1/27/11

Happy New Year.

I hope you all had a good, relaxed silly season!

Yet again its been way to long toooooo long since my last blog. Its amazing how life gets in the way, especially when a child is involved, who needs your love, care and attention!

Just to update you all...the screening at Bendigo's (or should I say Eaglehawk's) Star Community Theatre went well. There was a good turn out considering that it was a week or two before Christmas. If you are every in the area go and see a movie there. The theatre is in the old town hall and has its original projection room. Apparently, it screened movies for the 1920's til 1950s when TV took over. The projectionist told great stories about how they used to stager the film times between Bendigo and Eaglehawk so that once it finished in one cinema it could be sent on the tram to Eaglehawk. If for some reasons there were delays they used to pay a kid to take it over on their bike!

The q and a afterwards was very interesting. Belinda Moon who is a local Bendigo crafter and runs "The Square" craft market told a great story of the smaller crafter triumphing over the large multinational chain store (whom shall remain nameless for legal purposes!). One day when Belinda was in said nameless chain store, her son with toy in hand, said "Look Mummy, there are your cards!". To her surprise, they indeed looked exactly like her cards, in style and design, but only the colors had changed slightly. Turning it over she discovered the cards where produced by a Melbourne based company, who had then manufactured in China. To cut a long story short she engaged a lawyer and even though the large said unnamed chain store did not admit their guilt, they did pay her out! Yah! One for the little crafter! After having heard so many stories of independent makers being ripped off, it was lovely to hear a triumphant one!

In other filmmaking news, I have been very quite, but the new year has spurred me on and I have begun transcribing the interviews I did with female erotic filmmakers while I was at the Berlin Porn Film Festival in 2009( has it already been nearly 2 years!). I'm hoping to turn it into a 30 min documentary about women who are redefining the adult genre. I'm not sure what it will be called yet. Any suggestions? One I've been floating around is "Doing it their way: Female erotic filmmakers reinvent the adult genre", but I think its too long. I had such a inspiring time in Berlin and got to meet so many amazing women who were doing similar things to myself with the adult genre. It made me feel as though I wasn't alone in the fight to break free of the cliches of adult films and to create unique films, that were still erotic and sexy. Listening again to the interviews, has make me want to attempt another erotic film, so I have started on a script set in the suburbs, as we all know despite the outward appearances, they are full of sexual creatures who hide behind closed doors!!

The creative juices are following and I am feeling inspired again after feeling like I was lost in mummy world. While mummy world has been great, I realise more and more how important it is to be creative. I remember saying quite dramatically, if I couldn't make films I would die! Now, having experienced a period where I have been unable to put any energy into making films, I don't think I was being dramatic at all! It has brought home to me how important it is to my happiness to be creative. Do you feel that passionate about something you do?

3 comments:

  1. Hi Anna, I'm a female film-maker myself. great to see that you've found the energy to get back to the film-making world. Ive allways wondered how many years of film-making ill miss when I have kids, like you said - "If I couldn't make films ill die". Its important to do what you love in life. Best of luck with your film-amking this year, I hope the new projects go well.

    As for the documentary title; something shorter like "Female erotic film-filmakers" or "female porn film-makers" or "female porn directors" ,) might be more eye catching, porn is usually seen as something for men made by men, it would be interesting to see the other genders side of the story.

    Ive just started my own film-making blogg here too -
    lovewarfilms.blogspot.com

    all the best,
    Hiccup

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  2. It is fantastic becoming a mamma. But it is also important to not drop away the very things that brought happiness pre parenthood. I remember after my baby was born feeling like I would never be able to draw again, which led to some baby blues. It made all the difference just letting a few chores go and allowing room for creativity when the bubba slept.

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  3. Thank you both for sharing your experiences. Yes and I too have had the baby blues because of house duties!! As I said to my partner, I don't what to be just a mother and housewife! I know there are some women who love the idea and I'm glad it brings you pleasure and makes you feel satisfied but I'm a restless spirit who likes to be challenged by lots of things!

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