Toni Collette may just have that extra mommy sense!
The actress reveals in an episode of People’s Mamarazzi that she hasn’t let her children see one of her more famous films because she thinks it’s too frightening for them at their current ages.
“There’s no way in the world my kids have seen The Sixth Sense,” she says of son Arlo Robert, 6, and daughter Sage Florence, 9½. “It would scare the s— out of them.”
Collette was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the supernatural thriller, which she says her kids will “eventually” see when they get older.
The actress reveals in an episode of People’s Mamarazzi that she hasn’t let her children see one of her more famous films because she thinks it’s too frightening for them at their current ages.
“There’s no way in the world my kids have seen The Sixth Sense,” she says of son Arlo Robert, 6, and daughter Sage Florence, 9½. “It would scare the s— out of them.”
Collette was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the supernatural thriller, which she says her kids will “eventually” see when they get older.
- 8/4/2017
- by Jen Juneau and Yvonne Juris
- PEOPLE.com
Ebonnie Masini and Rian McLean in 'Round the Twist' (1989), Australian Children's Television Foundation
Australian children.s TV may have recently picked up an Emmy Kids award for the Abcme animation Doodles, but otherwise kids. TV in this country is in a dire state.
Free-to-air TV networks have to commission certain amounts of children.s programs each year. But in recent years there.s been a dismaying lack of new live action shows, or recognisably Australian content. Instead, local children.s TV has become dominated by animation with little sense of place.
This is a shame, because Australia.s most fondly remembered children.s TV shows are live action productions such as Mortified, Playschool, Blue Water High, and Round the Twist. When asked in a 2015 survey to name their favourite childhood TV characters, most people chose Round the Twist siblings Linda and Bronson, followed by Mortified.s Taylor Fry.
Australian children.s TV may have recently picked up an Emmy Kids award for the Abcme animation Doodles, but otherwise kids. TV in this country is in a dire state.
Free-to-air TV networks have to commission certain amounts of children.s programs each year. But in recent years there.s been a dismaying lack of new live action shows, or recognisably Australian content. Instead, local children.s TV has become dominated by animation with little sense of place.
This is a shame, because Australia.s most fondly remembered children.s TV shows are live action productions such as Mortified, Playschool, Blue Water High, and Round the Twist. When asked in a 2015 survey to name their favourite childhood TV characters, most people chose Round the Twist siblings Linda and Bronson, followed by Mortified.s Taylor Fry.
- 4/28/2017
- by Anna Potter and Huw Walmsley-Evans
- IF.com.au
Robert Slaviero.
Robert Slaviero ran Hoyts Distribution for eleven years before guiding the company through its acquisiton by StudioCanal three years ago..
Last month at the Australian International Movie Convention he received the Independent Spirit Award from the Australian Independent Distributors Association.
Since finishing up at StudioCanal in March this year, Slaviero has founded his own company, Graffiti Productions..
The company is consulting to three different production companies (so far): Ambience Entertainment, Prodigy Films and Flying Bark Productions, with Slaviero acting as Ep on several projects. "It.s been really good," he told If.
The project closest to the start line is a remake of Storm Boy for Ambience..
"If you look at what.s been working, it.s Oddball, Paper Planes, Red Dog — broad appeal family films," said Slaviero..
"We released Blinky Bill last year through StudioCanal which did some business as well. It.s who the target audience is.
Robert Slaviero ran Hoyts Distribution for eleven years before guiding the company through its acquisiton by StudioCanal three years ago..
Last month at the Australian International Movie Convention he received the Independent Spirit Award from the Australian Independent Distributors Association.
Since finishing up at StudioCanal in March this year, Slaviero has founded his own company, Graffiti Productions..
The company is consulting to three different production companies (so far): Ambience Entertainment, Prodigy Films and Flying Bark Productions, with Slaviero acting as Ep on several projects. "It.s been really good," he told If.
The project closest to the start line is a remake of Storm Boy for Ambience..
"If you look at what.s been working, it.s Oddball, Paper Planes, Red Dog — broad appeal family films," said Slaviero..
"We released Blinky Bill last year through StudioCanal which did some business as well. It.s who the target audience is.
- 11/23/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Jessica Marais in 'Love Child'..
Screen Nsw has announced it will invest in 20 new Australian film and television projects..
These will include seven TV dramas to be funded under the $20 million Made in Nsw Fund, announced by the Nsw Government earlier this year..
Among the Made in Nsw fund projects are Monkey, a family action-adventure series based on the Chinese legend 'Journey to The West', to be produced by See-Saw Films; Fighting Season, about Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan, from the producers of The Sapphires and Cleverman; and Friday on My Mind, the story of legendary Australian rock band The Easybeats from the producers of Love Child and The Code. Love Child has also been funded for a further season.
Nash Edgerton is set to make his TV debut, directing Jungle.s Mr In Between, the story of a charismatic yet volatile hitman. Michelle Bennett will produce.
Screen Nsw has announced it will invest in 20 new Australian film and television projects..
These will include seven TV dramas to be funded under the $20 million Made in Nsw Fund, announced by the Nsw Government earlier this year..
Among the Made in Nsw fund projects are Monkey, a family action-adventure series based on the Chinese legend 'Journey to The West', to be produced by See-Saw Films; Fighting Season, about Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan, from the producers of The Sapphires and Cleverman; and Friday on My Mind, the story of legendary Australian rock band The Easybeats from the producers of Love Child and The Code. Love Child has also been funded for a further season.
Nash Edgerton is set to make his TV debut, directing Jungle.s Mr In Between, the story of a charismatic yet volatile hitman. Michelle Bennett will produce.
- 11/14/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Richard Harris.
Screen Australia.s Head of Business and Audience, Richard Harris, talks to If about the year that.s been, what.s ahead and the risk of betting big on blockbusters alone..
How.s this year looking to you as compared to last year?.
Last year was pretty remarkable. One of the problems I have, and particularly after a big year like last year, is the kind of short-term-ism of trying to guess how things are performing. One of the things you get with a big year like last year or a really poor year the year before is [people say], everything.s terrible or everything.s great. We [Screen Australia] are looking at reporting things on a longer term basis. Last year, for example, we got great results that came through from The Water Diviner but it didn.t actually recognize that The Water Diviner had released over two years. It released after Boxing Day.
Screen Australia.s Head of Business and Audience, Richard Harris, talks to If about the year that.s been, what.s ahead and the risk of betting big on blockbusters alone..
How.s this year looking to you as compared to last year?.
Last year was pretty remarkable. One of the problems I have, and particularly after a big year like last year, is the kind of short-term-ism of trying to guess how things are performing. One of the things you get with a big year like last year or a really poor year the year before is [people say], everything.s terrible or everything.s great. We [Screen Australia] are looking at reporting things on a longer term basis. Last year, for example, we got great results that came through from The Water Diviner but it didn.t actually recognize that The Water Diviner had released over two years. It released after Boxing Day.
- 11/13/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Shout! Factory Kids said today that its CGI Australian toon Blinky Bill: The Movie will get a platform release starting October 7 in Los Angeles. The character is widely popular Down Under — with credits including a 1992 film and a local TV series the following year — and the distributor is hoping to ride that wave to American shores. The pic originally was set to arrive here this month. Your logline: Blinky Bill (voiced by Ryan Kwanten) is a little koala with a big…...
- 9/16/2016
- Deadline
eOne release The Girl on The Train in cinemas October 6.
Since its acquisition by eOne in 2011, Hopscotch-eOne Anz has become a global player. If speaks to three of the team — Jude Troy, eOne Anz.s Evp, TV Development and Acquisitions, Lucy Hill, eOne Anz.s Head of Acquisitions and Maeva Gatineau, Hopscotch Features. Senior Vice President of Production — about the restructure, the distribution game and the landscape in 2016. What are your roles at eOne?
Hill: I head up acquisitions for eOne Australia and New Zealand, which means that I coordinate for our team, which includes Jude as well as Troy Lum, Sandie Don, Jason Hernandez and Kata [Mandic]. We look at which films we want to buy, primarily for theatrical but also for our home entertainment platforms, the landscape for which is changing massively.
Troy: I joined in 2004 as a small partner at Hopscotch. Troy brought me in, [with] Sandie and Frank Cox at the time,...
Since its acquisition by eOne in 2011, Hopscotch-eOne Anz has become a global player. If speaks to three of the team — Jude Troy, eOne Anz.s Evp, TV Development and Acquisitions, Lucy Hill, eOne Anz.s Head of Acquisitions and Maeva Gatineau, Hopscotch Features. Senior Vice President of Production — about the restructure, the distribution game and the landscape in 2016. What are your roles at eOne?
Hill: I head up acquisitions for eOne Australia and New Zealand, which means that I coordinate for our team, which includes Jude as well as Troy Lum, Sandie Don, Jason Hernandez and Kata [Mandic]. We look at which films we want to buy, primarily for theatrical but also for our home entertainment platforms, the landscape for which is changing massively.
Troy: I joined in 2004 as a small partner at Hopscotch. Troy brought me in, [with] Sandie and Frank Cox at the time,...
- 9/12/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
eOne release The Girl on The Train in cinemas October 6.
Since its acquisition by eOne in 2011, Hopscotch-eOne Anz has become a global player. If speaks to three of the team — Jude Troy, eOne Anz.s Evp, TV Development and Acquisitions, Lucy Hill, eOne Anz.s Head of Acquisitions and Maeva Gatineau, Hopscotch Features. Senior Vice President of Production — about the restructure, the distribution game and the landscape in 2016. What are your roles at eOne?
Hill: I head up acquisitions for eOne Australia and New Zealand, which means that I coordinate for our team, which includes Jude as well as Troy Lum, Sandie Don, Jason Hernandez and Kata [Mandic]. We look at which films we want to buy, primarily for theatrical but also for our home entertainment platforms, the landscape for which is changing massively.
Troy: I joined in 2004 as a small partner at Hopscotch. Troy brought me in, [with] Sandie and Frank Cox at the time,...
Since its acquisition by eOne in 2011, Hopscotch-eOne Anz has become a global player. If speaks to three of the team — Jude Troy, eOne Anz.s Evp, TV Development and Acquisitions, Lucy Hill, eOne Anz.s Head of Acquisitions and Maeva Gatineau, Hopscotch Features. Senior Vice President of Production — about the restructure, the distribution game and the landscape in 2016. What are your roles at eOne?
Hill: I head up acquisitions for eOne Australia and New Zealand, which means that I coordinate for our team, which includes Jude as well as Troy Lum, Sandie Don, Jason Hernandez and Kata [Mandic]. We look at which films we want to buy, primarily for theatrical but also for our home entertainment platforms, the landscape for which is changing massively.
Troy: I joined in 2004 as a small partner at Hopscotch. Troy brought me in, [with] Sandie and Frank Cox at the time,...
- 9/12/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
The ’90s are back – and this time it’s personal. Our high streets have been haunted by the ghosts of outfits past this summer and pubs thrumming to familiar Brit Pop tunes. Jeans pebble dashed with iron on patches, chunky heels clumsily clunking on kerb and platform and chokers encircling young necks evoking memories bittersweet […]
The post Blinky Bill: The Movie Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Blinky Bill: The Movie Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 8/19/2016
- by Emily Breen
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Plus: Ileen Reich assumes corp comms role at Participant Media; and more…
The Weinstein Company (TWC) has promoted Nicole Quenqua and Marguerite Michael to co-heads of TWC publicity.
Quenqua will run the department’s New York office and Michael will lead the publicity team in La.
TWC-Dimension has promoted Pantea Ghaderi to executive vice-president of publicity.
TWC top brass made the announcements as it emerged that president of publicity Dani Weinstein was departing after 16 years.
Ileen Reich has joined Participant Media as senior vice president of publicity and corporate communications. She arrives from Sony Pictures Entertainment where she served as senior vice-president of national publicity and reports to Christina Kounelias, executive vice-president of worldwide marketing and communications.George Blagden, Charleene Closshey, Robbie Kay, Stelio Savante, Michael Beach, and Raymond J. Barry have joined No Postage Necessary. The story of a hacktivist who tries to win the heart of a young widow is shooting in Florida until the end...
The Weinstein Company (TWC) has promoted Nicole Quenqua and Marguerite Michael to co-heads of TWC publicity.
Quenqua will run the department’s New York office and Michael will lead the publicity team in La.
TWC-Dimension has promoted Pantea Ghaderi to executive vice-president of publicity.
TWC top brass made the announcements as it emerged that president of publicity Dani Weinstein was departing after 16 years.
Ileen Reich has joined Participant Media as senior vice president of publicity and corporate communications. She arrives from Sony Pictures Entertainment where she served as senior vice-president of national publicity and reports to Christina Kounelias, executive vice-president of worldwide marketing and communications.George Blagden, Charleene Closshey, Robbie Kay, Stelio Savante, Michael Beach, and Raymond J. Barry have joined No Postage Necessary. The story of a hacktivist who tries to win the heart of a young widow is shooting in Florida until the end...
- 8/4/2016
- by govi2016@lawnet.ucla.edu (Alec Govi)
- ScreenDaily
Shout! Factory has acquired a package of rights to the Australian animated feature and plans a multi-platform release.
Shout! Factory has picked up Australian animated feature Blinky Bill: The Movie for North America from Munich-based sales agency Studio 100 Film.
With a package of exclusive rights including theatrical, broadcast, video-on-demand, digital and home entertainment, Shout! Factory plans a strategic launch of the film across multiple platforms through its Shout! Factory Kids imprint.
Produced by Studio 100’s Sydney-based animation studio Flying Bark Productions, Blinky Bill: The Movie has a voice cast headed by Ryan Kwanten, Rufus Sewell, Toni Collette and David Wenham. It tells the story of mischievous koala Bill’s search for his dad in the outback, in the company of a zoo koala and a frill-necked lizard. Deane Taylor directed and Alexs Stadermann co-directed.
Introduced in a 1933 book series, the character has appeared in 1992 film Blinky Bill, The Mischievous...
Shout! Factory has picked up Australian animated feature Blinky Bill: The Movie for North America from Munich-based sales agency Studio 100 Film.
With a package of exclusive rights including theatrical, broadcast, video-on-demand, digital and home entertainment, Shout! Factory plans a strategic launch of the film across multiple platforms through its Shout! Factory Kids imprint.
Produced by Studio 100’s Sydney-based animation studio Flying Bark Productions, Blinky Bill: The Movie has a voice cast headed by Ryan Kwanten, Rufus Sewell, Toni Collette and David Wenham. It tells the story of mischievous koala Bill’s search for his dad in the outback, in the company of a zoo koala and a frill-necked lizard. Deane Taylor directed and Alexs Stadermann co-directed.
Introduced in a 1933 book series, the character has appeared in 1992 film Blinky Bill, The Mischievous...
- 6/27/2016
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: A new, animated feature Blinky Bill: The Movie, which was produced by Studio 100's Sydney based animation studio, Flying Bark Productions, is getting a theatrical release in North American, courtesey of Shout! Factory and 100 Film. Their rights to the film also include broadcast, video-on-demand, digital and home entertainment rights for cross-platform releases. The film will be released this first in the U.K. in August and then in the U.S. in September. The…...
- 6/22/2016
- Deadline
Comedian Akmal Saleh will join the voice cast of The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill as Blinky.s best friend, Jacko the frill-necked lizard.
Produced by Sydney-based Flying Bark Productions, the CGI animated TV series is the latest incarnation of the iconic Aussie character following on from last year.s Blinky Bill the Movie.
The 52 x 11 minute episode series has been commissioned by Seven for its broadcast channel, 7Two..
Produced in association with Telegael (Ireland) and Giant Wheel (India), the show is slated to air later this year.
Set a few years after the feature film, the series sees a slightly older Blinky (voiced by Cam Ralph) defending his outback home alongside the wise-cracking Jacko (Saleh). .
.Following an incredibly successful theatrical release last year for Blinky Bill the Movie, we are excited to be announcing Akmal as the voice of Jacko for our new Blinky Bill television series", said Flying Bark Productions...
Produced by Sydney-based Flying Bark Productions, the CGI animated TV series is the latest incarnation of the iconic Aussie character following on from last year.s Blinky Bill the Movie.
The 52 x 11 minute episode series has been commissioned by Seven for its broadcast channel, 7Two..
Produced in association with Telegael (Ireland) and Giant Wheel (India), the show is slated to air later this year.
Set a few years after the feature film, the series sees a slightly older Blinky (voiced by Cam Ralph) defending his outback home alongside the wise-cracking Jacko (Saleh). .
.Following an incredibly successful theatrical release last year for Blinky Bill the Movie, we are excited to be announcing Akmal as the voice of Jacko for our new Blinky Bill television series", said Flying Bark Productions...
- 6/6/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Oddball.
.
Australian family film Oddball, starring Shane Jacobson, is set to open the 2016 Tiff Kids Festival.
Australian feature film Blinky Bill: The Movie and short films Riceballs, Junction, Cinema Dhors, The Trophy Thief and The Supermarket will also be premiering at the festival, which is now in its 19th year. .
Oddball is a comedic feature based on a true story about a chicken farmer, his granddaughter and their mischievous dog saving fairy penguins from extinction in an Australian seaside town..
The festival wraps with its closing night film, the Canadian premiere of Little Door Gods, an animated 3D film from first-time feature director Gary Wang that was inspired by Chinese folklore..
The festival features a total of 139 films, comprising 28 features and 111 shorts hailing from 35 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Philippines, France, India, South Korea, and many more.
All screenings and events take place at Tiff Bell Lightbox...
.
Australian family film Oddball, starring Shane Jacobson, is set to open the 2016 Tiff Kids Festival.
Australian feature film Blinky Bill: The Movie and short films Riceballs, Junction, Cinema Dhors, The Trophy Thief and The Supermarket will also be premiering at the festival, which is now in its 19th year. .
Oddball is a comedic feature based on a true story about a chicken farmer, his granddaughter and their mischievous dog saving fairy penguins from extinction in an Australian seaside town..
The festival wraps with its closing night film, the Canadian premiere of Little Door Gods, an animated 3D film from first-time feature director Gary Wang that was inspired by Chinese folklore..
The festival features a total of 139 films, comprising 28 features and 111 shorts hailing from 35 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Philippines, France, India, South Korea, and many more.
All screenings and events take place at Tiff Bell Lightbox...
- 3/31/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Tim Phillips.
Tim Phillips has been appointed the new Head of the Producer Offset and Co-Production Unit at Screen Australia.
Phillips has previously worked as a senior investment manager for feature films and television, managing Screen Australia.s involvement in The Dressmaker, Oddball, Paper Planes, Blinky Bill, That Sugar Film and Red Dog, and series including Molly, Miss Fisher.s Murder Mysteries, Nowhere Boys, Dance Academy and the upcoming Tomorrow When the War Began.
Most recently he was the senior manager of the Interactive and Multiplatform team in Melbourne, managing Screen Australia.s funding programs activities for online drama, as well as contributing to organisational strategy and content for digital platforms.
Prior to Screen Australia, Phillips was the legal and business affairs manager at the Australian Children's Television Foundation (Actf).
.Tim is an excellent candidate for the important role of heading up the Producer Offset and Co-Production Unit", Screen Australia COO Fiona Cameron said.
Tim Phillips has been appointed the new Head of the Producer Offset and Co-Production Unit at Screen Australia.
Phillips has previously worked as a senior investment manager for feature films and television, managing Screen Australia.s involvement in The Dressmaker, Oddball, Paper Planes, Blinky Bill, That Sugar Film and Red Dog, and series including Molly, Miss Fisher.s Murder Mysteries, Nowhere Boys, Dance Academy and the upcoming Tomorrow When the War Began.
Most recently he was the senior manager of the Interactive and Multiplatform team in Melbourne, managing Screen Australia.s funding programs activities for online drama, as well as contributing to organisational strategy and content for digital platforms.
Prior to Screen Australia, Phillips was the legal and business affairs manager at the Australian Children's Television Foundation (Actf).
.Tim is an excellent candidate for the important role of heading up the Producer Offset and Co-Production Unit", Screen Australia COO Fiona Cameron said.
- 3/23/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
While the screen industry has plenty to celebrate as Australian films are set to finish the year with around $87 million in B.O. takings, the results show a sizable number of films failed to address fundamental questions.
Namely: Who precisely will watch my film and which cinemas will play it at a time when theatrical release here increasingly is a sure way to lose money?
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason is delighted with the range of films and documentaries that have resonated with audiences this year.
Mad Max Fury Road, The Dressmaker, Oddball and The Water Diviner all grossed more than $10 million, and Paper Planes just under. Last Cab to Darwin, Blinky Bill: The Movie, That Sugar Film and Holding the Man performed well, although Mason believes Neil Armfield.s gay-themed romance, which grossed $1.2 million, deserved to make double that.
Still, Mason questions the mindset of a sizable section of the screen industry.
Namely: Who precisely will watch my film and which cinemas will play it at a time when theatrical release here increasingly is a sure way to lose money?
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason is delighted with the range of films and documentaries that have resonated with audiences this year.
Mad Max Fury Road, The Dressmaker, Oddball and The Water Diviner all grossed more than $10 million, and Paper Planes just under. Last Cab to Darwin, Blinky Bill: The Movie, That Sugar Film and Holding the Man performed well, although Mason believes Neil Armfield.s gay-themed romance, which grossed $1.2 million, deserved to make double that.
Still, Mason questions the mindset of a sizable section of the screen industry.
- 12/1/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Word of mouth could not be stronger for The Dressmaker, judging by its superb second weekend takings in Australian cinemas.
However Wayne Hope.s comedy Now Add Honey misfired, perhaps illustrating the gulf in sensibility between TV and cinema.
Jocelyn Moorhouse.s The Dressmaker scored $3.6 million at 289 locations, a drop of just 3 per cent, which hoists its earnings to $8.26 million.
With that kind of stamina, the dramedy based on the Rosalie Han novel, starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth and Hugo Weaving, could be headed for $20 million.
The Universal release was a cut above the rest as none of the newcomers made an impression and nationwide receipts dropped by 7 per cent to $9.9 million, according to Rentrak.s estimate.
Ridley Scott.s The Martian advanced to $25.3 million after earning $1.4 million in its sixth orbit (off just 10 per cent), while Steven Spielberg.s Bridge of Spies took $973,000 in its third weekend (down 25 per cent), reaching $5.6 million.
However Wayne Hope.s comedy Now Add Honey misfired, perhaps illustrating the gulf in sensibility between TV and cinema.
Jocelyn Moorhouse.s The Dressmaker scored $3.6 million at 289 locations, a drop of just 3 per cent, which hoists its earnings to $8.26 million.
With that kind of stamina, the dramedy based on the Rosalie Han novel, starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth and Hugo Weaving, could be headed for $20 million.
The Universal release was a cut above the rest as none of the newcomers made an impression and nationwide receipts dropped by 7 per cent to $9.9 million, according to Rentrak.s estimate.
Ridley Scott.s The Martian advanced to $25.3 million after earning $1.4 million in its sixth orbit (off just 10 per cent), while Steven Spielberg.s Bridge of Spies took $973,000 in its third weekend (down 25 per cent), reaching $5.6 million.
- 11/8/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
In an outstanding year for children’s films (Paper Planes, Oddball), we take a look back at a history of talking animals and cartoon capers
• Storm Boy at Adelaide film festival – listen to our podcast
Australian films have had a rockin’ good year at the box office, chalking up nothing shy of the biggest collective haul (not adjusted for inflation) from local cinemas in history. To bastardise/paraphrase the Beatles and Scarface: we get by with a little help from our little friends.
Which is to say that youngsters in the audience have been instrumental in putting bums on seats. While the biggest box office performer this year by a country mile was Mad Max: Fury Road, viewers not old enough to properly appreciate unfettered carnage and a feminist role model with an amputated arm went elsewhere. Kids flicks such as Blinky Bill: The Movie, Paper Planes and Oddball...
• Storm Boy at Adelaide film festival – listen to our podcast
Australian films have had a rockin’ good year at the box office, chalking up nothing shy of the biggest collective haul (not adjusted for inflation) from local cinemas in history. To bastardise/paraphrase the Beatles and Scarface: we get by with a little help from our little friends.
Which is to say that youngsters in the audience have been instrumental in putting bums on seats. While the biggest box office performer this year by a country mile was Mad Max: Fury Road, viewers not old enough to properly appreciate unfettered carnage and a feminist role model with an amputated arm went elsewhere. Kids flicks such as Blinky Bill: The Movie, Paper Planes and Oddball...
- 10/31/2015
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Australian films are certain to sail past $70 million at the national B.O. next week helped by The Dressmaker. Through last Sunday the feature films and docs released in 2015 plus holdovers had amassed $67.2 million, according to the Mpdaa. As If reported, Australian films had already surpassed the all-time box office record of $63.4 million set in 2001. With a hefty ad spend and an extensive publicity campaign orchestrated by Universal Pictures and mostly positive reviews in the lead-up to the Thursday launch, Jocelyn Moorhouse's dramedy is sure to propel the total past $70 million.
The film starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth, Sarah Snook and Hugo Weaving is opening at 284 locations..
The Mpdaa.s $67.2 million tally does not include Strangerland, which had a short theatrical release after its Sydney Film Festival premiere and grossed $100,000, according to Transmission. The market share of Australian films is running at about 6.8 per cent with national takings at around $970 million,...
The film starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth, Sarah Snook and Hugo Weaving is opening at 284 locations..
The Mpdaa.s $67.2 million tally does not include Strangerland, which had a short theatrical release after its Sydney Film Festival premiere and grossed $100,000, according to Transmission. The market share of Australian films is running at about 6.8 per cent with national takings at around $970 million,...
- 10/28/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Director Peter Andrikidis probably never dreamt his name would appear in the same sentence as Steven Spielberg, but that was before he knew their films would open in Australian cinemas on the same day.
It was a mismatch in budgets, scale of release and advertising campaigns but Andrikidis. Alex + Eve and Spielberg.s Bridge of Spies both had respectable debuts in another lousy weekend for ticket sales.
Spielberg.s highly entertaining Cold War mystery/drama starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, John Scott Shepherd and Amy Ryan drummed up $1.8 million on 300 screens including previews.
Pro-rata, that is a bit better than the $US15.3 million debut in the Us, where the Fox/DreamWorks release dropped by a modest 26 per cent in its second weekend, scoring $32.5 million so far - probably a pointer to its holding power here.
Andrikidis. romantic comedy based on Alex Lykos. play, which stars Richard Brancatisano and Andrea Demetriades,...
It was a mismatch in budgets, scale of release and advertising campaigns but Andrikidis. Alex + Eve and Spielberg.s Bridge of Spies both had respectable debuts in another lousy weekend for ticket sales.
Spielberg.s highly entertaining Cold War mystery/drama starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, John Scott Shepherd and Amy Ryan drummed up $1.8 million on 300 screens including previews.
Pro-rata, that is a bit better than the $US15.3 million debut in the Us, where the Fox/DreamWorks release dropped by a modest 26 per cent in its second weekend, scoring $32.5 million so far - probably a pointer to its holding power here.
Andrikidis. romantic comedy based on Alex Lykos. play, which stars Richard Brancatisano and Andrea Demetriades,...
- 10/25/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Toni Collette and Joel Edgerton are terrific actors with impressive credits but their new films are struggling to draw audiences in Australian cinemas.
Miss You Already, the dramedy directed by Catherine Hardwicke starring Collette and Drew Barrymore, fetched just $600,000 including previews on 217 screens last weekend.
That.s a poor result for the saga of two lifelong friends, one of whom is stricken with breast cancer. It was soundly beaten by Oddball, which whistled up $730,000 in its fourth frame and climbed to $9.27 million.
Black Mass, the true-life crime drama featuring Johnny Depp and Edgerton as a vicious Boston gang leader and his corrupt FBI agent pal, drummed up a mediocre $1.1 million on 269 screens.
Pro-rata, that.s way below the $US22.6 million opening in the Us, where the Warner Bros. release directed by Scott Cooper has earned $US57.5 million through its fourth lap.
Both debuts surprised Wallis Cinemas program manager Bob Parr,...
Miss You Already, the dramedy directed by Catherine Hardwicke starring Collette and Drew Barrymore, fetched just $600,000 including previews on 217 screens last weekend.
That.s a poor result for the saga of two lifelong friends, one of whom is stricken with breast cancer. It was soundly beaten by Oddball, which whistled up $730,000 in its fourth frame and climbed to $9.27 million.
Black Mass, the true-life crime drama featuring Johnny Depp and Edgerton as a vicious Boston gang leader and his corrupt FBI agent pal, drummed up a mediocre $1.1 million on 269 screens.
Pro-rata, that.s way below the $US22.6 million opening in the Us, where the Warner Bros. release directed by Scott Cooper has earned $US57.5 million through its fourth lap.
Both debuts surprised Wallis Cinemas program manager Bob Parr,...
- 10/12/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia has confirmed Australian films have surpassed the all-time box office record of $63.4 million set in 2001, as If has reported.
With a total gross of more than $64 million, local films' share of the box-office is 6.8 per cent, the best since 2001.
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said: .It.s so wonderful to see Australian films connecting so strongly this year. The film industry is somewhat cyclical, so it is difficult to make claims based on one year.s results alone.
"However, it is also important to celebrate success when it comes along, and given that the theatrical landscape is more challenging than ever before, Australian films have well and truly over-performed.
"I think we.re on track for a particularly outstanding year — my prediction is that we.ll reach over $70 million by the end of 2015, setting a new benchmark..
Mason continued, "As well as being the major funding agency, we...
With a total gross of more than $64 million, local films' share of the box-office is 6.8 per cent, the best since 2001.
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said: .It.s so wonderful to see Australian films connecting so strongly this year. The film industry is somewhat cyclical, so it is difficult to make claims based on one year.s results alone.
"However, it is also important to celebrate success when it comes along, and given that the theatrical landscape is more challenging than ever before, Australian films have well and truly over-performed.
"I think we.re on track for a particularly outstanding year — my prediction is that we.ll reach over $70 million by the end of 2015, setting a new benchmark..
Mason continued, "As well as being the major funding agency, we...
- 10/6/2015
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia has launched a new initiative to encourage writers to submit more family film scripts after the genre helped 2015 break the 2001 Australian box office record.
On Monday, The Australian box office total surpassed $64 million on the back of a slew of family films including Paper Planes ($9.6 million), Last Cab to Darwin ($7.1 million), Blinky Bill ($2.3 million) and now Oddball ($8.1 million).
Screen Australia is now seeking to encourage experienced writers to consider family film through the creation of the Family Film Initiative.
"Family films represent one of the most lucrative genres at the Australian box office, yet in recent times the modest volume of scripts being submitted to Screen Australia for this category does not reflect the significance of the market," according to Screen Australia.
Working with screenwriter, script editor, producer and author Joan Sauers, Screen Australia.s initiative will fund up to three writers to develop their family film script up to a polished draft.
On Monday, The Australian box office total surpassed $64 million on the back of a slew of family films including Paper Planes ($9.6 million), Last Cab to Darwin ($7.1 million), Blinky Bill ($2.3 million) and now Oddball ($8.1 million).
Screen Australia is now seeking to encourage experienced writers to consider family film through the creation of the Family Film Initiative.
"Family films represent one of the most lucrative genres at the Australian box office, yet in recent times the modest volume of scripts being submitted to Screen Australia for this category does not reflect the significance of the market," according to Screen Australia.
Working with screenwriter, script editor, producer and author Joan Sauers, Screen Australia.s initiative will fund up to three writers to develop their family film script up to a polished draft.
- 10/5/2015
- by Brian Karlovsky
- IF.com.au
Continuing the 2015 resurgence of Australian cinema, Oddball vaulted past Last Cab to Darwin last weekend to rank as the fourth most popular local film in cinemas this year.
As If foreshadowed last week, the Australian feature films and docs released in 2015 plus holdovers were set to break the previous all-time calendar year record of $63.4 million in 2001, the year of Moulin Rouge!, Lantana, The Man Who Sued God and Crocodile Dundee in La.
Mission: accomplished, as the total surpassed an estimated $64 million on Monday.
Produced by Steve Kearney and Richard Keddie and directed by Stuart McDonald, Oddball collected $1.5 million in its third weekend (slipping by 17 per cent), propelling its earnings to $8.1 million.
Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin has reached $7.1 million while Deane Taylor.s Blinky Bill: The Movie climbed to $2.3 million after pocketing $424,000 in its third session.
George Miller.s Mad Max: Fury Road is the No. 1 local title...
As If foreshadowed last week, the Australian feature films and docs released in 2015 plus holdovers were set to break the previous all-time calendar year record of $63.4 million in 2001, the year of Moulin Rouge!, Lantana, The Man Who Sued God and Crocodile Dundee in La.
Mission: accomplished, as the total surpassed an estimated $64 million on Monday.
Produced by Steve Kearney and Richard Keddie and directed by Stuart McDonald, Oddball collected $1.5 million in its third weekend (slipping by 17 per cent), propelling its earnings to $8.1 million.
Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin has reached $7.1 million while Deane Taylor.s Blinky Bill: The Movie climbed to $2.3 million after pocketing $424,000 in its third session.
George Miller.s Mad Max: Fury Road is the No. 1 local title...
- 10/5/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Propelled by Oddball and Blinky Bill: The Movie, next week Australian films are set to smash the record for the biggest B.O. total in a single year.
The feature films and docs released in 2015 plus holdovers have amassed an estimated $61.8 million.
Produced by Steve Kearney and Richard Keddie and directed by Stuart McDonald, Oddball raked in $3.55 million in its second week, lifting its earnings to $6.3 million. Deane Taylor.s Blinky Bill climbed to $1.9 million after pocketing a tad over $1 million in its sophomore session.
So by the end of next week the 2015 total will surpass the current record of $63.4 million set in 2001, the year of Moulin Rouge!, Lantana, The Man Who Sued God and Crocodile Dundee in La..
In that year the Australian films. market share was 7.8 per cent. If the 2001 total was adjusted for inflation then 2015 would not be a record in real terms but the market share is a consistent barometer.
The feature films and docs released in 2015 plus holdovers have amassed an estimated $61.8 million.
Produced by Steve Kearney and Richard Keddie and directed by Stuart McDonald, Oddball raked in $3.55 million in its second week, lifting its earnings to $6.3 million. Deane Taylor.s Blinky Bill climbed to $1.9 million after pocketing a tad over $1 million in its sophomore session.
So by the end of next week the 2015 total will surpass the current record of $63.4 million set in 2001, the year of Moulin Rouge!, Lantana, The Man Who Sued God and Crocodile Dundee in La..
In that year the Australian films. market share was 7.8 per cent. If the 2001 total was adjusted for inflation then 2015 would not be a record in real terms but the market share is a consistent barometer.
- 10/1/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards today announced the nominees in the youth, animation and documentary feature film categories for the 9th annual awards.
Also announced was the international jury who will determine the winners in these three categories before the November 26 ceremony at Brisbane.s City Hall.
The Australian contenders are Deane Taylor's Blinky Bill: The Movie and Molly Reynold's feature documentary Another Country,. in which David Gulpili. attempts to make sense of the contradictions of the modern Aboriginal experience. The nominees for best youth feature are Mina Walking (Afghanistan, Canada), Set Me Free (Geo-in, Republic of Korea), A Corner of Heaven (Tiantang jiaoluo, People.s Republic of China, France), Mustang (Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany), and River (Gtsngbo, People.s Republic of China), a recipient of the Apsa Academy Children.s Film Fund, written and directed by Apsa Academy member Songtaijia. Vying for best documentary feature are The Look of Silence (Indonesia,...
Also announced was the international jury who will determine the winners in these three categories before the November 26 ceremony at Brisbane.s City Hall.
The Australian contenders are Deane Taylor's Blinky Bill: The Movie and Molly Reynold's feature documentary Another Country,. in which David Gulpili. attempts to make sense of the contradictions of the modern Aboriginal experience. The nominees for best youth feature are Mina Walking (Afghanistan, Canada), Set Me Free (Geo-in, Republic of Korea), A Corner of Heaven (Tiantang jiaoluo, People.s Republic of China, France), Mustang (Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany), and River (Gtsngbo, People.s Republic of China), a recipient of the Apsa Academy Children.s Film Fund, written and directed by Apsa Academy member Songtaijia. Vying for best documentary feature are The Look of Silence (Indonesia,...
- 9/29/2015
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
Boosted by the school vacation and word of mouth, Stuart McDonald.s Oddball flew through its second weekend, beating two new high-profile Hollywood films. Roadshow.s rustic comedy featuring Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Alan Tudyk and a fluffy blonde maremma whistled up nearly $1.8 million on 293 screens (jumping by 82 per cent), elevating its tally to a terrific $4.5 million.
That was ahead of Roadshow.s Sicario, the violent Mexican drug cartel thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve and featuring Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin. Sicario scored nearly $1.7 million on 228 screens and $2.1 million including the previous week.s advance screenings, a good result for an MA15+ rated film. Universal.s The Visit, a found footage horror/comedy featuring Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould and Deanna Dunagan, unearthed a middling $1.1 million in its first weekend on 180 screens. That genre typically is not as appealing here as it is in the Us, where writer-director...
That was ahead of Roadshow.s Sicario, the violent Mexican drug cartel thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve and featuring Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin. Sicario scored nearly $1.7 million on 228 screens and $2.1 million including the previous week.s advance screenings, a good result for an MA15+ rated film. Universal.s The Visit, a found footage horror/comedy featuring Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould and Deanna Dunagan, unearthed a middling $1.1 million in its first weekend on 180 screens. That genre typically is not as appealing here as it is in the Us, where writer-director...
- 9/28/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Polish-born animator migrated to Australia in 1968 and was also responsible for the groundbreaking animated feature Dot and the Kangaroo
Australian film-maker Yoram Gross, responsible for some of the country’s biggest animated hits Blinky Bill and Dot and the Kangaroo, has died at the age of 88.
Guy Gross told Inside Film his father died quietly on Monday by his family’s side. Guy described him as “a wonderfully inappropriate jokester” and said he was “creating until the end”. A fall he took while painting eventually sped his decline.
Continue reading...
Australian film-maker Yoram Gross, responsible for some of the country’s biggest animated hits Blinky Bill and Dot and the Kangaroo, has died at the age of 88.
Guy Gross told Inside Film his father died quietly on Monday by his family’s side. Guy described him as “a wonderfully inappropriate jokester” and said he was “creating until the end”. A fall he took while painting eventually sped his decline.
Continue reading...
- 9/22/2015
- by Monica Tan
- The Guardian - Film News
Australian film and TV animation pioneer Yoram Gross died on Monday night, aged 88, of natural causes.
The co-founder of Yoram Gross Film Studios with his wife Sandra, his legacy lives on in Flying Bark Productions, the rebranded company formerly known as Yoram Gross-Em.TV Pty Ltd.
It is fitting that a new cinema version of Blinky Bill, his most famous and enduring character, Flying Bark.s Blinky Bill: The Movie, opened in Australian cinemas last week.
Born in Kraków Poland in 1926, he studied music and musicology at Krakow University. He first entered the film industry in 1947 when, aged 20, he was one of the first film students of Jerzy Toeplitz, who founded the Polish Film Institute.
He endured World War II under the Nazi regime. His family was on Oskar Schindler.s infamous list but chose to make their own risky escape, moving hiding places 72 times.
He was a...
The co-founder of Yoram Gross Film Studios with his wife Sandra, his legacy lives on in Flying Bark Productions, the rebranded company formerly known as Yoram Gross-Em.TV Pty Ltd.
It is fitting that a new cinema version of Blinky Bill, his most famous and enduring character, Flying Bark.s Blinky Bill: The Movie, opened in Australian cinemas last week.
Born in Kraków Poland in 1926, he studied music and musicology at Krakow University. He first entered the film industry in 1947 when, aged 20, he was one of the first film students of Jerzy Toeplitz, who founded the Polish Film Institute.
He endured World War II under the Nazi regime. His family was on Oskar Schindler.s infamous list but chose to make their own risky escape, moving hiding places 72 times.
He was a...
- 9/22/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Australian films looks like maintaining their impressive momentum at cinemas after the premieres last weekend of Oddball and Blinky Bill: The Movie.
Stuart McDonald.s comedy inspired by the true story of chicken farmer Swampy Marsh, who deploys his sheepdog.to protect an endangered Fairy Penguin population, starring Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Coco Gillies.and Alan Tudyk,.rang up $1.07 million in its first four days on 289 screens, including limited previews. . Deane Taylor.s animated movie which features the voices of.Ryan Kwanten, Toni Collette, Robin McLeavy, David Wenham, Rufus Sewell, Richard Roxburgh, Deborah Mailman, Barry Otto and Barry Humphries, took $335,000 on 266 screens, with previews. . Both are positioned to cash in on the two weeks school vacation with.Oddball appealing to families and Blinky Bill drawing young folk and their parents or carers, so their figures should lift during the week. . Steve Kearney, who produced Oddball with Richard Keddie and Sheila Hanahan Taylor,...
Stuart McDonald.s comedy inspired by the true story of chicken farmer Swampy Marsh, who deploys his sheepdog.to protect an endangered Fairy Penguin population, starring Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Coco Gillies.and Alan Tudyk,.rang up $1.07 million in its first four days on 289 screens, including limited previews. . Deane Taylor.s animated movie which features the voices of.Ryan Kwanten, Toni Collette, Robin McLeavy, David Wenham, Rufus Sewell, Richard Roxburgh, Deborah Mailman, Barry Otto and Barry Humphries, took $335,000 on 266 screens, with previews. . Both are positioned to cash in on the two weeks school vacation with.Oddball appealing to families and Blinky Bill drawing young folk and their parents or carers, so their figures should lift during the week. . Steve Kearney, who produced Oddball with Richard Keddie and Sheila Hanahan Taylor,...
- 9/21/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The world’s favourite koala stars in a film with plenty of hijinx and tacky Australiana, while carefully shying away from political or social allegory
Australia’s happy-go-lucky anthropomorphic koala, Blinky Bill, has long been a proponent of environmental conscientiousness, but went on something of an activist phase in the decade before the turn of the century. His smiley face and red dungarees were front and centre of legendary animator Yoram Gross’s 1992 movie, which put forward a pointy anti-logging message echoed in the subsequent three-season TV spin-off.
In Gross’s box office hit (the film grossed around $2m locally) Blinky faced down maniacal lumberjacks who chopped up his forest home. In a scene that must have scared the bejesus out of young children, the furry little fella and his girlfriend came inches away from being turned to mulch. Later in the decade Blinky was recruited as the official mascot...
Australia’s happy-go-lucky anthropomorphic koala, Blinky Bill, has long been a proponent of environmental conscientiousness, but went on something of an activist phase in the decade before the turn of the century. His smiley face and red dungarees were front and centre of legendary animator Yoram Gross’s 1992 movie, which put forward a pointy anti-logging message echoed in the subsequent three-season TV spin-off.
In Gross’s box office hit (the film grossed around $2m locally) Blinky faced down maniacal lumberjacks who chopped up his forest home. In a scene that must have scared the bejesus out of young children, the furry little fella and his girlfriend came inches away from being turned to mulch. Later in the decade Blinky was recruited as the official mascot...
- 9/16/2015
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Screen Australia.s revamped P&A fund is supporting the theatrical release of three Australian films.
The distributors of Last Cab to Darwin (Icon), The Dressmaker (Universal) and Blinky Bill: The Movie (Studiocanal) are getting a total of $1 million.
Those are non-recourse loans, which means the agency expects to be repaid if the films recoup their release costs but will wipe off the debt if they do not.
However producers and distributors who may be keen to access the revolving fund should know that only $2 million or so is available per year, depending on the rate of returns. Hence only one or two more films are likely to benefit from sizable P&A support this financial year.
On July 1 the fund was renamed P&A Plus and the guidelines were tweaked to be less prescriptive and to make clearer provision to support films that take an alternative distribution path.
The distributors of Last Cab to Darwin (Icon), The Dressmaker (Universal) and Blinky Bill: The Movie (Studiocanal) are getting a total of $1 million.
Those are non-recourse loans, which means the agency expects to be repaid if the films recoup their release costs but will wipe off the debt if they do not.
However producers and distributors who may be keen to access the revolving fund should know that only $2 million or so is available per year, depending on the rate of returns. Hence only one or two more films are likely to benefit from sizable P&A support this financial year.
On July 1 the fund was renamed P&A Plus and the guidelines were tweaked to be less prescriptive and to make clearer provision to support films that take an alternative distribution path.
- 8/19/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Anzac Girls. Sara West and Mystery Road.s Samara Weaving head the cast of Bad Girl, writer-director Fin Edquist.s psychological thriller which starts shooting in Perth on August 31.
West plays 16-year-old Amy, the title character who has to fight for her adoptive parents when her new best friend Chloe (Weaving) tries to supplant her.
Playing the parents are Felicity Price, who stars in Joel Edgerton.s Us thriller The Gift and her partner Kieran Darcy-Smith.s upcoming Western By Way of Helena, and Benjamin Winspear (House of Hancock, Rake, The Babadook).
The film marks a departure in tone for Edquist, who scripted the animated family pics Maya the Bee and Blinky Bill: The Movie, which opens in cinemas on September 10.
The producers are Steve Kearney (Oddball, My Mistress), Bruno Charlesworth (Good Vibrations, The Extra) and Tenille Kennedy. This is the feature producing debut for Kennedy, who co-produced three...
West plays 16-year-old Amy, the title character who has to fight for her adoptive parents when her new best friend Chloe (Weaving) tries to supplant her.
Playing the parents are Felicity Price, who stars in Joel Edgerton.s Us thriller The Gift and her partner Kieran Darcy-Smith.s upcoming Western By Way of Helena, and Benjamin Winspear (House of Hancock, Rake, The Babadook).
The film marks a departure in tone for Edquist, who scripted the animated family pics Maya the Bee and Blinky Bill: The Movie, which opens in cinemas on September 10.
The producers are Steve Kearney (Oddball, My Mistress), Bruno Charlesworth (Good Vibrations, The Extra) and Tenille Kennedy. This is the feature producing debut for Kennedy, who co-produced three...
- 8/16/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
David Wenham is in the frame to play the adopted father of Saroo Brierley, an Indian-born Australian who found his birth mother 25 years after they were separated, in Garth Davis. feature Lion. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.s Dev Patel is playing Saroo with Nicole Kidman as his adopted mother in the film produced by See-Saw Films. Emile Sherman and Iain Canning and Aquarius Films. Angie Fielder.
Davis and crew spent six weeks filming in India earlier this year and will start a three-week shoot in Melbourne and Tasmania at the end of this month. There is no official announcement yet of Wenham.s casting or of who will play Saroo.s Australian girlfriend, a role which a high-profile actress is understood to be circling.
Wenham will next be seen as Captain Arthur Phillip in the convict drama Banished, which premieres on BBC First in June. His recent credits include...
Davis and crew spent six weeks filming in India earlier this year and will start a three-week shoot in Melbourne and Tasmania at the end of this month. There is no official announcement yet of Wenham.s casting or of who will play Saroo.s Australian girlfriend, a role which a high-profile actress is understood to be circling.
Wenham will next be seen as Captain Arthur Phillip in the convict drama Banished, which premieres on BBC First in June. His recent credits include...
- 3/31/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Long-time Hopscotch Features/eOne executive Rachel Okine is joining Studiocanal.
Okine has been appointed Vice President, International Production and Acquisitions, at the French-owned studio/distributor. She will be based in Paris.
Studiocanal is releasing brothers Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner's Zombie horror/comedy Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead this month after also acquiring the UK rights.
Among other local acquisitions are Manny Lewis, comedian Carl Barron.s debut feature directed and co-written by Anthony Mir; and Deane Taylor.s animated family film The Blinky Bill Movie.
Okine was a founding member of Hopscotch in 2002, working across technical delivery, publicity and marketing and serving as acquisitions manager from 2002 . 2006.
She departed last October, initially intending to try her luck in Los Angeles. She had the dual roles of head of development for Hopscotch Features, where she developed The Water Diviner, and production and acquisitions executive at eOne.
Last week the company announced...
Okine has been appointed Vice President, International Production and Acquisitions, at the French-owned studio/distributor. She will be based in Paris.
Studiocanal is releasing brothers Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner's Zombie horror/comedy Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead this month after also acquiring the UK rights.
Among other local acquisitions are Manny Lewis, comedian Carl Barron.s debut feature directed and co-written by Anthony Mir; and Deane Taylor.s animated family film The Blinky Bill Movie.
Okine was a founding member of Hopscotch in 2002, working across technical delivery, publicity and marketing and serving as acquisitions manager from 2002 . 2006.
She departed last October, initially intending to try her luck in Los Angeles. She had the dual roles of head of development for Hopscotch Features, where she developed The Water Diviner, and production and acquisitions executive at eOne.
Last week the company announced...
- 2/8/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Three new animation features on Munich-based sales company’s Efm slate.
Munich-based Studio 100 Film has unveiled its Efm slate.
Piet De Rycker’s Princess Emmy - The Movie, Vic the Viking - The Movie and Blinky Bill - The Movie make up the slate for international distibution.
Blinky Bill is set for completion at end of Q2 2015, while both Princess Emmy and Vic the Viking are set for delivery in 2017.
A subsidiary of Studio 100 Media, Studio 100 Film is an international feature film sales agency for children and family entertainment films.
Munich-based Studio 100 Film has unveiled its Efm slate.
Piet De Rycker’s Princess Emmy - The Movie, Vic the Viking - The Movie and Blinky Bill - The Movie make up the slate for international distibution.
Blinky Bill is set for completion at end of Q2 2015, while both Princess Emmy and Vic the Viking are set for delivery in 2017.
A subsidiary of Studio 100 Media, Studio 100 Film is an international feature film sales agency for children and family entertainment films.
- 2/5/2015
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
An Australian movie featuring Ryan Kwanten, Toni Collette, Robin McLeavy, David Wenham, Rufus Sewell, Richard Roxburgh, Deborah Mailman, Barry Otto and Barry Humphries sounds like a casting director.s dream.
All are lending their voices to The Blinky Bill Movie, Flying Bark Productions. CGI feature now in production in Sydney.
The script is by Fin Edquist, whose Maya the Bee Movie opens here on November 1. The co-directors are Deane Taylor (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Maya.s Alexs Stadermann.
Kwanten voices the title character with McLeavy as the koala.s best friend Nutsy. The plot sees the duo racing across the outback to find Blinky.s missing father and save his hometown.
Collette will voice emus Beryl and Cheryl with Sewell as The Cat, Humphries as Wombo the wombat, Wenham as Jacko the frill-necked lizard, Mailman as Blinky.s mother and Otto as the mayor of Green Patch.
.The Blinky Bill...
All are lending their voices to The Blinky Bill Movie, Flying Bark Productions. CGI feature now in production in Sydney.
The script is by Fin Edquist, whose Maya the Bee Movie opens here on November 1. The co-directors are Deane Taylor (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Maya.s Alexs Stadermann.
Kwanten voices the title character with McLeavy as the koala.s best friend Nutsy. The plot sees the duo racing across the outback to find Blinky.s missing father and save his hometown.
Collette will voice emus Beryl and Cheryl with Sewell as The Cat, Humphries as Wombo the wombat, Wenham as Jacko the frill-necked lizard, Mailman as Blinky.s mother and Otto as the mayor of Green Patch.
.The Blinky Bill...
- 10/13/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
An Australian movie featuring Ryan Kwanten, Toni Collette, Robin McLeavy, David Wenham, Rufus Sewell, Richard Roxburgh, Deborah Mailman, Barry Otto and Barry Humphries sounds like a casting director.s dream.
All are lending their voices to The Blinky Bill Movie, Flying Bark Productions. CGI feature now in production in Sydney.
The script is by Fin Edquist, whose Maya the Bee Movie opens here on November 1, The co-directors are Deane Taylor (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Maya.s Alexs Stadermann.
Kwanten voices the title character with McLeavy as the koala.s best friend Nutsy. The plot sees the duo racing across the outback to find Blinky.s missing father and save his hometown.
Collette will voice emus Beryl and Cheryl, with Sewell as The Cat, Humphries as Wombo the wombat, Wenham as Jacko the frill-necked lizard, Mailman as Blinky.s mother and Otto as the mayor of Green Patch.
.The Blinky Bill...
All are lending their voices to The Blinky Bill Movie, Flying Bark Productions. CGI feature now in production in Sydney.
The script is by Fin Edquist, whose Maya the Bee Movie opens here on November 1, The co-directors are Deane Taylor (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Maya.s Alexs Stadermann.
Kwanten voices the title character with McLeavy as the koala.s best friend Nutsy. The plot sees the duo racing across the outback to find Blinky.s missing father and save his hometown.
Collette will voice emus Beryl and Cheryl, with Sewell as The Cat, Humphries as Wombo the wombat, Wenham as Jacko the frill-necked lizard, Mailman as Blinky.s mother and Otto as the mayor of Green Patch.
.The Blinky Bill...
- 10/13/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Nsw Government is investing $2.77 million. in 17 new film, TV and documentary productions via Screen Nsw.
That will trigger more than $50 million in production expenditure to the State and create 2,746 jobs, according to Arts Minister Troy Grant.
The projects include a Blinky Bill feature,. TV drama The Principal from Essential Media and Entertainment starring Alex Dimitriades, and a new collaboration between Blackfella Films and Werner Film Productions.
The funding is provided through Screen Nsw.s Production Investment and Regional Filming funds. .This is a great return on investment for the Government. For every dollar invested, more than $18 will be spent in Nsw, building capacity and sustainability in our world-class film and television industry,. Grant said. .This fantastic range of film and television programs will be produced here in Nsw, and not just in Sydney, but across many regional areas where the significant economic benefits of screen production will make a real impact in the community.
That will trigger more than $50 million in production expenditure to the State and create 2,746 jobs, according to Arts Minister Troy Grant.
The projects include a Blinky Bill feature,. TV drama The Principal from Essential Media and Entertainment starring Alex Dimitriades, and a new collaboration between Blackfella Films and Werner Film Productions.
The funding is provided through Screen Nsw.s Production Investment and Regional Filming funds. .This is a great return on investment for the Government. For every dollar invested, more than $18 will be spent in Nsw, building capacity and sustainability in our world-class film and television industry,. Grant said. .This fantastic range of film and television programs will be produced here in Nsw, and not just in Sydney, but across many regional areas where the significant economic benefits of screen production will make a real impact in the community.
- 8/21/2014
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
The ailing screen production sector is set to get a major boost with more than $80 million worth of films, TV dramas and a documentary receiving funding from Screen Australia.
The agency is investing more than $12 million in four features, four adult dramas, two children.s dramas and a theatrical doc. In addition Scroz is providing completion funding to sex comedy The Little Deaths, writer-director Josh Lawson.s feature debut.
The projects include a Blinky Bill animated movie, a comedy set during the Cronulla race riots, the long-mooted Molly Meldrum TV drama and The Principal, the first drama commissioned by Sbs since Better Man.
.We have backed some of our great contemporary writers, directors and producers, alongside some exciting new voices, . said Screen Australia head of production Sally Caplan.
.The projects target audiences as diverse as Australia is today, with projects which are ambitious, risk-taking and culturally important, revealing we have...
The agency is investing more than $12 million in four features, four adult dramas, two children.s dramas and a theatrical doc. In addition Scroz is providing completion funding to sex comedy The Little Deaths, writer-director Josh Lawson.s feature debut.
The projects include a Blinky Bill animated movie, a comedy set during the Cronulla race riots, the long-mooted Molly Meldrum TV drama and The Principal, the first drama commissioned by Sbs since Better Man.
.We have backed some of our great contemporary writers, directors and producers, alongside some exciting new voices, . said Screen Australia head of production Sally Caplan.
.The projects target audiences as diverse as Australia is today, with projects which are ambitious, risk-taking and culturally important, revealing we have...
- 8/6/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Projects by Stephan Elliott, The Babadook writer- director Jennifer Kent, Ben Elton, Rowan Woods, Trent O'Donnell and Jacqueline McKenzie are among the recipients of the latest round of development funding from Screen Australia.
The agency is investing more than $550,000 in 16 feature film projects, including 11 new ones and five that get continued support.
Screen Australia.s Head of Production Sally Caplan, said, .The funding decisions made in this last quarter reflect the breadth of stories coming out of this country and the depth of talent. It is great to be able to support such a spread of genres and ideas and such a range of established and emerging writing, directing and producing talent..
Elliott.s Madams is a comedy from the writers of Easy Virtue. Kent gets funding for Interior, a revenge thriller set in Tasmania in the 1820s.
Woods. The Phobos Experiment is a thriller in which people simulate training...
The agency is investing more than $550,000 in 16 feature film projects, including 11 new ones and five that get continued support.
Screen Australia.s Head of Production Sally Caplan, said, .The funding decisions made in this last quarter reflect the breadth of stories coming out of this country and the depth of talent. It is great to be able to support such a spread of genres and ideas and such a range of established and emerging writing, directing and producing talent..
Elliott.s Madams is a comedy from the writers of Easy Virtue. Kent gets funding for Interior, a revenge thriller set in Tasmania in the 1820s.
Woods. The Phobos Experiment is a thriller in which people simulate training...
- 4/11/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Tim Brooke Hunt has been named president of Flying Bark Productions, re-joining the Australian animation studio where he spent nearly 10 years in the 1990s.
Formerly ABC Television.s controller of children.s content, he will work closely with Jim Ballantine, general manager and executive producer of Flying Bark.s TV and feature film projects.
He.s also been appointed as advisor to the board of directors of Flying Bark.s parent, Belgium's Studio 100 Group. Hans Bourlon, CEO of Studio 100 Group, said: .His wealth of experience will help take Studio 100 to new international markets and help us continue to build a sustainable business..
Flying Bark is producing three TV series- Tashi, Heidi and Vic the Viking- and the feature films Blinky Bill and Maya the Bee. In development are two TV series, Skippy and Lulu.
Directed by Alexs Stadermann, Maya the Bee Movie features a voice cast headed by Jacki Weaver,...
Formerly ABC Television.s controller of children.s content, he will work closely with Jim Ballantine, general manager and executive producer of Flying Bark.s TV and feature film projects.
He.s also been appointed as advisor to the board of directors of Flying Bark.s parent, Belgium's Studio 100 Group. Hans Bourlon, CEO of Studio 100 Group, said: .His wealth of experience will help take Studio 100 to new international markets and help us continue to build a sustainable business..
Flying Bark is producing three TV series- Tashi, Heidi and Vic the Viking- and the feature films Blinky Bill and Maya the Bee. In development are two TV series, Skippy and Lulu.
Directed by Alexs Stadermann, Maya the Bee Movie features a voice cast headed by Jacki Weaver,...
- 2/10/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Sales company finalises deals for Maya the Bee [pictured], Vic the Viking, Heidi and Blinky Bill.
Studio 100 Film has completed pre-sales on four new feature length films.
Maya the Bee - Movie, Vic the Viking - Movie and Heidi - Movie has sold to Tmc Film Yapink Ltd Sti. for Turkey, while Blinky Bill - Movie and Maya the Bee - Movie has sold to Filmhouse for Israel.
Studio 100 Film has also brought full service media company M.A.R.K.13™ on board as VFX partner for Maya the Bee, alongside Australia’s Buzz Studios in association with Flying Bark Productions. Alexs Stadermann directs, while Barbard Stephen and Thorsten Wegener produce.
Studio 100 Film is part of leading global family entertainment group Studio 100, and a subsidiary of international children’s production and distribution company Studio 100 Media GmbH.
Studio 100 Film has completed pre-sales on four new feature length films.
Maya the Bee - Movie, Vic the Viking - Movie and Heidi - Movie has sold to Tmc Film Yapink Ltd Sti. for Turkey, while Blinky Bill - Movie and Maya the Bee - Movie has sold to Filmhouse for Israel.
Studio 100 Film has also brought full service media company M.A.R.K.13™ on board as VFX partner for Maya the Bee, alongside Australia’s Buzz Studios in association with Flying Bark Productions. Alexs Stadermann directs, while Barbard Stephen and Thorsten Wegener produce.
Studio 100 Film is part of leading global family entertainment group Studio 100, and a subsidiary of international children’s production and distribution company Studio 100 Media GmbH.
- 2/7/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Title: Blinky & Me Director: Tomasz Magierski An intensely earnest and subjective documentary look at the career and life story of Australian animator Yoram Gross, “Blinky & Me” casts a look back at the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust through the eyes of a then-child. The Polish-born Gross, who sort of resembles Philip Baker Hall if you catch him at the right angle, is the creator of “Blinky Bill,” an animated film series (and TV show?) that has achieved significant success in Australia, where he’s for the past several decades lived with his family. In fact, director Tomasz Magierski sort of frames his film as an extended home [ Read More ]...
- 9/8/2012
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
A new film featuring iconic Australian children's character Blinky Bill is in the works, Flying Bark Productions recently confirmed. The film will be released in 3D and production is expected to begin later this year. The film will be directed by Alex Weight who has an impressive resume when it comes to animation and 3D technology, having worked with a number of leading studios and companies including Disney and Australia's Animal Logic. His credits include lead animator on the Oscar-winning Happy Feet and Animation Supervisor on Zack Snyder's Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. Marie-Cecile Dahan has also been recruited as Line Producer on the film.
- 9/21/2011
- FilmInk.com.au
Happy Feet lead animator Alex Weight has inked a deal with Flying Bark Productions to direct the 3D feature film of iconic .90s animated series Blinky Bill. Weight, a respected animation talent, will sit in the director.s chair for the first time after having worked at Disney, Adelaide.s Rising Sun Pictures and Sydney.s Animal Logic. Weight.s credits also include Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga.Hoole (animation supervisor) and The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (3D animator). Joining Weight on the Blinky Bill film, which was first reported by If in April this year, is.Marie-Cecile Dahan, who has signed on as line producer. Dahan has worked as a department manager on Avatar, a line producer on TV series Animalia, and as the...
- 9/21/2011
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Alex Weight, lead animator of Happy Feet and animation supervisor of Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, will direct a Blinky Bill 3D animated feature film.
Weight has 13 years experience working for companies such as Disney, Rising Sun Pictures and Animal Logic.
Signing on as line producer is Marie-Cecile Dahan, who has worked as Department Manager on Avatar, Series line producer on Animalia and VFX production Manager on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and District 9.
The film produced by Flying Bark Productions formerly Yoram Gross Film Studios will begin production this year. Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine said, “Blinky Bill is a timeless Australian classic character so it is an absolute honour for our team at Flying Bark Productions to be bringing the stories of Blinky Bill and his Australian bush friends to life in 3D for a new generation of children – and...
Weight has 13 years experience working for companies such as Disney, Rising Sun Pictures and Animal Logic.
Signing on as line producer is Marie-Cecile Dahan, who has worked as Department Manager on Avatar, Series line producer on Animalia and VFX production Manager on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and District 9.
The film produced by Flying Bark Productions formerly Yoram Gross Film Studios will begin production this year. Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine said, “Blinky Bill is a timeless Australian classic character so it is an absolute honour for our team at Flying Bark Productions to be bringing the stories of Blinky Bill and his Australian bush friends to life in 3D for a new generation of children – and...
- 9/20/2011
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
From cartoon koalas, to drag in the desert, BAFTA-nominated composer, Guy Gross has struck a chord with Australian audiences, scoring some of our most cherished films and television programs. With his music underpinning the likes of Blinky Bill, Farscape and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Gross has traversed a versatile range of styles, winning endless accolades along the way. In a career that hasn't hit a wrong note, Gross has established himself as one of the country's finest composers... Gross' latest project has been to score the acclaimed Sbs television drama East West 101, which examines a post 9/11 Sydney through the eyes of a multicultural crime squad headed by Muslim detective Zane Malik (superbly played by Don Hany).
- 6/27/2011
- FilmInk.com.au
Millions of Australians grew up watching Dot and the Kangaroo and Blinky Bill, but the story of Yoram Gross, the man behind such beloved characters, is far more interesting than any piece of fiction.
Jerzy gross was born in October in 1926 in Krakow, Poland, where his family owned a couple of fine home mart stores. His father disappeared, presumably killed, when Gross was almost 13 and preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. But that coming-of-age ceremony would never take place; the German forces invaded the country in 1939.
The following years, documented in his new autobiography My Animated Life, saw the Gross family divided, constantly on the move and eventually managing to survive the war – a true story that would make a fascinating film.
Gross have filmmaking dreams when the war ended in 1945. Poland’s prolific film industry had disappeared during the Nazi occupation, but after the war it started to come back to life.
Jerzy gross was born in October in 1926 in Krakow, Poland, where his family owned a couple of fine home mart stores. His father disappeared, presumably killed, when Gross was almost 13 and preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. But that coming-of-age ceremony would never take place; the German forces invaded the country in 1939.
The following years, documented in his new autobiography My Animated Life, saw the Gross family divided, constantly on the move and eventually managing to survive the war – a true story that would make a fascinating film.
Gross have filmmaking dreams when the war ended in 1945. Poland’s prolific film industry had disappeared during the Nazi occupation, but after the war it started to come back to life.
- 5/9/2011
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
Animation house Flying Bark Productions plans to produce a 3D feature film of its iconic Blinky Bill series. The company, which was founded by Yoram and Sandra Gross in 1968, is adding to its staff of about 40 people in preparation for the film, with animation due to start in early-2012. It will mark a return to the big screen for the animated koala, who last graced cinemas in Blinky Bill: The Movie in the early-90s. .It took a while to get the financing together for Blinky but I.m really excited about it,. Flying Bark chief executive Jim Ballantine said. The company is also considering a big screen version of Maya the Bee . a book and animated series popular in Europe . and is in talks with potential co-production partners. In recent years,...
- 4/29/2011
- by Brendan Swift
- IF.com.au
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