JANUARY 2008

 ________________________________

31 January 2008

'Australia' Premiere Campaign Cont.

- As reported in my previous news update, the Northern Territory Government has launched a campaign for Darwin to host the international premiere of Australia. In response, Bowen's mayor has hit back with the following article in the Townsville Bulletin. Personally, I believe that both Darwin and Bowen will get special screenings of Australia as a special thank you to the locals, but I'm not sure if either will get the actual world premiere. This is something that will be decided by Bazmark later in the year.

Bowen fights for premiere
Townsville Bulletin, 30 January 2008

Look out Darwin, you'll have a fight on your hands if you think you are going to host the premiere of Australia. Bowen Mayor Mike Brunker has urged residents to support the North in attracting the Hollywood epic. He believes Bowen has a strong case for attracting a premiere because it was the 'heart and soul' of filming. But further north, the Northern Territory's Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, is leading a community push to host the August release. He has already put pen to paper, determined to persuade acclaimed director Baz Luhrmann that Darwin should stage the premiere. "I can't think of a better place to stage the film's premiere than right here," Mr Henderson said. "C'mon Territorians, let's get Australia to town."

Cr Brunker recommended the minister jump in Darwin's croc-infested water if he thought he would not get a fight from Bowen, which hosted six weeks of filming. "We don't expect a world premiere but simultaneous action somewhere would be nice," he said. "We expect to get a (Australian) premiere because we were the heart and soul of the film. They (Darwin) only jumped on the bandwagon in the end. "I know Hugh (Jackman) was very keen to come back and do something from Bowen. We'll be able to work something out."

The $130 million romantic outback epic centres on Lady Sarah, played by Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, who becomes the owner of a cattle station before World War II.  She enlists the help of a `rough-hewn' drover, Hugh Jackman, in a fight against cattle barons who plot to take over her land. The pair drive 2000 head of cattle across the Top End and get caught up in the Japanese bombing of Darwin. The star-studded film finished shooting in Bowen, which will portray 1930s Darwin, in the middle of last year. The crew then filmed in Western Australia's unique Kimberley region near Kununurra. Darwin was treated to only 10 days of shooting at Stokes Hill Wharf. Mr Henderson said the best way to say thanks was to bring the show back to Darwin. "I believe the impact on tourism for Australia, for Darwin, could be equally as huge (as Lord of the Rings was for New Zealand). Our city was one of the few locations used for shooting the film - but it is the only place that can claim to be the real `home' of the movie."

Mr Henderson has encouraged Territorians to join the campaign to give Hollywood a run for its money and bring the international premiere to the steamy capital. "I've written to Baz Luhrmann to offer the government's support for the staging of the premiere, and I'm encouraging Territorians to be part of the campaign to bring Australia to Darwin," he said. "Territorians can send a letter of support to my office, or add their name to the online petition, and it will be forwarded on to Bazmark Films.''

29 January 2008

'Australia' Catch-Up

- What follows is one massive update that covers the past six weeks of Australia movie news. Updates start from 15 December 2007, which was the date of my last news update before my lap top crashed and had to be sent away for repair. (Luckily, my lap top has now been fixed and returned to me, so updates can now resume.)

Australia movie news is listed below in date order starting from the oldest news at the very bottom to the most recent news at the very top. Therefore, you might like to scroll down to the very bottom of the page and work your way up. (Once I begin my February 2008 news updates, I will reassign the news into December 2007 and January 2008 for the sake of continuity in my News Archives.)

'Australia' Premiere Campaign

- A website has been created by the Northern Territory Government to campaign for Darwin to host the international premiere of Australia. If you visit the website, you can complete the online petition or obtain the address to write directly to the Chief Minister's office.

Personally, I have always assumed that the Australia premiere will take place in one of three towns - Darwin, Bowen or Sydney. (Kununurra could also be considered a possibility, but the location may be too remote.) I'm not really sure what Baz Luhrmann will decide, and I guess it's too early to tell. With regards to Darwin, much of the film is based there, including the pivotal events involving the Japanese bombings during WWII. It would therefore make sense for the premiere to be held there to highlight the town and its role in Australian history. However, I can also see the viewpoint of the people of Bowen, where most of the Darwin filming was done, and I believe there has already been an indication of a premiere there. And then there's Sydney, which is a capital city, the home of Fox Studios, and the home of Bazmark and several of the film's stars. It will therefore be very interesting to discover what location is chosen for the eventual premiere.

In the meantime, the Northern Territory News has reported the following article:

Territory chases a world premiere
Northern Territory News, 29 January 2008

Darwin could see the return of A-list celebrities Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman as the Territory Government launches a campaign to bring the premiere of Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia to the Top End. The love story set in the Territory during World War II and the bombing of Darwin is set to be released later this year. The Hollywood director hinted in July the first screening could be in the Top End, sparking a rivalry with the Queensland town of Bowen _ which was recreated to look like 1940s Darwin. Chief Minister Paul Henderson said there was only one "real Darwin". "Bowen are imposters," he said.

The Chief Minister has written to Luhrmann and offered to host the world premiere in Darwin. He said the two weeks of filming on Stokes Hill Wharf was one of the most talked about events in Darwin last year. "Our city was one of the few locations used for shooting the film - but it is the only place that can claim to be the real 'home' of the movie," he said. "When people watch your movie they will think of Darwin - and we'd love that to be reinforced with the first screening ofAustralia in our wonderful city."

Territorians were thrilled to see Jackman and Kidman in Darwin cafes and restaurants during their short visit and star spotters crowded around the set for a glimpse of their favourite actors. Many fans even found themselves cast as extras in the period film. Location premieres are becoming more fashionable in the film industry - The Dish premiered in Parkes, NSW, Ten Canoes at Ramingining and Lord of the Rings in Wellington, New Zealand. The premiere could also see the arrival of Australian actors Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, David Wenham, Barry Otto, Bill Hunter, Ben Mendelsohn, John Jarratt, Essie Davis, Sandy Gore and David Gulpilil, who all star in the movie. Industry analysts predict the $100million film's release will be a huge boost to Top End tourism.

Vanity Fair 'Australia' Article & Image

- The February 2008 edition of Vanity Fair magazine features a two-page spread about Australia, and reveals a gorgeous new image of Hugh Jackman as the Drover and Nicole Kidman as Lady Ashley.  Click on the above image to access the scanned article, courtesy of my affiliate website, australiamovie.net. The article states, "This journey through Australia's enchanting topography brings about Lady Sarah Ashley's gradual renewal, as does the scorching romance between her and her fellow rider. "The film is called Australia," says Luhrmann, "but the country is a metaphor for possibility."

New 'Australia' Image

- The following snippet from The Herald Sun features brief information about Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman's upcoming projects. But most importantly, this article features a brand new photo of Kidman and Jackman as Lady Ashley and the Drover in Australia!

Epic Year in Aussiewood
The Herald Sun, 2 January 2007

Australia should be well represented at the box office again this year, thanks to the hard work of stars such as Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman at home and in Hollywood. Confidential takes a look at what moviegoers can expect to see from our biggest names in the months ahead.

Nicole Kidman
The screen beauty spent nine months of last year working on Baz Luhrmann's Australia, in which she stars alongside fellow Australian Hugh Jackman. This year will see the film's much-anticipated release. The epic had a $116 million budget. In it, Kidman plays an English aristocrat who inherits a property in the Northern Territory during World War II. Another Australian double-up will see Kidman star alongside friend Naomi Watts in Need, set for release next year. Kidman is in cinemas in The Golden Compass, which scored poor reviews from some critics -- something Kidman takes in her stride. "You win some, you lose some, but I love what I do," she said.

Hugh Jackman
Working on Australia was a "dream" for Jackman, who spent most of last year in Australia filming the big-budget movie. "It's a dream doing this epic," he said. "There's lots of horse riding and guys walking around cracking whips." This year will also see the release of If You Could See Me Now, in which he plays an imaginary friend to a lonely boy. He will also be busy working on X-Men spin-off Wolverine, scheduled for release next year.

Mandy Walker Interview

- Mandy Walker is the cinematographer for Baz Luhrmann's Australia. She was recently interviewed by Kodak.com and spoke about her role in shooting the film:

Mandy Walker Interview
Kodak.com (undated)

QUESTION: You are currently in the middle of shooting a film called Australia. The director is Baz Luhrmann. Have you worked with him before?
WALKER: We worked on a television commercial campaign for Chanel Number 5 perfume with Nicole Kidman a couple of years ago. She is one of the stars in Australia.
QUESTION: Tell us what this film is about?
WALKER: It is a modern, epic love story with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman in leading roles. My visual references included Gone with the Wind, Giant, Lawrence of Arabia and Out of Africa. It takes place in Australia during the World War II. It has many Australian stories about the history of the war.
QUESTION: How did you prepare to shoot this film?
WALKER: It has been a really long and incredibly intense journey. We watched many Australian films and a lot of historical footage from the times and places where we were shooting. We also watched the epic movies I mentioned, and some from other countries, including Sergei Bondarchuk's War and Peace (1968) and Satyajit Ray movies. Then we had long discussions about what this story is about. I shot a lot of 35 mm pictures, which we used with drawings and paintings while discussing concepts for the look and visuals that were right for this story. Catherine Martin, the production/costume designer, was involved in all of these discussions. She combined the visual references that I mentioned and created what we called 'concept design references' that we referred to while shooting each scene.
QUESTION: What format was chosen for production and why?
WALKER: We were always going to shoot in widescreen, because of the scope of the story and the spectacular landscapes. We decided to shoot in Super 35 because of the flexibility of the spherical lenses. I wanted the ability to be very subtle with how we handled changes in light and wanted maximum control over focus.
QUESTION: Does the look evolve as the story develops?
WALKER: Australia is a modern approach to the classic Westerns and other epic movies that were made during the 1930s through the 1950s. We considered the landscapes a character. The style of cinematography and production design represented the emotional journey of the characters that Baz wants the audience to feel at different moments in the story. There are subtle differences in looks, depending upon what is happening.
QUESTION: A fascinating thing about moviemaking is that it is a collaborative process involving cinematographers, directors, production designers and many other people. We have a question about that. How do you as a cinematographer get inside of the director's mind, so you know what they are thinking? Is it just words in conversations or something more?
WALKER: Baz has amazing relationships with everyone involved and an ability to communicate and collaborate. Everyone has different ideas about colors, lighting and darkness. Sometimes it's easy to get into a director's head and understand his or her vision. Other times it's more difficult to interpret, but that's part of my role. I have to get inside the director's mind, and then trust my gut feelings because everyone has different ideas about colors, light and darkness, exposure, framing and movement.

Jack Thompson Interview

- Jack Thompson, star of Australia, was featured in a three page article in the January 2008 edition of the Australian Women's Weekly. Click on the above image to access the scanned article, courtesy of my affiliate website, australiamovie.net. Jack Thompson will play cattle station book keeper, Kipling Flynn, and was quoted as saying, "He's very different to anything you have seen me play in the past. Baz has pushed me a little here and a little there, and we have created this extraordinary book keeper, a drinker who is somewhere between a total tragedy and a struggling spirit. There's a comic edge to him, too. It's been very exciting." Thompson also said, "Baz is attacking this film on a fabulous scale. Perhaps it will see a revival for the Australian film industry. I was talking to Hugh Jackman and I said I was amazed at the scale of the production and that I thought it would be a landmark Australian film. And he leaned over and whispered, 'Yeah. And you know what? We're in it'."

'Australia' to be the next 'Crocodile Dundee'?

- The following article from The Australian gives an interesting take on how the extremely successful Crocodile Dundee shares similarities with Australia, and how this may work to its advantage. The article also features some great quotes from Luhrmann, and is an intriguing read regarding the possibilities that this film may present for Australia.

Global take on outback
The Australian, 29 December 2007

One was a film from a first-time director starring a very Australian comedian; the other is the fourth film from an acclaimed director starring two of Hollywood's biggest names. But Crocodile Dundee and Baz Luhrmann's Australia share many attributes. Just as Paul Hogan's comedy sold a sweeping outback vision of our country to the world, so will Australia. And just as Crocodile Dundee presaged an era of sometimes frenzied private investment in Australian films, Australia is the test case for what is expected to be an influx of Hollywood money taking advantage of the 40per cent producer rebate brought in recently by the federal government.

Both films are exceptional in going after international success. Luhrmann is quite deliberate about making a movie rather than a film, thereby distancing himself from most of his local peers. "We don't have to be damning of what some people call a film - I've made films - but a movie, that's a language in America meaning an everybody experience that can play globally, it can play in Finland, it can play in Idaho," he says. His romantic period epic starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman is a massive undertaking on all levels, filmed in remote Australian landscapes from Bowen to Kununurra and aiming to produce something that will play globally.

Luhrmann expected, and received, criticism for grandly titling his movie, Australia. "The title was a shocker and I aim to shock," he jokes. But the title has already generated intrigue internationally, evoking ideas of "a big, faraway and strange place", he says. What began as a journey to learn more about his country has morphed into a $130million movie "using landscape as the canvas on which we tell this fairly universal story". The project is backed by 20th Century Fox, part of News Corporation, publisher of The Weekend Australian.

The director of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge! is unabashed about his ambition. Inquirer's early peek at unedited scenes from the movie suggest it has the sweep of those location films Luhrmann admires, Casablanca, Oklahoma!, Out of Africa and Lawrence of Arabia. "And I have to be careful there, because people hearing that (comparison) absolutely shitcan us," he says. Who's to mock an Australian filmmaker with the ambition and creative vision of David Lean though? Convention says that if you make a strong enough film it will succeed here and, if you're lucky, globally. Since Crocodile Dundee and the mid-1990s rush of Shine, Muriel's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, our expectations of international success for distinctly Australian films - as opposed to Happy Feet, which was Australian-made but no more Australian on-screen than The Matrix or Superman Returns - have shrunk.

Now, it seems enough to merely gain entry into an international film festival, the pinnacle being Cannes, or pick up an award or two. The cliche commensurate with that convention is that our films "break out" when they have international success. Popularity is surprising, not expected. Crocodile Dundee didn't leave its breaking out to chance. Its success followed a coolly executed commercial plan that piggy-backed off Hogan's international appeal as a shill for Foster's lager and the then Australian Tourism Commission during the 1980s. John Cornell, better known as Strop, and Hogan suggested overhauling the ATC's US advertising campaign with the help of gurus and MOJO agency founders Alan (Mo) Morris and Allan (Jo) Johnston. Hogan has since protested he was merely sick of television comedy sketches and was ripe for a film. Even so, his film's genesis dovetailed beautifully with their "shrimp on the barbie" campaign that aired only in New York and Los Angeles but filled planes to Australia. Such was his burgeoning fame, Los Angeles sanctioned a Paul Hogan Day in 1986. Cornell calmly held off selling US distribution rights until the peak price was offered, and Crocodile Dundee's US release coincided with new ad campaigns there for Fosters and the Queensland and Northern Territory tourism commissions. Chris Brown, the managing director of the lobby group Tourism and Transport Forum and son of then tourism minister John Brown, says it was a mutually beneficial relationship."Good luck to Hoges, he did all the tourism stuff for free so he was right to leverage the film off tourism, but tourism certainly leveraged off Crocodile Dundee."

After such a triumph of synchronicity and creativity, partnerships between the Australian film and tourism industries would appear to have been set. Not so. Tourism officials have quietly muttered their frustration that the Australian film industry hasn't been able to connect with a global audience since then. Yet when the Hollywood animated blockbuster set in Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef, Finding Nemo, was served to this country on a platter, state tourism agencies bungled the cross-promotion opportunities and didn't see tourism benefits fly as they should have. "For a while there hadn't been movies we could take out to the world," says Brown. "While they're all not going to be Crocodile Dundee, it's important we put stories out there. I don't think films should be made as tourism ads, that's not their function, but it's kind of cool when they are."

In Australia, Kidman plays an English aristocrat and Jackman the drover assigned to protect her sprawling northern Australian property before World War II. Already one rival distributor says the love story has Titanic-type potential. Australia shouldn't be a hard sell, even to its cynical homeland, and in turn could be an incredible sell of this country. Indeed, its plot, presentation and northern Australian locations look likely to speak deeply to the Australian tourism experience, of a visitor coming to this country and being deeply affected by it. Geoff Buckley, managing director of Tourism Australia, confirms discussions about a promotional campaign between his office, 20th Century Fox and Luhrmann's Bazmark Films are advanced. "We see significant potential in this film to promote Australia and we would hope to be able to confirm a partnership within the next couple of months," he says. The film has already partnered with Qantas and R.M. Williams, and Luhrmann is playing his part, striding around the Fox Studios set in his R.M. Williams boots and moleskins. His exuberance is mixed with a little trepidation though. Australia is the biggest film this country has produced, and with that comes vast expectations, regardless of whether it can sell the outback to the world.

Jackman is also convinced of the film's potential. "I don't know what I can reveal except that it raises the hair on the back of your neck," he says of some completed footage. "It's OK," Kidman jokily chips in as a means to keep some sort of lid on the enterprise. Luhrmann admits he's gained confidence from the communities in which the film was shot, particularly Queensland's Bowen and Western Australia's Kununurra. "I couldn't make this film and not engage with the whole country to some degree," he says. "Now, the expectation? Enormous. The pressure of that? Not comfortable. Will this film be a success?" he asks. "I do not know. Could it be that almighty mistake that one is bound to do at some time? Possibly but (it's) not (likely)."

Nevertheless, he appears thoroughly enthused about making the most of circumstances not seen at any time in our cinema history. A confluence of events - primarily the result of 30 years of government investment in the film industry and the emergence of a generation of Australian film stars - has resulted in an incredible opportunity for Luhrmann and his wife, Academy award-winning designer Catherine Martin. This is not just a unique time but a freak time, Luhrmann says, adding that no other country, not even Britain, could assemble a local story, director, crew and such high-calibre stars accompanied by the kind of large-scale budget seen only in US movies. "As a result, we're seizing the day and saying it's possible that a large-scale picture could be made (here)," he says.

The film should light the path for similar US-funded, Australian films made for the international market, although not quite with its budget or ambition. Australia will be the first beneficiary of the new 40 per cent producer incentive and a test case for US studios looking to exploit our talent. But Kidman expresses concern that such ambitious blockbusters don't become the Australian film industry's focus. She hopes "the little gems that come out of this country aren't disregarded, because that's where you build the next generation of filmmakers and artists, actors, set designers, all that sort of thing".
"Our industry should be able to explore both sides of it, which is making spectacles and then great little indie films," she says. Jackman adds that circumstances look favourable for Australian filmmaking. "It's one of those things you would say with a bit of reservation, but I would have thought for the next two or three years it's an optimistic time for the industry," he says. "Let's pray it's going to be good."

Luhrmann need not pray. The stars have aligned and his studio, 20th Century Fox, has faith in a filmmaker who concedes he has strayed over schedule but not over budget. That delay caused some heart palpitations back at Fox's Century City head office because Jackman was due to shoot X Men Origins: Wolverine in the new year. Wolverine is the kind of action blockbuster that bankrolls riskier, artier fare such as Australia. That said, Luhrmann is the best bet to get Fox executives to the Oscars, so leeway is given. "To me, the end of the journey is when it's ready," he says of the film, expected to be released before Christmas next year. Given his responsibility to his cast, crew, local communities and even his country, he won't be rushing. "As a practitioner in film, I tend to like small, exquisite meals. But if you're going to serve a banquet, the world doesn't need another half-baked banquet."

'Australia' Release

- While filming of Australia has now wrapped, no release date has yet been set. Baz Luhrmann initially indicated it might be November 2008. However, more recent reports have indicated that Australia will be released in December 2008. The 20th Century Fox Film Preview Kit states that Australia will be released in 'Holiday '08', which seems to indicate the Christmas period. However, it could also be interpreted as the American Thanksgiving holiday. In a story by the Courier Mail, it indicates that the film might possibly be aiming for Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), which would apparently fit in with the Oscar nomination period. At this stage, it has not been determined exactly when Australia will be released, and it is probably far too early for Baz Luhrmann to commit to a release date. However, it seems clear that Australia is aiming for a release in late 2008.

20th Century Fox 2008 Film Preview Kit
IESB.net, 21 December 2007

AUSTRALIA
Action-Adventure-Romance
Release: Holiday '08
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Produced by: Baz Luhrmann
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown
A romantic action-adventure set in northern Australia prior to World War II, AUSTRALIA centers on an English aristocrat (Kidman) who inherits a ranch the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle driver (Jackman) to drive 2000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier. With his new film, Luhrmann is painting on a vast canvas, creating a cinematic experience that brings together romance, drama, adventure and spectacle.

Plan Your Movie Viewing
Excerpt from Courier Mail, 28 December 2007

One Australian film that will have a significant 2008 release is Baz Luhrmann's Gone With the Wind-style epic, Australia, that marked the end of filming after nine months around the country with a party at Fox Studios in Sydney earlier this month. The drama, set in the early days of World War II, and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, will now be fine-tuned in a long post-production phase that is set to be completed in time for it to hit movie screens late in 2008, possibly for the key Boxing Day target. This would fit in with strategy to have the film seen by members of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who select Oscar nominees. Given Luhrmann's track record of both box office and artistic success with earlier films such as Strictly Ballroom, Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge, there are great expectations for Australia. "This could be the most successful Australian feature we've had since Crocodile Dundee," says Richard Parton, the president of the Motion Picture Exhibitors Association who has had 40 years' experience in the film industry, working both as a distributor and exhibitor. "We've seen some footage, and it looks wonderful - there's an epic look to it, and there's a gripping story. If any film is going to challenge Crocodile Dundee's position as the all-time hit, it could be this."

Official Images Released!

- Three brand new official images from the movie have been released, apparently to coincide with articles reporting on the completion of filming. One shows Nicole Kidman as Lady Sarah Ashley and Hugh Jackman as the Drover standing side by side in a gorgeous close-up, another shows Nicole Kidman as Lady Ashley walking on what appears to be the front decking of her cattle station, Faraway Downs, and the final picture shows David Gulpilil in his role as King George.

The image and character name of Gulpilil were revealed by Moviehole on 19 December 2007, and featured the following information, "Gulpilil's co-starring role as King George, a magic man in his tribe, requires the actor to sing a great deal of his role in several pivotal scenes in the film. The actor took this requirement seriously and is proud to showcase this unique aspect of his culture in Luhrmann's film. As the actor states, "Our tometic ancestors created the land in the dreamtime. Everything you see, including animals, tress, rocks and rivers were created in the dreamtime. Our ancestors called the land into life, giving names to places and animals through song. Our songs represent our stories and our connection to this land. Without our songs we would have nothing."

'Australia' Filming Wraps

- An Australia wrap party was held on the night of 15 December 2007, and Baz Luhrmann was pictured arriving at the party at Sun Studios, Alexandria, by Newspix (above). The following three articles give conflicting dates regarding when filming of Australia actually ended. However,  Baz Luhrmann himself indicated during an interview on 16 December 2007 (featured below) that principal photography would in fact end on 19 December 2008. The Sunday Herald Sun and Sydney Morning Herald implied that filming had gone over budget and over schedule. Baz Luhrmann denied going over budget, but did admit to going over schedule, and is quoted as saying that it was "not anything particularly out of the ordinary". And, in a great article by News.com.au, details of Nicole Kidman's final scene shot at Fox Studios were revealed, including a possible spoiler about the fate of Nullah!

Sun sets on Australia shoot
News.com.au, 20 December 2007

With the stench of cows' manure lingering in the air, their faces smeared with dirt and bodies drenched in sweat, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman finally dimmed the lights on Outback epic Australia yesterday after a gruelling nine-month shoot. Relaxed and glowing, Kidman played out her final scenes as English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley in the $100 million-plus Baz Luhrmann production, as her country crooning husband Keith Urban watched proudly from the wings. Trembling with emotion the Academy Award winner launched into her final take, letting out a shocking scream, before cradling 11-year-old actor Brandon Walters in her arms. The pivotal scene, filmed at Sydney's Fox Studios, revolves around Aboriginal youngster Nullah (Walters) being forced to a cliff edge by a herd of stampeding cattle, his life left hanging in the balance.

Kidman, 40, said while she was looking forward to a break over Christmas, the anxiety of the curtain finally falling on the film hit her during a dream on the eve of her final scene. "Last night I was crying in a dream and I think it was a bit of anxiety about finishing," she admitted. "I am very ingratiated having done this film. I have wanted to do it since I was 14 and I didn't know what it was, but I knew there was something." The tall beauty said it was lovely to be able to share the experience with Urban, a regular visitor to the set. Urban arrived in the country yesterday fresh from two weeks touring Canada, and Kidman said it was great to have him there.

Looking bronzed and in shape in preparation for his role in Wolverine, leading man Jackman, 39, who plays a drover and Kidman's love interest in the World War II piece, will film his final scene today. "If you could tick any box off a job, this has got every box ticked," he said, adding it felt "surreal" to finish. "Part of me doesn't want to let this go. It's probably the best movie I've ever worked on. It's hard to let go of."  While eating from a plate of broccoli, Jackman said he would have three weeks off before throwing himself into physically demanding sci-fi thriller Wolverine. "I literally eat every three hours," Jackman said of his preparation.

Set in Australia's northern Outback, the film follows the life of Lady Sarah Ashley, who travels halfway across the world to inherit a massive Northern Territory cattle station. For more than seven years, Kidman and Luhrmann have brainstormed over the project, with production finally beginning in April. "Out of those conversations, it was, 'We have to do something for this country', because (of) the landscape here, the essence and nature of being Australia and what that is," Kidman said. "He started his research and here we are." Cast and crew have trekked across Australia to film in Sydney, Kununurra, Darwin and Bowen. While Moulin Rouge!, Romeo and Juliet and Strictly Ballroom director Luhrmann promises he will not deliver the world "another half-baked" film epic, he admitted to feeling the pressure for the film to perform when released at Christmas next year. "The expectations are enormous, the pressure of that (is) not comfortable," he said. "It wouldn't be comfortable going into an Olympics, I wouldn't like to be Ian Thorpe at an Olympic swim because you are up against the best in the world, you represent your country and if it doesn't play the risk is enormous."

Baz Ready to Wrap at Last
Sydney Morning Herald, 20 December 2007

Nicole Kidman arrived under an umbrella with her husband, Keith Urban, holding hands like smitten teenagers. Hugh Jackman was walking around with a plate of broccolini, part of a dietary schedule that has him eating every three hours. With filming finally ending today after nine months, spirits were high yesterday on the Fox Studios set of the outback epic Australia. The Herald's film writer, Garry Maddox, reports that Baz Luhrmann was directing close-ups of a scene that has Nullah, played by the young Aboriginal actor Brandon Walters, almost driven off a cliff in a cattle stampede. The filmmaker behind Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge! is behind schedule but denied busting the $US100 million ($116 million) budget. "It's a secret - I don't want you to tell anyone - but I'm not on schedule," he said. "But someone said the other day, as far as epics go, not anything particularly out of the ordinary. Not fast. Not slow." The pressure to deliver a hit was uncomfortable. "Will this film be a success? I do not know. Could it be that almighty mistake that one is bound to do at some time? Possibly but … we'll do everything we can to make it as good as we possibly can." Kidman, who plays an English aristocrat who inherits an outback cattle station, was sad to finish the shoot. "I was relieved this morning but last night I woke up and I was crying from a dream. I think it was actually a little bit of just anxiety finishing this. I was really sad - deeply sad - at about 3am." Jackman has three weeks off before starting work in New Zealand on the X-Men spin-off Wolverine.

Oz film cut at last
Sunday Herald Sun, 16 December 2007

Filming on Baz Luhrmann's much-talked-about big budget extravaganza Australia will grind to a halt on Friday. The epic film, starring Nicole kidman and Hugh Jackman, started filming in Sydney at the end of April. Since then filming has moved to Bowen in Queensland, Darwin, Kununurra in West Australia and back to Fox Studios in Sydney. The film's budget is widely rumoured to have blown out well over original estimates of $130 million. It is also believed to have overshot its filming schedule by more than a month. A spokesperson for the production could not be contacted yesterday to comment on the overrun rumours. It is expected further scenes will be shot next year to complete the epic. Jackman and Kidman have commitments to other films early in the new year. Shooting is expected to begin on Jackman's next film, Wolverine, in Sydney in less than a month. Pre-production has been under way on the project for the past three months, with filming set to last until June. Jackman is also a producer on the project. Jackman and Kidman are expected to spend Christmas and New Year's Eve in Australia with their families. There is a whisper they and their families may be planning to see in the new year together on a boat cruising Sydney Harbour.

Baz and Brandon Interview

- On 16 December 2007, Australian presenter Angela Bishop interviewed Baz Luhrmann and Brandon Walters on the red carpet at The Golden Compass premiere in Sydney. A video of the interview can be found on You Tube, and the transcript is as follows:

ANGELA: Congratulations, only a few days to go on principal filming
BAZ: Well we, ah, principal photography ends in ah...exactly THREEEE DAYS. Is that right Brandon?
BRANDON: Yep.
BAZ: This is the young actor...one of the leads in the film and his family. Come over here don't be ashamed.
ANGELA: How are you? Nice to meet you, Brandon.
BRANDON: Hello.
ANGELA: How have you found working with Baz and Nicole?
BRANDON: Umm, well I've found it a bit... fun. It was good.
ANGELA: Well you look fantastic. You're looking very 'movie star' already.
BRANDON: Thank you!
BAZ: He's really covered all areas, haven't you Brandon?
BRANDON: Yeah.
BAZ: Yeah, you've done dancing and things. We've had a great adventure I think. We had the wrap party last night so...
ANGELA: Oh, well you look alright despite that.
BAZ: Oh yes, I was very restrained last night (he says looking away, obviously lying) ...very restrained.
ANGELA: And looking back on 9 months of all this photography, plus all your preparation, how are you feeling?
BAZ: Well I think last night there was a genuine, heartfelt, feeling of having completed it, you know? That was really the great challenge and the nine months the crew and every participant has been absolutely unflinching in their passion to see it through, so there's an enormous sense of joy actually. I mean, we have another big, big road to go, but there's a great joy about having completed such a long project, and we are at the end of principal photography.
ANGELA: So when do we see it?
BAZ: (Baz slyly starts slowly walking away) Now, now, now (nervous laugh). As soon as it's right. As soon as it's right.

Baz Luhrmann and Nicole Kidman have been very supportive of young Brandon, and the following article from the Sydney Morning Herald reveals that they intend to set up scholarship for him so that he can continue his "education beyond the hype of movie-making":

Kidman falls for co-star, 11
Sydney Morning Herald, 22 December 2007

Staring into those big brown eyes for nine months, it is easy to see how Nicole Kidman had her heart stolen by 11-year-old Brandon Walters. Brandon is a young actor from Broome who was plucked from obscurity to play what has been described as the most pivotal role in Baz Luhrmann's epic $100 million blockbuster Australia. As filming entered its final stages at Fox Studios last week he told Luhrmann he would miss making movies. And it is no secret Kidman will miss Brandon, too. Details of his character, Nullah, are scant, but PS understands Nullah lives on the outback cattle property of Kidman's character, Lady Sarah Ashley, and becomes a central figure in the relationship between Lady Ashley and a local drover (Hugh Jackman). Lady Ashley takes a maternal role in the boy's life.  Evidently Kidman and Brandon have established a relationship similar to the one on screen, with visitors to the set revealing the Oscar winner and the young actor have developed a sign language to communicate secret messages during the drawn-out shoot, which has taken them across Australia. On Thursday Kidman was peppering Brandon's brow with motherly kisses between takes. Last Sunday Kidman invited Brandon and his extended family, including his mother, Janie Wright, to the red-carpet premiere of The Golden Compass. Surrounded by VIPs in the State Theatre, Wright beamed with pride when revealing to PS the family had been "specially invited" by Kidman, who had established a strong bond with her son. "Nicole is a great woman … She has really looked after Brandon, and he thinks she's great," she said. Kidman and Luhrmann are also acutely aware of the dangers of celebrity and have both been protective of the boy, with talk they intend to set up a scholarship for him to ensure he continues his education beyond the hype of movie-making.

________________________________

BACK TO NEWS UPDATES

HOME
________________________________

Compiled by Vanessa
Copyright