Hi Bob, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for us on our first Sponsor Stories. Let's get into it.
Could you tell us abit about yourself?
My name is Bob Blasdall and have been part of Queensland’s screen industry for more than 50 years and I’m CEO and chief editor at THEpostWORKS.
THEpostWORKS is not involved directly in the cinematography field but is a post-production entity that has been active in the Queensland and Australian screen industry since 1976.
Fantastic! How did you get involved in the film industry?
My journey began in the film industry when I joined United Artists Film Distributors in 1961 as a tender innocent 15 year old office boy. In 1968 I shifted to television and began as a film assistant at BTQ7 and worked my way through the system. Eventually I joined the news department to become a news cameraman and film editor. It was at BTQ7 that I first met and developed a close working relationship with gifted and renowned visual artist Dick Marks. I shifted over to QTQ 9 in 1971 and that year I left television to become a film editor at Martin Williams Films.
Since I first started there as editor, I have racked up credits on well over 400 documentaries, cinema and television dramas, short films and innumerable commercials. I’ve seen the scene (oops) move from film to video tape to digital. One thing that hasn’t change though is the passion and dedication of industry individuals.
15 years old? What an age to start! What's your proudest moment so far supporting this industry in your current capacity?
When very good friend: the late Edwin Scragg ACS reinvigorated the ACS in the mid-1990s he asked if ThepostWorks could participate in ACS sponsorship. Ever since I started my postproduction facility I have actively encouraged and helped students with work experience and other pursuits to try to get them established in this difficult industry, so I said yes and requested that THEpostWORKS sponsor the student award. The answer from Edwin was in the affirmative and we started as sponsor of the Student Cinematography Gold award.
Then the national guild parameters changed, during Ron Johanson’s Queensland presidency I think, and I was present at a committee meeting (I was then a committee member) when the decision was made to alter the award to THEpostWORKS Student Encouragement award.
Since we kicked off our sponsorship, my wife and business partner Penny Wall and I are extremely proud of the fact that more than a few of THEpostWORKS award recipients are now highly regarded and well
established DOPs. Quite a few now have ACS accreditation.
What's a novel fact about yourself that not many people may know?
In 1993 great mate from the Martin Williams days: John Stainton, asked me to edit a 5 minute marketing program for a documentary series Channel 10 were interested in. “Mate, he said it’ll have to be no charge but if it gets up you’ve got the gig.”
It was about a guy who, along with his Dad, owned a small Zoo at Beerwah. He caught problem crocodiles and relocated them, either back to their zoo or set free in a new location. The doco presenter was of course Steve Irwin. I saw the footage shot by Richard Chappelle and was blown away. I cut the promo – Channel 10 picked up the series – the name Crocodile Hunter was born- and with John Stainton’s guidance and marketing expertise Steve Irwin: The Crocodile Hunter became a phenomenal international success. I edited all Crocodile Hunter episodes and either edited or was supervising editor on all the series ancillary spin offs.
THEpostWORKS co-produces “Escape Fishing With ET” and in August 2006 host Andrew Ettingshausen was invited by Steve Irwin to join him aboard his vessel Croc 1 which Steve was trying to establish as a fishing charter operation. Because I knew Steve well, ET invited me along as a second camera operator and to participate in the fishing activities. Andrew was also going to help Steve satellite tag large crocs. We met up with Steve at their Lakefield National Park campsite and Steve allocated tasks to the team members and stated that he would take ET and two others with him to put tags on a 4 meter crocodile captured in a net. I thought he was a bit light in numbers to handle the large beast and sure enough on the way Steve turned to me and stated that if the croc became frisky I was to “ditch that – expletive – second camera and jump on it’s – expletive - tail.”
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