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“Famed for their work producing “bite-sized” Shakespeare, the team behind Speaking Daggers showcases the crème of Aussie talent.”
– IndieActivity
PICTURED: CHRISTOPHER KIRBY AS “BENEDICK” FROM MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IN SPEAKING DAGGERS — PHOTO BY SHAUN HERBERTSON. 2 THE
Snapshot From the makers of the award-winning web series, SHAKESPEARE REPUBLIC, a new project from the Republic universe … Eight Shakespeare characters. Five different plays. One Café. This is Speaking Daggers. A Shakespeare film by Sally McLean for Independent Schools Victoria in conjunc on with Incognita Enterprises for the 2017 Arts Learning Fes val.
“ ... Sally McLean has managed to put screen adaptations of Shakespeare back on the map.” REALIST WEB FEST, RUSSIA
THE
Table of Contents
THE SYNOPSIS 3 FESTIVAL AWARDS & SCREENINGS 4 WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE REPUBLIC? 5 FROM THE DIRECTOR 6 ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM 7 ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE 19 THE FULL CREDIT LIST 37 THE MUSIC VIDEO 38 ABOUT INCOGNITA ENTERPRISES 39 NOTES OF INTEREST & CONTACT INFORMATION 40
3
THE Synopsis Love and revenge over coffee and cakes. Eight Shakespeare characters. Five different plays. One café. This is Speaking Daggers. Eight people enjoy a fine Spring day at an outdoor café. At first glance, it could be a scene from anywhere in the modern world un l they begin to speak. Eight characters from five different Shakespeare plays discuss love, revenge, deceit and power in overheard conversa ons, set against the backdrop of coffee, cakes and waitresses in crisp white shirts. “I will speak daggers …” – Hamlet
This short film is an extension of the award-winning web series, SHAKESPEARE REPUBLIC, set in the same world as Season Two, but created as a new stand-alone piece.
PICTURED: MICHALA BANAS AS “ISABELLA” FROM ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL IN SPEAKING DAGGERS—PHOTO BY SHAUN HERBERTSON. 4 FESTIVAL Awards & Screenings Speaking Daggers made its film fes val debut as an official selec on for the 2017 Shakespeare Film Fes val run by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stra ord-upon-Avon. Judged by the official Jury, headed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, Speaking Daggersreached Finalist stage with a “Highly Commended” status and screened as part of the Filming Shakespeare: Crossing Borders showcase at the historic New Place, the last home of William Shakespeare. The film then had its USA film fes val premiere as an Official Selec on at the 2018 Peak City Interna onal Film Fes val in North Carolina, USA, where it won the Best Short Film Award. It had its German Premiere as an official selec on for the 2018 Berlin Interna onal Cinefest, where it went on to win its second Best Short Film Award. To date the film has been officially selected for nineteen interna onal film fes vals, including having its Australian Film Fes val premiere as an official selec on for the iconic St Kilda Film Fes val in 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS: Highly Commended: Best Film Inspired By Shakespeare - 2017 Shakespeare Film Fes val, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (UK) Winner: Best Short Film – 2017 Peak City Interna onal Film Fes val (USA) Winner: Best Short Film - 2018 Berlin Interna onal Cinefest (Germany) Winner: Rising Star Award - 2018 Germany Interna onal Film Fes val (Germany) FILM FESTIVAL NOMINATIONS: Finalist: Best Film Inspired By Shakespeare – 2017 Shakespeare Film Fes val, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (UK) Nominated: Best Drama – 2017 Interna onal Short Film Fes val Beveran (Belgium) Finalist: Best Short Film – 2017 Peak City Interna onal Film Fes val (USA) Finalist: Best Short Film (Drama) - 2017 Interna onal Short Film Fes val Kolkata (India) Nominated: Best Short Film (Interna onal) - 2018 Brazil Interna onal Film Fes val (Brazil) Nominated: Best Short Film - 2018 Germany Interna onal Film Fes val (Germany) Nominated: Best Short Film - 2018 Portugal Interna onal Film Fes val (Portugal) Nominated: Best Hair & Make Up - 2018 Fisheye Film Fes val (UK) FILM FESTIVAL OFFICIAL SELECTIONS: 2017 Shakespeare Film Fes val, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (UK) 2017 Peak City Interna onal Film Fes val (USA) 2017 Interna onal Short Film Fes val Beveran (Belgium) 2017 AngliCON Film Fes val (USA) 2017 Interna onal Short Film Fes val Kolkata (India) 2018 Ramsgate Interna onal Film & TV Fes val (UK) 2018 Riverside Short Film Fes val (USA) 2018 Unrestricted View Film Fes val (UK) 2018 Brazil Interna onal Film Fes val (Brazil) 2018 High Peak Independent Film Fes val (UK) 2018 St Kilda Film Fes val (Australia) 2018 Auckland Interna onal Film Fes val (New Zealand) 2018 Berlin Interna onal CineFest (Germany) 2018 Noosa Interna onal Film Fes val (Australia) 2018 Hamilton Interna onal Film Fes val (USA) 2018 Germany Interna onal Film Fes val (Germany) 2018 Portugal Interna onal Film Fes val (Portugal) 2018 Cape Town Interna onal Film Market & Fes val (South Africa) 2018 Fisheye Film Fes val (UK) 2018 Fes val Île Courts (Mauri us)
5 WHAT IS
Shakespeare Republic?
Shakespeare Republic is an interna onally award-winning web series produced by Incognita Enterprises that celebrates not just the world’s greatest playwright, but also his insigh ul understanding of the big issues of his me. Insights that s ll hold relevance today and form the basis for a truly diverse, inven ve and epic journey into the nature of being human. Brainchild of award-winning Director/Producer, Sally McLean, with a highly experienced crew carrying a combined total of over 170 professional credits to their names, Shakespeare Republic has now been officially selected for over 50 interna onal film fes vals, winning 19 awards to date, and is an innova ve and exci ng ride through the works of William Shakespeare. Speaking Daggers is our first foray into short film and holds true to our ethos of deliberately producing Shakespeare works with a difference, built on the premise of taking Shakespeare and making his works more accessible to modern audiences by framing them through the lens of the 21st Century.
WHAT IS
Our Mission?
ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCES with Shakespeare’s works through the use of “bite-sized” To excerpts of text, with the intent to reduce the anxiety many feel around tackling a full Shakespeare play, thereby a rac ng new audiences, who might not otherwise engage; EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN MODERN AUDIENCES ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN, To using Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre texts set firmly in the 21st Century; and
CHALLENGE THE CONCEPT OF “TRADITIONAL” SHAKESPEARE, while s ll remaining true To to his original text and ideas.
PICTURED: OPENING SHOT OF SPEAKING DAGGERS—PHOTO BY SHAUN HERBERTSON. 6
FROM
The Director One of the founda ons of Shakespeare Republic’s work is The film ini ally screened as part of the Arts Learning con nually exploring ways to make Shakespeare accessible Fes val, presented in a public, stand-alone screening at to everyone, but par cularly those who might be struggling ACMI, Federa on Square before being submi ed to film with the text. fes vals around the globe. I am so delighted to say that a year later, the film has been officially selected for twenty This includes not just the general public, but also school fes vals interna onally, including the pres gious St Kilda students. Not only is the content of what we do useful for Film Fes val in Australia and the Shakespeare Birthplace students, but also the way we work, based on the principals Trust’s Shakespeare Film Fes val in the UK, addi onally of the collabora ve ensemble, which, as Professor winning nomina ons and awards along the way. Jonothan Neelands, Chair of Drama and Theatre Educa on at the University of Warwick (UK), noted in his 2009 ar cle In 2019, the film will be released to schools throughout Ac ng together: ensemble as a democra c process in art Victoria by Independent Schools Victoria, as part of a and life, is in itself educa onal for students as “the specially designed program for teachers and students to ensemble approach provides young people with a model of assist with learning Shakespeare. I am so very excited to democra c living.”1 begin this aspect of the work with ISV. As someone who didn’t get the best introduc on to the Bard in school, the While as Creator/Director/Producer, I helm the work, my chance to work within the educa on system and hopefully role also encompasses the facilita on of the ideas and find a way to entertain and educate students about sugges ons the ensemble is encouraged to bring to the Shakespeare, so hopefully giving them a be er chance at table during development and rehearsals. It therefore enjoying his works while learning about them in school, is becomes a truly collabora ve effort - hence the tle of our something I have long wanted to do. primary project - Shakespeare Republic. Going forward, I am currently working on the next short Speaking Daggers is an eleven minute film that is part of film for the Republic project, again commissioned by ISV the Shakespeare Republic universe, commissioned by and due for release in 2019. Independent Schools Victoria as a teaching tool for English and Drama subjects in the school curriculum. I wrote the I never thought my life would go this way - coming from film using Shakespeare monologues and scenes that are in deliberately avoiding Shakespeare to working so intensely line with the Australian syllabus, in the style we are known and consistently with his texts, but that gives me hope that, for presen ng. That is, using Shakespeare’s text as wri en, in turn, others will find some joy and edifica on in the work but se ng the work in 21st Century circumstances to help through these endeavors, as I have. further remove the barrier to understanding and assist the modern viewer to relate to the text, and therefore the Sally McLean ideas contained therein. Writer/Director/Producer
1 Research in Drama Educa on: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, Volume 14, 2009 - Issue 2: DRAMA FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES, Pages 173-189
PICTURED: CHRISTOPHER KIRBY AS “BENEDICK” FROM MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IN SPEAKING DAGGERS — PHOTO BY CHRISTOPH ZIEGENHARDT. 7
ABOUT THE Production Team
8
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/WRITER Sally McLean
9 DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/WRITER Sally McLean
A graduate of The Actors Ins tute, London, further studies undertaken with the faculty at the Howard Fine Studio Australia, Sally McLean has played roles in over thirty UK and Australian professional theatre produc ons, including the Australian Premier of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and the World Premier of Annabel’s Requiem on the West End, as well as three seasons with the Australian Shakespeare Company in their cri cally acclaimed produc ons of Comedy of Errors and Romeo & Juliet.
Sally’s screen credits as an actor include lead, guest and recurring roles in Upper Middle Bogan, Jack Irish, Utopia, The Worst Year of My Life – Again!, Elephant Princess, Flying Doctors, Tonight Live, Bingles, Comedy Inc., Evie Wants A Baby and the BAFTA Award-winning BBC mini-series Bootleg, amongst others.
Her work behind the camera began with the BBC as a member of the Books & Special Projects Unit in BBC Music & Arts. Three years in produc on at the BBC led to her wri ng and producing her first film A Li le Rain Must Fall in London, thought to be the first TV-length drama pilot to be shot on DV tape in the UK, and to her forming her produc on business Incognita Enterprises under the Honorary Patronage of Oscar® nominated actor, Sir Nigel Hawthorne – an associa on that con nued un l his passing in 2001.
Since then, Sally has wri en, directed and produced a number of screen and theatrical produc ons under the Incognita banner, both in Australia and the UK. Her award-winning web series Shakespeare Republic has been officially selected and screened at over 60 interna onal film fes vals, winning twenty-one awards to date including Best Director, Best Ensemble, Best Web Series and Best Actor with Season Two winning the pres gious CINE Golden Eagle Award for Best Digital Series in the USA in 2017, among others.
Sally has addi onally worked in produc on for Channel Nine, Endemol Southern Star and others on programs including Big Brother, Australian Idol, The X-Factor and 1 VS 100 and is currently writer/director/ producer for her first feature-length docudrama, Champion (The Story Of Franz Stampfl), due for release in 2019 and the WW2 drama television series ‘Till The Boys Come Home, starring Incognita regular ensemble members, Nadine Garner, Michala Banas, Christopher Kirby, Dean Haglund and Billy Smedley, currently in early pre-produc on.
Other industry ac vi es include serving as an official Jury member in both ac ng and screen cra categories for the AFI Awards, AACTA Awards and ATOM Awards since 2010.
Sally con nues to work in theatre, film and television as an actor as well as developing several long and short form projects for both stage and screen.
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm0572643
10
PRODUCER Billy Smedley
11 PRODUCER Billy Smedley
A graduate of Ballarat Arts Academy (formally BAPA), Billy has played numerous roles in theatre, most notably “Banquo” and “The Doctor” in Macbeth, followed by “Lysander” and “Lion” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Oz Act and performing six seasons of new Australian wri ng with Fractured Femur theatre company in various lead roles. In addi on to his ac ng work, Billy is a highly experienced Kung Fu prac oner, has a basic founda on in Parkour and is an ex member of the Australian Defence Forces (Army). Billy’s work behind the camera includes producing the award-winning web series, Shakespeare Republic (Seasons One & Two), and working as Co-Producer for the upcoming feature docudrama, Champion (The Story of Franz Stampfl). Billy is the other half of the producing team behind Incognita Enterprises, joining the business in 2010.
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm3830885/
12
CINEMATOGRAPHER Shaun Herbertson
13 CINEMATOGRAPHER Shaun Herbertson
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, but known for travelling all over the world for work, Shaun studied Film at Footscray City College, achieving his Diploma in Screen in 2008. Since then he has fallen in love with being behind the camera and become an in-demand Director of Photography. With experience shoo ng both na onally and interna onally, crea ng content for television, film, news, corporate films, music videos and everything in between, Shaun’s varied credits include Fashion Asia (F.A.D. Group), Inside MMA (Spike TV), Highway Ca le (documentary), Blood, Sweat & Tears (documentary) and the mul award-winning Chris & Josh (The Web Series), among many others. A full Australian Cinematography Society Member (ACS), Shaun has also recently completed shoo ng the feature films 36 Ques ons and The Journey and is currently Director of Photography on the interna onal feature documentary, Champion (The Story of Franz Stampfl). IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm3764171
14
SOUND RECORDIST/DESIGNER/EDITOR Tim McCormick
15 SOUND RECORDIST/DESIGNER/EDITOR Tim McCormick
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Tim McCormick is a qualified Sound Engineer (Bachelors of Recording Arts, Middlesex University England) and has a diploma in Sound Engineering from SAE in London. He has had over 10 years of experience doing studio and live work and has recently become more focused on post produc on and crea ng sound for picture. Tim works with the philosophy is that sound is integral to story telling. As he puts it so well: “Sound is something that is o en over-looked in produc ons, it shouldn’t be. It can be the difference between a good film and a great film.” Tim’s credits include several short & feature films, corporate videos, web series and documentaries, both as sound recordist and sound editor, including Director, Sally McLean’s feature-length documentary Champion (The Story of Franz Stampfl). IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm5926166/
16
EDITOR/COLOURIST Thanassi Panagiotaras
17 EDITOR/COLOURIST/VFX Thanassi Panagiotaras
Thanassi is a film and theatre professional with over twenty years in the business. His previous roles have included Theatre Producer, Film Director, Music Video Director, Film Editor, Colourist and Video Produc on Officer at La Trobe University. Now, Thanassi works as a freelance Editor and Colourist , based out of Guilty in Melbourne. Also associated with the Cameralla team, Thanassi has a swathe of short films, documentaries, web series and music videos to his name, as well as an impressive list of commercials for broadcast television. Thanassi is also the Editor/Colourist for Republic Director, Sally McLean’s feature-length documentary, Champion (The Story of Franz Stampfl)
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm4473897/
18 “… it’s lucky film and theatre aficionado Sally McLean has a passion for the Bard’s work … Speaking
Daggers shows the best of Shakespeare.”
– BeMelbourne
PICTURED: CHRISTOPHER KIRBY AS “BENEDICK”WITH SALLY McLEAN AS “BEATRICE” FROM MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IN SPEAKING DAGGERS — PHOTO BY PHILL NORTHWOOD. 19
ABOUT THE Ensemble
20
21 “EMILIA” Nadine Garner
Nadine’s first major role was in 1985 at the age of 15 as “Tamara” in The Henderson Kids, a role for which she won several awards. She then went onto play “Arlene Toomer” in the BBC comedy series Boys From The Bush for two series, before taking on a series of minor and guest roles in mul ple Australian and Bri sh television series
These included Prisoner, My Brother Tom, Neighbours, The Bill, A Country PracƟce, The Flying Doctors, Shadows of the Heart, G. P., Twisted Tales, Good Guys Bad Guys, Raw FM, Tribe, Class Act, Water Rats, The Love of Lionel’s Life, Changi, Heroes’ Mountain, Young Lions, The Secret Life of Us, SƟngers and Through My Eyes. Her next lead role was as “Detec ve Senior Constable Jennifer Mapplethorpe” in the police drama series City Homicide, which debuted in 2007.
Nadine made her film debut in The SƟll Point (1986) and appeared in Bushfire Moon (1987), Mull (1988) (for which she won “Best Actress” in the 1988 Australian Film Ins tute Awards), Metal Skin (1994), Fresh Air (1999), The Book of RevelaƟon (2006), and Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance (2007).
In 2002-03, Nadine played in a na onal tour of the musical Cabaret and received enthusias c reviews—as well as two theatre awards—for her performance as “Fraulein Kost/Fritzi”.
Nadine has won two Television Society of Australia Penguin Awards, a TV Week Logie, Australian Film Ins tute Award, Film Cri cs Circle of Australia Award, A Melbourne Green Room Award and a Helpmann Award for her roles on stage and screen.
She can currently be seen on television screens playing “Jean Beazley” in The Blake Mysteries IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm3830885/
22
23 “FALSTAFF” Scott Major
Sco Major has worked extensively in television, theatre and film around the world for the twenty seven years. He is a writer, actor, director and producer. Some of his regular television roles include Heartbreak High, Wildside, Neighbours, Always Greener and Late For School. Film credits include Envy, He Died With A Falafel In His Hand and The Heartbreak Kid. He founded Bathroom Floor Produc ons in 2004 and his recent theatre work includes All This In macy, Both Sides Of The Bar, The Fella o Monologues, Death In A Box, The Subtle Art Of Flir ng and Closer. Sco is currently one of the resident directors on Neighbours, while s ll taking roles in various theatre and film produc ons.
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm0538214/
24
25 “ISABELLA” Michala Banas
Michala’s ac ng career started very early with her first film credit at the age of 5 in her na ve New Zealand. her first award nomina on was a NZ Film & TV Award for: Best Juvenile Performance for her role in Mirror Mirror at only 16 years of age.. Since then, she has forged a remarkable film and television career spanning over three decades.
A er moving to Australia in 1988, Michala worked on several produc ons before her breakout role in Always Greener (Channel 7) for which she was nominated for most popular female talent for the 2002 Logies. From there she has worked consistently, starring in ongoing roles in McLeods Daughters (Channel 9), Winners and Losers (Channel 7) and the remarkable telemovie Beaconsfield (Channel 9).
Her portrayal of two naughty puppets in her stage debut in Avenue Q in 2009, earned Michala a Helpmann Award for Best Lead Female In A Musical in 2010.
Most recently, Michala has played the kooky “Phoebe” in the mul ple award winning Matchbox Pictures’ series Nowhere Boys (ABC), and the feisty “Amber Wheeler” in the hit ABC comedy series Upper Middle Bogan to much acclaim – the show’s cast took out the 2014 Equity Award for Most Outstanding Ensemble In A Comedy Series, and was nominated again for Series 2 in 2015.
Along with several s nts in radio, Michala has worked regularly as a presenter and guest on shows such as The Circle (Channel 10), Dirty Laundry Live (ABC) and Have you Been Paying AƩenƟon? (Channel 10).
To add another feather to her bow, Michala has also become co-founder and current co-Ar s c Director of The Kin Collec ve, a hugely successful independent theatre company based in Melbourne. She recently starred alongside Noni Hazlehurst in the company’s produc on of the tragic Irish play, The Beauty Queen Of Leenane, for which the cast received a Greenroom Award nomina on for Best Ensemble in 2015.
Michala’s recent theatre forays were with Melbourne Theatre Company’s (MTC) produc ons of Birdland and The Odd Couple where she played in total six characters with five accents … one of them, a man. IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm3830885/
26
27 “BENEDICK” Christopher Kirby
Probably best known to interna onal audiences as “Mauser” from The Matrix trilogy of films, Chris Kirby began his career in his na ve USA before moving to Australia in the late 1990’s and has a long list of varied Film and TV roles to his name, both here and in America. US television roles include the series Quantum Leap, Space: Above and Beyond, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Lost World, BeastMaster, The Burning Zone, Nightmares & Dreamscapes and The Starter Wife, as well as the television special Blockheads for HBO. Australian credits include Marshall Law, Neighbours, Ocean Girl, Flipper and The Games. Chris’ film credits include Queen of the Damned with Stuart Townsend, the comedy Crackerjack with Mick Molloy, Visitors, penned by the late, great Evere de Roche and directed by Richard Franklin, the Michael Caton and Paul Hogan comedy Strange Bedfellows, Macbeth, directed by Geoffrey Wright, Daybreakers with Ethan Hawke, George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, the Chi Cao drama c adapta on Mao’s Last Dancer and the iconic The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix RevoluƟons with Keanu Reeves. In theatre, he has played roles in such diverse professional stage produc ons as The Speechmaker for MTC opposite Nicholas Bell and Lachy Hulme, TwelŌh Night for the Australian Shakespeare Company, the Green Room Award nominated This is How it Goes as well as Lobby Hero for Red S tch Theatre, Transit for La Mama Theatre, The Sapphires for Company B, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the WW2 touring drama produc on Boundary Road. Addi onal film credits include the sci-fi mo on picture PredesƟnaƟon with Ethan Hawke, the cult classic Iron Sky and Arrowhead. TV credits include Hunter, Camp, The Divorce, We Were Tomorrow with Gyton Grantly Secret City with Jackie Weaver and Series 2 of the iconic Wolf Creek. Chris is currently shoo ng a major role for the new Dora The Explorer live ac on film for Paramount Pictures, due to release in 2019.
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm0456130/
28
29 “BEATRICE” Sally McLean
A graduate of The Actors Ins tute, London, further studies undertaken with the faculty at the Howard Fine Studio, Australia, Sally McLean has played roles in over thirty UK and Australian professional theatre produc ons, including Flame Trees, Uncle Vanya, The Auxiliary, Chasing Pegasus (a play in ten chords), The Clairvoyant, P.S I Love You, the Australian Premier of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and the World Premier of Annabel’s Requiem on the West End.
Sally has also played Shakespeare in both Australia and the UK, playing roles in Macbeth and Hamlet in the UK before performing for three seasons with the Australian Shakespeare Company in their cri cally acclaimed produc ons of The Comedy of Errors and Romeo & Juliet.
Sally has addi onally appeared in various lead and guest roles on numerous UK and Australian television series including Utopia, Lowdown, Elephant Princess, Flying Doctors, Totally Full Frontal, Blue Heelers, Tonight Live, Bingles, Comedy Inc. and the BBC mini-series Bootleg. Film credits include Raymond Taylor’s Earnest Adventures In Love, V for Viene a, Evie Wants A Baby and Why Must The Show Go On? (playing Lady Macbeth), amongst others.
Her work behind the camera began with the BBC as a member of the Books & Special Projects Unit in BBC Music & Arts. Three years in produc on at the BBC led to her wri ng and producing her first film A LiƩle Rain Must Fall in London in late 1996, thought to be the first TV-length drama to be shot on DV tape in the UK, and to her forming her produc on business Incognita Enterprises under the Honorary Patronage of Oscar® nominated actor, Sir Nigel Hawthorne – an associa on that con nued un l his passing in 2001.
Other industry ac vi es include serving as an official Jury member in both ac ng and screen cra categories for the AFI Awards, AACTA Awards and ATOM Awards since 2010. Sally con nues to work in Australian theatre, film and television as an actor as well as developing several projects for both the big and small screen as writer and producer.
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm0572643
30
31 “PRINCE HAL” Billy Smedley
A graduate of Ballarat Arts Academy (formally BAPA), Billy has played numerous roles in theatre, most notably Banquo and The Doctor in Macbeth, followed by Lysander and Lion in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Oz Act and performing six seasons of new Australian wri ng with Fractured Femur theatre company in various lead roles.
His screen credits include playing the guest role of Lieutenant Colonel Roland Claremont in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries for ABC TV, the lead role of Sheriff Sealey in the short film Ransom’s Bribe, the lead role of Bounty Hunter in the vampire short film Spring Cleaning, the guest role of Mar n in Salam Café: Chef Rumzee for SBS TV and the lead role of Hawksborn in the much-an cipated Terry Pratche short film Trollbridge, amongst others.
Billy is also a presenter and voice-over ar st, most recently hos ng the educa onal film The Physics of Light for VEA and voicing the role of “Spy” for a Team Fortress parody musical video, that has to date has gained just over a million views on Youtube. He has appeared on several TV commercials including Australian Super and Ballarat University. In addi on to his ac ng work, Billy is a highly experienced Kung Fu prac oner, has a basic founda on in Parkour and is an ex member of the Australian Defence Forces (Army).
IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm3830885/
32
33 “DESDEMONA” Faran Martin
Faran Mar n is a Melbourne based actress and theatre maker, having graduated from the Full-Time Program at the Howard Fine Ac ng Studio Australia in 2015, and completed a Bachelor of Arts (Ac ng) at CSU in 2009. She has performed as part of Sydney’s Short+Sweet Fes val, and Griffin Theatre Company’s Fes val of New Wri ng. Faran co-developed, produced and performed a successful produc on of T. S. Eliot’s seminal poem The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock for the Sydney Fringe Fes val. Other credits include Seminar, An Ideal Husband and Pinball for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fes val. In Melbourne her theatre credits include Seminar and The Truth is Longer Than a Lie. For film, Faran appeared in The Night Sky and Ad Nauseum. She is delighted to have been featured in season two of the award winning webseries Shakespeare Republic, and is currently in produc on for season one of Solid, a brand new comedy webseries by Database Produc ons. IMDB Profile: h p://www.imdb.com/name/nm8718654/
34
35 “THE TROUBADOUR” Jaron Natoli
Jaron Natoli is an award-winning 16-year-old Singer/Songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. He released his first album at the age of ten and has recorded three more since. In 2012 Jaron finished top fi een in the pres gious Interna onal Songwri ng Compe on’s ‘Teen Category’ and received an honourable men on. The following year he won the UK Songwri ng Contest for best Pop & Rock song. This was the first me that anybody had won two different categories in the history of the compe on. A er winning the compe on Jaron was featured on Australian TV, including Channel 7’s ‘Today Tonight’ program. Later in 2014 he won the UK Songwri ng Contest again, this me for best RnB/ Urban song. Jaron has a very unique voice and style, his musical abili es are way beyond his years. Website: h p://www.jaronnatoli.com/
36 “… a fantastic introduction to Australian theatrical output as tool-for-education … Speaking Daggers was a shining example.”
– The PlusOnes
37 THE Full Credit List
CAST (in order of appearance) Christopher Kirby as “Benedick” Sally McLean as “Beatrice” Taylah McLean as “Waitress” Sco Major as “Falstaff” Billy Smedley as “Prince Hal” Jaron Natoli as “The Troubadour” Nadine Garner as “Emilia” Faran Mar n as “Desdemona” Michala Banas as “Isabella”
Produced by Incognita Enterprises & Independent Schools Victoria Producers: Sally McLean & Billy Smedley Wri en & Directed by Sally McLean Cinematographer: Shaun Herbertson Editor & Colourist: Thanassi Panagiotaras First AD: Rob MacKenzie Second AD: Jordan MacKenzie Produc on Design: Eleanora Steiner Sound Mixer & Editor: Tim McCormick First Camera Assist: Marcus Cropp Second Camera Assist: Sean McFadyen Sound Recordist: Abramo Peghini Make Up: Paulie King & April Munro S lls Camera & Poster Photography: Christoph Ziegenhardt Unit Manager: Marg Woodlock-McLean Catering: Amanda Hudson Produc on Assistant: Nikolas Morris Filmed on loca on at Toorak College, Mt Eliza
“O Mistress Mine” Composed & Performed by Jaron Natoli Copyright Jaron Natonli 2017
38 THE
Music Video
As part of the promo on of Speaking Daggers, a music video for the song featured in the film, O, Mistress Mine, was also created, combining scenes from the film, with a new sub- story unique to the music video itself. The video featured the singer/songwriter of the song, sixteen year old Jaron Natoli (also “The Troubadour” in the film) with teenage newcomers Taylah McLean (also the second waitress in the film) and Jemma Cuff-Jones as “The Muses”, along with Sally McLean and Christopher Kirby as “Beatrice” and “Benedick” and Sco Major and Billy Smedley as “Falstaff” and “Prince Hal” who filmed new scenes for this addi onal project as their characters. The music video had its interna onal film fes val debut as an official selec on for the 2017 Queen City Film Fes val in Maryland, USA. The song then went onto make Semi-Finalist level (out of over 16,000 entries) in the 2017 Interna onal Songwri ng Compe on in Nashville, USA. Its is currently nominated for Best Song in a Music Video & Best Budget Under 1K at the upcoming 2018 Music Video Awards in Utah, USA. Currently at just over 3,800 views on Facebook, the video can be seen on our official site here: h p://speakingdaggers.com/music-video/. The song is also available on Spo fy, CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes.
PICTURED: TAYLAH McLEAN AND JEMMA CUFF-JONES AS “THE MUSES” IN O, MISTRESS MINE —PHOTO BY SHAUN HERBERTSON. 39
ABOUT
Incognita Enterprises
Our produc on business, Incognita Enterprises, is an independent producer of award-winning, innova ve and original theatre, television and film, based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1997 by actor and Crea ve Director, Sally McLean, under the honorary patronage of respected Bri sh actor, Sir Nigel Hawthorne, we produce new theatre works and original film and TV ideas using established prac oners working alongside the next genera on of writers, filmmakers, directors and actors. Current projects include Season Two of the award-winning web series, Shakespeare Republic, starring Alan Fletcher, Michala Banas, Nadine Garner, Dean Haglund, Christopher Kirby, Stephen Costan, Wahibe Moussa, Tariro Mavondo, Billy Smedley and Sally McLean (currently on the film fes val circuit), the feature documentary Champion (The Franz Stampfl Story), featuring Sir Roger Bannister, Sir Christopher Chataway, John Landy, Herb Elliot and Ron Clarke (in produc on) and WW2 drama series ‘Till The Boys Come Home, starring Nadine Garner, Michala Banas, Dean Haglund, Christopher Kirby, Sally McLean and Sarah Hallam (in development). Our con nuing aim is to create and produce engaging, quality produc ons for the stage and screen that speak to a modern audience, while honouring those who came before. With a consistently successful track record, we are currently in the process of final development and financing for Season Three of Shakespeare Republic: #GodsAndMonsters, which will also be our first Shakespeare feature film and is expected to release in late 2019. For more informa on about Incognita and our work to date, visit: www.incognitaenterprises.com 40 FINAL
Notes of Interest
Speaking Daggers was produced by Incognita Enterprises in conjunc on with Independent Schools Victoria. All copyrights remain with Writer/Director/Producer, Sally McLean We acknowledge the support of Auspicious Arts Projects Inc., who provided all financial services for the project, providing us with an arms-length transparent system for all monies granted or paid to the project, as well as handling all contracts, insurances and payments.
HOW TO
Contact Us
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Sally McLean Producer/Director Ph: +61 430 584 981 Email: [email protected] Website: h p://www.speakingdaggers.com Address: PO Box 9305, South Yarra VIC 3141 Australia
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WWW.SHAKESPEAREREPUBLIC.COM