‘Hounds of Love’

Local writer/director Ben Young, has hit the heights with his debut feature nurtured by PAC Screen Workshops and our Perth film community.  Can’t wait to wallow in memories of 1980’s Perth and the glorious America’s Cup days again. Well done, Ben Young & Team!

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/32168684/writer-s-debut-film-to-screen-in-venice/#page1

 

Read Full Post »

Awesome!

I’ve been nominated for the Awesome blogger award by The Fluff Is Raging.  Thank you Niall McArdle.  Though not sure why…

http://www.westernaustralia-travellersguide.com/perth-australia-beach.html

Perhaps because I live 10 mins North of Hillarys Boat Harbour.

http://www.westernaustralia.com/au/Things_to_See_and_Do/Sun_Surf_and_Sea_Life/Pages/Beaches.aspx

Although I don’t like sand or surfing but spend hours in coffee shops gazing over the ocean at Mullaloo…

I suspect, it’s because (like Niall) film and particularly Australian Films like The Sapphires  The Dressmaker  or  Red Dog are a passion of mine.

The Rules:

#1. Copy and paste the image with the rules.

#2. Share one thing that you thing that makes you truly awesome.

#3. Nominate other bloggers for the award. 

 

 

https://cinemaaustralia.com.au/

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Soap Writer With Substance – reblog

Jimmy McGovern: Soap Writer With Substance

Jimmy McGovern  (think ‘Cracker’) has long been a favourite screenwriter and Karel’s ‘The Story Department’ a favourite writing resource.  The perfect marriage for this blog post, in fact. 

Jimmy McGovern: Soap Writer With Substance

 

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #JimmyMcGovern  #CrackerTVSeries  #TheStoryDepartment  #WritingForScreen  #Screenwriting  #FavoriteWriters

Read Full Post »

‘Finding Dory’

At last – it’s here:  read all about it!

https://au.movies.yahoo.com/news/a/30057380/first-finding-dory-movie-trailer-video/

https://au.movies.yahoo.com/news/a/30998630/first-full-finding-dory-trailer-video/#play

Read Full Post »

Shattered Windows

Old Swan Brewery Building on the Swan River. Frances Macaulay Forde © 1984.

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.

@FrancesMForde  #SphinxProductions  #PeterAquilina  #VideoClip84  #ShatteredWindows    #OldSwanBrewery  #RivertonHotel   #KelmscottHotel  #BreakDancing  #TalentQuests  #OldPerthTrainStn  #Mid-WesternTV

Read Full Post »

Writing for Screen…

Excellent lesson from one of the best…

http://www.savethecat.com/podcasts/save-the-cat-podcast-blake-snyder-explains-his-story-beats-part-one

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #BlakeSnyder  #SaveTheCat  #Podcasts  #WritingForScreen

 

Read Full Post »

YA books to screen in 2016

http://www.readbreatherelax.com/2016-ya-book-to-movie-adaptions/

 

 

Read Full Post »

The Dressmaker

Can’t wait to see this latest Australian written and directed film, starring beautiful Kate Winslet and yummy Liam Hemsworth, based on the best-selling book by Rosalie Ham!

 

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #TheDressmaker  #KateWinslet  #LiamHemsworth  #AussieFilm  #RosalieHam

Read Full Post »

Sphinx Productions, 1985

Inside The Swan Brewery – setting up the dolly. Sphinx Prod © 1985

In 1985, I met Peter Aquilina through production & direction courses at FTI and set up Sphinx Productions to gain professional experience in our chosen careers of film and video.

We worked well, Pete was technically amazing I had loads of admin experience but both of us wanted the freedom to direct and produce our own stuff.  On our ‘zero’ budget, we knew we had to start small.

My 8 year old daughter watching Pete set up shots inside the Old Swan Brewery. Sphinx Prod © 1985.

As Functions Manager of the Riverton and Kelmscott Hotels and High Road Tavern in the early 80’s, I ran a talent quest ‘Best in the West’ to attract patrons into the venues.  On top of the $1000 cash prize, I offered the winning talent a promotional video – a big deal in those days.

So, the first music video I wrote, produced and directed was named for the song called ‘Shattered Windows’ – remember, this was 1985 and music videos were all the rage.

Northbridge St. Sphinx Prod. © 1985

The song was written and performed by two excellent (and very cute according to my 8 year old daughter) Break-Dancers.  But they didn’t want a dance video, they wanted to showcase their music.

I wrote a script, weaving a visual story but also to work professionally with a blueprint.  Over about 5 or 6 weekends spent with friends and borrowed equipment, we got it all shot and edited just in time to enter the FTI Film Awards.

While shooting the zero-budget video, we used four locations; a street in North Perth, The Old Perth Railway Station, the burnt-out Swan Brewery (with permission) and the Mid-West TV studio where Pete worked at the time.

At the door, Northbridge. Sphinx Prod © 1985

 

Although it’s not a perfect copy I’m still pretty proud, all these years later.  I’d love to know what happened to the talented Break Dancers.

My film-partner, 18 year old Peter Aquilina won the FTI Young Filmakers Cinematography Award in 1985.

He’s producing amazing screen work all over the world but with much bigger budgets, now…

@FrancesMForde  ##FrancesMacForde  #PeterAquilina  #VIDEO:ShatteredWindows  #FilmTVInstitute  #Mid-WesternTV

Read Full Post »

Size doesn’t matter…

 

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #Audiences  #KeepWriting  #Inspiration

Read Full Post »