Show me the magic : the adventures of Don McAlpine

Synopsis Show Me The Magic takes us on an enthralling and joyful journey into the life and work of the legendary and world-renowned Australian cinematographer, Don McAlpine. A country kid from the small wheat-belt town of Quandialla in isolated south-western New South Wales, Australia, McAlpine was born in 1934 - the year before the first technicolour film was released. There wasn’t even a cinema in Quandialla. Don helped his mother support their family from the age of 14, when his father was stricken by tuberculosis. His part-time job at the Temora chemist as a darkroom photo developer struck a chord in young Don's soul. Soon, a school performance of The Mikado ignited in him the desire to entertain an audience. His fascination with the magical images emerging from his darkroom set him on the winding path that would eventually lead to the glittering lights of Hollywood, where, in 2009, he received the American Society of Cinematographers’ “International Cinematographer of the Year” Award in front of the foremost luminaries of the American film industry. That same year, Don shot his 50th film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a big-budget, effects-driven action movie directed by Oscar-winner Gavin Hood and starring Hugh Jackman. Show Me the Magic takes us on set and behind the scenes of that film. In 2011, Don posted another landmark: Mental, a low budget movie directed by PJ Hogan (Muriel’s Wedding, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Peter Pan). Mental was Don’s first digital film and his first Australian film in 25 years. As we travel with Don back into his past, and into the Australian outback landscape that he loves so much, we experience the extremes of movie making: embedded alongside him on the contrasting sets of Wolverine and Mental, we peel back the layers of what Don calls ‘the beautiful deception' of cinema to illuminate the world behind the screen. Joined by celebrated Australian directors Bruce Beresford and Gillian Armstrong, we explore the heritage of the remarkable Australian films that Don photographed, including the iconic Breaker Morant and My Brilliant Career. In Los Angeles, Don reconnects with Paul Mazursky who gave him his big break in Hollywood with Tempest and followed up with Down and Out in Beverly Hills. And two Australians of a later generation - Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin - take us behind the scenes on Don’s spectacular creative achievements – Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! At once the story of a remarkable man and an exploration of filmmaking at the highest level, Show Me The Magic will engage and entrance anyone who has ever been touched by the magic of movies. - See more at: http://www.showmethemagic.com.au/film.htm#synopsis" This film is dedicated to the memory of South African film-maker Peter Henkel, 1924 - 1992.

High-temperature growth of graphene films on copper foils by ethanol chemical vapour deposition

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is widely utilized to synthesize graphene with controlled properties for many applications, especially when continuous films over large areas are required. Although hydrocarbons such as methane are quite efficient precursors for CVD at high temperature (∼1000 °C), finding less explosive and safer carbon sources is considered beneficial for the transition to large-scale production. In this work, we investigated the CVD growth of graphene using ethanol, which is a harmless and readily processable carbon feedstock that is expected to provide favorable kinetics. We tested a wide range of synthesis conditions (i.e., temperature, time, gas ratios), and on the basis of systematic analysis by Raman spectroscopy, we identified the optimal parameters for producing highly crystalline graphene with different numbers of layers. Our results demonstrate the importance of high temperature (1070 °C) for ethanol CVD and emphasize the significant effects that hydrogen and water vapor, coming from the thermal decomposition of ethanol, have on the crystal quality of the synthesized graphene.

Taguchi optimized synthesis of graphene films by copper catalyzed ethanol decomposition

Taguchi method is for the first time applied to optimize the synthesis of graphene films by copper-catalyzed decomposition of ethanol. In order to find the most appropriate experimental conditions for the realization of thin high-grade films, six experiments suitably designed and performed. The influence of temperature (1000–1070 °C) and synthesis duration (1–30 min) and hydrogen flow (0–100 sccm) on the number of graphene layers and defect density in the graphitic lattice was ranked by monitoring the intensity of the 2D- and D-bands relative to the G-band in the Raman spectra. After critical examination and adjusting of the conditions predicted to give optimal results, a continuous film consisting of 2–4 nearly defect-free graphene layers was obtained.

Directory of World Cinema : Australia and New Zealand 2

Building on and bringing up to date the material presented in the first installment of Directory of World Cinema : Australia and New Zealand, this volume continues the exploration of the cinema produced in Australia and New Zealand since the beginning of the twentieth century. Among the additions to this volume are in-depth treatments of the locations that feature prominently in the countries' cinema. Essays by leading critics and film scholars consider the significance in films of the outback and the beach, which is evoked as a liminal space in Long Weekend and a symbol of death in Heaven's Burning, among other films. Other contributions turn the spotlight on previously unexplored genres and key filmmakers, including Jane Campion, Rolf de Heer, Charles Chauvel, and Gillian Armstrong.

Screening Queensland University of Technology second year architecture student films

Research Statement: In 2011 The State Library of Queensland in collaboration with Queensland University of Technology School of Design held a screening of six student urban films shot on location in several inner-city sites under my supervision. The films are now a permanent "exhibit" on The Edge State Library electronic site. The students were directed to explore the realist film ethos, which forms a platform for the research project, in its focus on the nonrepresentational aesthetics of the street, the unfinished and the sensory. The research demonstrates that film is a powerful instrument for the urban imaginary, for screening the city.

The Brisbane Northbank Urban Film Studio : screening of shortlisted films

Research Statement: In this research project film groups of 4-5 students under my direction produced a 3-5 minute urban film that explored the Brisbane Northbank, and which would become the basis for an urban proposal and design of a small film studio for independent filmmakers in the site. The theoretical premise was that a film studio does not simply produce movies, it creates urban effects all around it and acts as a vortex of cultural activity and social life. For this modest facility where the cinema goes out into the street, the city itself becomes the studio. Students were called to observe the historical problematics of technique, image and effect that arise in the cinema, and to apply these to their own urban-film practice. A panel of judges working in film and architecture shortlisted the 12 best films in 2010 and a major public film screening event took place at the Tribal Cinema. The Shortlisted films today form a permanent "exhibit" in YouTube. The research project was funded by the Queensland University of Technology, School of Design and received accolades from film faculty in the Creative Industries Faculty. The diverse body of work that emanated from the screening contributed a unique analysis of the Northbank to Brisbane.

Martha and her sisters : women in films about journalism

HBO's Hemingway and Gellhorn (Philip Kaufman, 2012), broadcast in May on US television and starring Nicole Kidman as the pioneering female foreign correspondent, hasn't been well reviewed by the majority of critics. Variety described the biopic (with Clive Owen as Hemingway) as “swollen and heavy-handed”, while the Huffington Post declared it an “expensive misfire … a gigantic missed opportunity, a jaw-droppingly trying waste of time”. Regardless of whether such criticisms are fair—as this essay went to press I had been unable to see the film, so I cannot judge one way or the other—Hemingway and Gellhorn should be viewed as a significant addition to the filmography of journalism, retrieving from history as it does the achievements of one of the most significant of the early female practitioners. Gellhorn was a pioneer in a patriarchal press universe, a foreign and war correspondent at a time when this branch of the profession was seen very much as man's work. She covered the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War, and with just as much viscerality as any man.

Australian animated feature films

Building on and bringing up to date the material presented in the first installment of Directory of World Cinema : Australia and New Zealand, this volume continues the exploration of the cinema produced in Australia and New Zealand since the beginning of the twentieth century. Among the additions to this volume are in-depth treatments of the locations that feature prominently in the countries' cinema. Essays by leading critics and film scholars consider the significance in films of the outback and the beach, which is evoked as a liminal space in Long Weekend and a symbol of death in Heaven's Burning, among other films. Other contributions turn the spotlight on previously unexplored genres and key filmmakers, including Jane Campion, Rolf de Heer, Charles Chauvel, and Gillian Armstrong.

Gas sensing of ruthenium implanted tungsten oxide thin films

Different amounts of Ru were implanted into thermally evaporated WO3 thin films by ion implantation. The films were subsequently annealed at 600oC for 2 hours in air to remove defects generated during the ion implantation. The Ru concentrations of four samples have been quantified by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry as 0.8, 5.5, 9 and 11.5 at%. The un-implanted WO3 films were highly porous but the porosity decreased significantly after ion implantation as observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The thickness of the films also decreased with increasing Ru-ion dose, which is mainly due to densification of the porous films during ion implantation. From Raman spectroscopy two peaks at 408 and 451 cm-1 (in addition to the typical vibrational peaks of the monoclinic WO3 phase) associated with Ru were observed. Their intensity increased with increasing Ru concentration. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy showed a metallic state of Ru with binding energy of Ru 3d5/2 at 280.1 eV. This peak position remained almost unchanged with increasing Ru concentration. The resistances of the Ru-implanted films were found to increase in the presence of NO2 and NO with higher sensor response to NO2. The effect of Ru concentration on the sensing performance of the films was not explicitly observed due to reduced film thickness and porosity with increasing Ru concentration. However, the results indicate that the implantation of Ru into WO3 films with sufficient film porosity and film thickness can be beneficial for NO2 sensing at temperatures in the range of 250°C to 350°C.

Moisture and tensile strength properties of starch-sugar cane nanofibre films

There is an increasing need for biodegradable, environmentally friendly plastics to replace the petroleum-based non-degradable plastics which litter and pollute the environment. Starch-based plastic film composites are becoming a popular alternative because of their low cost, biodegradability, the abundance of starch, and ease with which starch-based films can be chemically modified. This paper reports on the results of using sugar cane bagasse nanofibres to improve the physicochemical properties of starch-based polymers. The addition of bagasse nanofibre (2.5, 5, 10 or 20 wt%) to (modified) potato starch (‘Soluble starch’) reduced the moisture uptake by up to 17 % at 58 % relative humidity (RH). The film’s tensile strength and Young’s Modulus increased by up to 100 % and 200 % with 10 wt% and 20 wt% nanofibre respectively at 58% RH. The tensile strain reduced by up to 70 % at 20 wt% fibre loading. These results indicate that addition of sugar cane bagasse nanofibres significantly improved the properties of starch-based plastic films

The younger audience : children and broadcasting in New Zealand

The role and influence of media in the The lives of children are ongoing sources of public, political and academic debates. These debates move back and forth along a care-control continuum (Cohen, 1997), and reflect a commitment both to educate children and to regulate their media experiences. Rapid advancements in computer technologies have vastly expanded the range of media experiences available to children. The development of Internet information and the rapid expansion of channels as a result of digital television have created increasingly accessible and diverse sources of media for children. These media are instantaneous and, in some circumstances, constantly available. As a result, a substantial body of international research has emerged that examines the influence of media consumption on children. How much time do children spend interacting with media? What sorts of media do they access? Are media harmful or beneficial to children? If so, in which contexts? Do media influence children’s personal development? And what role should governments, broadcasters and independent producers play in the regulation of the media? These questions remain central to contemporary debates about children and the media. This paper examines current patterns of television and radio consumption by New Zealand children in the context of household and peer environments. It explores parental attitudes towards and responsibilities for the protection of children in relation to broadcast media. The paper also aims to provide children with a voice by exploring their views about media content, and how they feel about the controls and regulations currently placed on their media consumption. Children do not constitute a unitary social category. They comprise a disparate group with diverse cultures and styles that must be examined from within. Rather than treating and studying children as inferior and underdeveloped beings, it is important to identify children as individual social actors (Smith, Taylor & Gollop, 2000). Children are often viewed as passive, invisible and irrational. However, a growing body of scholarship recognises that children are a heterogeneous group with valid and meaningful life experiences that must be accessed and analysed within specific cultural contexts (Burman, 1994; Atwool, 2000). In order to understand the media consumption habits of children and to explore issues of regulatory responsibility, it was essential to access children and their families. To this end, and within a New Zealand context, this paper enters relatively uncharted waters. To date, there are no other comprehensive New Zealand-based research projects that specifically identify the attitudes and behaviours of children in relation to broadcast media, and broadcasting standards.

More than a backchannel : Twitter and television

Twitter is a social media service that has managed very successfully to embed itself deeply in the daily lives of its users. Its short message length (140 characters), and one-way connections (‘following’ rather than ‘friending’), lead themselves effectively to random and regular updates on almost any form of personal or professional activity. Thus, it has found uses from the interpersonal (e.g. Boyd et al., 2010) through crisis communication (e.g. Bruns et al., 2012), to political debate (e.g. Burgess & Bruns, 2012). In such uses, Twitter does not necessarily replace existing media channels, such as broadcasting or online mainstream media, but often complements them, providing its users with alternative opportunities to contribute more actively to the wider media sphere. This is true especially where Twitter is used alongside television, as a simple backchannel to live programming or for more sophisticated uses. In this article, we outline four aspects and dimensions, of the way that the old medium of television intersects, and in some cases, interacts with the new medium of Twitter. Tweeting about the television has always been a social media form. It has also consistently provided key ‘talking points’ for western societies...

Thesis Eleven's 'Festival of Ideas' : a report on 'what's wrong with television'

This article reports on the public lecture given by Associate Professor Ron Jacobs from the State University of New York in June, 2011. The lecture titled 'What’s wrong with television: media narratives of economic crisis', was held at The University of Melbourne in association with Thesis Eleven’s ‘Festival of Ideas’. In his talk, Jacobs discussed the ways in which media narratives inform and shape social life and described how major economic, social and political events are represented and re-told in the making of news.

Everyone’s watching it : the role of hype in television engagement through social media

Social media is playing an ever-increasing role in both viewers engagement with television and in the television industries evaluation of programming, in Australia – which is the focus of our study - and beyond. Twitter hashtags and viewer comments are increasingly incorporated into broadcasts, while Facebook fan pages provide a means of marketing upcoming shows and television personalities directly into the social media feed of millions of users. Additionally, bespoke applications such as FanGo and ZeeBox, which interact with the mainstream social networks, are increasingly being utilized by broadcasters for interactive elements of programming (c.f. Harrington, Highfield and Bruns, 2012). However, both the academic and industry study of these platforms has focused on the measure of content during the specific broadcast of the show, or a period surrounding it (e.g. 3 hours before until 3 am the next day, in the case of 2013 Nielsen SocialGuide reports). In this paper, we argue that this focus ignores a significant period for both television producers and advertisers; the lead-up to the program. If, as we argue elsewhere (Bruns, Woodford, Highfield & Prowd, forthcoming), users are persuaded to engage with content both by advertising of the Twitter hash-tag or Facebook page and by observing their network connections engaging with such content, the period before and between shows may have a significant impact on a viewers likelihood to watch a show. The significance of this period for broadcasters is clearly highlighted by the efforts they afford to advertising forthcoming shows through several channels, including television and social media, but also more widely. Biltereyst (2004, p.123) has argued that reality television generates controversy to receive media attention, and our previous small-scale work on reality shows during 2013 and 2014 supports the theory that promoting controversial behavior is likely to lead to increased viewing (Woodford & Prowd, 2014a). It remains unclear, however, to what extent this applies to other television genres. Similarly, while networks use of social media has been increasing, best practices remain unclear. Thus, by applying our telemetrics, that is social media metrics for television based on sabermetric approaches (Woodford, Prowd & Bruns, forthcoming; c.f. Woodford & Prowd, 2014b), to the period between shows, we are able to better understand the period when key viewing decisions may be made, to establish the significance of observing discussions within your network during the period between shows, and identify best practice examples of promoting a show using social media.