From the SA Pres....
Please accept my apologies for not being able to get an eNews out till now but we've been busy! The National Awards Judging was held here in Adelaide last weekend. Many thanks to RSP for their theatre and to helpers DTang, Mylene & Mal Ludgate ACS and of course to our 5 judges. I hear the Cinekids tour and our Christmas drinks were both a great success and only wish I could have attended both. Well the 2016 National ACS Awards are fast approaching so I hope to see as many of you at the awards and Satellite events as possible. Many of the Satellite events are free but still require booking through the ACS Online Shop as numbers are limited. If your name is not on the door list and the event is booked out you will miss out. To give our visitors a taste of the wonderful things Adelaide has on offer we have organised a few touristy things to do. Of course our members are welcome to attend as well. I'm excited to say that the South Australian Film Corporation, South Australian Tourism, Penny's Hill winery and Kojo have all stepped up to help us make these events and awards very special. The black tie 45th Annual Awards for Cinematography, held in the Riverview rooms 6, 7 & 8 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, on Saturday 30 April will truly be a celebration of the best Cinematography Australia has to offer. Satellite events to be held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley include: Southern Light 2 Expo, Exhibitor Presentations, Ray Martin AM stills Retrospective, Meet The Nominees, Dean Semlers Road to Hollywood screening, 2016 AGM, and John Seale ACS ASC Presents
ably supported by David Burr ACS a look at How they got that shot with work spanning the last 40 years. We also have SA companies involved at the Expo including Picture Hire and Psycholites. But that's not all folks...
ACS Tour of the iconic Adelaide Oval
On Friday 29 April @ 1100 be led on an unforgettable journey into the inner sanctum by expert volunteer guides.
Go behind closed doors where youll discover hidden secrets and re live celebrated moments. Access restricted areas and experience the roar of the crowd as you take to the ground through the interactive players race. Step into living history as you explore the iconic scoreboard, and see where some of the worlds greatest musos have entertained sold-out crowds. This is a group tour especially for the ACS and will take approx 1.5 hours and you need to walk about 2.5ks. Please read the FAQa as suitable footwear is required: Click for Oval FAQ's Book via ACS SHOP special ACS price of $17 inc GST. Note: If you wish to see the Bradman Collection it would have to be before or after Oval tour.
a Chinese banquet
Since there will be quite a few sponsors and expo participants in town on Friday night the 29th we have an especially organized for the ACS a delicious and generous Chinese banquet. It includes Crab Meat Sweet Corn Soup, Dumplings (Prawn, Chive & Dim Sim) Steamed Barramundi, Salt & Pepper Moreton Bay Bug Tails, CitiZen Crispy Chicken, Cantonese Shredded Steak, Golden Scallops, Mixed Garden Vegies, Special Fried Rice, Mango Puddings plus Chinese Tea. (All other drinks extra). CitiZen is on the corner of Gilbert & King William Streets 1.5k from the Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley. A 20 minute walk or you can catch the tram from King William St/Rundle Mall stop, 3 stops to Halifax St tram stop then an easy 200 meter stroll. The SA President reckons its the best Chinese in Adelaide! Book via ACS SHOP $55 per person inc GST.
a McLaren Vale winery tour & lunch
Lunch and winery tour on Sunday May 1 1000-1600. Bus pick up from Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley, meet in foyer at 09:45. McLaren Vale has seen a fair bit of filmmaking recently with The Water Diviner, Anzac Girls and Deadline Gallipoli shot in the area. Nearby Australias 1st legal Nudist Beach, Maslins Beach, stood in for Anzac Cove. Theres a huge number of wineries and cellar doors, some favourites include: Hugh Hamilton, Primo Estate, Oliver's Taranga, Coriole, Pertaringa, Samuel's Gorge, SC Pannell, Fox Creek and Pennys Hill. The first stop for the bus will be Hugh Hamilton followed by stunning Primo Estate. You will receive a $15 credit on your purchases from Primo Estate. Followed by lunch at gorgeous Pennys Hill Winery & the Kitchen Door Restaurant where you will have a beautiful plated share lunch after a wine tasting of their fabulous range of award winning wines. Book via ACS SHOP $110 per person inc GST. Many thanks to Tony Parkinson of Penny's Hill for supplying their fantastic wines for our ACS National Sponsor Packs.
Saturday night the 45th Annual National Awards for Cinematography
Our Special Guest is Nigel Walters BSC and Ray Martin AM will MC. So get your black tie or best frock organised for the Awards which start at 6:30pm at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Bookings essential: BOOK NATIONAL AWARDS TICKETS HERE
Schedule of Events
Friday 29/4/16 Adelaide Oval tour $17 per person
Southern Light 2 Expo Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
Exhibitor Presentations
ACS Chinese Red Fire Monkey Banquet @ CitiZen $55 a head (excludes drinks) Saturday 30/4/16
Southern Light 2 Expo Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
Exhibitor Presentations
Ray Martin Stills retrospective Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
Meet the Nominees Screening/Q&A moderated by Kim Batterham ACS Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
Dean Semlers Road to Hollywood documentary presented by David Brill ACS Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
2016 National ACS Awards Adelaide Convention Centre, Riverview Rooms 6, 7 & 8 ~ Tickets $150 incl GST
After Party?... Make your own, try Bank, Peel or Leigh Streets or if youre really brave give Hindley Street a go! Sunday 1/5/16 National AGM: Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
McLaren Vale Winery Tour (10am-4pm) includes delicious plated share lunch and wine tasting @ Pennys Hill Winery $110 incl gst. per person (drinks extra) Monday 2/5/16 'How they shot that' on Monday May 2 in Hindley room 1 at Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley. 0930 to 1600.
 John Seale AM ACS ASC & David Burr ACS |
'How they shot that' on Monday May 2 in Hindley room 1 at Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley. 0930 to 1600. Bookings for 'How they shot that!' are essential via ACS SHOP
Wrap up of CineKids Anifex tour
 The CineKids were presented with an ACS cap by JoAnne |
Back on Saturday December 12 the ACS SA branch ran a special, ACS CineKids members only, tour of the incredibly interesting Anifex Studio.
Anifex is the multi award winning animation house who have been responsible for many animated commercials including Home Hardware, Schmackos, Louie the Fly and many more. CineKids join ACS committee member and much awarded cinematographer JoAnne Bouzianis-Sellickled a tour through their creative studio. The CineKids learnt how they use clay animation, film miniatures and employ motion control to make their masterpieces.
Another tour will be held soon for the new CineKids members, so stay tuned.
Nick Mathews ACS Profile
 Nick with the slate in earlier days |
Nick whats your favourite film or TV show, pet food, place or person? Well Id have to say that my new favourite place is Oaxaca Mexico. I was there not long ago for the day of the dead festival. Its fascinating to see everyone celebrate their dead with music, dancing, food and the fairly dangerous liquor Mexcal. It makes a change from the grim funerals Ive been to where you shuffle around a room eating sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Im hoping to die one day in Mexico. I suppose that sounds a bit macabre! My favourite film would have to be Ordinary People, directed by Robert Redford
a Beautiful and complex drama. When did you first become interested in our industry - what was your first job/project/film? I used to tell jokes and stories to my family from about age 2. I recall one about a cockatoo flying over the sea. I remember thinking that seemed a great tale
lets just say its "still in development"... In my teenage years I was making films with my friends. They normally involved King Fu or War or both. We loved mowing each other down with machine guns. Or doing that neck twisting thing where you dispose of anonymous henchmen with one move. There was always violence. So typical of teenage boys. Sigh. My first gig was assisting the very talented DOP Tony Jennings on a pilot for a kids TV series that he was making with his identical twin brother Paul. I was young. I had braces on my teeth. So long ago. I learned a lot. Those times are really the sink or swim years. I was lucky that I was assisting whilst being at Uni. I think it was a good balance. It meant that I couldnt get too caught up getting a film school attitude. I knew that my immediate future was in carrying heavy things about. Important lessons. Dont get me started on Gen Y!
 Nick rides a crane |
What did you do when you decide to further your career
? I originally went to Uni with the intention of being an actor. Id done quite a bit of (bad) acting as a kid. Even a couple of ropey late night TV commercials. But thankfully I turned my attention to filmmaking. I seemed to get involved mostly in cinematography at Uni... most likely because I was the only one who could load the bloody CP16, the ancient 16mm camera that had this loopy way of running film through it. I soon became fixated with lighting and lenses and the thrill of getting rushes back from the lab. I miss film. Those days are long gone. Now everyone sits around the video split like theyre watching the telly. And they text and facebook between takes. Okay Ill stop now
I feel old. What has been your most interesting project so far? There have certainly been some interesting times. I loved shooting a film in Cyprus called the Palace that Anthony Maras directed. I loved the city of Nicosia. There was a scene where we had to keep our heads low whilst filming because we were told Turkish snipers might try to pick us off. That felt terribly exciting. And then there was haloumi cheese. God I love that stuff. I was also lucky enough that the first big production I worked on (assisting the guy doing video split) was Band of Brothers, that was 150 million dollars. It was quite an experience to be a part of a machine that size
industrial film-making at its finest. Sometimes 7 or 8 cameras at a time. It was the best of times and the worst. But always cold. And muddy. Mostly it was wonderful working with people who are at the top of their game. Its a pretty brutal scene at that level. People were getting sacked all the time. It was madness. The first AD Chris Newman had a sign on his door that said were not making a war movie, were just here filming a war. That was how the whole thing was run.
 DoP Jodi Muston with Director Nick Mathews ACS |
Tell us some of that challenges you faced doing that? The Palace was challenging because it was about trying to create a really organic period look (70's), shooting on RED. Needless to say I used a lot of smoke in the interiors. I kind of hate the look of digital as it comes out of the box (I should say that was pre Alexa) thankfully the locations were amazingly cinematic. Working with crew in another country is always a challenge. You have to start from scratch. Its easy to take for granted a scene like SA where we all know each other. But the crew were mostly great, though they had some funny habits
like wandering off all the time to make frappes (iced coffee) at all hours. They even kept a special frappe blender on set all the time
There was lots of yelling and gesticulating. It was all very Mediterranean. But then lots of laughing and drinking and smoking at the end of each shoot day. I think one of the funniest things that happened on that shoot was my arrival. I pulled in after 40 hours of flying and sat and drank coffee with Stefan, the German Steadycam operator and his Focus puller. Karim. After about an hour of talking all about the script, Stefan asked me politely and so what is your role on the film?. I was kind of surprised by the question, but I answered well er Im kind of the DOP. Then there was very sad and confused looks and lots of banter in German. Stefan said Oh I thought we were working with a famous Greek DOP...It turns out I'd replaced Phedon Papamichael (DOP of Sideways) at the last minute! I will never forget the look on (producer) Julie Ryans face. It was priceless.
Your reputation for expertise in the industry is well known around town, is that where you think your future lies? I loved working as a cinematographer a lot, but I always knew that Id end up directing. Im fascinated by the big picture and by the craft of acting. Its a real buzz for me to be knee deep in that psychological stuff. The first film I directed, One Eyed Girl was in cinemas last year. Thankfully it was received pretty well, especially in the US where it won a couple of festivals. Thats opened up some doors. I have an agent in London and a manager in LA now. Im spending a lot of my time over there. Im reading lots of American scripts, mostly thrillers that are kind of B studio films. My manager Peter said to me when I signed Im going to be straight with you; here in the US you're going to be a thriller guy. Thats all youll get offered. I told him that Im happy to be the anything guy in the US! Its great to have any sorts of opportunities. Its a tricky game to make a living in. You have to have a few irons in the fire. Im learning quickly about the whole circus. I had a meeting out on the Sony lot with an executive recently. He said to me you know we make big tent poles like Spiderman but we also have films made by filmmakers. It was a telling moment. I realised that in Hollywood, you know youve made it as a director when youre no longer considered "a film maker...
Whats your next project? Im not exactly sure yet but there are quite a few things in the works. At the moment Im interviewing for British television. There's some really exciting work being made for TV there, especially thrillers; The Missing, The Fall, Broadchurch, Luther, London Spy, River
.the list goes on. Thats the sort of territory Im circling. Ill keep you posted! Tell us something about yourself that not many people know. Probably that Id be a shrink if I wasnt a film-maker! Im an avid reader of anything in the realm of clinical psychology. Im thinking that if things dont work out in film directing, Ill go back to study and try end up with a couch and little office somewhere. Human beings are endlessly fascinating to me. Thanks Nick, fascinating story. I'm looking forward to seeing your next project. Maybe we could have a screening & Q&A with you and your DoP.
 A rather pleased Nick after receiving a Gold tripod from Ray Martin at the ACS National Awards. |
Upcoming dates
Events to come include New lighting, Screenings with Q&A's; why don't you suggest something? Don't forget to put the 2016 National Awards, here in Adelaide on 30 April in your dairies. April 4 Committee Meeting April 29 1100-1230 ACS iconic Adelaide Oval Tour
April 29 1300-1700 Expo plus Exhibitor presentations @ Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
April 29 1900-2100 ACS Chinese Red Fire Monkey Banquet - CitiZen April 30 0900-1500 Expo plus Exhibitor presentations @ Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
April 30 1100-1230 Ray Martin Stills retrospective Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
April 30 1330-1500 Meet the Nominees Screening/Q&A moderated by Kim Batterham ACS Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
April 30 1500-1630 Dean Semlers Road to Hollywood documentary presented by David Brill ACS Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley April 30 1830-2300 45th National Awards in Adelaide @ Adelaide Convention Centre May 1 0900-1630 National AGM: Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley
May 1 1000-1600 McLaren Vale Winery Tour includes delicious plated share lunch and wine tasting @ Pennys Hill Winery May 2 0930-1630 John Seale AM ACS ASC presents
ably supported by David Burr ACS. Hotel Grand Chancellor on Hindley. A fascinating day of discovering how they shot that! Clips from 40 years of motion picture brilliance explained by the masters May 9 Committee Meeting May 31 Invoice Membership renewals June 6 Committee Meeting June 30 Membership Fees Due July 4 Committee Meeting August 15 AGM September 5 Committee Meeting October 3 Committee Meeting October 29 Annual SA/WA ACS Awards for Cinematography to be held in Perth for only the 2nd time, simultaneous awards dinner & live streaming in The Torrens Room @ Hackney Hotel Adelaide November 7 Committee Meeting December 5 Committee Meeting December 12 Christmas Drinks
ACS online shop open
Visit our online ACS shop so you can buy all the ACS merchandise you could ever want. Check it out at www.acsshop.com.au You can order back issues of AC mag, copies of Shadowcatchers, replacement plaques (as long as you've won them!), ACS branded Hoodies, Spray Jackets, Ladies & Mens Tees - cool new design or the original, Caps & Beanies, Mugs, Pens or Notebooks. Of course you can also book the free Satellite Events being held over the long weekend of the 2016 National Awards - April 29 to May 2.
ACS CineKids
You might know someone who may want to be an ACS CineKid, if so encourage them to join our newest membership category. - ACS CineKids - has been created to encourage and foster interested kids up to the age of 15 years to participate and take an active hands-on approach to Cinematography. An ACS CineKids Member is a young person, 15 years or under, who has a passion for cameras and filmmaking. ACS CineKids will receive a Welcome Pack with a membership certificate, membership card, note pad and pen, access to our E news both National & State, and various screenings and workshops, along with mentoring from our ACS cinematographers. To find out more and how to join ACS CineKids click on the following link:
ACS SA Branch Facebook page
The ACS SA branch has its own Facebook page. We will use this page to advertise upcoming events, as well as create photo albums of Awards and Trade Nights. To become a fan, go to the link below and click the 'like' button.
ACS Facebook posts
We have rampied up our Facebook posts so no matter what you're up to regarding filming why not let us know.
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