Beneath Hill 60 Blog: July 2009

Shooting got off to a terrific start on Friday 24th July with our Pre Shoot Day up in Hervey's Range with a breathtaking view of the valley.

Wendy got some terrific shots from our vantage point up in the hills.

Oliver Woodward (Brendan Cowell) surveying the valley on horseback.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Our fantastic hair and makeup duo, Shane Thomas and Anita Morgan on set, poised and ready for any touch ups.

To start the day we had breakfast at the lovely Hervey Range Heritage Tea Rooms - the oldest in Townsville.
We were filming just up behind the Tea Rooms on Hervey Range road.
Here's our DOP, Toby Oliver. He looks hungry!

Meet and greet with the horse.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Stunt Coordinator, Lawrence Woodward gets the horse in position.

Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Inside the tunnel.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Ready in the tunnel.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Emerging from the tunnel.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Jeremy envisioning the shot.

Photo by Wendy McDougall

Script Supervisor Kira Bohn and Sound Recordist Mark Cornish heading to the scene.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Sound Recordist Mark Cornish talking business with Gaffer Miles Jones.
Photo by Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall.

Creating the movie magic (from left) with Sound Recordist Mark Cornish, Lead Actor Brendan Cowell, Stunt Coordinator Lawrence Woodward, Gaffer Miles Jones and DOP Toby Oliver.

So much goes on in the Final Countdown to the Shoot. Locations, Tech, Recces, Meetings, Costume Fittings, Haircuts, Set Construction, Excavation, Set Dressing, Publicity, Props, Camera tests, Special Effects and much, much more. There is so much to do and so many decisions to make.

Here are some photos by our Stills Photographer, Wendy McDougall, which capture our final week of Pre Production.

Tech Recce - The "Wedding Church".
Gaffer Miles Jones (below) and DOP Toby Oliver working out how to situate and position lighting and camera equipment for the best possible shot.

DoP Toby Oliver (left) and Jeremy Sims at the tech recce working out how to position the cameras for the best shot.

Locations Recce - Alligator Creek shooting Location. The "Swimming Hole"

Locations Recce - Beautiful Customs House on The Strand. The "Burns Philp Office"

The Props Department - a WWI movie definitely needs some 'blown up' legs and charred skeletons lying around!

Hideously realistic...

The Props Department covers all the small stuff too, like these old dusty bottles. They'll be used for dressing the sets for a more geniune, period look. Original WWI photos line the walls for inspiration.

Brendan Cowell (lead actor) with EP Ross Thomas and Director Jeremy Sims at the Mount Wright Mine at Ravenswood.

Director Jeremy Sims with Brendan Cowell (lead actor) with EP Ross Thomas at the Mount Wright Mine at Ravenswood.

Brendan and Jeremy check out the local attractions at the Mount Wright Mine.

Locations Recce - The "Homestead". The Art Department will "dress" this so it fits in with the Period and looks like the inviting country house of the Waddell family.

Final Meetings. From left: Jeremy Sims, Stunt Coordinator Lawrence Woodward (although he's not related to our hero, unfortunately!), Production Manager Sandy Stevens and Writer David Roach.
Wait, that's not wallpaper! That's Storyboards!

Final detailing on the Military uniforms in the Costume Department.

Jeremy and Paula Tapiolas do a live Broadcast for ABC NQ Radio.

Producer, Bill Leimbach hops behind the camera for the EPK interview in the Costume Department.

Ian Sparke (Costume Designer) with WWI helmets in the Costume Department.

The Hair and Makeup Department are getting ready to make the actors look like genuine 1916 Australians.

Webbing and Civillian Costumes in the Costume Department.

Extra! Extra!
Makeup and Hair Designer, Shane Thomas, giving an Extra the classic WWI 'short back and sides' cut.

Ivana working hard in the Costume Department to finish off all the intricate detailing that makes every costume unique to the character.

Jeremy and Brendan getting ready for an EPK interview. Nice...er...helmet, Brendan.

The "Shearing Shed".
All the 'soldiers' need to have the classic WWI 'short back and sides' haircut for their appearance in the trenches. Snip, snip, snip!

Alex Becconsall polishing boots in the costume department so they look genuine for the Period.

Camera Tests with Andre to work out positioning and angles for the best possible shot, making sure to iron out visual issues before the start of Shoot.

Civillian Costume rack in the Costume Department. But that's not all - our Civillian Costume Designer, Wendy, has her own truck on-site, FULL of exquisite vintage and period pieces.