June 2008 Archives
The third project we have in the KEYFRAME program this year is 'Global Shiela'. Highly experienced Marketing Managers Erica Smyth and Melva Stone have created a new iconic figure to promote Australian tourism.
Here's some information on the second project at KEYFRAME this year. Local champion of animation Tom Lubin has a really interesting project that's literally been 40 years in the making. Find out more about the KEYFRAME program here.
I've always had a soft spot for this short animation by The DoomWale' team. This collaborative group of animators created a few really good animations while they were studying here at FTI and afterwards through production schemes and developmental programs.
Today the team are spread around the globe from Canada, to Melbourne and some are still here in Perth. Nearly every member of this team is working in the animation field too.
Today the team are spread around the globe from Canada, to Melbourne and some are still here in Perth. Nearly every member of this team is working in the animation field too.
'Double or Nothing' a short film created by FTI graduates Alex McArthur and Gregg Johnston is now available on YouTube.
This simple short film has found great success on the festival circuit this year.
Read More
'Double or Nothing' screens in Katoomba
'Double or Nothing' to screen at the Funnybone 500 Film Festival
'Double or Nothing' selected for Byron Bay
Gregg Johnson interview
Read More
'Double or Nothing' screens in Katoomba
'Double or Nothing' to screen at the Funnybone 500 Film Festival
'Double or Nothing' selected for Byron Bay
Gregg Johnson interview
Here at FTI one of our most successful and long running programs is the KEYFRAME program. When it was first launched several years ago it was called CADSA - The Centre for Advanced Digital Screen Animation, but we decided to give it a name that was little easier to wrap around your tongue.
This year three incredibly interesting projects have been accepted into the program. Here's a short video of Susan Taylor Suchy talking about her project 'Rosy Zeppelin'.
Here at FTI we're strong believer in the philosiphy that, if you want to make television you should definately be watching a lot of it. It's good to get an idea of what type of content goes in what timeslots, what themes broadcasters are following in their commisioning and what other content makers are producing.
So once again we cast our eyes over the television guide and highlight some things we think might be interesting.
Saturday
SBS 7:30pm 'The Nest', this new 6 part documentary series looks into the modern phenomenon of the children who never leave home. At 10:20 SBS has Stephen Frears 'Dity Pretty Things'. At midnight on SBS check out 'Shorts on Screen' for some of the best short films from around the globe.
Sunday
6:30pm CI 'The Gonzales Family Murders', these Australian produced Crime Documentaries are really well done - it's apity this chanel is not time shifted for WA. 7:30pm ABC 'Dr Who: Voyage of the Damned' The Fourth Season of 'Dr Who' begins with the Christmas special staring David Tennant and Kylie Minogue. I've seen most of this series already and I can tell you, it's really good! Some brilliant writing from Stephen Moffat ('Press Gang', 'Coupling') and Russel T Davies ('Queer as Folk', 'Bob and Rose', 'The Second Coming') - Season Two plays on UKTV from Tuesday at 5:30pm. On SEVEN at 8:30pm is the new series 'Peak Practice which is a spin-off of the popular show 'Grey's Anatomy'. Following this at 9:30pm is the new series 'Lipstick Jungle' which stars Brooke Shields ('Suddenly Susan') and Kim Raver ('Third Watch', '24'). 10:00pm on OVATION Clive James talks to Film Director Terry Gillam in his Library.
Monday
8:30pm SEVEN 'City Homicde' returns for a second season. On NICKELODEON at 8:30pm is the excellent, 'Invader Zim', playing right from Episode 1.
Wednesday
9:30pm ABC 'The Gruen Transfer', some people in the advertising industry love this show, other's despise it, but the votes are in Australia loves it, it's rating over a million veiwers on the ABC and holds the number one spot on i-tunes downloads.
Friday
&:30pm SBS 'The Fabulous Falgg Sisters' check outt his locally made documentary. 8:30pm ABC2 This is so hard to explain - 'Moving Wallpaper' is a sitcom about a team of writers on a sit-com called 'Echo Beach'... immediatly after this show is 'Echo Beach'...10:00pm SBS 'Raising Victor Vargas' is a great indi film.
So once again we cast our eyes over the television guide and highlight some things we think might be interesting.
Saturday
SBS 7:30pm 'The Nest', this new 6 part documentary series looks into the modern phenomenon of the children who never leave home. At 10:20 SBS has Stephen Frears 'Dity Pretty Things'. At midnight on SBS check out 'Shorts on Screen' for some of the best short films from around the globe.
Sunday
6:30pm CI 'The Gonzales Family Murders', these Australian produced Crime Documentaries are really well done - it's apity this chanel is not time shifted for WA. 7:30pm ABC 'Dr Who: Voyage of the Damned' The Fourth Season of 'Dr Who' begins with the Christmas special staring David Tennant and Kylie Minogue. I've seen most of this series already and I can tell you, it's really good! Some brilliant writing from Stephen Moffat ('Press Gang', 'Coupling') and Russel T Davies ('Queer as Folk', 'Bob and Rose', 'The Second Coming') - Season Two plays on UKTV from Tuesday at 5:30pm. On SEVEN at 8:30pm is the new series 'Peak Practice which is a spin-off of the popular show 'Grey's Anatomy'. Following this at 9:30pm is the new series 'Lipstick Jungle' which stars Brooke Shields ('Suddenly Susan') and Kim Raver ('Third Watch', '24'). 10:00pm on OVATION Clive James talks to Film Director Terry Gillam in his Library.
Monday
8:30pm SEVEN 'City Homicde' returns for a second season. On NICKELODEON at 8:30pm is the excellent, 'Invader Zim', playing right from Episode 1.
Wednesday
9:30pm ABC 'The Gruen Transfer', some people in the advertising industry love this show, other's despise it, but the votes are in Australia loves it, it's rating over a million veiwers on the ABC and holds the number one spot on i-tunes downloads.
Friday
&:30pm SBS 'The Fabulous Falgg Sisters' check outt his locally made documentary. 8:30pm ABC2 This is so hard to explain - 'Moving Wallpaper' is a sitcom about a team of writers on a sit-com called 'Echo Beach'... immediatly after this show is 'Echo Beach'...10:00pm SBS 'Raising Victor Vargas' is a great indi film.
This year brings a mountain of changes to the vocational training sector of the Film and Television industries, a new training package will see all our programs and qualifications revised and the choices for our clients in 2009 are going to be very different for those engaging with us at the moment.
On top of the new training package, FTI is due to be re-registered as a Training Organisation with the Western Australia Office of the Training Acreditation Council and there is new opportunities available through the federal governments fee-help program. Lots of change, and lots of work to be done along the way.
To help us through this process we have been lucky is securing some additional funding to assist our staff through their learning process. A new project called 'Maintaining Momentum' sees some of our best Lecturers and Administrators learning about the new package and new ways of delivering training. This project has been supported by the West Australian Department of Education and Training's Professional Development Support Program (PDSP). So far the team have had two really good meetings and the enthusiasm and innovative thinking has been quite remarkable.
Additionally I have been selected to take part in the 'Change Agent' program offered through the 'Reframing the Future' scheme. This great program aims to provide training professionals with the skills needed to meet Australia's national training agenda. Last year a team from FTI participanted in a change management action learning program, we learned a lot about using David Cooperider's theories of Appreciative Enquiry as we created a plan to improve opportunities through Recognised Prior Learning (RPL).
As part of my 'Change Agent' program, it was recommend that we keep a reflective journal to guide oursleves through our learning process. I thought a video blog would be much more appropriate for our industry area. So below you will find my first video post on this topic.
To bring about change in the Film and Television Institute and the WA Screen Industry I have selected a number of leading thinkers and some newer writers in the area of change management. As we go along I'll post some thoughts on each of them.
On top of the new training package, FTI is due to be re-registered as a Training Organisation with the Western Australia Office of the Training Acreditation Council and there is new opportunities available through the federal governments fee-help program. Lots of change, and lots of work to be done along the way.
To help us through this process we have been lucky is securing some additional funding to assist our staff through their learning process. A new project called 'Maintaining Momentum' sees some of our best Lecturers and Administrators learning about the new package and new ways of delivering training. This project has been supported by the West Australian Department of Education and Training's Professional Development Support Program (PDSP). So far the team have had two really good meetings and the enthusiasm and innovative thinking has been quite remarkable.
Additionally I have been selected to take part in the 'Change Agent' program offered through the 'Reframing the Future' scheme. This great program aims to provide training professionals with the skills needed to meet Australia's national training agenda. Last year a team from FTI participanted in a change management action learning program, we learned a lot about using David Cooperider's theories of Appreciative Enquiry as we created a plan to improve opportunities through Recognised Prior Learning (RPL).
As part of my 'Change Agent' program, it was recommend that we keep a reflective journal to guide oursleves through our learning process. I thought a video blog would be much more appropriate for our industry area. So below you will find my first video post on this topic.
To bring about change in the Film and Television Institute and the WA Screen Industry I have selected a number of leading thinkers and some newer writers in the area of change management. As we go along I'll post some thoughts on each of them.
SUNDAY
Late on CHANNEL TEN at 11:15pm is the excellent Robert Altman film 'The Player', be amazed by that opening tracking shot. AT 11:45 Channel 9 has the film 'Dangerous Liaisons'.
MONDAY
6:30pm the magic of Broadway is celebtrated in the annual 'Tony Awards', At 7pm UKTV begin playing Season 1 of the fabulous 'The IT Crowd'.
WEDNESDAY
8:20pm THE W CHANNEL Check out this episode of 'The West Wing', guest stars include Mathew Perry and Glenn Close.
Thursday
5:30pm on OVATION join the AFTRS series 'Masterclass' as hos Peter Thompson interviews his brother, Australian acting legend Jack Thompson. SBS premiere the new french series 'Spiral' at 8:30pm. Over on OVATION there is a documentary that follows Jazz Legend Herbie Handcock as he records his collaborative album 'Possabilities', the recordings feature Sting, Annie Lennox, Joss Stone and many others.
Late on CHANNEL TEN at 11:15pm is the excellent Robert Altman film 'The Player', be amazed by that opening tracking shot. AT 11:45 Channel 9 has the film 'Dangerous Liaisons'.
MONDAY
6:30pm the magic of Broadway is celebtrated in the annual 'Tony Awards', At 7pm UKTV begin playing Season 1 of the fabulous 'The IT Crowd'.
WEDNESDAY
8:20pm THE W CHANNEL Check out this episode of 'The West Wing', guest stars include Mathew Perry and Glenn Close.
Thursday
5:30pm on OVATION join the AFTRS series 'Masterclass' as hos Peter Thompson interviews his brother, Australian acting legend Jack Thompson. SBS premiere the new french series 'Spiral' at 8:30pm. Over on OVATION there is a documentary that follows Jazz Legend Herbie Handcock as he records his collaborative album 'Possabilities', the recordings feature Sting, Annie Lennox, Joss Stone and many others.
In the film 'The Great Muppet Caper' the opening credits roll as our heroes Gonzo, Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear parachute down from an areoplane. Fozzie asks Kermit if all the names are really neccissary, 'Sure' says Kermit, 'They all have familes'.
TV TONIGHT highlights that since July Network TEN has stopped playing credits on in-house productions and from July this will also begin to apply to out sourced and comissioned productions, and the idea of moving this into the drama and children's area is not included.
You may have noticed that in recent years the credit have been getting smaller and faster. Curbing audience erosion and maximising accelerated audience flows has been put forward as the reason behind the move. It's understandbale that a network would want to do everything to avoid the dreaded chanel changing.
So the question is what does this mean to filmmakers and the screen industry. What is the point of credits anyway - are they just for your Mum and Dad?
Many of our funding programs require that a professional has so many credits to be eligable, what happens when we don't have them anymore?
Do people get more work or a good reputation from their named being seen in the credits?
Does wandering what a Best Boy is, lead to a career in the lighting department?
Will Producers suddenly have to pay people more, when they can no longer bung a 'credit' into the negotiation?
Will the lack of credits, stop you surfing the other chanels as much?
What do you think?
TV TONIGHT highlights that since July Network TEN has stopped playing credits on in-house productions and from July this will also begin to apply to out sourced and comissioned productions, and the idea of moving this into the drama and children's area is not included.
You may have noticed that in recent years the credit have been getting smaller and faster. Curbing audience erosion and maximising accelerated audience flows has been put forward as the reason behind the move. It's understandbale that a network would want to do everything to avoid the dreaded chanel changing.
So the question is what does this mean to filmmakers and the screen industry. What is the point of credits anyway - are they just for your Mum and Dad?
Many of our funding programs require that a professional has so many credits to be eligable, what happens when we don't have them anymore?
Do people get more work or a good reputation from their named being seen in the credits?
Does wandering what a Best Boy is, lead to a career in the lighting department?
Will Producers suddenly have to pay people more, when they can no longer bung a 'credit' into the negotiation?
Will the lack of credits, stop you surfing the other chanels as much?
What do you think?
One of the fiercest battle ground in the ratings war between Channel 9 and Channel 7 is the world of breakfast television. After 20 years of rating victories Nine's TODAY was trumped by Channel 7's 'Sunrise' program. The 'Sunrise' approach was simple, make breakfast TV just like breakfast radio.
TODAY suddenly went through a string of hosts, Steve Liebmann retired after a slight heart attack, replaced by the resiliant Karl Stefanovic, Tracey Grimshaw headed to 'A Current Affair', Jessica Rowe was recuited from TEN through a big legal battle but only lasted a few months, Kellie Connolly and Sarah murdoch filled the space before Lisa Wilkinson was poached from rival SUNDAY SUNRISE. Last week TODAY still fell 100,000 viewers behind SUNRISE.
Now a new challenge has arrived, the ABC has announced that from September Lateline host Virgina Trioli will be returning to Melbourne to host the new 'Morning News' on ABC2. Creating a television version of the ABC's successful radio format. Digital television is be picked up around Australia at an ever increasing rate, and by 2012 , just 4 years, it will be the only way we recieve television.
So the challenge is really on for TODAY, with SUNRISE holding the low ground and the new ABC SHOW caprturing the high ground. Might be time to bring back Fat Cat.
TODAY suddenly went through a string of hosts, Steve Liebmann retired after a slight heart attack, replaced by the resiliant Karl Stefanovic, Tracey Grimshaw headed to 'A Current Affair', Jessica Rowe was recuited from TEN through a big legal battle but only lasted a few months, Kellie Connolly and Sarah murdoch filled the space before Lisa Wilkinson was poached from rival SUNDAY SUNRISE. Last week TODAY still fell 100,000 viewers behind SUNRISE.
Now a new challenge has arrived, the ABC has announced that from September Lateline host Virgina Trioli will be returning to Melbourne to host the new 'Morning News' on ABC2. Creating a television version of the ABC's successful radio format. Digital television is be picked up around Australia at an ever increasing rate, and by 2012 , just 4 years, it will be the only way we recieve television.
So the challenge is really on for TODAY, with SUNRISE holding the low ground and the new ABC SHOW caprturing the high ground. Might be time to bring back Fat Cat.
Last Friday saw students from the Vocational Education and Training programs at FTI celebrate their graduation amongst family, friends and colleagues. The students from the Screenwriting, Documentary and Video Production programs screened their work in front of a crowded cinema.
The works screened included the visually stunning drama 'Spirits', stylish black and while short 'Home Coming', the insightful short documentary 'Freedom on the River' and many others. As FTI has a strong focus on learning about filmmaking by making films, each student laready has an impressive body of work for their showreel.
Images: 1. Zak Hilditch and Emily Crewe, 2. Wayne Nicholson and Joey George, 3. Robin Hare and Robert Boulton, 4. Noah Norton, Julia Ngeow and Karl Carosella, 5. Noah Norton and Jocelyn Nicholson, 6. Maria Lovejoy and Emily Crewe, 7. Karl Carosella and Friends, 8. Jocelyn Nicholson, Lesley Hinde, Lou Grant and Liana Fiocco, 9. Graeme Watson and Lesley Hinde, 10. Graeme Sward and Nick Britton, 11. Guthama Sularko and Wayne Nicholson, 12 Emily Crewe, Zak Hilditch and Georgi Putland, 13 Andrew Seabourne and Noah Norton.
The works screened included the visually stunning drama 'Spirits', stylish black and while short 'Home Coming', the insightful short documentary 'Freedom on the River' and many others. As FTI has a strong focus on learning about filmmaking by making films, each student laready has an impressive body of work for their showreel.
Images: 1. Zak Hilditch and Emily Crewe, 2. Wayne Nicholson and Joey George, 3. Robin Hare and Robert Boulton, 4. Noah Norton, Julia Ngeow and Karl Carosella, 5. Noah Norton and Jocelyn Nicholson, 6. Maria Lovejoy and Emily Crewe, 7. Karl Carosella and Friends, 8. Jocelyn Nicholson, Lesley Hinde, Lou Grant and Liana Fiocco, 9. Graeme Watson and Lesley Hinde, 10. Graeme Sward and Nick Britton, 11. Guthama Sularko and Wayne Nicholson, 12 Emily Crewe, Zak Hilditch and Georgi Putland, 13 Andrew Seabourne and Noah Norton.
Take a look at this new piece of animation 'Big Buck Bunny'. This short 10 minute animation was created by a team using Blender, the free open source 3D animation software.
Local animation company Raging Pixel has used this program in some of their productions, and lead animator Lisa Evans ran a course in using the program at the FTI Animation Centre a while back.
Local animation company Raging Pixel has used this program in some of their productions, and lead animator Lisa Evans ran a course in using the program at the FTI Animation Centre a while back.
How do you 'be creative' is one of my favorite topics of discussion, finally the debate can be settled thanks to this cool new video. Via Tama Leaver Dot Net.
Some the television highlightsa of the coming week.
SUNDAY
7:00PM Big Brother CHANNEL TEN, the attempts to revive this format seem to have failed - see what CHANEL TEN tries to keep the bllod pumping for another 8 weeks. 8:50pm Jerico SCI FI CHANNEL plays three episodes of this post appolcalyptic tale, often described as 'Lost' without the foreigners, it's set in a small US mide west town following a Nuclear War.
MONDAY
NINE 6;30 Just how wiers will it be to have Eddie McGuire hosting 'A Current Affair'? NINE 7:30PM David Attenborough - Audiences have really been getting into Attenborough recently, a challenge for NINE as his retirement means there is little new work coming through - someone must be thinking though - will audiences watch old Attenborough from the 70's and 80's? 7:30pm UKTV Benidorm is a new sitcom from Derren Litten, one of the writers and performers in The Catherine Tate Show, it's already been comissioned for a second season.
TUESDAY
7:30pm UKTV 'The Runnaway Bride' - the third season Doctor Who is on PAY-TV. 7:30pm UKTV+2 'Who Do You Think You Are', take a look at the British version of this popular show as it delves into the family tree of Grif Rhys Jones. 8:30pm COMEDY CHANNEL, if you've never seen an episode - why not check out 'Robot Chicken'. 10:00pm ABC Go behind the scenes as the epic theatrical production of 'Jandamarra' is brought to life, the FTI Animation Centre contributed to this production. 10:00PM SBS 'The Sotry of the Weeping Camel' - a much lauded feature documentary.
WEDNESDAY
8pm SBS 'Risking it All' take a look at this locally produced series.
SUNDAY
7:00PM Big Brother CHANNEL TEN, the attempts to revive this format seem to have failed - see what CHANEL TEN tries to keep the bllod pumping for another 8 weeks. 8:50pm Jerico SCI FI CHANNEL plays three episodes of this post appolcalyptic tale, often described as 'Lost' without the foreigners, it's set in a small US mide west town following a Nuclear War.
MONDAY
NINE 6;30 Just how wiers will it be to have Eddie McGuire hosting 'A Current Affair'? NINE 7:30PM David Attenborough - Audiences have really been getting into Attenborough recently, a challenge for NINE as his retirement means there is little new work coming through - someone must be thinking though - will audiences watch old Attenborough from the 70's and 80's? 7:30pm UKTV Benidorm is a new sitcom from Derren Litten, one of the writers and performers in The Catherine Tate Show, it's already been comissioned for a second season.
TUESDAY
7:30pm UKTV 'The Runnaway Bride' - the third season Doctor Who is on PAY-TV. 7:30pm UKTV+2 'Who Do You Think You Are', take a look at the British version of this popular show as it delves into the family tree of Grif Rhys Jones. 8:30pm COMEDY CHANNEL, if you've never seen an episode - why not check out 'Robot Chicken'. 10:00pm ABC Go behind the scenes as the epic theatrical production of 'Jandamarra' is brought to life, the FTI Animation Centre contributed to this production. 10:00PM SBS 'The Sotry of the Weeping Camel' - a much lauded feature documentary.
WEDNESDAY
8pm SBS 'Risking it All' take a look at this locally produced series.
Take a look at 'Fly Away Jelly', this cute little piece was made at the Animation Cente at FTI a few years ago.
Following the 'Kiss or Kill' seminar at the Dugong Film Festival the Australian Directors Guild has launched a new blog to discuss challenges in making feature films.
Not much happening so far though.
Not much happening so far though.
This week the ReelDance Film Festival has been playing at the Perth Institute of Contempory Arts. At the same time local Dance Company STRUT invited choreographer and Dance Filmmaker Tracie Mitchell to host a workshop with local choreographers, dancers and fimmakers. Mitchell is renowned for her work exploring dance on film with her company TWIRLING SHIELAS.
Yesterday the teams discussed their experiences of the weeklong workshop and showed some of their work in progress at a forum. It was a pleasure to be invited to this forum and hear about the creative journey that each of the teams had been on. Some of the work presented was incredibly creative and quite visually stunning - explorations of movement and imagery.
Most filmmakers I would imagine are quite oblivious to this quite specific form of filmmaking. While those studying at Edith Cowan university, which also houses the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, are given opportunites to explore this are, the majoirty of upa dn coming filmmakers would be oblivious to it.
Dance Film is not just a process of documenting a performance on film or the arty equivilent of the Hollywood song and dance number. There are quite specific categories of filmmaking in this cross arts genre. 'Dance for Camera' is a performance designed to be performed in front of a camera rather than a lie audience. While Dance Films feature choreography and movement that is only achieveable through the use of the filmmaking technology, movement that is backwards, sped up or slowed down - movement that it would be impossible for a dancer to create on their own.
Yesterday as each of the teams discussed their experience of the week there were great comments about how challenging it is to work in two converging art forms. Some of the choregoraphers noted that the editing process is frustrating - and they were surprised because as a mental process is it is very similar to the act of choregraphing. When you choreograph you are editing selecting some movement, discarding others, choosing an order - but in a dance film you then have to repeat this process again in the film editing phase, almost like a second guessing of a dancer's natural process.
Another great discussion was about how the language and cultures of dancers and filmmakers is so different. Dancer spend lots of time exploring, experimenting and trying out multiple options, while filmmakers have often been trained to be much more decisive, focussed on locking things down and making decisions.
One participant noted that it is natural for dancers to repeat a movement over and over again, returning to similar phrases and combinations. Film hoever is much more linear based, and repeating something once - never mind many times is an odd feeling for a filmmaker.
Overall one of the biggest challenges for combining these two established art forms is the development of a shared language, while dancers speak of workshops, rehersals and performance, Filmmakers speak of pre-production, filming, postr production, exhibition and distribution.
Dance Film should be of great interest to filmmakers, spending some time away for narative based drama could be a great learning process for many filmmakers - working in an art form that has no dialogue, no voice just abstract movement to communicate with is both challenging and confronting. With 'Don't tell me - show me' being the mantra of many screen tutors, embracing a 'show only' art form could be an effective way to break newer filmmaker through one of films more challenging learning barriers.
The challenge for Dance Film is that is needs to be funded to a similar level as other forms of filmmaking, and you can't help but wonder how receptive film funding bodies would be to this kinds of work. It was highlighted that embracing some of the real cutting edge technologies available to filmmakers would also push this art form forward, yet without access to the latest equipment and sufficient money it will be continually difficult for dance film to impress those in the film world.
Following the forum I'm certiainly interewsted in seeing more work in this area, although I do have a proclaimed bias - I was a dancer long before entering the world of filmmaking.
Image: Tristan Brand, Published under a Creative Commons licence
