over very long periods of time, and eventually opal is formed. Below is the gorgeous pair of earrings I bought in Winton, Qld, direct from Opal Hunters miners Joe and Tash.Another team of miners from the international hit show is known as “The Young Guns” and they are comprised of 3 mates, young fellas who are not the usual grizzled, snaggle-toothed old miners like most of the other teams featured on the show. In fact they’re really cute and the show has taken viewers from their early days down their mine, learning as they go and discovering all sorts of amazing treasures. We have also witnessed their frustrating days of no finds or machine break-downs that have set them back thousands of dollars. I reached out over the Christmas holidays and spoke with team leader Jaymin Sullivan who kindly shared stories with me of great finds, hopes and dreams for the team…..

Jaymin, what first inspired you to head out to the opal fields with your mates to dig for treasures, fame and fortune? Honestly I was living a pretty average life working 9-5 at a local hardware store paying rent and mortgage and just felt I was getting nowhere and that there had to be more to life. I remember thinking about dream jobs and what I really wanted to do and that lead me to “treasure hunter”, a job that’s hard to do in Australia as we don’t exactly have Viking hoards of treasure or maps leading to ancient ruins. Luckily however my father was an opal miner and I decided to look at mining in a new light as treasure hunting. And it really is when you uncover something precious that’s been hidden for millions of years and you are the first human being to ever see it and on top of that it can be worth thousands even millions, it is treasure and it is definitely exciting to say the least. There is also something to be said for the fact you can, as an opal miner, be poor in the morning and rich in the afternoon that’s a strong motivator for wanting to do the job! As for the fame, I didn’t really go there for that hahaha that just sort of happened along the way. Did you recruit your mates Noah and JC once the idea took hold or were they in it with you from the beginning? And what special skills do you each bring to the team? Noah and JC where in a similar boat to me, JC was working as a lawn mower and Noah worked at a local fast food place. Not, I guess you could say, living life to its full potential. Initially, I invited all of my friend group to come out and give it a go, of the 8 guys only Noah and JC where willing to make the 14hr drive out to the opal fields and see what I was up to. I think JC brings to the team a lot of enthusiasm and hard work, Noah has a lot of perseverance and a willingness to learn new skills and me, well I’m obsessed which means I’m pretty full on with every aspect from the work itself to filming and editing for our YouTube channel to opal cutting and marketing. What was it like the first time you discovered opal? And what was the biggest haul you pulled in? There’s nothing like your first time, when you uncover opal that’s actually worth money…worth thousands…and that it’s there sitting in your hands; it’s incredible to know your hard work had won something so beautiful and precious is a really cool feeling and when it keeps on coming out of the wall and you’re onto a big find your hands can literally shake. I think our biggest find in one afternoon was around $80-90k in the rough; we didn’t end up selling rough, we mostly cut it and made it into jewellery which ends up going for around 5-8x the amount. It’s a long game, trying to sell the finished product and we have still got a lot of the material and jewellery, but with all the hard work to find it, it’s important to make as much money off the opal as possible and the best way is to sell direct to the customer and cut out all the middle men. It is always going to be cheaper purchasing opal direct from the miner whether it be jewellery or rough stones as oppose to buying it in a shop or from resellers.Selling your finds to local specialist buyers can be nerve-racking….do you, as young miners, feel you’re treated fairly or do you think buyers in the big city are a good option? How does it work? We do some deals of rough opal though that is quite rare, you never get a good price for rough opal so we tend to avoid it…. when we aren’t desperate for rent or food or fuel. We live in the age of technology and we have the ability to reach thousands of people online so we have a pretty good understanding of how to market our opal online and sell direct to the customer which allows us to get a fair price as well as the customer.Do you enjoy cutting/polishing the opals yourselves or do you only deal with rough or partially polished stones? I love cutting opal – I actually do a cutting demo in White Cliffs (in the state of New South Wales) every morning for tourists who come to town. I take a rough stone and walk them through the whole process until we have a finished polished stone. Cutting opal is super relaxing and it’s amazing to see it go from a rough state to a finished piece, you see it transform in your hands! On average, how much does it cost to run all the equipment, house, feed and water the team each season? The costs vary depending on the set-up, but we probably spend anywhere from $20-40k per season which is only 6-8months (in the cooler months) in order to run our mining business.How long have you all been working the opal fields now? Any goals for future explorations – any new claims you have your eyes on? We have been out here for the last 4 years now and loving every minute! Future goals would be to get an operation set up in Lightning Ridge in NSW, and in the Queensland opal fields. We love White Cliffs but want to do some more work on the other fields we have visited also.
When did you join the cast of Outback Opal Hunters and has the fame brought you more secure income from sales and/or any sponsorships? Opal Hunters was definitely an experience and was actually a lot of work. We joined the show because we thought it would be fun and for the most part it was. We met some incredible camera men and we learnt a lot watching them film us. The show is great in that it’s helped the opal industry a lot internationally and definitely helped us initially get our name out there.
If you take a look at all the other teams on Opal Hunters none have the same sort of following we do and the simple reason is if you want to be a real presence you have to create your own content and promote yourself. Which is why we started our YouTube channel and why we use Instagram, Facebook and TikTok – these platforms allow us to better connect with our audience and grow a meaningful community. We are super reachable which we pride ourselves on; we reply to 90% of messages sent to us and are more then happy to help serious newcomers to the industry.

One of our biggest goals has always been to promote opal mining as an alternate lifestyle, not everyone is meant to fit into a standard 9-5 work life and we have seen the positive impact it has on your life first hand once you do follow your dreams and work for yourself. We hope more people find in life the thing that makes them happy and can turn it into a job that gets them paid enough to support themselves and family. As for sponsorships we weren’t really allowed to have them while working on Opal Hunters though we have been pursuing this more now with our YouTube channel, and if all goes well we may have something exciting to share in the future. As for the impact of Opal Hunters on our sales, the show definitely helped give us credibility and helped customers purchasing opal online feel secure in the fact they’re buying direct from miners and from a source they know.

Discovery Channel is very popular here in N. America, esp. the Outback Opal and Gold Hunters shows – do you have a good fan following home and away? Ever get asked by fans for a “ride along”? We love that so many people around the world have become so interested in opal and the process of mining it, I was actually a fan of the show before we joined, but since joining, however, I no longer watch it hahaha as it’s too weird seeing yourself on tv. The most common thing people will reach out and ask us for is a job. I would love to say yes but at this point we only really make enough to keep us in the game. One day if we can scale the operation or get really lucky, I hope to open up some more opportunities for those who are really interested. In the meantime, we’re actually working on setting up a mine where fans will be able to come out and do some mining for a day or so and give it a shot! We hope to have that up and running by 2024.

If you couldn’t mine any more, what profession would you choose to pursue (and JC and Noah)? I think opal mining is in our blood now forever haha we all do have a taste for adventure and if it wasn’t opal I know we’d love to go for gold and may very well some day. Outside of mining, I’d love to explore creating other YouTube content and we do have some of that in the works.
As for Noah, he’d love to continue exploring/adventuring for a living – I’m not sure what form that would take but there is always a way.
JC recently got himself a new dream job raising baby Ziah his son. He’ll still be mining with us but right now he’s loving every minute of being a dad!Thanks, Jaymin, now I can really appreciate all the hard work & long sweaty hours spent underground as well as the millions of pesky flies and the inherent danger of working in unstable conditions. I will happily spend the $s for a piece of their glory…and so can everyone else. If you love opals, you can purchase rings, pendants or earrings (and even vials of opal chips for your own jewellery making) directly from the Young Guns and they will ship around the world.

Etsy – https://etsy.me/3mSG7uI Ebay – https://ebay.com.au/usr/younggunsopal Check out their Shopify store: https://younggunsopal.myshopify.com/ and visit their social media pages, too.
Facebook: Young Guns Opal Hunters
IG: @youngguns_opalhunters
and their YouTube channel @younggunsopalhunters

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Pt. XI – A TOWN CALLED ALICE

After leaving majestic Uluru, Suzi and I drove 4 hrs north to the legendary town of Alice Springs, passing desert and scrubland, and along the way visited a cool truck stop and wild bird aviary near Mt. Conner which is frequently mistaken for Uluru.

My favourite feature at the Curtin Springs “comfort station” was the loo! Out in the middle of nowhere, a clean flush toilet fit for a princess…and no lizards or snakes. Whew! Always lift the seat just in case. And there are great showers, too, for the dusty traveler. As we were pulling out of the carpark, I spied this huge cattle truck but there were no cattle inside…instead, dozens of camels were out for a ride. Hopefully up to one of the camel ride outfits or perhaps another farm and not to the slaughterhouse. Camel meat is very popular in the outback – I’d like to think they were going somewhere nice.

So off we went, on to the next truck stop – a couple of hours later we were in Erldunda, a pretty spot with a petrol station, convenience store and snack shop (yes, I had a meat pie and a Lamington…yummmmm). Erldunda was also home to a family of emus and my little friend, Eduardo, couldn’t wait to get acquainted! An hour later we were driving into Alice Springs, home to legends and myths and the subject of novels and films. Suddenly the roads were smoother and small homes could be seen just off the highway. And there was the old ‘Ghan engine, named for the Afghan traders who traveled the outback with camels loaded with goods, food and other household needs for the settlers and indigenous inhabitants of this remote outpost of humanity.We checked into our accoms and settled in for the night. But I was woken up by the most unique “alarm”….

We grabbed a morning coffee at Gloria Jean’s, a fab coffee house chain – Suzi’s favourite and she couldn’t believe there was a café in an Alice mall close by.Then off to the market to browse the local artisans’ wares and maybe pick up a souvenir or two. I picked up some lovely handcrafted earrings (above) while Suzi picked up a twirly potato thingy. Looked delicious!We found this amazing fabric store that specialized in aboriginal prints and both purchased fabric pieces to have framed upon return home. Easier to carry in a suitcase and get thru customs than a large canvas art piece. And less expensive, too. Can’t wait to get mine to my framers here in Toronto. We then popped up to ANZAC Hill to see the beautiful military memorial from all the wars in which Australia fought. What a great view…

The following day, I was to meet up with one of my favourite Australian indigenous filmmakers and actors, Trisha Penangke, for an interview however she was unwell and didn’t want to share germs with me so we had a nice phone chat instead – an online interview is pending. Suzi and I were to meet her at Telegraph Hill, the location of the first continental telegraph station and now a beautiful park. I had fun hugging giant trees and talking to the pigeons – Aussie pigeons are extremely beautiful with little tufts on their heads. As we drove down the hill, we noticed street signs pointing to the Alice Springs Botanical Gardens – what? Without much water how could this be? We got a lovely surprise when entering the gardens, finding all the native plants, flowers, trees, and some interesting sculptures and mosaic benches along the trails. Next morning, my Galah alarm clock woke me up nice and early as we were flying off to Darwin, way up north, filled with history from WWII bombings to deadly tornadoes….can’t wait for more adventures Down Under. As we headed to the airport, Suzi pointed out the amazing “parking lot” of planes that had been grounded during Covid – they’re still there, hundreds of jets of all sizes. WOW! Suzi took the next 3 photos. But now, it’s up, up and away to Darwin in the top end.

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE Part. X – INTO THE RED HEART OF THE COUNTRY

After Longreach in Queensland, we flew out to the red heart of the country – Uluru – how magnificent! As we drove from the remote, tiny airport, this is what we saw…

We checked into the one and only resort at Uluru, the Ayres Rock Resort, which was made up of several accommodation hubs – we stayed at the modestly priced Lost Camel Inn.The resort covered several acres of hotel rooms, townhouses, fancy-schmancy suites, all with aboriginal décor and serviced by lots of touristy souvenir shops, galleries, a grocery store for the self-catering suites, and restaurants. There’s nowhere else to go so we were kinda trapped there. I did, though, buy a lovely hand-crafted red glass pendent from one of the local jewelers.

The region is pretty desolate, flat and bare, but the resort had lots of majestic gumtrees so we had lots of photo opps. with the leafy wildlife. Our first morning at Uluru, I had arranged for a scenic helicopter flight around the big rock so I was filled with a mixture of excitement and fear…I am not a fan of ‘copters. But everything worked out fine. Apart from travel mate Suzi, there was a nice couple joining us in the chopper…needless to say I yelled “shotgun” and got the front seat alongside the pilot. Hee hee hee. So I’ll let my photos and videos do the talking.

WOW…OMG…and several other expletives! Talk about breath-taking and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even flying back to Uluru’s airport was fun. Seeing the runway, planes and terminal building from above really brought home the fact that we were in the middle of nowhere!

The next day we headed out to Uluru by car to get a closer look from the Cultural Centre at the base of Uluru in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. It was so brutally hot for me (over 35 degrees c.) so while Suzi was on an up-close guided tour, I stayed in the air conditioned galleries and gift store/café. The gallery owners don’t like you taking photos of the indigenous works, however, having media credentials helps and Myles, the kind and very knowledgeable curator at Walkatjara Art Gallery, allowed me to snap a few shots (below). Unfortunately I wasn’t able take pics of the artists who preferred not to be photographed – there were several ladies on-site painting huge canvases and on big strips of tree bark – what a wonderful experience to be in their presence during such creativity. Suzi came back with these photos of her walk…wow. I wished I had the energy and staying power to have joined her but I think I chose well! It was time to pack up and head straight north to Alice Springs – a legendary town and once the cross-roads for camel trains and now a major stop for the “Ghan”, a big train that carries passengers from South Australia up to Darwin in the far north. This time, Suzi and I would be driving – about 4 hours distance across desert and scrub land. Hopefully no flat tires! Along the way, we found 2 cool rest stops with flush toilets, meat pies and roadside attractions that included a herd of emus….Eduardo was about to meet his cousins! Stay tuned for the next blog.

TAKE A TRIP DOWN GRAVEL ROAD WITH AUSSIE DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER TRISTAN PEMBERTON

Since arriving back in Toronto from my 2 months traveling around Australia’s most remote towns, I’ve been obsessed with maintaining contact with new Down Under friends as well as Aussie social media news and information, especially about filmmakers and musicians. One story particularly piqued my interest as it dealt with both those subjects: it told the story of documentary filmmaker, Tristan Pemberton, and his passion project – a new documentary film that told the story of an indigenous rock band as they toured the Australian outback in some of the country’s most remote places.

Gravel Road tells the real-life story of Jay Minning, singer-songwriter of the most isolated rock band in the world, The Desert Stars. His four-piece bandmates are traditional land owners of Spinifex Country in the Great Victoria Desert of Western Australia, which is home to the last nomadic people in Australia. From their home in Tjuntjuntjara, the film follows Minning and his band’s first ever tour as they rock their way across the Western Desert with songs of hunter-gatherer life. Their elders survived the British atomic testing (at the infamous Maralinga site) and the band’s profound connection to culture spans back 2,000 generations. With customary Spinifex reciprocity, Minning shares the journey with East-Coast friends, a band named The Re-mains, providing a rare glimpse into his country, his culture, his music and his extraordinary everyday life. Producer/director Pemberton (shown below with editor Harriet Clutterbuck, ASE) previously collaborated with the community of Tjuntjuntjara and The Desert Stars for many years. He produced short films The Cheater and Maku Digging; the documentary Ara Wankatjara Nyinanyi (The Good Health Story) for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Outback Stories show; a short for Spinifex Health Service Ukuri Wiya (Ganga is Bad); the music promo for The Desert Stars homelands tribute Tjuntjuntjara; and most recently The Tjuntjuntjara Story, a staff recruitment film for the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation (PTAC).It’s taken some 3 years to research, film, edit and finally get the documentary on screen: Gravel Road is now screening around the world at international film festivals and last month it was screened at CineFest Oz film festival in Western Australia. The band made a surprise live appearance after the film screened, delighting theatregoers. The audience demanded so many encores, the band ran out of material! Offers for them to appear nationwide are now pouring in.I recently e-chatted with Tristan about his journey with Jay and the band, his relationship with the Tjuntjuntjara community, the filming process, the hardships of filming on the road with a small crew and then pulling it all together in order to launch at film festivals across the country…..

Tristan, you’ve worked on several previous projects involving the remote Tjuntjuntjara community – what was so special about Jay and his band’s tour that fired your imagination? Jay and the Desert Stars are traditional landowners of Spinifex Country where, in 1986, the last hunter gatherer nomadic people in Australia and possibly the world – a family of seven – made contact for the first time. My journey to research the facts around those events started over ten years ago, and my passion to tell that story with Tjuntjuntjara Community – with the community’s full support – hasn’t waned. The fact is, Spinifex People, due to their isolation, have managed to keep culture very intact and remained some of the most traditional people left in Australia, and probably the planet. So the Spinifex People have a unique place in Australian and world history, and Jay writes his songs, tells his stories, from that perspective. That in itself fascinates me and lights that fire in my belly to share Jay’s stories and music through film.Were you a fan of The Desert Stars/Re-Mains prior to shooting the film? Yes. I’d first heard of the Desert Stars on my second trip to community where I was running a filmmaking workshop. Together we’d made a short film, called The Cheater, and during post-production we were looking to add music to the edit. A couple of people involved in post immediately suggested we add some Desert Stars music as they were the local rock band. A CD appeared shortly after and I heard their music for the first time. It was such a perfect fit, with songs that reflected culture of life in the desert and the Spinifex experience. And what great songs. Jay really is a gifted songwriter, weaving his life experiences into catchy melody and poetry, with a great 80s rock feel.

Did you discover new truths about the community, the country, the musicians or yourself over the years it took to get the story to the screen? As long as you keep pushing yourself, I don’t think you ever stop learning about yourself and the world. Filmmaking is hard work, and it never really gets easier. But it’s made easier by the contributions of others. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well the same can be said of a film. Without its village, its own little community, most films never get made, or have a chance to find its audience once completed. So as a filmmaker one of the most important jobs is to surround that story idea with its own community who’ll support and protect it and help it grow into something bigger and stronger. It’s been incredibly humbling to watch as so many have invested time and energy into Gravel Road, with their only reward the hope that it, and the band, will succeed in finding an audience.How important was the input from local elders when telling the band’s story and that of the community itself? Absolutely critical. Without input from elders and the collaborative support of the Tjuntjuntjara community, there’s simply no way I could, or would wish to, tell Jay’s or any story that belonged to the Spinifex People. Afterall, they are not my stories. I just see myself as a conduit, using my skills to walk with and work with Tjuntjuntjara community so together we can share their stories. Collaboration only works when there’s genuine ngaapartji ngaapartji (reciprocity) and cross-cultural consultation and understanding. Jay was the first person – outside the post team – to see an edit, and subsequent edits. And once complete, a private community screening was arranged where all community members were invited to attend. I would never allow a community film to go out into the world before the community got to see it first so they are happy that it’s not mis-representing their story, or presenting anything of cultural concern that shouldn’t be seen or heard. Once Gravel Road had Tjuntjuntjara’s community blessing, it then started its journey beyond the desert into the world.

Did you encounter any resistance from Jay or the musicians when shooting scenes that perhaps revealed more on a personal basis than perhaps they wished to share? And if so, how did you strike a balance with creative differences? Not really. The band were very open to allow me access to their lives during the time I was travelling with them. Occasionally I’d be advised not to record a certain landscape, or capture a particular location – but that was always for cultural reasons which I completely respect and had no reason to challenge. At the same time, I was careful not to push people too far. As a documentary filmmaker you have to use your intuition – or simply ask – to work out when the people you’re recording are getting film fatigue. Sometimes people just want a break from the camera and have some personal space, so I was always acutely aware to allow that to happen when needed. (Jay is also an artist who shares stories through his paintings- see below)After watching the trailer, I can see how all that bumpy dirt road traveling must have put a strain on both your vehicles and your own bodies – how many flat tires, broken axles, empty petrol tanks or back aches took their toll on the musicians and crew? So as not to spoil the film, I guess you’ll have to watch Gravel Road to really answer that question. Though I will say it certainly was uncomfortable sitting in a bus driving over corrugated road for hours and hours, days and days on end. On one of the days sitting on the bus I calculated that if we were hitting 50 corrugations (vibrations) a second, it works out to be 180,000 vibration per hour or about 1.5 million vibrations after 8 hours of driving. That plays havoc on electrical and mechanical equipment, not to mention our bodies.As director, cinematographer and co-producer of Gravel Road, how time-consuming was this project and did you have any sort of personal life throughout production? During the shooting phase, I didn’t have much of a personal life at all. Shooting documentary is all consuming, especially when working in remote locations. There was no sound recordist, or any other crew, with me so I had to be on, or ready to go any time during the day and most nights. Even when exhausted you have to be ready to get going. You never know when you might need to capture that critical piece of the action which will help to drive the narrative forward. It’s hard work!How do you hope audiences respond/react to the film both in Australia and when the film hits international screens? We had our world premiere at Phoenix Film Festival, Arizona USA in April. The feedback from audiences there was very positive with loads of lively and engaging discussion after every screening. Later in April Gravel Road appeared at Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in Morgan Hill, California (just south of San Francisco) where it won Best Documentary Feature award. There, too, we had great discussions around the film, the band and the Spinifex People. So far, the feedback we’ve had has been really positive and audiences have enjoyed Jay’s passion for his music and enthusiasm to share his stories. We often get comments about how great the band play and what wonderful, catchy songs they perform. There’re often comments about the landscape that the band passed through. It’s a feel-good film which shares a really positive story about how the Spinifex People have survived atomic testing and the ravages of colonialism to rise above, keep culture strong and succeed.

Thank you, Tristan, and good luck with Gravel Road as it rolls out into wide release in cinemas around Australia and the world. If you want to learn more about the documentary, visit the official website or follow Tristan and the film on social media:

https://gravelroadfilm.com/

https://www.facebook.com/gravelroadfilm

https://www.instagram.com/gravelroadfilm/

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE Pt. IV – Manly Beach, Sydney

One of my favourite beaches in Australia has always been Manly, just east of Sydney harbour and a 20 min. ferry ride from the city’s Circular Quay. My travelling companion, Suzi, is also a fan of Manly so the first thing we did when she arrived in town was head down to the ferries for our Manly adventure. The trip was relaxing and scenic, going past the glamorous neighborhoods with multi-million dollar homes, sailing clubs and national parks and indigenous tribal lands.Upon arrival, we headed along The Corso, the shopping/dining pedestrian precinct that runs straight to the beachfront. There was an ANZAC memorial event the day we visited with lots of old “diggers” in attendance and a youthful contingent of military personnel paying respect. Aaaah, the beach – the broad golden sands looked stunning, even on an over-cast day.

After a half-hour stroll along the beachfront, we walked back towards the ferry docks stopping to admire some of the great old Victorian and Edwardian buildings, including the New Brighton Hotel (where I would frequent enjoy a frosty beer when travelling home for Christmas in the 80s and early 90s), and various vintage advertisements…
Heading back, the ferry offered some great photo opps of the harbour, the bridge, the Opera House and the big cruise ship that was docked at Circular Quay. A fantastic and affordable ride. I wonder what other adventures await us tomorrow…..

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE – Pt. III…The ANZAC War Memorial in SYDNEY

As I previously mentioned, my hotel window overlooked Hyde Park in downtown Sydney, and every night this gorgeous building was illuminated and shone through the trees. Walking up to it during the day, it loomed over the lawns and water features and was a stark reminder of Australia’s war efforts from the turn of the last century up to today. On my second day there, I venture inside and this stunning bronze sculpture of a fallen soldier (Sacrifice by George Rayner Hoff – 1934) greeted me as I entered the lower exhibition halls…

You could feel the solemnity and national pride in the coolness of the marble halls. I viewed a number of WWI and WWII displays as well as Vietnam exhibitions and was overwhelmed by the photos, artifacts and information posted in the display cabinets. I had to sit down and rest for a bit just to absorb what I had seen and felt. All my school history lessons came flooding back and I only wished I had paid closer attention back in the 60s – this memorial brought history to life!

I spent nearly an hour in the gift shop, talking with a lovely gentleman who volunteers there regularly to assist with informing visitors as well as sales & donations. I purchased a beautiful pendant with a tiny round glass case of red dirt from the heart of Australia, a golden keyring in the shape of an Aussie digger’s hat made from an old genuine penny (handcrafted by the Vietnam Veterans Association), plus a series of postcards – my contribution to the upkeep and fundraising for the memorial. Stepping outside into the bright daylight, I headed towards a very unusual sculpture….a group of giant bullets and casings! This stunning and massive art installation is a tribute to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who served in the Australian military. If you visit Sydney, I strongly recommend you visit Hyde Park and the ANZAC memorial to learn how important Australia’s war efforts were to all previous wars and how many lives were sacrificed so we may enjoy our freedoms. www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au