From the SA Pres
 The Oval Tour in front of the iconic scoreboard. |
very soon you all should have received an invoice for your membership fees for 2016 / 2017, if you haven't keep an eye out for it, as it should arrive in your inbox soon. Fees are due by June 30. The membership year is July 1 to June 30 so please pay your subs promptly; our volunteers don't want to waste their valuable time chasing tardy payers. If you do not receive your invoice in the next week, please contact our treasurer, Mylene Ludgate Of course whilst renewing your membership it could be a good time to check your details are correct. If you have you moved or changed your email address or got a new mobile # then please login to the ASC website and make sure your details are up to date. It costs us money when copies of AC mag are returned to us and if you want to receive eNews and communications about upcoming events it helps if we have your correct details. So log in and check your deets: http://www.cinematographer.org.au/
 I must have said something funny! |
Sponsors should have received our 2016 / 2017 Sponsorship Proposal by now and if any business you know of could be a possible sponsor please let me know. We certainly could do with more!
Our branch AGM will be held on Monday August 15 and soon we will be asking for nominations to the join the committee. So if you are keen to help the SA Branch advance by being inolved please consider joining. We hold a committee meeting normally on the 1st Monday of the month 11 times a year. We get January off! If you can't get to the AGM you can always register your vote by filling in a Proxy Form. BTW the ACS Red Fire Monkey Dinner at CitiZen was great. Good fun, food, friendship & vino.
Wine Tour feedback
 Lunch @ The Kitchen Door restaurant @ Penny's Hill |
A group of us gathered in the mini bus Sunday morning after the 45th National Awards. We were a little the worse for wear after the huge awards dinner the night before. Sunglasses were the dress code for the day as Adelaide turned on summer like weather for the short drive to McLaren Vale. The first stop at Hugh Hamilton Wines for a tasting in the beautiful elevated round room over looking the vineyard. Serious tasting commenced and it wasnt long before we were loading the bus with boxes of wine and goodies.
 WA member Ian Pugsley with John Seale AM ACS ASC & Peter James ACS ASC @ Primo |
The next stop was the very modern Primo Estate and after some bubbled among the vines we sat in a stunning private room where the tables were set with glasses, crunchy bread and delicious cheese ready for the tasting. Even the Olive Oil tasting was great. More boxes were brought to the bus then on to lunch at the old farm setting of Penny's Hill winery.
We were seated at a long table in the middle of a huge room looking over fields with black faced sheep carefully placed by the Art Department! After several delicious courses and many delicious wines we staggered back on the bus. Thank God for the bus. It was a wonderful chance to chat and get to know people we had not had a chance to meet over the weekend. All agreed it was a fantastic day. Thanks so much for all the work you and all the committee did to make the awards and whole weekend so wonderful. Congratulations. PJ Exquisite food, beautiful wines, so marvellously orchestrated by SA ACS branch.
xxx LS From the Pres: Thanks very much to Penny's Hill for the wonderful support recently shown to our branch and thanks again for the 2014 Cracking Black Shiraz for the Sponsor's Packs.
Cine Kids Event
CineKids do you want to know more about lighting, about setting up your camera, about positioning the camera? Well this could be for you. We have 3 very experienced young ACS members ready to show you some of these skills; they are Miles Rowland, Maxx Corkindale and Viv Madigan. This will be held at Anifex on Sunday morning 26 June 10am to 11:30am. Please bring whatever you film on along to the session. Booking is essential to presidentsa@austcine.org.au Sorry CineKids members only and their parents may stay if they wish.
Free screening & a drink! Captain America: Civil War
The first ever SAFC/VES "Generation Next" networking night is this Friday at the Mercury - a free screening of Captain America: Civil War with a talk about the visual effects industry from "The Rookies" founder Alwyn Hunt. Free drink on arrival courtesy of the VES and RSP - free tickets still available.
New Screen Makers Conference Impact Doco Hack - National Callout
MRC New Screen Makers Conference- Impact Doco Hack is on 15/16 July this year at the MRC. The New Screen Makers Conference (NSMC) is a 2 day conference in Adelaide that brings together speakers who are comedy, drama and documentary broadcasters, producers, directors, writers and impact producers.
The NSMC is seeking applications from documentary writer, director and producer teams who have a cracking project to hack and develop social impact solutions and audience pathways for their project for TV, film and digital.
Ideas can be at any stage of development and for any format but projects must be a documentary and have an audience reach out strategy. Two projects will be selected by the NSMC selection committee made up of experienced documentary professionals.
The esteemed documentary panel will identify what your project needs to take it to the next stage, by focussing on a clear pathway and identifying your projects scope for impact.
The conference documentary hack event will be live in front of the NSMC delegates and streamed to national partner communities.
The MRC will contribute $300 towards return airfares to Adelaide and accommodation per team.
APPLICATION DEADLINE 5PM 6 June 2016
Impact Doco Hack Panel:
Rebecca Barry - Media Stockade (I am a Girl, Call me Dad)
Kate Hodges- Screen Impact (Frackman)
Julia Overton-Jotz Productions (Red Obsession, Last Impresario, Trent Parke Search For the Black Rose)
Event Details:
When:12.30 - 2pm, Saturday 16 July 2016
Where: Mercury Cinema, 13 Morphett St, Adelaide, South Australia
Application Process National Call Out Please apply by completing the form at http://www.mrc.org.au/make-it/news/359 If you have any questions please contact Project Officer Chrissy Kavanagh on (08) 8410 0979 or c.kavanagh@mrc.org.au Applications close 5.00pm June 6 2016: A one-line synopsis of your idea.
A one-two page project outline including the story, directors vision, the format, impact strategy and the pathways to audience.
A video of up to two minutes describing your idea would be favourable, Please ensure that all videos are available for public viewing.
Attach a short bio and credits for you and your team.
Attach any other materials you have already created for this idea.
HQ Visit
Recently my timing was perfect for a call in to the ACS HQ in North Sydney as they were doing a highlights presentation of the NAB 2016 show in Las Vegas. Lemac once again showed a film of the latest, greatest and futuristic camera innovations and announcements from the big show. Following that an awesome presentation was given by Stefan and the team from Arri of all their latest gear that they unveiled there. They even brought some bits along for showing including the new ALEXA SXT Plus with 35mm and 50mm Master Anamorphic lenses for hands-on and testing as well as a fully-featured ALEXA Mini with ARRI Wireless Remote System to demonstrate its remote control capabilities. The clubhouse is fantastic. The old gear, memorabilia, mementos and library are just incredible and worth visiting too see for that alone. There was plenty of wine flowing, top notch conversation and was well attended by over 70 people. The NSW branch gave me a special introduction and I felt very welcome. They made a special note to tell everyone that if theyre ever in Sydney to drop in for a visit. They have drop in nights regularly so you might even get lucky with your timing. Otherwise, send them an email to arrange a time as its well worth a visit. Miles Thanks Miles, so if you're up in Sydney don't forget to contact Richard Wilmot or David Lewis ACS and go and check out your HQ, grab a coffee or use the internet, look though the museum or library. It's great and it's for all ACS members. Contact HQ Manager
David Lewis ACS
dlewis@cinematographer.net.au
mob # 0408 273 702 or Asst HQ Manager
Richard Wilmot
richardwilmotproductions@gmail.com
mob # 0450 223 837
Flinders Uni visit
 JoAnne hands Sam & Ella their ACS packs. |
Recently one of the SA branch Vice Presidents, JoAnne Bouzianis Sellick, visited the cinematography students at Flinders Uni. Whilst there she presented two students, Sam & Ella, with complimentary ACS Student memberships. JoAnne also gave a talk on cinematography and the various other roles she's worked in in the film industry as well as screening excerpts of her work. The students loved her presentation and I heard how they really appreciated her giving up her time and passing on her knowledge.
Profile Richard Chataway ACS
This month's profile is about a cinematographer working mainly in the field of stop motion animation at Anifex in Kent Town, Richard Chataway ACS. Richard I've known you for many years but I'm not sure I've heard how you became a cinematographer. Luck - by being in the right place at the right time, but then luck is said to be when preparation meets opportunity and that is definitely true too. Also some hard work - well not hard at all really because I loved it and couldn't imagine doing anything else, just stuck at it really because it was easier doing that than working in a job that I didn't like. Then one day opportunities arose and decisions were made that set up my life - so simple! So tell us more. I was studying drama and screen studies at Salisbury College in the late seventies when I was very fortunate to meet Michael Cusack who was to become my film making partner from then on. The course was very hands on and we made a number of films together finishing in our final year with a 30 minute stop motion animation. I say final year, but six months in when we had only completed 5 minutes of it Michael asked me if I had had enough and if we should leave to go teaching. I said that I would be buggered if I would waste that six months and I wanted to finish the film. Michael agreed and we then spent the next three years working on it in a transportable building, dreaming of having our own studio. We were told that we had "stickability" and that this was a desired trait to have in the film industry. This was true but it sure makes it easier when it is something you enjoy. We spent three and a half years working on the film five days a week and the two days of the weekend working as console operators in service stations.
 Richard lines up the stars of a Home Hardware TVC |
How did you land at the SAFC? During this time we learnt the art and craft of our profession so that when the final film was shown to the SAFC they offered us a three year contract. This was luck once again as it was the generous tax rules at the time that gave the SAFC the confidence to give young film makers a job - how times have changed! So once the tax rules were changed back we were kicked out to survive on our own, so we decided to make television commercials. Hand drawn animation was, and still is, very expensive so we were able to offer animation at a lower price that was affordable to a wider range of advertisers and so our company Anifex was born. Michael was the artist and looked after the sculpture and the animation while I looked after the more technical side of the film camera and the lighting. I never considered myself a cinematographer as we only ever shot inanimate objects. Why did you join the ACS? Somehow we came to the attention of the late, great Milton Ingerson ACS, the president of the ACS, and he demanded to know why I was not a member. He told me my idea that I only shot a single frame at a time was bulls**t and as it was a film I was working on I had better join and be bloody quick about it. So I did and I started winning awards which I liked, then I followed Milton's guidance and applied for ACS accreditation and was fortunate to be successful on my first attempt. Thank you Milton. Now looking back on having won five Golden Tripods I guess he was right in what he told me.
 Richard lines up a shot using their Gazelle motion control crane on a Honda Jazz TVC |
I'm sure he was right. I remember he badgered me into joining and I'm pleased he did. So tell me about how you approach cinematography. My attitude to cinematography has always been that what we are shooting is pretty special, so I try to do whatever I can to enhance the audience's perception of it. It is easy in our field to be flashy and showy but I feel this draws the audience out of the story and in the end is counter productive. I try to do whatever I can to support the story and light the subjects in a way to show off the sculpture and marvellous miniature set building skills that our crew here has. After all, we have chosen this medium for our story, so it is integral. One big change in my cinematography was the use of motion control. Developed for the original Star Wars films it added a whole new dimension to our stop motion as we could now move the camera in the same way as on a live action set, only in miniature. We could test the move in real time and then set it to recreate the identical move a frame at a time while the puppets were animated. We could then reshoot it without the puppets to provide a clean background plate so their support rigs could be removed. Our editor quickly came to love it and offered to have its children. I loved it too as it gave our work a huge boost in production value.
You moved from the SAFC at Hendon to Kent Town? Yes, this was all in the late nineties, and we moved into our shiny new studios in Kent Town. The perfect place, the perfect job, I couldn't have been happier and I still am! I have often said I don't care what I am shooting, it may be an agonising scene in a short film or the bubbles on the side of a water tap, I love it all the same. When I am behind the camera my whole thought is taken up with making what is in front of me look as good as I can make it. Film making is a collaborative effort and stop motion is no exception. I know that I am one cog in a very creative machine and have been fortunate to have worked with some amazingly creative and talented people here at Anifex. They bring their individual visions and skills and together we make great pictures! Thanks Richard and on behalf of the branch may I take this opportunity to thank you and Michael for all the support you have given the ACS. Anifex have been a sponsor for many years and we have been holding our monthly committee meetings in their boardroom for some years now.
 Richard takes a reading for Mortein TVC with Gaffer Graeme Shelton |
Upcoming dates
End of May send Membership invoices and Sponsorship Proposals June 6 Committee Meeting June 30 Membership Fees Due July 4 Committee Meeting August 15 AGM and 36th SA &WA Awards entries open online September 5 Committee Meeting September 9 Sponsors Awards Assets Deadline September 16 Awards Entry Closes September 23, 24 25 Awards Judging October 3 Committee Meeting October 29 Annual SA/WA ACS Awards for Cinematography to be held in Perth for only the 2nd time, simultaneous SA 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
 Click on image to go to ACS Shop |
Visit our online ACS shop so you can buy all the ACS merchandise you could ever want. ACS brand merchandise is for sale at ACS Shop, 24/7. Conveniently search our range of products and buy items through our online shop with ease and security. Purchases can be shipped straight to your door. Products include jackets, hoodies, caps, tees, beanies, coffee mugs, pens, note pads, publications and more. You can order back issues of AC mag, copies of Shadowcatchers, replacement or duplicate 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. Shop in confidence, knowing that your purchase goes towards supporting our Society.
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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