Men's Probus Club

What an interesting speaker Alex Edmondston was, it was lovely to have her with us. 

The Young short film producer and director showed us her just over nine minutes production of The Burnt Cork.

The film was set in the Australian country in 1950’s.

The film’s central theme was clearly about the Stolen Generation.

Young Australian indigenous children were taken away from their custodial parent or parents.

They were then to be brought up in institutions which would seemingly give them a greater opportunity in life. 

Alex said when answering questions later that she indeed gained inspiration for writing the film following her role as a researcher for Baz Luhrmann on the big screen movie Australia. 

The taking of indigenous children was a strong part of that film which starred Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. 

The Burnt Cork has won a Black Shorts Award but Alex said that grants were very important to helping finance film.

A Government grant was only 20 percent of the budget and that in reality there is virtually no other funding for short film makers. 

“Just trying to find the right locations for this type of short film was difficult.

We needed to find vintage cars of that era that we could access close to the location near Goulburn in New South Wales, “ she said.

Now she is keen to move into feature films. 

At the men’s meeting beforehand Mark Lyell was inducted into membership.

Born in Sydney he was at one time a manager in Parkes and then moved to Forbes with the petroleum company Total. 

And Alan Toole as Tour Director in his report said 40 had signed for the mystery trip coming up.

He also mentioned that for the four day trip to the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury cost would be $760 per single and $730 twin share. 

Our guest speaker for September will be a Falklands War veteran Karl Dagger who presumably will talk on his soldiering