Posts filed under 'Media'
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
Nicole Kidman has revealed that Australia is a movie that she has “dreamed of making” since she was a child. She told People News, “It’s just extraordinary in epic-ness. This is the kind of film that I dreamt of making as a little girl. For ‘Moulin Rouge’ we did everything in the studio but for this we’ve been on location the entire time - in Darwin, up in Queensland and then camping out in tents in the middle of the desert.”
Kidman also said that working without a green screen was one of the highlights of working on the film, “Green screen is definitely not my favourite thing. I became an actor because I wanted to act with other actors. That’s been the beauty of Baz’s film - you are on location breathing the air, feeling the impact of the sunsets.”
Kidman’s co-star, Eddie Baroo, has also been chatting about how much he has enjoyed being part of Australia, and has expressed his admiration for his co-stars, “They’re brilliant. I’m not just saying that, they’re brilliant. It’s probably the worst-kept secret that Hugh’s one of the best blokes running around the world. I wish I could tell you why they’re unreal. I tell ya what, when the film gets released and I’m able to talk more, I’ll be able to tell you about the first day I met Hugh. Very, very funny, very funny.”
Eddie Baroo was not allowed to discuss his role in the movie, but we remember him from an image posted right here on this site…
This image is already featured in our gallery and shows Eddie Baroo grappling with the Drover. It would appear that he is apparently about to throw the Drover out of a window, and it could be that Baroo will feature in the scene where the Drover first meets Lady Ashley after a brawl in a Darwin pub. Could australiamovie.net be correct in our assumption? We will have to wait and see!
sources: People News, Geelong Advertiser
December 4th, 2007
Stocktake. It’s the end of November, the country of Australia is under new leadership, David Wenham was seen out and about assisting the Labor party on voting day, Hugh Jackman has been keeping that physique of his in tip top condition by frequenting Sydney’s Bondi Beach and Nicole Kidman has been jetting between countries to promote forthcoming films The Golden Compass and Margot At The Wedding. How do we know all of this? The wonderous australiamovie.net forum of course!
So, has filming finished? The answer is no! It’s a hard question to answer, what with the last leg of filming taking place behind locked doors at Sydney’s Fox Studios, however in a recent radio interview with Ryan Seacrest on KIIS FM Nicole has revealed a wrap date for Australia! You can download the interview in our multimeda section.
So, um, I’ve been making a film in Australia for the last nine months and we finish on the 21st of December, so, I can’t wait [for the time off].
With 20th Century Fox & Hugh Jackman’s pending film, Wolverine, barking at their heels we’re pretty sure the Bazmark team will stick to this date. …but don’t quote us on that!
November 29th, 2007
Baz Luhrmann has unleashed a pink spotlight over the country by illuminating the set [click for larger] of his motion picture Australia to support breast cancer research and the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual Pink Ribbon Campaign.
The mythical homestead ‘Faraway Downs’ featured in the film, and housed on Stage 7 at Sydney’s Fox Studios, forms part of the 2007 Estée Lauder Global Illumination program. Since this project was launched by Evelyn Lauder in 2000 hundreds of famous landmarks in over 40 countries have been lit pink to raise funds for breast cancer research and awareness of the disease.
For more illuminating information please visit nbcf.org.au.
Also visit thebreastcancersite.com and for one click a day you can help fund free mammograms.
image: James Fisher
source: nbcf.org.au.
October 10th, 2007
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Tourism Australia is in discussions with Baz Luhrmann about creating a massive marketing campaign centering on Australia. The campaign would highlight areas other than the usual major attractions, and possibly incoporate the movie’s romance to promote Australia as a romantic destination. A spokesman for 20th Century Fox said Luhmann would be “thrilled” to work with the tourism body, but Tourism Australia has so far declined to comment.
On a separate note, two ‘unofficial’ trailers for Australia have recently been posted on You Tube. One is entitled Australia Trailer and the other Australia Trailer: Fair Dinkum Version. They are both entertaining spoofs and worth a look!
Sources: The Sydney Morning Herald, You Tube
October 5th, 2007
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