Griffith University has enlisted one of the most celebrated figures in world cinema, Lord David Puttnam, to deliver a series of seminars exploring the myriad challenges facing film-makers in the 21st Century.
Lord Puttnam, whose illustrious career as an independent producer includes such classic films as Midnight Express, The Killing Fields, Chariots of Fire, Memphis Belle, The Mission, Bugsy Malone and Local Hero, will share his comprehensive knowledge and insights during 10 seminars beamed from his home in Ireland.
Hosted by the Griffith Film School at its state-of-the-art, 92-seat private cinema in Brisbane’s South Bank cultural precinct, each session of Producing for Screen and Society in the 21st Century will be a live and interactive engagement with the winner of 10 Academy Awards, 25 BAFTAs and the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Beginning on Monday, August 26, with a reflection on the experiences and lessons of his long career, over ensuing weeks Lord Puttnam will expand upon a range of fascinating themes.
These will include the films that inspired him to enter the industry; the use of sound and music; the evolving role of the author and producer; the impact of movies on the world; milestones and ongoing motivations; the importance of money; how to connect with an audience; identifying markets; the social responsibility of the screen producer; and the changing nature of film production in the digital era.
As well as special screenings of his most famous films, one-on-one consultative sessions with Lord Puttnam will also be available.
The seminar series concludes on Friday, October 25.
Born in London in 1941, Lord Puttnam entered the British film industry in the 1960s and worked with directors of the calibre of Ken Russell and Alan Parker before launching his own film company, Enigma Productions.
Among his most significant achievements, Lord Puttnam produced future Oscar-winning director Ridley Scott’s debut feature, The Duellists (1977), conquered Hollywood to proudly accept the Best Picture Academy Award for 1981’s Chariots of Fire, and featured a galaxy of cinema’s brightest stars and innovative directors in his productions.
Whether it is the sight of young British Olympians running along a beach to the music of composer Vangelis in Chariots of Fire; the staggering opening sequence of a crucified priest plunging over a waterfall in The Mission; the infectious exuberance of Bugsy Malone’s cast comprised entirely of child actors; the camaraderie and humour that masks the fear within a World War II flight crew in Memphis Belle; or the unflinching portrayals of human endurance in Midnight Express and The Killing Fields, over the past 40 years Lord Puttnam has given cinema some of its most breathtaking, brilliant and memorable moments.
But now he is looking ahead, asking just what is involved in producing for screen and society in the 21st Century, and helping future film-makers to find the answers.
It’s an opportunity not to be missed by lovers of cinema and, more significantly, any aspiring film-maker who would seek to emulate him.
For information on seminar dates, fees, times and content, go to
griffith.edu.au/puttnam-series
