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Sydney Screening of “Making it Handmade”

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Thank you to all who turned out for the screening in Sydney.

With my partner and baby in tow we headed off to the MeMuson Archives for the screening. It wasn’t that far away from where we were staying, so we decided to walk which seemed like a good idea until it started to rain and rain and rain. Stepping in to the eclectic screening space of MeMuson Archives we were warmly greeted by Jamie and Aspa. Aspa was knitting an intricate baby rug, so we sat and discussed knitting while we waited for people to arrive.

The turn out while small (being from Victoria, we didn’t realise that it was a long weekend and lots of people go away!) they were certainly passionate about craft! It was interesting to see how this audience reacted to the film and there was lots of heated discussion afterwards about the ethics of handcrafting goods and is it okay to subcontract it out either here in Australia or overseas!

Sydney here we come! And talking about sex and films!

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I’m getting very excited as I’m off to Sydney this weekend for the screening of “Making it Handmade”. Two of the women in the documentary, Rayna Fahey and Casey Jenkins are going to be in Sydney town for the Object, “We craft this city”, so they will be joining me for a Q and A after the screening. To book tickets you can click here, its strictly limited seating!

Finally, after a lot of running around like a chook with my head cut off, the DVD’s of “Making it Handmade” should be in my hot little hand on Thursday! I’ve set up an online shop, so they will be available to purchase soon. Keep an eye on here or facebook for more details.

To add to my already full dance card, I will be speaking at Pleasure Salon in Melbourne on Monday 4th Oct about female erotic filmmakers and how they are reclaiming the genre! I was hoping to be able to show some clips from some of the great films I got to see while I was in Berlin last year, but unfortunately the venue is getting a little jittery and I’m only allowed to show clips leading up to sex scenes, but not the scenes themselves!! Oh well, guess I will be using verbal language to describe them instead!

…and then there were more screenings!

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Thanks to everyone who came out and braved the crazy Melbourne weather to see “Making it Handmade!” It was a great day and the craft market in the foyer made it an event. To see people come out so excited and inspired was the best review anyone could ever get! Since, i have received emails from people who have felt inspired to get crafting or return to it!

Big thanks to my Mum who helped with the box office, Changa Mole for helping with the door and the beautiful Rayna Fahey for organising the craft market.

The film is traveling to Sydney next on Sunday 2nd October as part of the Object Gallery’s “We Craft this City”. For details and to book tickets check out here!

Also looking into possible screenings in Brisbane, Lismore and Perth, but will keep you informed. If you want to keep up to date with everything that is going on with the film join the facebook page!

Today I checked out the DVD design by my wonderful brother, Richard. It looks amazing so I can’t wait to have one in my hot little hand. Now, I have to get off my arse and record a director’s commentary and what’s more work out how to author it on the dvd…and look after Royce and teach and ………ah the joys of balancing motherhood and making DIY films!

On another note…. I just found out that “The Band” has now sold to France and Korea! I wonder if it will be subtitled or dubbed??? Could make for some interesting watching!

If you missed “Making it Handmade” at MIFF!

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If you missed “Making it Handmade!” at MIFF, you now have a chance to catch it! Yes I can finally announce that there is going to be not one but two screenings of “Making it Handmade” in Melbourne on Saturday September 4th at Kaleide Cinema at RMIT (360 Swanston st, Melbourne) at 2:30pm and 4pm. There will also be a craft market from 2pm til 5:30pm in the foyer.

You can purchase tickets here.

Its selling fast, so don’t miss out again!

Look forward to seeing you at the screening!

Premiere of “Making it Handmade!”

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All the Ladies on stage for the Q and A.

The sold out cinema!

Images stolen from Rayna Fahey!

I have to admit this is all still a blur!

To begin with I was running late, ah the joys of trying to get ready and change a newborn didn’t quite go to plan! Royce decided that he was going to unleash a stream of wee onto his clean outfit during his last nappy change before we walked out the door, so what should have taken 5 mins ended up being closer to 15!

On arriving at the theatre I meet up with Megan Spencer who was generously chairing the Q and A and sat down in one of the vibrating chairs at the cinema to give Royce a feed before the film. While sitting there I realised that I had my boob out in front of part of the queue for my film!! Oh well!

Was I nervous? Mmmmm, yes a little, which I hope wasn’t evident during my intro speech!! It was a great opportunity to thank the many people who have been involved in the film. Especially my brother, Richard Brownfield, who designed such beautiful opening titles and who in my placenta brained state had forgotten to add to the end credits of the film!! Please forgive me and I promise it will be fixed before the next screening. I’m hoping I didn’t forget anyone else!

The film seemed to go down well, quite a few laughs, which is always nice to hear….another baby out into the world!

After that I was joined up on stage for a Q and A by the gals whom without there would be no film; Gemma Jones, Pip Lincolne, Rayna Fahey and Casey Jenkins. I loved the fact that they answered most of the the questions and I could just stand there and look crafty most of the time! Thank you sooooooo soooooo soooo much for being a part of this film, and thanks to all those who have helped out along the way, especially Robert Harding for the brilliant sound design and original music, another one to Rayna for being the music supervisor, Carla McConnell for helping out in the early stages, Faythe Levine for giving me the opportunity to interview her, Peta Pledger for being the devil advocate and constantly asking me probing questions about the doco ( i’m so sorry that camera stuffed up and i couldn’t use the footage I shot of you!) and to the Melbourne craft community for letting me stick a camera in their faces!

Also big Yah and thanks to Justine from Mixtape Zine for letting me interview her and for providing Mixtape zines showbags for spot Prizes!

To all of you who missed out on getting tickets…do not fear there will be another screening of the film by the end of the month, so keep your eyes on here or join me on facebook for more info!

On the Radio!

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This morning I had the pleasure of for the second time being on Jon Faine’s Conversation Hour on 774 ABC, promoting the screening of “Making it Handmade” at MIFF.

I thought I was going to be running late, for those of you not living in Melbourne, a power line went down and hence my baby sitter, Nanna Jean was stuck at Flinders street station without a train in sight! So my wonderful partner came to the rescue and I jumped into a cab. Halfway there will applying my makeup I realised the cab was swerving a bit and looked into the rear view mirror to see the cabbies eyes slowly closing!! Promptly I began asking him questions in rapid succession and we managed to get to the ABC studios without incident!

Jon’s co-host today was actor Adam Zwar from one of my favourite Australian TV shows “Wilfred” and the other guest was John Wood of Blue Heelers fame! What a star studded line up! However, once the subject of my new wave erotic film and sex came up then all of a sudden it was like being in the studio with three giggling school boys!!

It was lots of fun but I was wondering if we would actually end up talking about “Making it Handmade!”. However I’m glad I can finally gett my dirty little secret of loving craft out into the open!!!

You can listen to the interview here.

“Making it HANDMADE” to premiere at MIFF

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Photo by Rayna Fahey

Yes finally it can be announced!!

I’ve had to sit on this one for quite a few months….which for me is hard, especially as I was soooooo excited to have it premiering in my home town!

Sorry its taken so long for me to post about this but I’ve been making other things too while I’m been finishing this movie, and finally on early Sunday June 20th after nearly three days of intense labour I pushed out a beautiful baby boy called Royce! One of the hardest projects I’ve ever had to do! Oh well I can now say I’m giving birth to two children in two months, the other of course being a film baby!

Here is the MIFF website if you want to find out more and I’d love to see you all there on Sunday August 1st. Hang around afterwards so you can pick the brains of Pip, Casey, Rayna, Gemma and myself!

Also if you haven’t checked it out there is a wonderful article written by Megan Spencer ( who will be chairing the Q and A after the screen of the film) in Frankie Magazine. I’ve always called this mag the “cool kids mag” so I’ve been joking with friends that I’m now one of the cool kids!!! hee hee what a joke, I’m really a bit of dag….and thought I was too much of weirdo to be considered even slightly cool! The above picture I stole from the lovely Gemma Jones’s blog as I haven’t been able to get into my office and scan the article yet!

Hope to see you all at the screening!

Link to article that appeared in Playboy Magazine in the Philippines and editing madness!

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Who can believe it is May already! Where has this year gone and can I have some more time in my days please!!

I’m currently trying to finish the fine cut of “Making it Handmade!”. Having set the deadline as the end of May and now teaching more hours, I’m finding only being able to dedicate 2 days a week to it, very unsatisfying. Just as I’m getting back into it and powering along I have to switch my brain back into teaching mode! At times like this I had wish I had funding and wasn’t doing this with no budget…..why do I torture myself so!!!??????

Then again I would rather be making films than not so if this is the way it needs to be, then so be it!

Finally, I have a link to the article written by the very talented Ana Santos about female erotic filmmakers for Playboy in the Philippines.

I’m still waiting for my award from the Feminist Porn Awards in the mail but above is an image that I stole from “The Feminist awards” facebook page! Can’t wait to feel its cold metal in my hand….I wonder if it will be stopped by customs!!! hee hee

Must return to the darkened cave of editing heaven, I promise I will emerge again soon!

“The Band” wins Hottest Feature at the Feminist Porn Awards in Canada!

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Wow is all I can say. Its an honor to be considered amoung such a talented group of women, but to win an award blew my mind! They actually let me know in advance and I’ve had to sit on it for a few weeks, which has been hard, but now that its all over I can let you all know. Check out all the winners here.

I wish I had been there but due to my physical condition I had to stay here in Australia! Oh well, but I did record an acceptance speech and sent it to them to screen on the night.

When my award arrives in the mail, I’ll take a picture and put it up here for all to see! Does that mean I can now call myself multi award winning feminist erotic filmmaker??? hee hee

On other films, after a weeks break I’m back to fine cutting “Making it Handmade!” Hoping to knock it over in a month or so but worried as my teaching load is about to increase for the next six weeks….looks like I’ll be kissing my weekends goodbye!!