Projects as diverse as a road movie love story, a bikie action picture, a black comedy about rehab, and a moving family drama will be developed by the filmmakers selected for the Australian Film Commission's 2006 IndiVision Project Lab, which was announced today.
The IndiVision Project Lab is a high-level professional hothouse tailored for emerging and experienced Australian filmmakers developing low-budget feature films.
Participants from the first Project Lab in 2005 also attended the announcement, where a preview of the first IndiVision film to be completed - Caterpillar Wish - was shown and the film's producer, Kate Whitbread, spoke of the amazing Project Lab experience.
The 2006 IndiVision Lab participants hail from Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The talented teams of writers, producers and directors include festival winners and box office performers.
Director Kate Woods and producer Robyn Kershaw, the team behind the box office hit Looking for Alibrandi, join South Australian writer Cath Moore at the Lab with their project Moving South, the story of a gambling beer rep whose life is changed forever by a visionary child.
Fat Pizza producer Jeff Purser and Cannes-selected director Vincent Giarrusso (Mallboy) will attend the Lab with writer Edward Berridge and their project Godless, the story of a bloody war between two biker gangs that comes down to a final bitter stand-off between two men.
Actor/director Jo Kennedy (Starstruck) attends the Lab with her director's hat on, in the company of her award-winning producer Lawrence Johnston (Eternity) and co-writer Christine Rogers, with Lion's Teeth, the story of two young girls trying to forge a life for themselves in the ashes of their parent's marriage.
The moving family drama Ten Empty, by award-winning playwright Brendan Cowell and actor/writer/director Anthony Hayes, and producer Naomi Wenck, has also been selected.
The other projects selected are: Running Wild, a teen drama set in remote Tasmania; The Big Jesus, a black comedy about a man coping with his own mortality; Angry Young Man, a powerful drama about the consequences of violence; and The Bridge, a moving comedy set in an alcohol rehabilitation centre.
At the Lab, the teams will collaborate with top international and Australian advisors to work on visual language, performance, producing strategies and scripts for their projects.
Advisors include US producer Andrew Fierberg (Secretary), French producer Marc Missionnier (Swimming Pool), Australian director Gillian Armstrong (Charlotte Grey), visual consultant Rowan Cassidy (House of Flying Daggers) and Australian producers Su Armstrong (Good Will Hunting), David Lightfoot (Wolf Creek), Bridget Ikin (Look Both Ways) and Lynda House (Muriel's Wedding).
At the Lab, the selected teams will also rehearse, shoot and edit scenes from their script, working with top actors, cinematographers and editors. Participating actors include Joel Edgerton, David Field and Marcus Graham.
The Lab takes place in Sydney from 16-22 February, and runs alongside the IndiVision Screenings, a public season of the hottest international indie films at Dendy Newton from 17-19 February. See www.afc.gov.au/IndiVision for full program details and the national screening tour going to Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth during February, March and April.
Selected teams for 2006 IndiVision Project
Angry Young Man
Producer Ross Howden
Writer/Director Antonio Oreña Barlin
The Big Jesus
Producer Clare Sawyer
Writer/Director Alistair Reid
The Bridge
Producer Heather Phillips
Director Owen Johnston
Writer Christine Langtree
Godless
Producer Jeff Purser
Writer Edward M. Berridge
Director Vincent Giarrusso
Lion's Teeth
Producer Lawrence Johnston
Writer/Director Jo Kennedy
Co-Writer Christine Rogers
Moving South
Producer Robyn Kershaw
Writer Cath Moore
Director Kate Woods
Running Wild
Producer Kath Shelper
Writer/Director Ruth Carr
Ten Empty
Producer Naomi Wenck
Writer Brenden Cowell
Director Anthony Hayes |
