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ACS South Australian Branch
[Kinemagraphe]
June 2020
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From the Pres
National Awards Winners
Vale Ray Beale
SA ACS ZoomRoom Conversations
Covid-19 and the Camera Dept
Profile James Wire
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All the 2020 National Award Winners
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CineKids
Gold certificate: David Szasz – Ship Out
Award of distinction: Ari Shaw-Velzen – Harry Potter
Student Cinematography
Gold certificate: Michael Filocamo – A Bird With No Legs
AD: Connor Gurr – Signal
John Bowring ACS TV Station Breaks & Promos
Gold Tripod: Tony Luu ACS – The Voice promo
AD Tony Luu ACS – Good Food Awards
Music Videos
Gold Tripod: Kieran Fowler ACS NZCS – Guy Sebastian ‘Choir’
AD: Zachary Hardaker – Taikoz ‘Towards the Rain”
Syd Wood ACS Local & National News
Gold Tripod: Arron Hage – Snowy Mountains fly fishing (Seven Network News)
AD: Arron Hage – Lake George is Alive (Seven Network News)
Neil Davis International News
Gold Tripod: Joel Lawrence ACS – The Battle for Hong Kong
AD: Thomas Hancock – Surrendering from Baghouz: the final days of Islamic State in Syria (ABC News)
Current Affairs
Gold Tripod: Tom Bannigan – Foreign Correspondent, The Oasis (ABC)
AD: John Varga – Sunday Night, Crayfish Murder (Seven Network)
Entertainment & TV Magazine
Gold Tripod: Chris Lewis – Burringurrah
AD: Robert Hill ACS – Sunday Night, Polar Bear Town (Seven Network)
Corporate & Educational
Gold Tripod: Lincoln Williams – Evolve Skateboards
AD: Christian Fitzpatrick – Volando: An Introduction
Documentaries
Gold Tripod: Caleb Ware – By the River
AD: Abraham Joffe ACS & Dom West – Yarrow: The Virtues of Monochrome
Ron Taylor AM ACS Wildlife & Nature
Gold Tripod: Edward Salter and Daniel Hunter – Hostile Planet (Jungles: Bats vs Crocs)
AD: Jonathan Shaw ACS – Magical Land of Oz (Oceans series episode 1)
Commercials – Local & Regional
Gold Tripod: Campbell Brown – Running Bare
AD: Liam Gilmour – Emporium
Commercials – National/International
Gold Tripod: Tim Tregoning ACS – Rural Fire Services – Have a Plan
AD: Ross Giardina ACS – President’s Choice
Dramatised Documentaries
Gold Tripod: Katie Milwright ACS – Guilty
AD: Matthew Horrex ACS – Just a Boy, Vicks- Touch of Care
Short Films
Gold Tripod: Carl Robertson ACS – Ascendant
AD: Lucas Tomoana – My Name is Mudju
Serial TV & Comedy Series
AD: Judd Overton – No Activity (series 2 episode 8)
Drama Series & Telefeatures
Gold Tripod: Zoe White ACS – The Handmaid’s Tale (series 3, episode 11) – Liars
AD: Mark Wareham ACS – Secret City: Under the Eagle, (episode 1) – Run Little Rabbit
Feature films budgeted below $2 million
Gold Tripod: Joshua Flavell ACS – Pimped
AD: Chris Bland – Locusts
Feature films budgeted above $2 million
Gold Tripod: Nick Matthews ACS – Hotel Mumbai
AD: Denson Baker ACS NZCS – Ophelia
The Milli Award for Australian Cinematographer of the Year
Nick Matthews ACS – Hotel Mumbai
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Vale Ray Beale
 After not being too well for some time, industry stalwart, Ray Beale passed away on Friday May 15 a week before his 78th birth. Sadly he suffered a heart attack whilst in ICU.
Ray won one of SA's first Gold Tripods and was a prolific producer, director, cinematographer and technician in his own right. He also had collected quite a few properties around Kent Town and you may have seen his sign The Ray Beale Group of Companies on one of these.
May he Rest in Peace. Thank you to SA member Dusan Jonic who has been assisting Ray over the last few years as his health deteriorated.
Ray is pictured is with our Treasurer Mylene Ludgate when they caught up at our 2017 SA & WA Awards for Cinematography held at the Adelaide Oval.
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ACS ZoomRoom Conversations
A group of some of SA 's finest ACS member cinematographers are getting together on Zoom for candid, one on one Conversations about their industry, their life as a DP or as a member of the Camera Department. The presenters include: Geoff Hall ACS, Mal Ludgate ACS, Miles Rowland, Max Corkindale, Dave Gregan, JoAnne Bouzianis Sellick, Jules Wurm, Rod Bolton, Claire Bishop, Bonnie Paku and also Tiffany Lyndall-Knight an actor from Canada who guested on Battlestar Galactica and Stargate SG-1 and more recently in Wanted and Wolf Creek.
There will be four concurrent sessions which will take place on Zoom, please feel free to drop in, post your questions or just listen and learn. The rooms will be moderated by SA committee members Kirsty Stark & Claire Bishop.
They will be covering different topics which could include such things as Collaborating with Directors & Producers, Working with other above and below the line crew, Working with Actors, Coverage, Lens and Filter choices, Camera Movement, Composition, Lighting - both large and small scale, Cinematographers Lifestyle, Travel and Cinematography, Breaking in - how to get the work that you want, The Camera Assistant’s route to cinematography, etc. Of course you may supply your own topics via your questions!
The conversations will start @ 5pm on Thursday June 4. Non ACS members and students are most welcome.
The ACS Zoom Room Conversations pairs are:
David Gregan + Miles Rowland
Geoffrey Hall ACS + Max Corkindale
Malcolm Ludgate ACS + JoAnne Bouzianis Sellick
Jules Wurm + Rodney Bolton + Bonnie Paku
Register Now for ACS ZoomRoom Conversations and a Zoom link will be forwarded to all registered applicants.
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Camera Covid Protocol guide
The camera safety document is at a place where those of us working on it feel it can be shared among camera crew as a general guide. The MEAA safety committee will be taking from it what they need and putting it within their overall film industry guide which will be completed soon I believe.
This document will continue to exist though as a hopefully useful guide to anyone, (beyond camera department even) that may like to refer to it, or create their own guides from it. We still welcome feedback or suggestions but for now we will only share with camera department generally. We think it is something that could be shared with others as a reference also in the future, particularly with the questions / concerns section which may help guide productions on things they may need to address or think about. Those sections may help those of you navigating new contracts also.
Hope you are all well.
Regards,
Scott Wood
Australian Camera Department Team
www.australiancameradepartment.com
info@australiancameradepartment.com
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COVID-19 IMPACT SURVEY
The Australian Cinematographers Society is conducting this COVID-19 IMPACT SURVEY to fully understand the impact that COVID-10 has had on our members and the film industry. The information you provide will be confidential and will be used to assist The Australian Cinematographers society to provide services and resources to our members. If your mental well-being is suffering, Beyond Blue has a list of support services who are able to help.
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-help-lines-and-websites
NB: All questions are optional and the Survey should only take a few minutes at most.
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Profile James Wire
James tell us a bit about yourself and what you do in the industry.
 Well I freelance as a camera assistant, my work varies between being a 1st and 2nd AC and I really enjoy both roles. I also work at Picture Hire Australia, I’ve been there since the beginning of 2019. I grew up in Adelaide but was born in England and I came over here to live in ’97. I always had a great interest in the film industry since I was a kid, but never really thought it was an achievable career, so I went to Tafe to study Digital Design, which was interesting but I didn’t love it. After that I decided to give this industry a go, so I went to study at UniSA, then all that lead to where I am and what I’m doing today.
What do you like about being a camera assistant?
I just really like the work. It can be a great environment to be in, a very technical one at that, which I really enjoy. You also work in small team and on those lower budget jobs it can be just you and the DP. There’s a lot of support and trust needed there, as we’re all relying on each other to keep incredibly organised, on top of things, to think ahead, to give advice if needed, to communicate and keep each other in the loop. It’s a complex and demanding role sometimes both physically and mentally but I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else.
What’s your favourite film or TV show?
Do The Right Thing, directed by Spike Lee. A thought provoking film about racial tensions coming to a head on a hot summers day in Brooklyn. Still as powerful and relevant today as it was 30 years ago. I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I saw it for the first time. Special mention to Dog Day Afternoon, directed by Sidney Lumet. A grounded and honest portrayal of a real person and event, and maybe one of the finest films ever made to ever fall into the LGBTQIA category.
What has been your most interesting or challenging project so far?
 A challenging project that sticks out in my mind is a short film I focus pulled on called Call Connect. The film is a 16 minute one-shot with, if I remember correctly, an Angenieux 25-250mm lens. The lens had a lot of very noticeable flaws, real prominent distortions. Working with a lens with that type of character isn’t easy, add dolly movement, a long zoom and make it all one shot, and it’s a whole lot harder. It was a challenge but it all turned out well in the end.
What specific skills do you need to do your job?
I guess it can be broken down into – being able to work well in a team, good communication, foresight, patience, even more patience, time management, reliability, an understanding of industry procedures and practices, and history of cinematic language, as well as decent technical knowhow.
Who do you look up to in the industry, did you have any mentors?
I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great DP's and crew in Adelaide and I’ve learnt a lot in doing so. Every Cinematographer has a different style and it’s good to see how they each creatively and technically approach a project and work around issues on set. But I think when it comes to mentoring, the person that has had the biggest impact on me in terms of technical knowledge, who I can look to for advice, how I work, as well as my understanding of industry procedures and practices, is David Gregan. Thanks Dave, you're a legend!
Do you have any advice for other young people getting started in this job?
 Slow down. There’s a lot of pressure on set, I feel anyway, to get things done very quickly since we’re usually strapped for time. We’re working with expensive equipment in sometimes small and high traffic environments, and the safety of the crew, the protection of equipment and the quality of the work isn’t worth the risk of rushing anything. Just do whatever you need to do, in the time it takes to do it right. Let the AD worry about the schedule.
What do you do to relax?
Recently I got into shooting stills on film, so I’m enjoying that at the moment. I’ll always try and watch as many movies as I can when I have the time, whether that’s going to the cinema, streaming or chipping away at my ever increasing movie collection. Also, I’ve sunk some decent time over the holiday break into the PS4 game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Couldn’t recommend it enough.
What piece of equipment or thing could you not do without on-set?
Not sure if it counts as one thing, but it’s gotta be my AC/Tool Vest. I couldn’t imagine going on a job without it. It keeps all the important things an AC might need on them right where they should be, close to the heart.
If you started your career over again would you have done anything different?
I probably would have gone to MAPS or Flinders. I went to UniSA, and the course was fine, but not a lot of people who have studied there stuck around to pursue a career in this industry. I found out quickly the importance of a network.
James can you tell us something about yourself that not many may know?
Well not many people know that I don’t drink alcohol. I think I’ve had a drink maybe once in at least the last 3 years and that was only because I was on a shoot that was at a brewery, it was almost required that we all had a drink after we wrapped for the day!
The last picture is James sitting in for DP Michael Tessari on the City of Adelaide TVC. Thanks James, good on you for admitting you don't drink and I look forward to seeing where your career goes in the ensuing years.
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ACS Facebook Group
A while ago we started a Facebook Group where all current financial ACS members can join. Members can post their work, connect across states, link to events, ask for advice, and put up equipment for sale etc. here. To join, simply follow the link below and request to join, and one of your local committee members will approve your request. Of course, if you're not a member please don't apply as rejection is not really in our DNA.
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Upcoming Dates
2020
June 1 1830 Committee Meeting via Zoom
June 4 1700 SA ACS ZoomRoom Conversations
June 30 Membership fees not due! Free membership for a year for past financial members.
July 6 Committee Meeting
August 1 to August 21 State Awards entry window
August 8 Freelancer Survival Workshop run by Monica Davidson - Cancelled!
August 10 SA AGM
September 1 to Sept 30 Accreditation Applications window
September 7 Committee Meeting
October 5 Committee Meeting
October 9 & 7 Accreditation Assessments @ ACS HQ
October 10 National 1/2 yearly meeting @ HQ
November 2 Committee Meeting
November 7 40th Annual SA & WA ACS Virtual? Awards for Cinematography
December 7 Committee Meeting
December 14 Christmas Drinks - Venue TBC
2021
May 7 National AGM in ACT
May 8 The prestigious 50th National ACS Awards for Cinematography in ACT plus Meet the Nominees on Saturday morning.
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South Australia Major Sponsor
South Australia Gold Sponsors
South Australia Silver Sponsors
South Australia Bronze Sponsors
National Major Sponsor
National Platinum Sponsors
National Gold Sponsors
National ACS CineKids Sponsor
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