Highlighting innovative Shift-Focus techniques in 1985, our first music video won the FTI Young Filmmakers Cinematography Award for 18-year-old Peter Aquilina. The first of many awards Peter has received over a long and very successful career in Media (mostly) overseas.
The video was shot around Northbridge, in the studio at the Film and TV Institute in Fremantle, inside the (condemned) Swan Brewery building overlooking the Swan River, the old Perth Train Station and in the Mid-Western TV Studios.
The original song was written by a breakdancing duo who won the Talent Competition I ran at the Riverton & Kelmscott Hotels in 1983. Wonder where they are now?
Apart from $1,000, their prize included this video clip made by Sphinx Productions, the little production company a young but very talented Peter and I set up in 1985.
I once dreaded Valentine’s Day so much I wrote a scathing article about it. Then I changed my mind and wrote another one in 2005:
I now believe love can happen at any age.
Yes, I admit I was a doubter for a long, long time and hated – even dreaded Valentine’s Day thinking I’d used up all my chances when I was young and that being older meant love and romance shouldn’t be on my wish list… so it wasn’t!
Well, I am here to prove to you all that it still should be. I am 54 and have just found romance again. I’m not slim, rich or famous but I am in love!
I’ve finally married the man I was in love with (in Africa) and ran away from to Australia, 30 years ago.
In Ireland, he found my name quite by accident (on the net), contacted me, and although continents divided us, proceeded to systematically smash down my not-inconsiderable barriers. He deleted all my negatives; wooed me with words, romance, flowers and finally, convinced me to try love again.
Our love story began in 1974. I was 23 and living in Zambia, I fell madly in love with an Irish rock-n-roller who wasn’t quite ready for me. Broken-hearted and determined to get as far away as possible, I caught a plane to Western Australia and wallowed in poetry.
I met and just weeks later married a bronzed Aussie on (wait for it) Valentine’s Day – 14th February 1975, saw him through Uni, produced two beautiful children and divorced in the 80’s. From then on I hated Valentine’s Day.
But I worked hard at any job I could get, loved my kids and kept busy and distracted from my divorcee label with part-time courses and community work. I thoroughly enjoyed being in charge of me and secretly kept writing, even wrote a novel but never had the courage to let anyone see it.
Until 1998, I always treated writing as a side dish and love was never on the menu. I couldn’t even write about romance except to say that I dreaded all the hype of Valentine’s Day. I didn’t want or expect romance in my life.
After seeing both my children through University, they left home happily stepping in their own living-dreams directions. The empty nest loomed large. There was just me – only me to concentrate on. So I threw away the safe cocoon of full-time Bank employment.
At the age of 48 I took casual jobs and began my dream – a full-time degree in creative writing at University. Surrounded by clever young things used to study, it was very hard. Not the writing – never the writing; but paying bills – you learn never to waste precious sheets of paper again.
But I didn’t give up – I kept going because my kids were so proud of me. Romance still wasn’t necessary. I was way too busy with myself to spend any time on or with anyone else. I didn’t recognise that I was busy romancing myself.
After graduation I was taking my first tentative steps into a new writing career; it was January 2002. My Irish rock-n-roller recognised my name on the net – a million-to-one chance! Both now over 50, he lived in Ireland and I was in Australia, neither of us looking for each other or love.
To prove the point, I sent him a scathing magazine article I had written filled with the hate of romantic hype. Undeterred on Valentine’s Day he asked if I was accepting Valentines from old boyfriends and my still-youthful heart zinged, surprisingly pierced well and truly by Cupid’s arrow. I was a terrified cliché!
Three screamingly silent days later I admitted; “I have always believed that if I ever found my ideal love – a complete acceptance of all that I am; absolute loyalty, unconditional support, encouragement and equality, from someone who would accept and expect nothing less than the same from me… then also mix in intellect, curiosity, humour and chemistry… I WOULD GRAB LOVE – with both hands and never let go!
But I would have to be sure that it was real and not another illusion. An illusion created by my own idealistic and romantic pedestal-placing heart, projected onto a smooth talker; a charming, talented, kind and careful person who has lovely manners, is courteous and doesn’t want to hurt me… I’ve done that before and it didn’t work out!”
Phone lines and emails ran hot for six months between Ireland and Australia, while we explored the possibility of romance and dealt with doubts from both sides.
“I’m not your 23 year old with a ‘girl next door’ look, anymore… I’m over fifty and although I present well socially, once the wrapping is removed… It’s not that I don’t want to consider the possibility and I admit; since the surprising thought hit me, I have spent a lot of time completely distracted by that. But I don’t think I’m ready – I’m not a tease (I’m talking about actions, not flirty words) and can’t promise what I can’t deliver… this is all new…”
He climbed aboard his silver charger, brandished words with conviction, clothed in romance and arrived in Perth. Thirty years melted away when he touched me. We married last year, surrounded by family and yachts. I am in love again AND living my dream to write full-time!
Recently I was asked to write a poem for a wedding. Three years ago I couldn’t have written any poem about romantic love. Thankfully, my Irish rock-n-roller proved me very wrong.
Thank you for reading my blog ~ whatever the old year meant to you, I hope this new year will bring you what you need and maybe, something you dream about…
Also the winner of the Patrick White Award in 1992, Tom was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1988 for services to literature, the author of many novels, including The Ridge and The River, Sowers of the Wind, Swagbelly, Birdsnatcher and The Prince of Siam.
He’d been writing for 60 years and celebrated his 90th birthday with a collection of stories & poems which illustrated his life.
At the official launch, I sat in selfish wonder listening to the magnificent voice of Jack Thompson booming, blasting passion into the masterly poetry and prose of T.A.G. Hungerford’s new book.
Taken from the back cover of What’s Happened to Joseph?: “With dazzling ease he moves from prose to poetry, from the ancient past to the present, from the small, absorbing passions of suburbia to the grim demands of jungle warfare. Hungerford makes us wonder just what did happen to Joseph, farther of Jesus Christ- did he continue to work in his carpenters trade, perhaps in Jerusalem – then takes us to the heart of Anzac Day, to the shimmering colours of outback Australia, or to his own front garden, and with every word he illuminates our own experience.”
I loved every word of his book and want everyone to enjoy his insight, his sensitivity and his ability to place me right there, where he was when writing them.
‘ANZAC Day’ is a poem I believe would work well on screen; the opening lines; dense, establishing and heartfelt:
“This spot at the corner of Pier Street and the Terrace
between two churches – Presbyterian one side,
C. of E. on the other – is just made to order
for us Second Eighth blokes to form up for the March
this mild April morning. Wild men we were, all of us.”
When Tom allowed me to host ‘An Afternoon With Tom’ during a very special Poet’s Corner event, devoted entirely to him, the place was packed with lovers of words wanting to hear him read and provide further insight to his writing.
The last poem in his book; ‘Fascination Waltz’ is another favorite and made me cry. That’s why I asked Kevin Gillam, a fellow poet, admirer of Tom and professional cellist to play ‘Fascination’. I felt the love and saw a tear in Tom’s eye, too.
Although he’s gone now I still think of him and his words, often. I treasure the firstly hand-written, then typed letters we exchanged and an (as far as I know) unpublished poem “Grey Ghost”, which would also make a fantastic film.
I want to pay a larger tribute and help make his writings available to more by getting them up on the big screen. Any producers out there, interested?
While blogging about McDaid’s Folk Club I realized that theWanneroo Folk Club, which I established way back in 1985 will be having it’s 30th anniversary soon!
In it’s 2nd year, I handed over the reigns to the rest of thecommittee , in particular Judith Shaw and Bob Rummary, who have done an amazing job of keeping the club going for nearly 30 years. Bob Rummary from Loaded Dog and Judith Shaw ran the club for many of those years.
Pictured below: Don Shaw playing Northumbrian Pipes made by G. Wooff gifted to him by Susan Sturcke.
In 1985,David Milroy was new to sharing his music as an original member of Wanneroo Folk Club. Now he’s very much a celebrated and awarded songwriter, performer, director and writer whose plays regularly tour Australia.
My now grown up daughter and I watched him perform in his musical ‘Waltzing the Wilerra’ not long ago and were completely blown away!
The last couple of hours have been spent enjoying my favorite songs playlist on YouTube (and more) and adding them to myPinterest board called ‘Ear Pieces’.
I'm happy for you to share what's published here, so long as Frances Macaulay Forde is credited appropriately.
It would also be a great courtesy if you let me know when and where you've shared my work.
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.” Thomas Paine - "Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited." ~ Lord Acton - Commentary on what interests me, reflecting my personal take on the world
Perth Words... exploring possibilities. 