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Internet TV - Just Kids Show - Short Films - Tropfest Jr

JKS Internet TV Show Rehearsals:

Test Video "Rehearsal Intro" on You Tube (30s 288Kb wmv)


F5 replay

Sydney has such a long tradition in Filmmaking and is still the place to be for Filmmakers of the future. And it could be much easier to get started if the Federal and NSW Governments show some vision.

The government provides tax breaks to have Rupert Murdoch's Fox Studios build it's complex over at Moore Park. What a fantastic facility, but why isn't it incorporated into the education curriculum. It doesn't even seem to part of the excursion circuit - kids go to the Zoo...
And we are lucky re it's location, Fox Studios is not in Melbourne, or another city. It's in Sydney. Why don't we set up an affiliation with it? At least start with regular school excursions there.

The Inner Syndey City East area - Kings Cross, Potts Point, Darlinghurst has long been an hang out for Filmmakers. For instance you might see Oscar Winner George Miller - director/producer - of Mad Max, Babe, Happy Feet, now has "Justice League" in production at Fox Studios. His Kennedy Miller Film Production company has had its offices down in Macleay Street Potts Point for yonks - some of Mad Max was filmed in their previous studios at the old Metro in Orwell Street.
George spent his early years going down the wrong career path as a doctor, and then realized in his late 20s he wanted to make his career in film. He made Mad Max - released in '79 - when he was 33, he had to work in a Hospital Emergency to help pay for it - Mel Gibson put in $15,000 too, but still one of the 'cheapest to make - most profitable' films of all time. In the modern competitive world of all kinds of different film media output (Tropfest Jr, mobiles, iTv) you don't have the luxury of being able to start getting into films later.

George Miller - local famous filmmaker


John Polson started Tropfest at the Tropicanna Caffe in Victoria Steet.

Also Baz Luhrmann - "Australia" - director / producer - has a long standing affinity the area too. He started off like a lot filmmakers with an office in Minton House. Now has his Bazmark Film Production office over at Moore Park where he uses Fox Studios...
This from the Australia Movie website:

Jack Thompson [who used to live in Darlinghurst] to Play Cattle Baron We have previously reported that Jack Thompson was rumoured to be starring in Australia. The Bowen Independent newspaper has now, unofficially confirmed that he will be playing a cattle baron in the film. However it is likely that his scenes will be shot in Kunumurra, Western Australia, opposed to the town of Bowen, which will double for Darwin on screen. If true, Thompson will join a growing cast of acclaimed and highly regarded Australian actors. Even in these preliminary stages it is easy to see how “Australia will be the biggest casting or grouping of Australian actors in Australian film history”.

Meanwhile, Baz Luhrmann has been spotted on Bowen’s jetty, which is being used to film the loading of approximatel 500 head of shorthorn cattle on to a ship when the World War 2 bombing of Darwin begins...

Baz Luhrmann on CNN's The Scene

CNN's The Scene in Australia, Through the Eyes of Baz
Recently, The Scene caught up with Baz Luhrmann in Sydney to talk sun, sea and of course to discuss Australia…the movie that is. You can read excerpts from the interview below, view the video in our multimedia section, and be sure to stop by the CNN The Scene blog to read the full in depth interview... The Scene: What is it about XYZ [where Luhrmann lives] that attracted you to it?

Baz Luhrmann: XYZ is the underbelly of Sydney. It’s bohemian, it’s very creative and above all it’s lively. When I was a very young actor/director, this is the area that I lived in. There was a tiny little theatre company at the end of the road here and I remember I saw Mel Gibson do a series of short plays. There wouldn’t be more than 50 people in the audience, that’s how tiny the theatre was. Anyone who is in the arts in Sydney would probably begin here in XYZ.

The Scene: Where do you see Sydney’s future lying?

Baz Luhrmann: I think part of the future for Sydney is as a really exciting place for filmmaking. Sydney is a wonderful environment for filmmakers because it’s one of the few places, aside from Los Angeles, of course, which is a full-blown city with a set of sound stages right in the middle of it, technologically one of the best sound stages in the world. For the actors, it’s wonderful to wake up in the morning and be just a few minutes away from the studio....



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