Meet the Maker Archives

Jun 10

Meet the Maker : Stuart McBratney

STUART MCBRATNEY. DESIGNER. LECTURER. FILMMAKER

Stuart McBratney and co producer Julia Nalivaiko, travelled Back to the Soviet Bloc to produce a celebrational series honouring Julia’s country of birth. The result was a seven part exploration of culture, food, cities and customs as Julia answered the hard questions about the former Soviet Union.

With 30 years of experience behind the camera, Stuart McBratney’s work has been widely seen. Having made hundreds of tv commercials, music videos and three feature films, as well as Back in the Soviet Bloc.

With a PhD in design, he is currently a Lecturer in Transmedia Storytelling at the University of Newcastle, Australia while producing films under McBrat motion pictures. His last two features, Pop-Up (2016) and Don’t Read This on a Plane (2020) have secured international release through Los Angeles-based sales agent Cardinal XD and he’s now in pre-production on his 4^th feature film, Long Thought Lost.

His clients as a copywriter/director of commercial campaigns include: Downer Engineering, Kayak, Canon, Sukin Organics, Seiko, McDonalds, Honda, Nike, Lipton, BCF, and Sony Music.

Back in the Soviet Bloc is an insightful and thoughtful journey offering a unique viewing experience through the colourful and curious former Soviet Union, offering a unique perspective on the relationship between Russia and the Ukraine following its collapse.

Through laughter, tears, furry hats and a special reunion, Back in the Soviet Bloc is currently screening on SBS Australia.

Get in touch to see if this 7 part travel and culture series is available in your territory.

Need more content? Check out our catalogue here

May 19

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The World's Best Film documentary - Australian Content

Meet the Maker : Joshua Belinfante

By Lisa Hendry Meet the Maker

JOSHUA BELINFANTE. FILMMAKER & PRODUCER OF THE WORLD’S BEST FILM

Joshua Belinfante is an Australian-Polish filmmaker with an eye for the eccentric and the surreal. He founded Finesilver Media in 2018 and has been producing short films, music videos and stop motion animations since 2008.

His feature documentary The World’s Best Film chronicles the journey of individuals to make a life, rather than a living. An original, quirky documentary that aims to inspire people to pursue their dreams.

Filmed over a period of five years across three continents, the film is proof that anybody can do anything they put their minds towards.

Through the film’s journey we discover that these individuals don’t actually need to be the world’s best at what they do, just the very best that they can be.

In 2008, at the age of 18, Joshua won an international documentary competition My Israel and was flown to Washington DC to screen his short film, in front of international delegates from around the globe.

Since that time he has worked on numerous features and TV shows in Australia for networks such as Discovery Channel, National Geographic, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Channel 9 & SBS.

Joshua has exhibited films in Australia, Asia, the USA and Europe and has won numerous awards for his work. His recent film Requires Review has screened at festivals and garnered plaudits such as ‘Best Short Documentary’ at the Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival, Around International Festival in Berlin, and the Sydney Indie Film Festival.

The World’s Best Film is an anthology documentary following 12 people who are striving to be the world’s best at strange, off-beat and amazing things.

It’s available now for your platform – get in touch

May 12

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Meet the Maker : James Freemantle

By Lisa Hendry Meet the Maker

JAMES FREEMANTLE. FILMMAKER & STORYTELLER. PRODUCER OF BUSH TO BELLY

When a friend told me he was working with students from the remote Yiyili community in the Kimberley, in outback Australia, to establish a teaching café, I was interested.

When he said the children were putting an Italian coffee machine in the back of a four-wheel drive and making coffees for 500 bike riders along the Gibb River Road, I had to make a film.

“We chose to listen, to open ourselves to whatever came along, and the children of Bush to Belly gave us more quiet wisdom, dignity and cause for optimism than we could have hoped for.”

Funding was raised and award winning Australian actor Deborah Mailman was our first and only choice to voice the film. Bush to Belly was the name of the café and aptly adopted as the name for the film documenting the adventure.

When buses of tourists came into the community to look at their art, the kids – for the first time – had a reason to interact with people from outside. They were learning to communicate, make barista coffees and running a small business.

The country up there is red and the sky is blue.

The old people are worn, patient and determined that their children know their language, culture and country as well as thriving in ‘whitefella way’. They see partnerships as essential to this outcome and are prepared to let their children go away to learn skills and gain knowledge because they will come back and make Yiyili and their Gooniyandi culture stronger.

“For a short time we were part of something ancient and magical. We were offered sacred places and heard the spirit of survival. We were outsiders, observers, intruders; and we were welcomed.”

James Freemantle connects with people as a business coach, mentor and producer.

To find out more about Bush to Belly get in touch.

May 04

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Meet the Maker : Richard Savage

By Lisa Hendry Meet the Maker

RICHARD SAVAGE. ARTIST & PASSIONATE FILMMAKER

WANTOK MERI | WANTOK = A CLOSE COMRADE | MERI = WOMAN

Richard Savage is an Australian based filmmaker and artist with a strong connection to Papua New Guinea. His documentary Wantok Meri is testament to his admiration and respect for the culture, traditions and landscape of one of the most culturally diverse and untouched places on the planet.

“Wantok Meri is dedicated to the women of Papua New Guinea. This is their story.” Richard Savage

Having lived and worked in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from an early age, Richard Savage, developed an interest and passion for the people, culture, traditions and landscape of this culturally diverse and rich country. Richard made Wantok Meri because of his admiration and respect for the women of PNG, realising they are the backbone of the economy and family, his aim was to promote their voices and hear their stories. Gender inequality remains a major development challenge in PNG. Violence against women is unacceptably high and PNG’s systems of family and community relationships often exclude women from leadership and decision making roles. Wantok Meri is dedicated to the women of Papua New Guinea whose lives – difficult and uncomplicated – make the country a better place.

Contact us to request a screener of Wantok Meri 1×60 documentary

Wantok meri documentary, Richard Savage, Papua New Guinea Documentary

Visit Savage Art

Apr 28

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Meet the Maker : Helen Kapalos

By Lisa Hendry Meet the Maker

HELEN KAPALOS. JOURNALIST. PRESENTER. FILMMAKER & PRODUCER OF A LIFE OF ITS OWN – THE TRUTH ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

MEDICINAL CANNABIS…. THE COMPLETE STORY

A life of its own – The truth about Medical Marijuana has screened on Netflix and SBS Australia

When I first decided to embark on this documentary, it wasn’t even a conscious decision. It just happened. At the time I was working as a senior reporter on the Sunday Night program for the Seven Network. I was assigned a story that would change the course of my life.

The story was about a 24 year old battling bowel cancer. His name was Dan Haslam and he lived in Tamworth (the home of country music). The story was receiving a lot of press attention, because Dan was using medicinal cannabis to not only relieve pain and nausea from chemotherapy, but he was also treating his cancer with cannabis oil.

What made things especially interesting is that he was encouraged down this path by his parents Lucy (a nurse) and Lou Haslam (a retired drug squad detective). They believed so strongly in the curative power of medicinal cannabis they felt the story needed to be shared with the broader community.

The story became the catalyst in launching a national campaign to legalise medicinal cannabis. Many families came forward to tell their story and it was a case of people ahead of politics. A grass roots campaign had gained the momentum of an avalanche within months.

A life of its own takes the story further. Compelled to do this without any editorial interference I made the decision to fund the film myself which allowed me to travel around Australia and throughout Israel – a country recognised as a world-leader in medicinal cannabis research and use.

What was found through interviews with medical practitioners, researchers and patients was remarkable and as it took on a life of its own, a new and more compelling story emerged about why we are still fighting to gain ready access to a plant acknowledged widely for its healing properties.

Find out more about A Life of Its Own – The Truth about Medical Marijuana

Apr 19

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Meet the Maker : Mark Worman

By Lisa Hendry Meet the Maker

MARK WORMAN IS A SELF-MADE SUCCESS STORY. A MOPAR GURU, FUNNY GUY, CRAZY BOSS AND AUTO MAGICIAN!

A TV star in his own right with the hugely successful American reality TV show Graveyard Carz. Mark Worman is the owner of Welby’s Collision Center in Springfield, Oregon where dead Mopars from the 60’s and early 70’s are brought back to life. Graveyard Carz is the perfect combination of character, comedy and grease, and is produced and directed by Mark and his team at The Division Productions. Regular viewers will be familiar with Marks humour and dance moves between the paint, bodywork and assembly. There is simply no part of the process that Mark can’t speak to!

From humble beginnings in Springfield, Oregon, his dedication has made him a respected authority in the Mopar restoration and documentation scene, both on and off the screen. At the 2017 SEMA show in Las Vegas Nevada he was presented with the exclusive “Brand Ambassador” award from MOPAR, by the global president Pietro Gorlier and to date, is the only person to have received the prestigious award. A Mopar guy from the beginning, Mark, is always in pursuit of making that perfect car. And at the end of the day, he just wants to put as many of these legendary dream cars back on the road.

It’s not called Graveyard Carz for nothing. Mark is the Mopar Mortician.

Graveyard Carz is currently airing its 12^th season on Motortrend in the US. Stay tuned for the next success story with his new show 14th St Wheelz coming soon!