News

Clara Chong and Philip Quast (Photo credit: John Slaytor).

One of first features to roll during the pandemic, Clara Chong and Ben Allan’s thriller Dark Noise has wrapped after an eventful shoot which spanned 28 days spread in blocks over 12 weeks.

The privately-financed production had to shut down for 48 hours while a team member who had mild symptoms on the Covid-19 list was isolated and tested. It was quickly established the team member had a common cold which did not spread to anyone else.

The producers faced another problem when actress Leah Vandenburg was trapped in Melbourne during the city’s second pandemic wave and could not travel to Sydney. So Maura Fay Casting speedily recast the role, with Renee Lim stepping in.

The producer and Dop, Allan tells If the disruption and Covid Safe protocols increased the budget by just 12 per cent.

Writer/director Chong said: “The biggest challenges...

Imogen Sage and Leah Vandenberg play a scene via Zoom.

Philip Quast, Steve Le Marquand and Sara Wiseman are among new additions to the cast of Dark Noise, Clara Chong and Ben Allan’s thriller which was among the first features to roll during the pandemic.

David E. Woodley and Craig Hall have also joined the production which is shooting in short blocks in the Sydney Cbd and in Sydney’s North-West, with a maximum of 10 cast and crew on set.

UK theatre actor Imogen Sage plays the lead, Abigail ‘Jack’ McFadden, a young woman who is alone in the forest listening for frogs when she hears something she shouldn’t have.

Lauren Clair is Jack’s mother Cassandra, with Leah Vandenberg as her father’s lover Dr Croker and Callan Colley as Constable Kristian Myangi.

Woodley is Cassandra’s former husband, scientist and conservationist Dr Donovan McFadden, and Le Marquand is Ollie Martin,...

While much of Australia’s film and TV slate is currently being held up over insurance matters, production has now begun near Sydney on low budget feature “Dark Noise.” It is one of the first local films in Australia to start since the end of nationwide coronavirus lockdowns.

The film features the rising star of the British Shakespearean stage Imogen Sage (BBC TV’ “Doctors”) as a young woman foley artist alone in a forest listening for frogs. She hears something she shouldn’t have and stumbles upon a cocaine farm. Other cast includes features Callan Colley (“The Letdown”), Brett Rogers (“Rake”) and Australia’s Leah Vandenberg and Lauren Clair (“Packed To The Rafters,” “Underbelly”).

“Dark Noise” is written and directed by Clara Chong and produced and shot by her partner Ben Allan. Carlo Giacco serves as the film’s composer, while Sam Wilde is the production designer. Production is by Main Course Films company,...

Clara Chong and Ben Allan on set (Photo: John Slaytor).

Director/writer Clara Chong and producer/Dop Ben Allan are shooting Dark Noise, one of the first features to roll during the pandemic, in Sydney.

Imogen Sage plays the lead, Abigail ‘Jack’ McFadden, a young woman who is alone in the forest listening for frogs when she hears something she shouldn’t have.

Chong and Allan started developing the project two years ago and decided to start filming last Thursday after raising the budget from private investors and to take advantage of the cast’s availability.

They developed Covid-19 protocols before the industry’s Covid-Safe guidelines were released, based on medical and scientific advice, vetted and approved by Dr Himanshu Brambadtt.

A former principal scientist of the Csiro, Brambadtt is joint CEO of EnGeneIC Cancer Therapeutics, where he is researching the coronavirus and its treatment.

The 25 day shoot of eight...

The Playbook, an Australian drama about a basketball coach whose life is torn apart after a tragic accident, will be released on at least 140 screens in the Us.

First-time feature writer/director/producer Darran Scott has just secured a deal to distribute the film on 100-plus screens in Utah, Arizona and Idaho through sales agent Heritage International and Excel Films/Deseret.

That.s in addition to a deal signed earlier this year with Cmd, which will release the film on 40 screens across the Southern States.

A November launch is planned, followed by DVD/VoD in December via Cmd, which will also distribute the film on home entertainment in Brazil.

.This is a significant release for a little Aussie micro-budget film,. says Scott, adding that the release has the potential to broaden to 200 screens in Utah, Arizona and Idaho.

.Cmd is looking to place DVD units into major Us retailers such as WalMart,...

Cmd Distribution has acquired Us rights to The Playbook, an Australian drama about a basketball coach whose life is torn apart after a tragic accident.

Shot in Victoria, it.s the feature writing and directing debut of Darran Scott, a former actor who has produced several documentaries and short films.

Scott tells If that Cmd has agreed to release the film on at least 40 screens in North America and on DVD and VoD. That will be a far wider spread of cinemas than at home, where it played on 15 screens in the six capital cities last July, restricted by a lack of marketing dollars.

The privately funded film used the producer offset and got a grant from Film Victoria.s Regional Location Assistance Fund. The cast includes Mick Preston, Harry Borland, Dennis Coard, Lauren Clair, Kath Gordon and newcomer Lloyd Edwards. Australian and NBA basketball star Luc Longley has a cameo.

Red Dog, Oranges and Sunshine, Face to Face and The Eye of the Storm have received nominations for Best Feature Film at this year’s If Awards.

Red Dog won the most nominations, appearing in nine categories, with Oranges and Sunshine nominated in eight and Face to Face in six categories.

Nominated in the Best Direction category is Michael Rymer for Face to Face, Kriv Stenders for Red Dog and Justin Kurzel for Snowtown while Best Script nominees are Michael Rymer for Face to Face, Rona Munro for Oranges and Sunshine and Daniel Taplitz for Red Dog.

Best Documentary nominees are Mrs Carey’s Concert directed by Bob Connolly, I Am Eleven directed by Genevieve Bailey and Orchids: My Intersex Adventure directed by Phoebe Hart.

With its strong ensemble cast the Face to Face actors are up against David Wenham for Oranges and Sunshine, Josh Lucas for Red Dog and...