Author Archives: Louise
Welcome to the spooky corridor of DOOM!
It’s not really that spooky, but isn’t that a nicely dramatic name? I find myself wishing for a ghost to waft smokily through a wall, shush me ala Ghostbusters, then continue on. The passage is part dust, dirt, chill and echoing footsteps. Just what the State Library of Victoria building should be.
Post in the comments if you know any State Library of Victoria ghost stories, and in the lead up to the festival, during the long hours and late nights, we’ll make a pretend camp fire with cellophane (so to not disturb the smoke detectors) and hold touches under our chins, telling tales to scare one another.
Louise
Festival Administrator
A few piccies
Artwork: Chay-ya Clancy; Photography: Jim Lee
Atrium, Federation Square; Photography: Jim Lee
Author green room; Photography: Jim Lee
Prime Mover free ticket offer!
Thanks to Miranda Brown Publicity the Melbourne Writers Festival has 10 double passes and 20 Buy One Get One Free passes to give away for new Australian film Prime Mover, released 12 November. 
Prime Mover is a diesel charged love story about ambition, pressure, responsibility and the love shared by a man, a woman and his truck.
Thomas dreams of owning and driving his own prime mover. But not just any old truck. A huge, bitumen eating chrome metal juggernaut, as powerful and unstoppable as his love for Melissa, a disarming Dubbo beauty who gives as good as she gets.
Loaded up with big dreams, big credit and soon a new family, young Thomas goes into business for himself. Now he’s a real truckie, hauling loads day and night, driving faster and faster. But as the screws of responsibility and reality tighten Thomas must decide between sanity, family or his diesel powered dreams.
Prime Mover stars rising talent Michael Dorman as Thomas; 2006 AFI Award winning actress Emily Barclay as Melissa; the star of Sea Change and Look Both Ways William McInnes; iconic screen favourite Ben Mendelsohn; and new hit sensation Gyton Grantley of Underbelly.
Prime Mover is written and directed by David Caesar (Dirty Deeds, Mullet, RAN) and produced by Vincent Sheehan (Little Fish, Mullet)
To be in the running send an email, including your full name, postal address and the subject line ‘Prime Mover comp’ to admin@mwf.com.au.
All entries must be received by Friday 23 October, 5pm. Winners will be selected at random. Only winners will be notified.
The Lost Art of Letter Writing special offer
“a wonderful solo vehicle that also contains terrific writing for orchestra… with enormous emotional range and depth.” Marc Satterwhite, Director Grawemeyer Award
Academy student Kristian Winther will perform Brett Dean’s 2009 Grawemeyer Award-winning violin concerto, The Lost Art of Letter Writing with the Orchestra of the Academy. A deeply-felt composition, each movement is based on an excerpt from a letter written in the 19th century including Ned Kelly’s famous Jerilderie letter.
Haydn Symphony No. 82 in C major The Bear
Ligeti Cello Concerto
Brett Dean Violin Concerto The Lost Art of Letter Writing – Australian premiere
Kristian Winther, violin
Sharon Draper*, cello
Orchestra of the Academy
*Winner of ANAM’s 2008 Concerto Competition
21 November, 8pm
South Melbourne Town Hall
210 Bank Street, Sth Melbourne
The Australian National Academy of Music is delighted to extend a 10% Arts partner offer to Melbourne Writers Festival subscribers. To take advantage of this special offer contact 136 100 and quote ‘ARTS PARTNER OFFER’ or book online at Ticketmaster.
Tickets $50 (full) & $25 (concession)
A little bit of craftiness
The festival office has gone all quiet. We’re back down to five staff members only for roughly the next six months, and I’m starting to miss the windswept hijinks of festival time. I lie; there were few hijinks. High-pressure deadlines, but hijinks, not so much. If asked nicely I may be persuaded to make something up. Oh, the family have gone into the world to other jobs; don’t forget us guys!
We’re still wrapping up and debriefing; I personally have paid more invoices in one month than I thought existed in the entire history of the WORLD (again, not quite true). Today I met with the lovely Kim Brockett of Craft Victoria (meeting over at Craft Victoria in Flinders Lane more or less so that I could peruse the storefront and current exhibition). All agree; Craft Hatch @ MWF was a wonderful thing and brainstorming has begun for more ways to have craftiness in the festival. I’m writing a wish list. Lists are fun.
In the meantime, because everyones loves photos, here are some photos of Craft Hatch @ MWF 2009. I’ll be posting more photos of the festival in the weeks to come – keep an eye on this space.
Pictured: Zoe Churchill, Wah Wah Wears; Photography: Jim Lee
Pictured: Nicholas Jones; Photography: Jim Lee
Pictured: Samantha Parsons, Studio Sam; Photography: Jim Lee
Louise Angrilli
Festival Administrator
Public Transport Girl (a new superheroine?)
I had to buy a new monthly train ticket this week and look, Melbourne Writers Festival Metcard! You know you’re famous when people carry you around in their wallets.
Louise
Festival Administrator
Mail is fun
I love mail. I would roll around in mail if it wasn’t rather inappropriate. One of my pleasures is sending unexpected packages to people (or organisations – Polyglot Puppet Theatre, you know who you are). For no reason at all other than it’s 2am, I have some plastic dinosaurs, and there are people I know would like to have them. Or I feel like writing a letter about the day because something interesting happened, and though I’ll see my friends before the weekend, still, a letter seems good and proper and right for the moment.
The festival post is mostly invoices and cheques these days. But I’d like to make special reference to the person who posted their program booking on the back of a postcard. This postcard in fact. It’s so cute!
Louise
Festival Administrator
A book to love – The Red Tree
There should be a miniature version of Shaun Tan‘s The Red Tree so that I could keep it in my pocket day-to-day and finally take it all the way to Germany. In Germany I would waylaid random people to glory in the quiet beauty of the book, the sadness and confusion and hope. I would point and smile until they thought I was completely mad. Then I would hold the book tight to my chest, walk a little way, and start again with someone new. I’d also go to museums, libraries and the studio that filmed The Neverending Story, but we have to bring the best bits of home with us.
We’re close to program release but, pst, Shaun Tan is coming.
I’m wearing stripy socks today, as I do most days. That’s not really festival related, but I find it pleasing nevertheless.
Louise
Festival Administrator
It’s a booksy life
As you might imagine, we get a hell of a lot of books arriving in the office. In the lead up to the festival publishers send through newly released titles and proof books with their heavy paper and plain covers as one of the ways to spruik the fabulous writers under their wings. Some of the writers end up as guests of the festival; many of them don’t. But it’s such an exciting moment when new packages arrive. It’s like Christmas, but delivered by courier!
I’m still lagging a bit when it comes to my reading list but I’ve managed both China Miéville‘s The City and The City and Scott Westerfeld‘s Last Days, both guests of the festival this year. I’m not sure I’ll have much free time over the first weekend but if I can squeeze it in I’ll be at their sessions with bells on (I’ll probably forgo the pointed shoes though). Miéville has a touch for alternate worlds, layers on layers of shared but separated experience. It’s not too far from own world really.
I’m a geek at heart. I’ve snagged copies of Carrie Ryan‘s The Forest of Hands and Teeth (so spooky I still have it half-read and facing down beside my bed), Megan Abbott‘s The Song is You (for its irresistible pulp cover by artist Richie Fahey), and I’m hoping to convince Steve that surely he wants to pass Ryu Murakami‘s Audition my way, because sharing is just like a big hug. There won’t be much time for reading over the next two months (busy busy whoosh!), but I’ll squeeze in what I can.
Louise
Festival Administrator
It’s Goo Time
Imagine: evening last Tuesday.
I’ve wandered a few tram stops along St Kilda Rd to the JWT offices where I’ve been promised a glimpse into the creative marketing process. After tours and introductions I’ve been lead down to basement level of the building to a dark corner of the carpark.
Waiting for us is a group of people with cameras, costumes and make-up, all busy and intent. Between them lies a still body just beginning to ooze green blood; a man in trench coat and a gun to his side stands with his back to the crowd. I felt like a hardened police officer at a crime scene; all I needed was a cigarette hanging from the corner of my mouth, cooling sour coffee in a styrofoam cup and a look of contempt for the world. Instead I crouched down and tried not to giggle from the pure joy of witnessing the aftermath of my very first alien murder. I’m a simple girl with simple tastes.
JWT have been working extremely hard for us the last few months to create a spankingly impressive marketing campaign for 2009. You’ll be starting to notice the tag Where Stories Meet popping up online as we build closer to the program release. As part of the campaign, they’ve been working towards three core images melding genre; the scene above is Crime Meets Science Fiction. There’s anticipation in the air for the final images; with the program almost finished, these images will be the final touch for the shape of the program. It’s almost full go time! Excitement and queasiness are brought in equal measure. Still, how often do you get to see a dead alien body? We’re a lucky bunch here, I tell you.
Lastly, a few lessons from last Tuesday:
- The JWT board room has a spectacular view of night Melbourne, and is almost as large as our whole office.
- Green blood is part dishwashing detergent (for pooling effect), part green paint (for vibrancy) and a dab of glow-stick fluorescence if the scene is dark enough for the glow.
- Being Financial Manager doesn’t mean you can’t also be a damn fine alien corpse.
- Puppies should always be brought to photo shoots so that we can play with them afterwards.
- I want to experience more situations that involve the phrases ‘I’ve made up the dead guy’ and ‘It’s goo time’.
Louise
Festival Administrator
