Posts filed under 'Crew'
Previously we mentioned that David Wenham was distributing ‘How To Vote’ flyers for the labor party on election day. David stated that in addition to social policy the local labor candidate had, “won his support because ‘the current government’ had done nothing for the arts.”
With the Rudd government now at the helm of Australia, stars such as Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann and Hugh Jackman have become unofficial policy advisers to the new Arts Minister. Peter Garrett, ex-front man of Australian rock band Midnight Oil and newly assigned Arts Minister, recently dropped by the set of Australia to seek advice from some of the biggest players in the business on how to bring blockbuster films back to the country.
“I was able to spend some time talking to Baz and the crew and to Hugh as well on set,” Mr Garrett said. “We talked about the project and I said that I really did want to have a fresh view and really energetic approach to seeing the film industry reach its full potential. …I’ve been speaking before and after the election with directors, writers and film-makers and I see a real possibility of a resurgence in film coming.”
Mr Garret recognises that Australia has some of the finest talents in terms of directors, actors and writers, however their skills are all too often being exported to make big budget projects overseas, instead of at home in Australia. It is the new Art Minister’s aim to provide the right framework to make it possible for more home-grown projects in the future.
Visit the production gallery to view the full sized image of Mr Garret on set with Baz and Hugh.
sources: The Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph
December 23rd, 2007
With the final shots of Australia in the can, Bazmark Films II have now released several new still shots from the feature film. To view them (as seen left) in full simply visit our ever-growing gallery.
The stench of cow manure lingering in the air, their faces smeared with dirt and bodies drenched in sweat, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman finally dimmed the lights on outback Australia yesterday, after a gruelling nine-month shoot; wrote The Courrier Mail.
For the better part of ten years Kidman and Luhrmann have brainstormed and dreamed of making such an epic. For this reason it’s understandable that seeing a large phase of it come to completion would create mixed feelings. Nicole Kidman said while she was looking forward to a break over Christmas, the anxiety of the curtain finally falling on the film hit her during a dream on the eve of her final scene. “Last night I was crying in a dream and I think it was a bit of anxiety about finishing,” she admitted. “I am very ingratiated having done this film. I have wanted to do it since I was 14 and I didn’t know what it was, but I knew there was something.”
Meanwhile, on set, looking buff for his Wolverine role beginning in three weeks, leading man Hugh Jackman will film his final scene today. “If you could tick any box off a job, this has got every box ticked,” he said, adding it felt “surreal” to finish. “Part of me doesn’t want to let this go. It’s probably the best movie I’ve ever worked on. It’s hard to let go of.”
When asked about the length of the shoot Baz Luhrmann denied breaking the blockbuster budget, but joked; “It’s a secret - I don’t want you to tell anyone - but I’m not on schedule.” “[However] someone said the other day, as far as epics go, not anything particularly out of the ordinary. Not fast. Not slow.”
And what of the pressure to deliver a hit movie? “The expectations are enormous, the pressure of that (is) not comfortable,” he said. “Will this film be a success? I do not know. Could it be that almighty mistake that one is bound to do at some time? Possibly but … we’ll do everything we can to make it as good as we possibly can.”
sources: Sydney Morning Herald, Herald Sun, Courier Mail
images: Bazmark Films II - James Fisher
December 20th, 2007
It has been nine long months, but as of today Australia has finally completed principal photography. Baz Luhrmann and crew can now begin the next leg of their journey through post-production. The cast and crew all gathered together at Sun Studios, Alexandria on Saturday night (December 15th) to commemorate the occasion.
On December 16th Baz Luhrmann and cast member Brandon Walters were interviewed on the Sydney red carpet for Nicole Kidman’s latest release, The Golden Compass.
Baz Luhrmann commented, “I think last night [at the wrap party] there was a genuine, heartfelt feeling of having completed it. You know, that was really the great challenge and in the nine months the crew and every participant has been absolutely unflinching in their passion to see it through, so there’s an enormous sense of joy, actually. I mean, we have another big, big road to go, but there’s a great joy about having completed such a long project, and we are at the end of principal photography.”
You can view the rest of the interview in our multimedia section. As you’ll see, we think young Brandon will quickly gain many fans!
December 19th, 2007
Veteran actor and supporting cast member Jack Thompson is featured in a three page spread of the Women’s Weekly magazine, January 2008 edition. The article gives an overview of his works and Jack discusses how he’s built a career not only in Australia, but now in the American industry.
Though he’s recently been working in America, Jack returned to Australia and walked straight into a major supporting role on the set of Baz Luhrmann’s latest movie. He has just completed studio work on the film in which he plays cattle station book keeper Kipling Flynn. “He’s very different to anything you have seen me play in the past,” Jack said. “Baz has pushed me a little here and a little there, and we have created this extraordinary book keeper, a drinker who is somewhere between a total tragedy and a struggling spirit. There’s a comic edge to him, too. It’s been very exciting.”
When listening to Jack or anyone involved in the making of Australia, you sense this immense feeling of pride and accomplishment to be a part of the film. Jack added, “Baz is attacking this film on a fabulous scale. Perhaps it will see a revival for the Australian film industry. I was talking to Hugh Jackman and I said I was amazed at the scale of the production and that I thought it would be a landmark Australian film. And he leaned over and whispered, ‘Yeah. And you know what? We’re in it’. “
To read the entire article, you can view scans at the Australia discussion forum here
source: Women’s Weekly
December 18th, 2007
We previously reported that Sir Elton John might contribute music to Australia. Though it first appeared in jest, it now seeems to be a more serious offer and we just might see Elton collaborating with Baz Luhrmann once again! It has been revealed that Elton would “jump at the chance of writing a love song” for the movie, and this week he visited the Fox Studios set to meet with Baz. Elton and partner, David Furnish, were also taken to a private screening room to watch a ten-minute rough assembly of scenes, and they both think that “Australia could become like Titanic on dry land”.
On the day of their visit, Baz Luhrmann was filming close-ups of the ‘Mission Ball’ sequence, featuring Nicole Kidman in a stunning red gown designed by Baz’s wife and creative collaborator, Catherine Martin. Some scenes had already been shot back in May 2007 on location at Sydney’s Strickland House, which we know will double as Darwin’s Government House in the film. A mammoth, end-of-shooting wrap party is expected to take place today in advance of the Australia shoot coming to an end next week.
Source: Daily Mail 1, Daily Mail 2
December 15th, 2007
Toward the end of November Baz Luhrmann had an on set fall injuring himself in the throws of filming at Sydney’s Fox Studios. However, the showbiz creedo, “the show must go on,” is well known to the director and thus he has been seen limping around set with the aid of a walking stick since the incident.
We’re pleased to hear that it was nothing too serious and a The Daily Telegraph insider reports, “He must be on the mend because he was leaping about the place wearing a wetsuit. There are a number of water scenes they’re doing at the moment which explains that (outfit)”.
In other news, legendary musician Sir Elton John has developed a friendship with Luhrmann ever since the singer allowed the use of Your Song in Moulin Rouge! Well, according to the latest issue of Sydney’s Time Out Magazine he is hoping to repeat the venture by offering his songs for use in Australia. Luhrmann joked there was a chance that he would take Elton up on his offer saying, “well, there is a scene in the film involving a crocodile…”
Sir Elton is guest editor of the latest Time Out which goes on sale December 12-18, an issue which includes an exclusive chat with Aussie director Baz Luhrmann.
You can read the interview here.
sources: The Daily Telegraph, Time Out
December 11th, 2007
David Wenham, fellow cast member Hugh Jackman and wife Deborah Lee Furness all recently attended the Prince of Whales Hospital Gala Charity evening at Sydney Town Hall. No stranger to such charitable causes, Jackman also donated his signed bushman’s hat, used in filming Australia, to the black-tie Starball event held at the Westin Hotel last Saturday.
The cast of Australia have recently celebrated two birthdays, those of director Baz Luhrmann and David Wenham. We’re told Luhrmann celebrated his 45th birthday on September 17th by treating the film’s cast and crew to muffins and coffee, then apparently remained working at the studio until late. He did however make time to share a birthday cake with his wife and two children.
According to the Daily Telegraph, after hanging in Outback pubs while on location, the cast of Australia chose a restaurant with one of the most spectacular Sydney Harbour views for a bonding session on Tuesday night; likely a small birthday gathering? Leading lights Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman joined director Baz Luhrmann at Circular Quay noshery Cafe Sydney. Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown and David Wenham also scrubbed up for the private dinner. “It was probably the first time the cast had been out socially,” a film spokesman said. But it wasn’t a late night, with the cast having to be up early to shoot final interior scenes at Fox Studios yesterday.
sources: Daily Telegraph
images: defamer.com
September 27th, 2007
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