My Song Of The Week

My Conundrum

Many years ago when Pharmakeus, Chella and I were puttering around in a small land of the Sydney band scene, we had one killer number that would always slay them. Why? Because it was unadulterated "Power-Of Rock" sort of song that would allow us to unleash the most aggressive sonic assault on the audience. It's a pretty cool number.

It was written at a time when there was worldwide outrage and condemnation about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Even Frank Zappa was moved to compose a tune called 'Outrage At Valdez'. Well, this number was our little volley of anger at the world in (*gulp*) 1989.

As usual, a song like that just couldn't stay buried in time like some artifact so it has been resurrected for the Coelacanth project right here.

A Visit To The Writers Guild
Pleiades arranged for me to attend a seminar held by the AWG this week. The topic was 'Are Australian Films Different?" This question was lambasted off the stage by panelist Billy Marshall Stoneking who then went on to deliver a cross between a drama school seminar and a shamanic huckster act which had me sort of squirming in my seat. I didn't expect to land in somewhere that reminded me of the futility of script meetings at AFTRS.
Turns out Billy teaches there, so more power to the students going there these days.

It's remarkable that the the practitioners of film-making want to discuss the craft but always end up talking about distribution and exhibitors because bottom line, it costs money to make films, and you just have to factor it in.

The newly appointed head of the NSWFTO was making the point that funding had no political interference and that the market for independent cinema had shrunk considerably if Box Office was the only path to the audience - which she believes it is not. The outgoing head of the NSWFTO was far more slippery when discussing just what was what in terms of what an "Australian Film"or an "Australian Story" might be in the eyes of the funding bodies, while we all got a serving telling us that we as Creatives are way too dependent in our thinking on Government funding. And that we've got it good compared to other countries.
It's been what I've been saying for a while, but go figure that.

One of the more indicative things mentioned in the seminar was that Daniel Krieg's film 'West' was not shown in the Western suburbs of Sydney where it was set; 'Blacktown' was not shown in Blacktown. 'Suburban Mayhem' was not shown in the 'burbs. This was largely explained by the indifference of exhibitors who need to maximise profits and so don't want to screen any local product.
It's pretty fucked, but at least we know who to vilify next. :)