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Elissa scoops AFI nominations for The Black Balloon

Curtin graduate Elissa Down has scooped 11 Australian Film Institute Award nominations for her film The Black Balloon.

The highly commended movie, her first feature film, debuted at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year and won the Crystal Bear for best feature-length film in the Generation 14plus category.

The semi-autobiographical film tells the story of a family dealing with the challenges of autism.

After graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and TV and Theatre Arts, Elissa produced a string of short-films.

The film is nominated for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Original Music Score, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Curtin congratulates Elissa and The Black Balloon and wishes the group good luck for the upcoming awards.

Elissa Down's film "The Black Balloon" won the Crystal Bear award for best feature length film at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Elissa directed and co-wrote The Black Balloon that was filmed in the outer suburbs of Sydney and tells the story of a family dealing with the challenges of autism.

The film - also starring Perth's Gemma Ward - was awarded a Crystal Bear for best feature-length film by the Generation 14plus Youth Jury of the 58th Berlin International Film Festival.

"This film was very personal to me as my family was the main inspiration behind it. It is a film that will make you laugh and make you cry," Elissa said.

"I have three brothers - two of whom have autism - and I grew up knowing in my heart of hearts that one day my family story would make fertile ground for a film."

Elissa graduated from Curtin in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts with streams in Film and TV and Theatre Arts.

After leaving Curtin she started out making short films and concentrated on honing her skills in directing and writing as well as building up her networks within the film industry.

"I met Gemma Ward while we were working on my short film Pink Pyjamas which was shot in WA and we have been friends ever since," Elissa said.

"We started writing the script for The Black Balloon in 2002 and my big break came when I sent a draft of it to Tristram Miall - the producer of Strictly Ballroom - and he promptly fell in love with it. Together we worked on the script that was eventually sent to Toni Collette who also fell in love with the story too.

Having Toni Collette on board was just amazing as I believe she is one of the finest actors in the world. After Gemma Ward joined the cast we started filming in January 2006."

Elissa is thrilled will the success that her film has received on the international festival circuit.

"Now that the film has gone on to win an award my head is spinning and it's all a little overwhelming for me at the moment," Elissa said.

"We had our premier recently, and I am delighted that The Black Balloon received good reviews from some of Australia's top critics such as Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton."

Curtin's Head of Communication and Cultural Studies, Dr Ron Blaber, said Elissa was an outstanding example of the accomplishments that Curtin students can attain.

"We are very proud to have a shining star like Elissa as one of our graduates," Dr Blaber said.

"Other talented graduates from Communication and Cultural Studies include actor Frances O'Connor who is starring in the new TV series Cashmere Mafia, Simone Heng who is a TV Presenter with 'Postcards WA' and the face of cable network HBO Asia, and freelance playwright and director Luke Milton."

To help produce higher quality graduates Curtin has recently injected over $1million into improving and upgrading the film and television areas with new editing systems and equipment.

Elissa fondly remembers studying at Curtin.

"The Film and TV course was awesome, and I learnt heaps about films and acting by studying Theatre Arts too," Elissa said.

"I believe the key to getting anywhere in the film industry is sheer determination, believing in yourself and perseverance."

Link to The Black Balloon review:

http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s2162605.htm

Curtin sweeps up at 21st WA Screen Awards

Curtin University of Technology Film and Television, Journalism, and Media and Information students and graduates have scooped several awards at the 21st Western Australian Screen Awards held recently.

Curtin Head of Film and TV Howard Worth is once again delighted at the outstanding showing by Curtin students and graduates.

Jade Macmillan

"I am very proud of our 2008 winners and the continued success of Curtin students and graduates at the Awards," Mr Worth said.

The award for Best Community Television Production went to Noongar Dandjoo, a collaborative effort by Curtin students from the areas of Film and Television, and Journalism.

The award was accepted by Noongar Dandjoo Producer and Media and Information student
Jade Macmillan.

The Best Tertiary Student Production went to Curtin graduate and Producer Michelle Egan, and Honours student and Director/Writer Kenta McGrath for Welcome to Pipe Mountain.

Michelle graduated from Curtin with a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Information) in 2006 and Kenta, who is currently doing his honors degree, graduated with a double degree in Bachelor of Arts (Media and Information) and Bachelor of Arts (Communication and Cultural Studies) in 2007.

Kenta McGrath

This year the People's Choice Award went to graduate Antony Webb for La Serena. Antony graduated from Bachelor of Arts (Screen Arts) in 2002 and completed his honours in 2004.

Mr Worth said Antony is the second Curtin graduate in a row to win the People's Choice.

"This is a great achievement for Antony. He follows in the footsteps of 2007 winner and Curtin graduate McGee Noble who won for the film Department of Nothing that also picked up the 2007 Award for Acting," he said.
Alex Von Hoffman and Anthony Webb, Photos courtesy of FTI & taken by Julian Masters Curtin graduate Sam Price is part of the productions entity The Penguin Empire that with Dirty Stylus Productions won 2008 Best Cross Platform Media for Cut 'n Paste which is a free quarterly DVD showcasing the best of news, film and culture. Sam graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2004.

This year's award for Best Drama Production went to Zak Hilditch for Before Closing. Zak is no newcomer to the Awards being named WA Young Filmmaker of the Year in 2006. He graduated with an Honours degree in Film and Television in 2004.

Last year Curtin Film and Television graduate Alison James was the third graduate in a row to win the prestigious ABC WA Young Filmmaker of the Year, in 2006 the winner was Zak Hilditch, and in 2005 it was Ben Young.

The Film & Television Institute (WA) presents the WA Screen Awards annually. The Awards recognise and encourage excellence in film and TV production in WA, at all levels, which helps to develop the local industry by acknowledging and promoting local filmmakers and their productions.

Curtin invests over $1m into leading first class film and TV studios

Film and television equipment

A funding injection of almost $1million will boost Curtin's ability to produce high quality film and television graduates. Dean of the Faculty of Media, Society and Culture Professor Colin Brown is delighted with the funds.

"The money will be used for upgrading the Film and Television (FTV) area with new editing systems, camera and television equipment and facilities," Professor Brown said.

"Additional funds will also be made available to refurbish the studio to house new editing suites," he said.

Curtin has an impressive track record of producing award winning film and television graduates. At the WA Screen Awards this year Alison James became the third Curtin graduate in a row to be named the ABC Western Australian Young Filmmaker. Alison followed in the footsteps of 2006 winner Zak Hilditch and the 2005 winner Ben Young.

Acting FTV Coordinator Ron Elliott said making good film and television is a creative art that relies on new technology and the latest equipment.

"I am excited about upgrading to High Definition (HD) which is professional standard broadcast quality as currently used in television magazine programs," Mr Elliot said.

"The move to HD allows us to maintain our high profile as producers of professional students who can move easily into the industry," he said.
"Our students will benefit from other HD cameras, associated gear and a complete upgrade to Final Cut Pro editing suites."

The upgrade is expected to be ready for new and existing students in 2008.

There will be more lighting and production equipment, conversion to the industry standard Pyramix Native for sound post production and enhancements to the TV studio.

Students' work on the big screen

A Semester of work from Curtin University's film and television students culminated on Thursday, June 14, with a two-hour showing of their work on the big screen.

Film and television students Madeline Quirk

The Experimental Film Screening took about 40 viewers in the audience on a trip through the abstract, quirky and symbolic.
The curtain-raiser was Joachim Strand's masters film project called Moment, followed by 10, 30-second showings by the animation design students displaying the art of hand-drawn animation.

Learning about the history of experimental film making for the semester held the students in good stead for the final instalment of 10 experimental films. Often described as a moving painting, experimental films are non-narrative and the audience needed to rely on the visual and the oral to get the most out of their viewing experience.
Article form the Canning Times June 2007

Top Honour for Curtin Film Graduate

Howard Worth, Head of Film and Television at Curtin, said Vegard H. Sorby is undertaking the AFI's Fine Arts program after graduating with honours in Film and TV from Curtin last year.

Vegard Sorby

'The AFI program is highly regarded by the film and tv industry as one of the best applied master courses in the world,' Mr Worth said.

Vegard is the second Curtin Film and TV graduate to be accepted into the AFI, following Dean Israelite who was accepted last year and one of only a handful of Australian students to have made it into the Institute.

'I am delighted that Vegard and Dean are making inroads into this tough and highly competitive industry.'

Vegard Sorby and Dean Israelite worked on a number of projects together during their time at Curtin including Magician and the award winning The Department of Nothing.

Dean wrote and directed the films, while Vegard edited and did the special effects for both productions.

The Department of Nothing won two awards - the People's Choice Award and the Award for Acting - at the 2007 WA Screen Awards recently.

Vegard was also a finalist in the 2006 Norwegian Short Film Festival with a work produced as part of his Experimental Film and Television unit at Curtin.

Both Vegard and Dean were international students at Curtin with Vegard coming from Norway and Dean from South Africa.

'Their success speaks volumes for the quality and breadth of our Film and TV degree in that our graduates are able to progress directly into such a prestigious program,' Mr Worth said.

'They join a growing list of successful students and graduates from our Film and TV course - including 2005 graduate Alison James who picked up the WA Young Filmmaker of the Year Award at this year's awards.
'Alison was the third Curtin graduate in a row to win the award following in the footsteps of the 2006 winner Zak Hilditch and the 2005 winner Ben Young.'
Vegard and Dean face a promising future in filmmaking as many graduates from the AFI have gone on to become some of the most influential filmmakers in the world.

The list of alumni reads like a 'who's who' of Hollywood filmmaking, including several Oscar winners and nominees in 2007.

Steve Golin, Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner for Best Picture, Babel; Pilar Revuelta, Oscar winner for Art Direction, Pan's Labyrinth; Steve Rosenblum, Oscar nominee for Achievement in Film Editing, Blood Diamond; and Todd Field, Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay, Little Children all studied at the Institute.

Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Al Pacino, Robert Altman and Martin Scorsese have all been guest lecturers at the AFI.