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Making Of Updates
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TUNNELS LOCATIONS - April 22 2009
Much of the story of Beneath Hill 60 is set 30 metres
underground - in the claustrophobic tunnels dug deep
below the trenches in the First World War.
When it comes to filming, it is logistically impossible
and highly dangerous of course, for us to film the
actors underground.
Our Art Department and construction crew need to build
and recreate the tunnels above ground, in a quiet, pitch
black enclosed area - like in a huge industrial shed.
There are many factors to consider when finding the
appropriate shed - will there be traffic noise? Can we
black out the windows? How do we black out the windows?
And of course, size considerations. We need to build
life-size earthen / wooden plank tunnel sets with enough
room for the actors, the Director, the camera crew and
equipment, lighting crew and equipment, sound crew and
equipment, gaffers, grips, Production Crew, Heads of
Department and the myriad of Costume, Set, Art
Department, electrical and construction crew members -
and safety officers. As well as the safety restricted
areas when the tunnels are made to be waterlogged and
muddy. We need a lot of space!
We are thrilled to have concluded a deal for the sheds
to build our tunnel sets - with Brad Webb and his Food
Relief NQ charity in Townsville
 |
Producer
Bill Leimbach said,
"Food Relief NQ is a great charity and we are proud to
be associated with it. You can see on their website
just how active they have been recently. The
associations the Beneath Hill 60 team have developed
in Townsville now include Sally Elliott and her real
estate group, Smith and Elliott Real Estate, Greg
Rains with his Exchange Hotel and Debbie Guides with
her Escape Travel. By the time we film in July,
hopefully we will be firmly embedded within the
Townsville community, its businesses, charity and
governement associations. So far everything is going
to plan. |
The Lost Aboriginal Tunneller
We have been inundated with emails and phone calls
assisting us with our search for the Lost Aboriginal
soldier. The response was astounding. Loads of people
called and emailed us with clues, ideas, snippets of
information - and many of his relatives got in touch
with us! It went around the nation like a bush fire. We
had no idea where it was going to finish, would he have
been from WA or Victoria, NSW, Queensland and even one
Tasmanian claimed him as a great uncle. We were swamped.
In the end, an expert on the subject, from Canberra,
David Huggonson finally tracked us down and verified the
digger with a matching photo.
David has published extensive information in connection
with Aborigines in Australian military history and is
considered one of the main experts in this field. . With
his information combined with Executive Producer Ross
Thomas' comprehensive data base on all the 4585 miners
on the Western Front we can conclude with reasonable
accuracy that his identity is Sapper Herbert Murray from
Orbost in Victoria.
Born in Framlingham
Religion Church of England
Age at recruitment 34
Labourer
Married wife Evelyn
Recruited from Orbost in Victoria in May, 1917
Number 7904
Unit Reinforcement for the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Coy
Embarked for the war 21 November, 1917 on the HMAT
'Nestor'
Disembarked Melbourne 12 May, 1919
With these new developments on our character 'Streaky'
Bacon, we were keen to keep moving forward with the
film. Jeremy and I travelled again to Townville for the
Grand presentation at the NQ Club black-tie gala night -
which turned out to be a huge success. We concluded
arrangements with the 6 Investors necessary to bring on
the Private Investment portion of the finance. We were
then able to complete our Financial Strategy to submit
to the main Federal and State Government film support
bodies - Screen Australia, Pacific Film & Television
Commission in QLD (where the story is being filmed) and
the Film & Television Office in NSW (where the film will
be Editied and Post Produced).
There has been an incredible amount of support and
enthusiasm from these Administrations, enough to
encourage us to push the Budget up to $8,140,500.
All
three government bodies are currently considering our
project for the official 'green light'. We are awaiting
their final Board decisions in April 2009.
After many discussions with several Distributors we have
now secured Paramount / Transmission as our domestic
all-rights Distributor.
In the meantime, we have been gathering a very strong
team of Industry professionals on board with us as Crew.
I would like to welcome Michelle Russell as Line
Producer and Jamie Crooks as First Assistant Director.
Michelle will crack the whip to ensure all the elements
of production fall into place, while Jamie will schedule
and plan it so that every minute is accounted for. When
spending $100,000 a day you dont want too many mistakes.
We are also very pleased to have taken on Kirsty
McGregor as Casting Agent. Not only will she find Jeremy
the best talent for the roles,she will negotiate with
their agents to esure equitable arrangment for both
parties.
Speaking of Arrangments, SIMPSONS, the legal firm in
Sydney have come on board as our law firm, with Michael
McMichael as our Business Affairs Manager working with
them.
