July 2009
LA based composer LEAH CURTIS has recorded woodwind player Chris Bleth (of Battlestar Galactica fame) on his range of whistles for the score of the 1890s Australian period drama Southwest of Here. Bleth also performed on Armenian Duduk for a soon to be announced UK trip hop cinematic project. Her score for the US film Disarmed, was also recently recorded in LA with a stellar ensemble of studio musicians, including guitarist Laurence Juber (of Paul McCartney’s WIngs), Fred Selden on flutes (March of the Penguins) and drummer Bill Berg (of Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks). The soundtracks for both scores will soon be available online. www.leahcurtis.net
It’s Fairy magic! After the successful ratings of season one and two, the third season of the hit TV series of The Fairies is now in production and scheduled for release this month on Channel 7 and December on Nickelodeon Jr. The multi-award winning Weta Workshop (Lord of the Rings, King Kong) will be creating the stunning sets for the new series, while music producers and writers JOHN KANE and MARK WALMSLEY have been working closely with The Fairies creator and songwriter, JEN WATTS, to realise her musical vision for a new series. The Fairies continues to sprinkle its magic internationally, including #1 ratings on Nick Jr 2 in the UK and screenings in Malaysia, Bahrain and Qatar. www.thefairies.com
JAMIE SAXE of The Mighty buZZniks (out on ABC for Kids/Roadshow) is currently developing a TV pilot and working on ideas in LA with the successful animation group, Psypop. The Mighty buZZniks music is a contemporary, fun take on children’s music – perfect for the kids whose parents grew up with Triple J and probably still listen to it!
Rainforest, The Secret of Life has already won two awards: the documentary took out The Golden Tripod from the Australian Cinematographers Society and the No. 1 film at the Jules Verne Nature Film Festival in Paris. YANTRA DE VILDER composed the score and Suzanne Jones did the sound mix at their Labyrinth Studios.
CEZARY SKUBISZEWSKI recently scored the drama Blessed directed by Ana Kokkinos and featuring Deborra-Lee Furness, Frances O’Connor and Miranda Otto. Cezary is currently finishing Bran Nue Dae directed by Rachel Perkins with Geoffrey Rush and Missy Higgins.
BRETT APLIN was awarded the AFI for Best Sound in a Documentary for Rare Chicken Rescue. Based in Melbourne, Brett is currently finishing off the documentary Ocean’s Supermum for ABC and is working on the feature documentary, Indonesia Calling, for director John Hughes and the Melbourne International Film Festival. Next project is Death, Drugs and Betrayal for director Terry Carlyon and the ABC.
YURI WORONTSCHAK went to the Tribeca Film Festival in NY for the world premiere of Eric Bana’s Love the Beast, a documentary about his love for a car. Note: Love the Beast was picked by the Festival as one of their recommended highlights.
2009 Sydney Film Festival
The 2009 Sydney Film Festival was a feast of new Australian features and documentaries. Australian films screened include Disgrace (based on J.M. Coetzee’s novel) composer: ANTONY PARTOS director: Steve Jacobs. Composer/director ANDREW LANCASTER had his debut feature film Accidents Happen (starring Geena Davis) screen. Accidents Happen was also accepted into the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York earlier this year and again the composer was ANTONY PARTOS.
A highlight of the Sydney Film Festival was the screening of the classic Australian dark thriller Wake in Fright, and director Ted Kotcheff attended the Festival. The composer was JOHN SCOTT and the producer was George Willoughby. The film first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1971 when it nominated for the Golden Palme Award and the re-mastered version was programmed for this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Other Australian feature films screened were
- Prime Mover: composer - PAUL HEALY, director - David Caesar;
- Last Ride: composer - PAUL CHARLIER, writer - Mac Gudgeon, director - Glendyn Ivin;
- Missing Water: composer - ALAN JOHN, director: Khoa Do;
- Cedar Boys: composer - KHALED SABSABI, director Serhat; and
- Australian documentary The Burning Season: composer - NICOLETTE BOAZ
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