Greg Punch. Information designer and producer of quality training, educational and promotional projects - video, print, multimedia.
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highlights updated September 2019 MARK TWAIN'S AUSTRALIA
2019 has seen life breathed into a new play written by Greg – MARK TWAIN'S AUSTRALIA. It celbrates the 1895 Australian tour by Twain, borrowing extensively from his words and writings to present an "evening with" type show. The great raconteur lives; sharing anacdotes and tall stories about his time in the Antipodes... all expressed with abundant wit and a side order of sobering sarcasm. When will we see the play on a stage? It's been through an intensive workshop with actor Mark Lee in the central role but may not reach an audience until 2020 or beyond. Stay tuned!
MOVIE REVIEWS ON EXTENDED BREAK
BETWEEN THE CRACKS, is a movie review site that reaches beyond the confines of a 90 second slot on ‘Good Morning Wagga Wagga’, or a prescribed five-and-a-half centimetre column length – there’s space and time for a bit more detail. The reviews cover indi, art house and some “unpolished gems”, highlighting movies that have passed right on by the radar of a lot of people and didn’t find the audience they deserve. Currently production is on an extended break due to pet projects, family things and paying the bills getting in the way BUT the current crop of 26 reviews are all still accessible. "So why are you doing this, Greg?" Yep, heard that one a few times and the simple answer is, "It's a commitment to Newtown Flicks (and myself) to turn out a regular series of videos, on schedule, on budget, and to consistent standards." Finding that balance between information and entertainment has been tricky along with taming the presenter’s innate flippancy as he drops non PC comments in all the wrong places (yes, I'm the presenter).
22 UNIVERSITY EDUCATION VIDEOS DELIVERED
Eighteen months in the making (it was a stop / start process) were 22 promotional videos for the University of Western Sydney. The videos run between 90 seconds and four minutes each and look at various aspects of the School of Education. 54 interviewees tell of their experiences, illustrated with students, teachers and researchers involved in activities both within and beyond the University.
SIX ARTS VIDEOS FOR ACARA
As director, cameraman and editor, I recently completed a series of three minute information videos for ACARA, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. The videos are aimed at school teachers, serving as an introduction to the new National Curriculum in the Arts. Five of the videos look at specific subject areas - Music, Media Arts, Fine Arts, Drama and Dance - plus an overview video explains the philosophy behind the new curriculum. Filming involved teenagers in drama classes; fine art activities with primary aged students and a five camera coverage of a rehearsal of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. As the videos are rolled out they will be accessible to teachers via ACARAs web site.
the new Majestic
A ten minute video documentary on one of the most unusual adaptive reuse architectural projects ever undertaken in Sydney. The challenge was turing a disused 1921 theatre / cinema / roller rink into a residential and retail complex, entirely within the shell of the existing building. I discovered a favourite haunt from my youth, the Majestic Roller Rink in Petersham, Sydney, was about to undergo this once in a lifetime transformation. It was too good an opportunity to miss as nearly nine decades of paint, dirt and superficial redecorations were to be peeled away to bare brick. I grabbed my camera, hard hat and high-vis gear to undertake a step-by-step documentation, in stills and video 18 months later, the result was a detailed 28 minute documentary (for the hard-core architicture and theatre history buffs) plus this 10 minute general public edition.
four community cinemas This ten minute documentary, "Not The Last Picture Show", is about volunteer run community cinemas and film clubs in country towns. It has been distributed via the Australian Council of Film Societies, sharing the story with small communities scattered across the country.
children's film for third international festival
A two minute film, "Footprints", created in association with the students and staff of Bourke Street Public School in Surry Hills, Sydney, has screened at the REEL KIDS International Children's Film Festival in Ontario, Canada. Previously the film also screened at both the Los Angeles and San Francisco International Children's Film Festivals. "Footprints", was one of eighteen short films I helped create over a three year period, building on the skills of the same students year by year. The film does not try to explain a concept but rather open it up for discussion with a question - "What is a carbon footprint?" The ideas in the film emerged from a student think tank about environmental issues, and how to explain those issues to children aged 8-11, mainly through the use of video.
capturing the essence of a Greek Cafe & a 75 year old theatre "Peter's" is a classic 1930's cafe in the tiny northern NSW town of Bingara. It is typical of the cafes created and operated by industrious immigrants from Greece in the first half of the 20th century. The cafe is directly integrated with the Roxy thatre, a beautifully preserved, small town, art deco delight. "Peter's" has been restored to reflect the period 1936 to 1950. New furnishings have been painstakingly reproduced to match the surviving elements and classic cafe fittings, some from other similar buildings in nearby towns, have been incorporated into the 'time warp' interior. Stepping through the front doors you believe you had just been transported back 60 or 70 years. Above is the link to a short video postcard incorporating both venues and a street party of plate breaking proportions!
"Lives Not Still" - three short comedies
A triptych of misadventure could collectively describe "Get a Life Coach", "Dog on a Leash" and "Wide Open" – three short comedy films written by Michael Neaylon and directed myself. All three films screened at the SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL in South Australia and have also been shown at CAUGHT OUT and NEWTOWN FLICKS in Sydney. Two of the films were finalists in the SHEPPARTON SHORTS Film Festival and have screened at other festivals around Australia. See the films on youtube:
film collection #2 for release
A second collection of Australian Short films from Newtown Flicks is now available. It contains 13 diverse films, all award winners and audience favourites from past festivals. I was involved in selecting the films along with the festival Director, then designing and coordinating the packaging and duplication process. The first collection has been distributed to around 30 small communities across the country. Much of this was possible through a deal struck with the Australian Council of Film Societies, linking with their extensive network. A special trimmed down selectionwas also distributed to fifty towns through a special arrangement with Country Energy and Mojo Events, using the films as charity fundraisers to benefit the immediate communities in which they screened. Mojo and Country Energy have been enormously supportive in helping the films reach smaller communities who do not have access to mainstream (let alone alternative) cinema. Thanks again to the film makers who provided their short films for inclusion in this valuable project. More information via the Newtown Flicks web site.
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