Tag Archives: Australian filmmakers

MARA JEAN QUINN’S DEBUT FEATURE FILM, ANDAMOOKA, IS IN THE CAN…NOW SHE PRESENTS IT TO THE WORLD

Australian writer, director, producer AND lead actor, MARA JEAN QUINN, can finally take a breath, sit down, relax and reflect on the cinematic journey she’s (almost) completed. Her first indie feature film project ANDAMOOKA, is now completed and after a little respite to re-energize, Mara Jean is now on a quest to get the film distributed across Australia and around the world. Major decisions still being made include whether to screen in theatres, at festivals, or via one of the many streaming platforms that international audiences can access…and getting the $s to take her to all the film festivals as well.
I originally spoke with Mara Jean back in May of 2023 when she was still fundraising to finish the last stages of production (search previous blog using key word “Andamooka”) and I’m thrilled to hear all her positive news, especially that she has recently expanded her non-film family to include a baby daughter – congratulations, MJ!  So let’s catch up with her and learn how the process of making an indie film has enlightened and empowered her…..

Now that the film has been completed, was the effort (production, travel, funding quest, sleepless nights) worth it?   I think so, but because it hasn’t been seen by audiences yet, it’s hard to be resolved in all the work that’s gone into it. Once it’s premiered and done some festivals, it will feel more real. Right now the film exists in a bit of a vacuum, only the creators and a few other people have seen it. In terms of learning, the last five years feels like I’ve completed a PhD in filmmaking. I am still no master by any means, but I do feel I’ve got a real understanding of what goes into a film and I am grateful for that. I also look forward to seeing what opportunities arise as a result of completing my debut feature, hopefully those make it all worthwhile too.In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently, either as producer or director? There are so many things I did wrong at literally every stage of the production. I think this was mostly due to my naivety and lack of producing experience. If I had the knowledge and wisdom I have now there is no way I would take such risk and sink so much time and money into a project. So from that perspective I’m grateful I had no idea what I was doing, because it means I actually did it.
Next time I would like to have a distributor behind me from the start as well as a producer (and some decent funding!).  I am not a producer at heart, only out of necessity. There are far more talented and skilled producers out there who I’d love to work with. I also don’t think I’ll direct myself in a lead role again, I really love collaborating with other artists and the director-actor relationship is very special.

Congratulations on a beautifully shot film – the country is clearly a character itself and many of the shots are nothing short of breathtaking. Who scouted locations for you?  Thank you, I really do love the cinematography; Adamooka’s DOP Danni Ogilive did an incredible job.  I agree, the landscape is a character, it’s often just Alex set amongst an epic landscape. In terms of finding the locations, I had conversations with people I knew in the Territory when I was writing the script so I had a few ideas of places to go and particular spots to shoot scenes. We also happened across lots of places along the road, often by just needing somewhere to camp that night. Of course, the locals in each place shared some of their favourite spots and we were able to explore those. We went to so many amazing places, it actually pains me how much had to end up on the edit room floor.
In the middle of shooting and funding campaigns, you had a baby….talk about multi-tasking!! Now that both your babies are alive and kicking, I have to ask: would you undertake such a cinematic journey again?  Hmmm, that’s a good one. I would love to shoot another film, and even another road movie/adventure film, but I would need someone there to help with my baby. Either my partner or my Mum, but my partner is an amazing filmmaker too, so I’d want his attention on the film. To make another film in general I would need a lot more support anyway. My little girl would just add to the madness. She was actually born shortly after the completion of the film, thankfully.

Have you had a screening for cast, production crew, friends and family? And if so, what was their feedback? My friends and family want to see it at the premiere and actually celebrate it, so they’re holding off. Some have seen little snippets and have been very supportive. There’s a huge section in the credits called “Encouragement Thanks” with a huge list of names. I think in general it’s hard for people who know you to see you acting and separate you from the character. Also, the screenplay is very personal and my friends and family witnessed some parts of the story that are inspired by real life (big break up, I was a mess etc.), so it’s hard for them to see me in such pain, even though it’s years after.Have you secured theatrical distribution or festival showcases?  I have had lots of good feedback from the distributors I’ve chatted to, and there are a couple of offers, but it’s really hard to know which way to jump. A number of distributors have said it may not suit a theatrical release, unfortunately, but we’ll see. As long as it has a life and finds its audience. There are a few festivals I am currently waiting to hear from and am actively entering more – though everything costs money, so this limits the entries.

And what is your next film project…after a suitable rest, of course?  I have a couple of series in development and there are a few feature screenplay drafts from over the years too, plus the want to make multiple documentaries about things I am passionate about, but nothing I am actively pushing. Being the only one managing Andamooka I simply don’t have time or mental capacity to be creative or really start on the next project until it’s released. Who knew a film took so much paperwork! Having a nine week old baby takes a fair bit of my time too.  Thanks, Glenda

I’m so happy to see Mara Jean reach completion of the film, overcoming all the inherent challenges that stood in her way. Pure guts and a belief in herself and her script, as well as surrounding herself with the right people to drive the project to the finish line. Bravo!

You can follow Mara Jean’s creative journey via:  https://www.facebook.com/andamookafilm and instagram.com/andamookafilm

AUSTRALIAN FILM ACTOR DEAN KYRWOOD ON VERGE OF INT’L BREAKTHROUGH!

Late last year, I attended online screenings and director/cast discussions of Australian films that were part of the annual NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week  that shines a spotlight on Indigenous Australian culture and communities, as well as history and arts. One exciting indie film I was eager to see was The Flood which, based on so many sad facts, tells the story of post-WWII Australia and how the white population mistreated and abused the native population of this distant outpost of British colonial power. There were so many fantastic performances but one (or should I say two) stood out – that of DEAN KYRWOOD (pictured below on set), a stunningly handsome actor who reveled in his dual roles of portraying twins – one brutal and sadistic, the other a weakly coward. After the online screening held in the wee small hours here in Toronto (we’re about 12-14hrs behind Australia), I asked a few questions and then connected directly with director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre for a blog interview. Through her, I connected with Dean whose work I’ve followed ever since.  floodI reached out to Dean to share his acting journey with my readers, just in time for TIFF (Toronto Int’l Film Festival) which opened a few days ago. With the lack of glamourous galas, swanky industry soirees and public red carpets this year due to Covid restrictions, here’s a great way to celebrate film – sharing stories from the sets and learning about actors from around the world.

Dean, not only are you an actor but also an accomplished musician & singer, a fashion & photographic model, and more recently youve been doing a lot of weight training and building your body to super hero status. Do you consider yourself a driven person?  First and foremost, I consider myself an actor and a musician, and the modelling thing (I’m showing my age) I retired from a couple of decades ago. I consider myself very driven and tenacious and have always been drawn to the arts. Every time I have ventured into one arena I’m told a lot of “no’s” and I’m fueled by these “no’s”. “You’re too short to be a model” (I’m 6ft tall) I’ve had singing booking agents tell me in the beginning “You’ll only ever be able to do this part time” (I’ve been living off full time singing for close to 20 years). In acting you’re constantly told no but you have to (like Arnold Schwarzenegger says) ignore the naysayers. It only takes a few “believers” to champion you for you to succeed along with hard work and I have a mental list of naysayers in my mind that I look forward to saying “I told you so” to when they’re suddenly supporters of mine. I’m not naturally talented at much, but I’ll outwork anyone!158909586_10159207131602673_3907553845166363361_nStarting out as a model, you shot print ads and promo images – how did that help build your confidence and comfort in front of cameras?  Being a painfully shy kid, it certainly did help build my confidence and it was a necessary baby step towards me going into singing/playing in front of large crowds and, in turn, performing for years as a musician also became a necessary step in the scheme of things for me to feel confident enough to embrace and take the plunge of being in front of people as an actor.

I gather you were a popular musician in and around Newcastle, playing the best venues and at corporate functions – were you torn between pursuing music and acting or did you already have a plan to move into film and television?  These days I mostly perform in and around Newcastle, but also did long stints in Sydney and Melbourne. No, to be honest I’ve never been torn between the two. I mostly play cover songs these days (with some of my own thrown in) but I don’t have the fire in my belly to “make it” as a musician that I had in my 20’s/30’s. That fire has been very much directed at my acting career and it’s my main focus, but I feel equally gratified in the doing of both.

You and I first met (online) when you starred in last years hit feature film The Flood where you played dual roles critical to the story line – you portrayed twins, one of whom was extremely cruel. How did you find the humanity in such a character and how easy was it to slip between the two brothers in different scenes?  It was lovely to meet you!! I really appreciate all your support. It was certainly challenging in a good way to play twins who are both very different to me. To find the humanity in both, I had to look hard at the back story of their childhood and upbringings and that the “cruel” twin just like the more empathic twin were how they were as a result of pain and abuse from a young age. Obviously, the cruel twin’s actions are horrific and abhorrent, but in his mind in the particular circumstances of the film his actions seem justified to him, considering what was taken from him. At times it was extremely draining as a real empath to embody such cruelty, but I remember a conversation I had with actor Mark Coles Smith (when I was filming a short called Miro with him, with the same director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre) where we discussed not letting my natural empathy get in the way of really going there and being completely truthful in the moment so as to not water down the mistreatment and horrific things inflicted on indigenous people in Australia in our past. It was also difficult to play the seemingly weak/cowardly twin because he somewhat resembled that painfully shy teenager that I was. Surprisingly, I found it relatively easy and am realizing I tend to work from the outside in as an actor a lot, meaning with the expertise of hair and make-up and wardrobe, I feel my inner life/demeanor/body language shift the moment that wardrobe and hair and makeup are on me. Pictured below, with Alexis Lane and Shaka Cook, then in B&W with Brendan Bacon.the-flood-cinema-australia-2Brendan and DeanThe Flood was writer/director Victoria Wharfe McIntyres debut feature and she did an amazing job with the large cast – did you feel like you were part of something very special and was there anything you learned from that gig that you can apply to future roles?  I feel incredibly grateful to Victoria and producer Armi Marquez-Perez for giving me the opportunity and the belief they bestowed upon me in giving me a lead role in such a special film when they could have easily gone with a big name actor. That is an example of what I said in an earlier question in regards to only needing a few “believers”. Something I can take forward into future roles is that playing a lead doesn’t have to be a big scary proposition, when you have so much time to just take each day as a new day and break it down into small sections and not look at it as a huge whole that’s intimidating or overwhelming. Another thing I learnt being able to act almost every day for 7 weeks, was that there’s dramatic power in the silence in a scene and being in the moment and not rushing through a scene and to take risks within them.poster for social mediaYou also appeared in Moon Rock for Monday (2019), a popular film that actually made it up here to N. America – did you have any scenes with David Field, one of Australias great actors known especially for playing twitchy bad guys?  It’s so nice seeing “Moon Rock For Monday” getting out into the world. It’s a gorgeous story and the most family friendly film I’ve done so far. No, unfortunately I didn’t have any scenes with the incredible David Field. I’ve been a huge fan of his since seeing him in “Two Hands” with Heath Ledger, Rose Byrne and Bryan Brown and I feel so blessed to be in the same cast as David all these years later.MoonRockforMondayWebPoster2Youre currently starring in the horror short Mask of the Evil Apparition” by director Alex Proyas, which is getting lots of buzz on social media as well as the festival circuit. Tell us about your role and how much you enjoyed the horror film experience.  I was pinching myself when Alex offered me the roles of Angelo 1 and Angelo 2 (twins again!!) in “Mask of the Evil Apparition” or as we affectionately call it MOTEA, but I quickly became aware upon chatting to/meeting Alex, that he’s a really humble, intelligent and fun guy and the entire experience was an absolute pleasure, and following the experience of “The Flood” I felt more than ready to give it my all with confidence. It certainly is getting a lot of festival love and for anyone interested in seeing it, it will available on a new exciting/innovative new streaming platform that Alex is creating called Vidiverse which will be a platform for indie filmmakers. I can’t say a lot more than the characters are psychic twins at this point and it was such a pleasure to play in this film opposite the three other incredible actors Bonnie Ferguson (Lead), Goran D Kleut and Alex King. I just approach the Horror genre like any other and was seeking being truthful in each moment. It was the first time for me working in a completely green screen environment, but acting is suspension of disbelief and imagination in any environment and I loved it and would do it again with bells on!mask_of_the_evil_apparition_s-148570621-largewith Alex Proyas and Bonnie FergusonYou were co-lead in another thriller/horror feature film called Water Horse (directed by Jennifer Van Gessel) that was shot last year and is due for Australian release soon (and hopefully in N. America, too) – what sort of character did you play in that and how did you approach the role?  I’m really excited about the impending release of Water Horse with it being my second lead role in a feature film and was a great experience to make with two of my best friends in super talented writer/director Jennifer Van Gessel and the real star of the film, Lauren Grimson. I play a character called Osmond (Oz) Shaw who is probably a character closest to my real self that I’ve played. That said, there are enough differences between the character and myself that it didn’t feel too revealing. I guess I mostly approached the character in a way of “How would I feel/react in this situation myself”. Oz works with Dianne Wilson (Lauren Grimson) a paranormal investigator who links a bizarre string of seemingly unrelated events to the disappearance of her mother.

Well soon get to see you in a cool cameo in the upcoming Zombie film Wyrmwood: Apocalypse (due out in 2022) – any special training you had to undergo for the role? And are you a fan of The Walking Dead?  Being such a huge fan of Kiah Roache-Turner and Tristan Roache-Turner’s first Wyrmwood film I jumped at the chance to do a memorable cameo in the second one!! I didn’t really require any training as I’m constantly training with weights and doing cardio in my daily life and I have played quite a few roles that involved military type training and stunt work. I’m excited to see it and yes, I’m a massive fan of the first 4 or 5 seasons of The Walking Dead but haven’t had a chance to catch up on the last few. WyrmwoodDean K July 21 (2)I gather youre embarking on writing your own script – can you give us a hint what its about?  Yes I have!! I haven’t decided upon a title as yet, but I guess it would be in the psychological thriller/sci-fi/horror genre and I’m looking for the right producer/director to get it from page to screen. I would describe it as a story that puts you into the kind of uncomfortable place that directors like Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster and Jennifer Kent put you in.

Dean, how can film fans follow your career? Do you have a website yet or should people follow you on social media?  You can follow me on Instagram at @deankyrwoodofficial or Dean Kyrwood on Facebook. I also have a YouTube channel that has some of my songs and covers at it if you search Dean Kyrwood. Thanks so much for the interview and all the best with the blog, Glenda!!

You’re very welcome, Dean, and I’m thrilled to be able to share your story with other actors, filmmakers and movie fans.

 

AUSTRALIA’S FANFORCE TV TO PRESENT 2ND ANNUAL “VIRTUAL INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL” NOV.11-15

Over the past 6 months of Covid quarantine and isolation here in Toronto, I’ve spent a lot of time online getting reacquainted with my homeland of Australia, its film and TV industry, its leading players and cultural ambassadors – yes, as you can already tell, I’m homesick and can’t wait to board a QANTAS jetliner and get my butt back Down Under. My quest for Aussie content took me to Amazon Prime, AcornTV and other streaming platforms, resulting in binge-watching shows like Water Rats, City Homicide, and the feature films and tv series of Mystery Road…the common thread being star Aaron Pedersen (pictured below) who has captured my heart and imagination. Behind-the-scenes-shot.-MYSTERY-ROAD-THE-SERIES.-Aaron-Pedersen.-Photo-John-Platt.36310144-e1526434876208The award-winning indigenous actor has led me to more in-depth research of the state-of-the-art for indigenous filmmakers, writers, directors and I was amazed at the depth of talent currently working in Australia. So why don’t we know about them up here in Canada and the U.S.? Lack of distribution deals? The assumption that other countries wouldn’t understand the specifics of cultural heritage and Aussie politics? I remember back in the 80s, Australia’s “new wave” of filmmaking ignited worldwide interest with such classics as My Brilliant Career, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli (pictured below), Man From Snowy River, the int’l commercial hit Crocodile Dundee and TV mini-series such as The Thorn Birds that made Bryan Brown a huge int’l star. But these were all told by and for the “new” Australians, the white population. gallipoliI remember watching Walkabout (1975) featuring a young aboriginal actor, David Gulpilil, but his character sadly ended up rather badly. Where were all the positive cinematic images of indigenous actors and their stories?  Were there any indigenous actors or filmmakers? We never saw them on TV or in the cinemas. I’ve been away from home a long time and as I plan my return as soon as Covid allows, I’m comforted in the knowledge that this previous lack of inclusion is being addressed now thanks to the brilliance of directors such as Ivan Sen, Rachel Perkins, Wayne Blair and Warrick Thornton, and actors like Pedersen, Deborah Mailman, Ernie Dingo, and the now-legendary Gulpilil who remains a great presence on screen. I’m excited to be introduced to even more talent this coming week thanks to the 2nd annual Virtual Indigenous Film Festival and I encourage all film fans to join in online to celebrate the creativity and educational opportunities presented. Here’s all the info you need…..fanforceFANFORCE TV, the new Australian community-based streaming platform presents the second Virtual Indigenous Film Festival from the 11th of November till the 15th of November as part of NAIDOC* Week 2020. The festival will present award-winning Australian Indigenous films followed by live Q&A discussions and audience participation via Live Chat. *National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week events are held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. [#NAIDOC2020 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe ]

FANFORCE TV is showcasing 5 virtual events including film screenings of In My Own Words, The Song Keepers, The Flood, Wik vs. Queensland and Westwind: Djalu’s Legacy.   The-Song-Keepers-Naidoc-Thumbnail In MY Own Words Westwind-Naidoc-Thumbnail Wik-Vs-Queensland-Naidoc-ThumbnailTickets for the individual virtual screening events are $6.99USD with an all access pass available for $19.99USD. For more information visit:  fanforcetv.com  
There is also an exciting lineup of guest speakers and expert panelists involved throughout the week including filmmakers’ Erica Glynn (In My Own Words), Naina Sen (The Song Keepers), Dean Gibson (Wik Vs Queensland), Victoria Wharfe Mcintyre (The Flood), Ben Strunin (Westwind) and Keri Tamwoy (Mayor of Aurukun). More guests to be announced!mma9255-stills-master_2 mma9288-stills-master_3FANFORCE TV uniquely enables audiences to ask questions and discuss topics in real time with the guest speakers and community leaders via live chat and live streaming features. “We are thrilled to have a special screening of The Flood as part of VIFF and NAIDOC Week” says Victoria Wharfe McIntyre, writer/director/producer of The Flood. “Our film was born from a unique collaboration and tells a highly emotive, provocative and revisionist story about our nation’s history, it is fitting to showcase the film in an equally unique way via Live-streaming with a public discussion. This Q&A will be cracker and we are looking forward to some passionate, hard hitting and insightful comments and questions from the audience.”The-Flood-Naidoc-Thumbnail THE FLOOD IMG_0349The Flood will follow its VIFF NAIDOC Premiere with Cinema screenings across Australia and New Zealand (and hopefully the rest of the world in early 2021). Dates to be announced shortly.

FANFORCE TV acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this page may contain images or names of people who have passed away.

I encourage you all to expand your understanding of Australia – its people, its cultures, its history….and its inspiring Indigenous filmmaking community. naidoc-logo-300