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10 SEPTEMBER 2007.- A NEW INTERVIEW |
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Mel Gibson and rainforest |
Source: star-eccentral.com
Mel Gibson speaks candidly about matters close to his heart.
Australian Oscar-winning actor and director Mel Gibson is not your run-of-the-mill Hollywood star. Rather than play the fame game or live a typically hedonistic celebrity lifestyle, Gibson prefers to keep a low profile and busy himself by putting his name and money to a selection of good causes, both environmental and humanitarian.
The man who spent two decades as a leading man in popular films like Mad Max and Lethal Weapon and who directed the ground-breaking and critically acclaimed Braveheart, The Passion of The Christ and Apocalypto may have courted controversy in recent times, but the one thing he cannot be accused of is not being wholly committed to whatever he strongly believes in.
Like his good friend and business partner in Malaysia, Petra Group president and chief executive officer Datuk Vinod Sekhar, is quick to point out during an exclusive interview at Sekhar's home in Kuala Lumpur, Gibson walks the talk, especially when it's something that he feels passionate about.
For instance, Gibson, who is on a two-week vacation in Malaysia, made his presence felt in local environmental circles recently when he attended the MOU-signing ceremony for the conservation of the rainforest, between Petra Group and the Royal Society South-East Asia Rainforest Research programme.
He also lends his name to Green Rubber Global, a Petra Group firm in the United States that operates a tyre recycling plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Over in the tropical forests of Guatemala, Gibson has risked putting the noses of the poor rural farmers and loggers out of joint by lending his vocal and financial support to the establishment of a 525,000-acre Mayan national park.
The forest is home to El Mirador, 15 square miles of buried temples and pyramids first uncovered by archaeologist Richard Hansen, which could well be the most extensive Mayans ruins uncovered to date. In response to severe opposition from local villages, Hansen roped Gibson into the Mayan Park project. To date, the actor/director - who visited El Mirador to evaluate the site for Apocalypto - has donated US$500, 000 (RM1.75mil) to Hansen's work and agreed to serve on the board of his foundation, and serve as spokesman for the project.
Charitable nature aside, anyone engaged in a one-on-one chat with Gibson can find it somewhat unnerving. When he fixes his famous piercing blue-eyed stare on you, it's intimidating, to say the least. He's affable and polite, without being too friendly, and seems to size you up as he speaks.
He has the air of someone who does not suffer fools gladly. He's brash, to the point, and not afraid to call a spade a spade. But he's also utterly fascinating once he warms up to a subject.
Get him talking about something he really cares about and he starts to come alive, with intelligent insights. His eyes twinkle and the gentle burr of a voice begins to rise excitedly as he leans closer to get his point across.
Mel Gibson flying a plane
You seem to have been devoting a lot of your time to environmental and humanitarian causes of late. Has the movie business taken a back seat?
Gibson: No, not really. I've always had interest in trying to help people. I'm not a tree hugger or anything, but hey, why not help people or save the planet if you can. I've always liked nature. I had a farm at one point and tried to do things there without using chemicals. If you are in a position to do some good, then it's really a no- brainer to get involved in some way.
Piercing stare: Gibson's blue eyes seem to size up the writer as he speaks.
You're also a share-holder in Green Rubber and regularly attend board meetings ...
Gibson: When I heard about what they were doing (Green Rubber recycles rubber into a form of material that can be reused for most purposes), I thought it was an amazing service to the planet and everyone in it. What a legacy to leave behind.
I've seen how the technology works and it's truly amazing. Petra Group has these foundations and stuff attached to it, so that the proceeds that come from this technology go to cool things, and that's rare. Most people are too damn greedy to think about other people.
Why get involved? It's fun and interesting. It's like, you invest in an excavation project in Guatemala and three years later, you get to walk up the steps of the ancient pyramids that they unearthed. I almost had tears in my eyes.
The Mayan Park Project in Guatemala is something you've been passionate about for years. What attracted you to it?
Gibson: I was amazed when I went down there. It just blew my mind. I mean, the greatest archaeological find in the Western Hemisphere is virtually ignored. You've got the biggest pyramid in the world there; volume-wise, it's bigger than the biggest one in Egypt.
Up till 1930, they thought it was a volcano. Then they realised it was a very, very large pyramid and there were others near it almost as big, and there were 26 large cities in the basin.
They have been perfectly preserved and not been looted. There are libraries; there are kings, there are tombs. It's like the Valley of the Kings and yet, nobody knew about it.
And you know what else? They're 2,000 years old! People think they didn't have pyramids in the neo-classical period. Bullshit! In fact, they had them bigger than they did later. People are going to start discovering a lot more things when they start unearthing this.
There seems to be a fair bit of opposition to the project from the rural farmer and loggers.
Gibson: Here's the deal: the forest is threatened and it's the last remaining rainforest in Central America. If it burns and there are fires all around, it's gone. People are trying to encroach and log it. Once you put a road in there, it's over. All 26 cities will go. You won't find the libraries, the tombs or who walked across the Baring Strait from Asia to get there.
I tell you: The Mayans looked like you guys (Asians). In fact, I know a Mayan shaman, who went to Tibet and spoke his native tongue to a Tibetan and the guy was like, "Ah!" (Gibson makes a gesture of amazed recognition.) They had some similar words that mean the same thing. It's pretty wild when you think about that.
I tell you, these Mayan cities hold the key to a bunch of stuff. And they were sophisticated, like Pompeii. These cities are enormous. These were huge civilisations. These people who are opposing the project just don't understand how important a find this really is. I'll even give loggers the same amount of money they'd get for the trees to not touch them and I have done that.
If you turn the forests into tourism, you'd get a hundred-fold what you might get if you were to log them. I'm putting money into their pockets. A lot of these people don't know what is really going on. And they believe a lot of things that they are told. And there are people who are malicious, people out for short-term gain. The newspapers are too quick to paint a bad picture of me.
Your fascination with Mayan culture came to glorious fruition with the excellent Apocalypto. Why make a movie about Mayans shot entirely in Mayan native tongue?
Gibson: I was always been intrigued by Mayan culture. Richard Hansen had some really good theories about the Mayans and why they disappeared, which are in the film. If you look closely, you can see all the things that dragged their civilisation down. They were destroying their environment and the arability of their soil.
With regards to the language, there are a lot of Mayan dialects. We chose Yucate, which is being used today. It's a very colourful language.
With the cast, I made a point of getting people who looked indigenous, like real Indians, you know. All these people looked like they came from a different century. I thought the cast looked great. A lot of these people had never done any acting before. They were mainly carpenters, construction workers and schoolteachers.
The film sets were something else, too. I used the same guy who did the sets for Braveheart. He oversaw the construction of the city, pyramids and temples - and did an amazing job. The whole city and the town around it came alive. It was fully functional, with people actually living in it. People would go there and get blown away by the set.
We shot the film in Mexico because they had some nice jungles there. I found it better to film in the rainforests there because they had larger trees and bigger canopies, which kept the undergrowth down, so you had some depth of vision. In Guatemala, the jungles were too dense. Filming in the jungles was the hardest part about making the movie.
Like The Passion of The Christ, Apocalypto had its share of controversy.
There's this historical revisionism that's going on, kind of like, "That didn't happen!" I just don't get it. Now they are doing it with the Mayan stuff, too.
I read an article saying my film is historically inaccurate. It's not meant to be a historical piece. But there was human sacrifice back in the neo-classical period, very much so. I did my research, man. I like looking at periods of history and drawing stories from them. My obligation is not to portray history to the letter; my obligation is to entertain, educate and, hopefully, lift people to a higher spiritual plane.
Do you plan to return to acting? Will we see you in an action hero role any time soon?
Gibson: I think I'm too old for that, but you never know. I just like telling stories. Entertainment is valid and I guess I'll probably do it again before it's over. You know, do something that people won't get mad with me for. (Laughs)
|
Mel Gibson flying a plane |
You seem to have been devoting a lot of your time to environmental and humanitarian causes of late. Has the movie business taken a back seat?
Gibson: No, not really. I've always had interest in trying to help people. I'm not a tree hugger or anything, but hey, why not help people or save the planet if you can. I've always liked nature. I had a farm at one point and tried to do things there without using chemicals. If you are in a position to do some good, then it's really a no- brainer to get involved in some way.
Piercing stare: Gibson's blue eyes seem to size up the writer as he speaks.
You're also a share-holder in Green Rubber and regularly attend board meetings ...
Gibson: When I heard about what they were doing (Green Rubber recycles rubber into a form of material that can be reused for most purposes), I thought it was an amazing service to the planet and everyone in it. What a legacy to leave behind.
I've seen how the technology works and it's truly amazing. Petra Group has these foundations and stuff attached to it, so that the proceeds that come from this technology go to cool things, and that's rare. Most people are too damn greedy to think about other people.
Why get involved? It's fun and interesting. It's like, you invest in an excavation project in Guatemala and three years later, you get to walk up the steps of the ancient pyramids that they unearthed. I almost had tears in my eyes.
The Mayan Park Project in Guatemala is something you've been passionate about for years. What attracted you to it?
Gibson: I was amazed when I went down there. It just blew my mind. I mean, the greatest archaeological find in the Western Hemisphere is virtually ignored. You've got the biggest pyramid in the world there; volume-wise, it's bigger than the biggest one in Egypt.
Up till 1930, they thought it was a volcano. Then they realised it was a very, very large pyramid and there were others near it almost as big, and there were 26 large cities in the basin.
They have been perfectly preserved and not been looted. There are libraries; there are kings, there are tombs. It's like the Valley of the Kings and yet, nobody knew about it.
And you know what else? They're 2,000 years old! People think they didn't have pyramids in the neo-classical period. Bullshit! In fact, they had them bigger than they did later. People are going to start discovering a lot more things when they start unearthing this.
There seems to be a fair bit of opposition to the project from the rural farmer and loggers.
Gibson: Here's the deal: the forest is threatened and it's the last remaining rainforest in Central America. If it burns and there are fires all around, it's gone. People are trying to encroach and log it. Once you put a road in there, it's over. All 26 cities will go. You won't find the libraries, the tombs or who walked across the Baring Strait from Asia to get there.
I tell you: The Mayans looked like you guys (Asians). In fact, I know a Mayan shaman, who went to Tibet and spoke his native tongue to a Tibetan and the guy was like, "Ah!" (Gibson makes a gesture of amazed recognition.) They had some similar words that mean the same thing. It's pretty wild when you think about that.
I tell you, these Mayan cities hold the key to a bunch of stuff. And they were sophisticated, like Pompeii. These cities are enormous. These were huge civilisations. These people who are opposing the project just don't understand how important a find this really is. I'll even give loggers the same amount of money they'd get for the trees to not touch them and I have done that.
If you turn the forests into tourism, you'd get a hundred-fold what you might get if you were to log them. I'm putting money into their pockets. A lot of these people don't know what is really going on. And they believe a lot of things that they are told. And there are people who are malicious, people out for short-term gain. The newspapers are too quick to paint a bad picture of me.
Your fascination with Mayan culture came to glorious fruition with the excellent Apocalypto. Why make a movie about Mayans shot entirely in Mayan native tongue?
Gibson: I was always been intrigued by Mayan culture. Richard Hansen had some really good theories about the Mayans and why they disappeared, which are in the film. If you look closely, you can see all the things that dragged their civilisation down. They were destroying their environment and the arability of their soil.
With regards to the language, there are a lot of Mayan dialects. We chose Yucate, which is being used today. It's a very colourful language.
With the cast, I made a point of getting people who looked indigenous, like real Indians, you know. All these people looked like they came from a different century. I thought the cast looked great. A lot of these people had never done any acting before. They were mainly carpenters, construction workers and schoolteachers.
The film sets were something else, too. I used the same guy who did the sets for Braveheart. He oversaw the construction of the city, pyramids and temples - and did an amazing job. The whole city and the town around it came alive. It was fully functional, with people actually living in it. People would go there and get blown away by the set.
We shot the film in Mexico because they had some nice jungles there. I found it better to film in the rainforests there because they had larger trees and bigger canopies, which kept the undergrowth down, so you had some depth of vision. In Guatemala, the jungles were too dense. Filming in the jungles was the hardest part about making the movie.
Like The Passion of The Christ, Apocalypto had its share of controversy.
There's this historical revisionism that's going on, kind of like, "That didn't happen!" I just don't get it. Now they are doing it with the Mayan stuff, too.
I read an article saying my film is historically inaccurate. It's not meant to be a historical piece. But there was human sacrifice back in the neo-classical period, very much so. I did my research, man. I like looking at periods of history and drawing stories from them. My obligation is not to portray history to the letter; my obligation is to entertain, educate and, hopefully, lift people to a higher spiritual plane.
Do you plan to return to acting? Will we see you in an action hero role any time soon?
Gibson: I think I'm too old for that, but you never know. I just like telling stories. Entertainment is valid and I guess I'll probably do it again before it's over. You know, do something that people won't get mad with me for. (Laughs)
11 SEPTEMBER 2007.- ICON HAS A NEW PARTNER 
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Mel Gibson's Icon Prods. has partnered with GreeneStreet Films to buy sales rights for a number of GreeneStreet's films and library titles. Ariel Veneziano, president of GreeneStreet Films International, is moving to Icon, where he will oversee international sales as the president of Icon Entertainment International.
The move provides GreeneStreet with access to Icon's theatrical distribution in Australia and the U.K. and greater buying power in the marketplace. But with Icon's international sales outfit now in the picture, the future of GreeneStreet International appears to be in doubt.
For now, it will continue with its six-person staff, and Veneziano said that there's "definitely the desire to keep GSFI as a separate entity." But with GreeneStreet producing three to four films a year and GreeneStreet International repping six to eight films, including outside acquisitions, the indie company's international sales faces challenges if it is to avoid having to shutter.
"Does GreeneStreet have enough volume to proceed as a stand-alone entity? They need to strategize and diversify," Veneziano said.
GreeneStreet International will continue operating in its Los Angeles office and will announce shortly the hiring of two new senior executives. As part of the pact, GreeneStreet International and Icon are discussing the possible joint representation of a selection of GreeneStreet's upcoming films.
"Based on our long history with Icon on such films as 'Swimfan,' 'Romance & Cigarettes' and currently on our film 'Awake,' we have been impressed with how consistently they demonstrate great care and thoughtfulness in the positioning of our films," GreeneStreet founder and president John Penotti said. "Ariel's newfound presence on the Icon team brings his intimate knowledge of GreeneStreet's current productions to Icon and will provide continuity in both the sales and servicing of GSF and GSFI's current slate."
Veneziano begins his new position September 17 and will be based in Icon's Los Angeles offices, where he will work with Mark Gooder, president of acquisitions and development, in identifying projects to augment Icon and Icon International's slate. The London office for Icon International, headed by senior international sales manager Anthony Buckner, will report to Veneziano, with support from the newly appointed London-based international sales manager Abby Kadell and sales administration manager Steve Bestwick.
Veneziano plans about 10 films a year with Icon International. "It's become an all-or-nothing marketplace, where films with a certain level of cast and filmmakers are doing well and those without are struggling," he said.
GreeneStreet's slate includes such titles as "Awake," "Tenderness," "Wedding Daze," "Gary the Tennis Coach," "Laws of Motion" and "Unknown." At the Toronto International Film Festival, GreeneStreet International is selling John August's "The Nines" and "Bill."
Icon's slate includes "Push," "Sleepwalking," "The Black Balloon" and "Infestation."
Source: Hollywood Reporter |
|
GreeneStreet International will continue operating in its Los Angeles office and will announce shortly the hiring of two new senior executives. As part of the pact, GreeneStreet International and Icon are discussing the possible joint representation of a selection of GreeneStreet's upcoming films.
"Based on our long history with Icon on such films as 'Swimfan,' 'Romance & Cigarettes' and currently on our film 'Awake,' we have been impressed with how consistently they demonstrate great care and thoughtfulness in the positioning of our films," GreeneStreet founder and president John Penotti said. "Ariel's newfound presence on the Icon team brings his intimate knowledge of GreeneStreet's current productions to Icon and will provide continuity in both the sales and servicing of GSF and GSFI's current slate."
Veneziano begins his new position September 17 and will be based in Icon's Los Angeles offices, where he will work with Mark Gooder, president of acquisitions and development, in identifying projects to augment Icon and Icon International's slate. The London office for Icon International, headed by senior international sales manager Anthony Buckner, will report to Veneziano, with support from the newly appointed London-based international sales manager Abby Kadell and sales administration manager Steve Bestwick.
Veneziano plans about 10 films a year with Icon International. "It's become an all-or-nothing marketplace, where films with a certain level of cast and filmmakers are doing well and those without are struggling," he said.
GreeneStreet's slate includes such titles as "Awake," "Tenderness," "Wedding Daze," "Gary the Tennis Coach," "Laws of Motion" and "Unknown." At the Toronto International Film Festival, GreeneStreet International is selling John August's "The Nines" and "Bill."
Icon's slate includes "Push," "Sleepwalking," "The Black Balloon" and "Infestation."
11 SEPTEMBER 2007.- GREEN RUBBER TO LIST IN LONDON
Source: Reuters
Malaysian tyre recycling firm Green Rubber Global, whose shareholders include Hollywood stars Mel Gibson and Bruce Willis, is headed for a listing in London, a report said Tuesday.
Green Rubber plans to list on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in six months, the Star newspaper said.
The Star said an official statement was expected to be announced at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in neighbouring Singapore later Tuesday.
It is unclear how much Green Rubber plans to raise in funds, but bankers are valuing the company at 150-170 million pounds (304-355 million dollars), the newspaper cited an industry source as saying.
Other shareholders in Green Rubber are Malaysian businessman Vinod Sekhar, Indian former cricketer Kapil Dev, former golfer Lee Westwood, the Forbes publishing family and the former chairman of Britain's Vaux Brewery, Paul Nicholson.
Sekhar owns 84 percent of Green Rubber via Petra Trust, while the remaining 16 percent is held by his celebrity friends.
Green Rubber's first tyre recycling plant is in Gallup, near Albuquerque in New Mexico.
The process, which avoids used tyres being burned or ending up as landfill, reportedly uses waste-free environment-friendly technology to produce a rubber compound that can be used to make a variety of products including tyres.
Malaysian tyre recycling firm Green Rubber Global, whose shareholders include Hollywood stars Mel Gibson and Bruce Willis, is headed for a listing in London, a report said Tuesday.
Green Rubber plans to list on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in six months, the Star newspaper said.
The Star said an official statement was expected to be announced at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in neighbouring Singapore later Tuesday.
It is unclear how much Green Rubber plans to raise in funds, but bankers are valuing the company at 150-170 million pounds (304-355 million dollars), the newspaper cited an industry source as saying.
Other shareholders in Green Rubber are Malaysian businessman Vinod Sekhar, Indian former cricketer Kapil Dev, former golfer Lee Westwood, the Forbes publishing family and the former chairman of Britain's Vaux Brewery, Paul Nicholson.
Sekhar owns 84 percent of Green Rubber via Petra Trust, while the remaining 16 percent is held by his celebrity friends.
Green Rubber's first tyre recycling plant is in Gallup, near Albuquerque in New Mexico.
The process, which avoids used tyres being burned or ending up as landfill, reportedly uses waste-free environment-friendly technology to produce a rubber compound that can be used to make a variety of products including tyres.
12 SEPTEMBER 2007.- FORBES GLOBAL CEO CONFERENCE
11 September, Forbes Global CEO Conference
American filmmaker and actor Mel Gibson, second from left, gestures on stage with Vinod Sekhar, left, President and Group Chief Executive of Petra Group and Tulsi Tanti, Chairman and Managing Director of Suzlon Energy Ltd., right, as he shares his thoughts at a panel discussion about the green challenge in businesses during the Forbes Global CEO Conference.
Gibson said he was proud to be involved with Green Rubber and Petra. "Here is a company that has a revolutionary technology that intends to make significant, and at the same time solve some of humanity's most serious threats. Pretty incredible and unique, I'd say," he added.
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11 September, Forbes Global CEO Conference |
American filmmaker and actor Mel Gibson, second from left, gestures on stage with Vinod Sekhar, left, President and Group Chief Executive of Petra Group and Tulsi Tanti, Chairman and Managing Director of Suzlon Energy Ltd., right, as he shares his thoughts at a panel discussion about the green challenge in businesses during the Forbes Global CEO Conference.
Gibson said he was proud to be involved with Green Rubber and Petra. "Here is a company that has a revolutionary technology that intends to make significant, and at the same time solve some of humanity's most serious threats. Pretty incredible and unique, I'd say," he added.
12 SEPTEMBER 2007.- TUNKU THE MUSICAL
11 September, Gibson (centre) surrounded by the cast of 'Tunku the Musical'
Source: The Star Online
THE performers in Tunku the Musical had worked extremely hard in the last three weeks, but the show at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) on Wednesday was probably one of their most exciting and stressful shows ever.
And for two reasons - Hollywood star Mel Gibson unexpectedly showed up for the performance, and it was also the night the performing arts scene celebrated the achievements of a fellow artist.
Gibson walked in just after the crowd was called into the auditorium, accompanied by YTL Corp Bhd managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh, Petra Foundation and Trust chairman Datuk Vinod Sekhar, and KLPac artistic director and musical director Joe Hasham and wife Datuk Faridah Merican.
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11 September, Gibson (centre) surrounded by the cast of 'Tunku the Musical' |
Source: The Star Online
THE performers in Tunku the Musical had worked extremely hard in the last three weeks, but the show at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) on Wednesday was probably one of their most exciting and stressful shows ever.
And for two reasons - Hollywood star Mel Gibson unexpectedly showed up for the performance, and it was also the night the performing arts scene celebrated the achievements of a fellow artist.
Gibson walked in just after the crowd was called into the auditorium, accompanied by YTL Corp Bhd managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh, Petra Foundation and Trust chairman Datuk Vinod Sekhar, and KLPac artistic director and musical director Joe Hasham and wife Datuk Faridah Merican.
13 SEPTEMBER 2007.- GIBSON HAS NOT FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIA
ICON
BRUCE DAVEY AND MEL GIBSON
Source: The Australian
MEL Gibson has not turned his back on the Australian film industry, contrary to media reports, according to the Oscar winner's production partner, Bruce Davey.
Davey, who was Gibson's Sydney accountant before the two joined forces almost two decades ago to create Icon Productions, says he and Gibson have a desire to make films in Australia and have not shut down their offices in Sydney.
"Doing things in Australia is very important to Mel," says Davey in a phone interview from Malaysia, where he is travelling on business.
"He has never forgotten his roots and what Australia has given him, and has had a long ongoing involvement with NIDA. It would warm the cockles of his heart for us to do a couple of projects down in Australia."
Six years ago, Icon teamed with Shanahan Management, which represents stars such as Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette and Geoffrey Rush, to create a film production company, but it has struggled to find the right material.
Davey says the restructuring of producer Sally Chesher's deal, which she has not yet accepted, seems to have ignited talk of Icon Shanahan closing down.
"We want Sally to stay on but on different terms so we're waiting to hear from her. But irrespective of what she decides to do, Icon Shanahan are still open for business, simple as that," Davey says.
The company's chief executive, Mark Gooder, has relocated to Los Angeles, where he has been given a wider role, and this move also fuelled speculation that Icon was pulling out of the local industry altogether.
"I'm still running the company in Australia," Gooder says from Toronto, where he is attending the film festival. "We still have the same staff but the difference is I'm now running it from Los Angeles.
"Why would we as an Australian company, with the roots we have in the Australian film industry, suddenly decide to close up shop at a time when there's a 40 per cent tax rebate for films? It doesn't make any sense and that's because it's not true."
Gooder says Icon Shanahan is the leading independent film distributor in Australia. It has held the Australian rights for seven films and is hoping for big things for the drama The Black Balloon, starring Collette. It has three other projects in development.
"It's not just as simple as saying: 'OK, we'll make this Australian film,"' Gooder says. "In making the decision to get behind projects, not only do you have to look at films that will work in Australia but you have to ask yourself: 'Will it travel internationally?'
"It always comes back down to the material and whether there's a universal theme and resonance.
"I feel the development process is where we drop the ball sometimes in Australia. It's very hard finding writers who can deliver the stories we're looking for."
Davey agrees, saying the problem is that once a writer in Australia shows promise, Hollywood comes along offering 10 times what the Australian industry can give them. "So of course they get on a plane and yet another Aussie ends up in LA," he says.
Davey says the new 40 per cent tax rebate for film production will be helpful in kick-starting projects in Australia but hopes it will not be abused.
"It makes it easier to get that square peg in a round hole in terms of getting a project off the ground, but you just can't go ahead with something just because there's a tax rebate," he says.
"You have to do the right projects for the right reasons. I think everyone in the Australian film industry has to be very careful. If bad films get made because of the tax rebate, it's not going to do any of us any good.
There will be a backlash against the rebate and everyone will start questioning why it's there when it's funding bad stuff and soon enough you'll have a government that'll say, 'We're getting rid of it.' And that's the worst thing that could happen when we're trying to sell Australia as a film destination."
|
BRUCE DAVEY AND MEL GIBSON |
Source: The Australian
MEL Gibson has not turned his back on the Australian film industry, contrary to media reports, according to the Oscar winner's production partner, Bruce Davey.
Davey, who was Gibson's Sydney accountant before the two joined forces almost two decades ago to create Icon Productions, says he and Gibson have a desire to make films in Australia and have not shut down their offices in Sydney.
"Doing things in Australia is very important to Mel," says Davey in a phone interview from Malaysia, where he is travelling on business.
"He has never forgotten his roots and what Australia has given him, and has had a long ongoing involvement with NIDA. It would warm the cockles of his heart for us to do a couple of projects down in Australia."
Six years ago, Icon teamed with Shanahan Management, which represents stars such as Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette and Geoffrey Rush, to create a film production company, but it has struggled to find the right material.
Davey says the restructuring of producer Sally Chesher's deal, which she has not yet accepted, seems to have ignited talk of Icon Shanahan closing down.
"We want Sally to stay on but on different terms so we're waiting to hear from her. But irrespective of what she decides to do, Icon Shanahan are still open for business, simple as that," Davey says.
The company's chief executive, Mark Gooder, has relocated to Los Angeles, where he has been given a wider role, and this move also fuelled speculation that Icon was pulling out of the local industry altogether.
"I'm still running the company in Australia," Gooder says from Toronto, where he is attending the film festival. "We still have the same staff but the difference is I'm now running it from Los Angeles.
"Why would we as an Australian company, with the roots we have in the Australian film industry, suddenly decide to close up shop at a time when there's a 40 per cent tax rebate for films? It doesn't make any sense and that's because it's not true."
Gooder says Icon Shanahan is the leading independent film distributor in Australia. It has held the Australian rights for seven films and is hoping for big things for the drama The Black Balloon, starring Collette. It has three other projects in development.
"It's not just as simple as saying: 'OK, we'll make this Australian film,"' Gooder says. "In making the decision to get behind projects, not only do you have to look at films that will work in Australia but you have to ask yourself: 'Will it travel internationally?'
"It always comes back down to the material and whether there's a universal theme and resonance.
"I feel the development process is where we drop the ball sometimes in Australia. It's very hard finding writers who can deliver the stories we're looking for."
Davey agrees, saying the problem is that once a writer in Australia shows promise, Hollywood comes along offering 10 times what the Australian industry can give them. "So of course they get on a plane and yet another Aussie ends up in LA," he says.
Davey says the new 40 per cent tax rebate for film production will be helpful in kick-starting projects in Australia but hopes it will not be abused.
"It makes it easier to get that square peg in a round hole in terms of getting a project off the ground, but you just can't go ahead with something just because there's a tax rebate," he says.
"You have to do the right projects for the right reasons. I think everyone in the Australian film industry has to be very careful. If bad films get made because of the tax rebate, it's not going to do any of us any good.
There will be a backlash against the rebate and everyone will start questioning why it's there when it's funding bad stuff and soon enough you'll have a government that'll say, 'We're getting rid of it.' And that's the worst thing that could happen when we're trying to sell Australia as a film destination."
13 SEPTEMBER 2007.- GIBSON GIVES NOD TO CO2 SHIPPING SCHEME
13 September, Mel Gibson looks up while attending a charity fundraising event in Singapore.
Source: The Daily Green
During a panel discussion, actor/director Mel Gibson gave a quiet endorsement to the idea of shipping carbon dioxide waste around the world to where it can be used, rather than letting it fill the atmosphere and trap more heat, according to Lloyd's List.
His comment about the importance of that type of innovative idea, given the challenges posed by global warming, came at a Forbes Global CEO conference in Singapore. Gibson is a shareholder of Malaysian company Green Rubber Global, which specializes in recycling waste tires.
The carbon shipping idea comes from BW Shipping, which is studying ways to design ships that can transport pollution from its source - coal-fired power plants, for instance - and transport it effectively to a destination, such as an oil or gas field. Now, a select few coal-fired power plants built near fossil fuel fields are pumping waste carbon dioxide into the ground in order to boost energy yields. This scheme would allow more oil and gas fields to benefit, and - importantly - more power plants to capture their emissions.
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13 September, Mel Gibson looks up while attending a charity fundraising event in Singapore. |
Source: The Daily Green
During a panel discussion, actor/director Mel Gibson gave a quiet endorsement to the idea of shipping carbon dioxide waste around the world to where it can be used, rather than letting it fill the atmosphere and trap more heat, according to Lloyd's List.
His comment about the importance of that type of innovative idea, given the challenges posed by global warming, came at a Forbes Global CEO conference in Singapore. Gibson is a shareholder of Malaysian company Green Rubber Global, which specializes in recycling waste tires.
The carbon shipping idea comes from BW Shipping, which is studying ways to design ships that can transport pollution from its source - coal-fired power plants, for instance - and transport it effectively to a destination, such as an oil or gas field. Now, a select few coal-fired power plants built near fossil fuel fields are pumping waste carbon dioxide into the ground in order to boost energy yields. This scheme would allow more oil and gas fields to benefit, and - importantly - more power plants to capture their emissions.
14 SEPTEMBER 2007.- DONATION
13 September, Mel Gibson donated $25,000 to Kidz Horizon Appeal
Source: Channel News Asia
Oscar-winning director and actor Mel Gibson has left Singapore after a three-day visit but not before leaving quite an impression.
Gibson donated S$25,000 to Kidz Horizon Appeal, a charity organisation that raises funds for children suffering from illnesses such as cancer and HIV.
He was in Singapore for the Forbes Global CEO Conference, which was held earlier this week.
But the Hollywood actor also took the opportunity to campaign for children suffering from chronic and terminal illness.
And his passion rubbed on to the CEO of Petra Group, Vinod Sekhar, and CEO of the True Group, Patrick Wee.
The two bosses increased their initial pledge of S$10,000 to S$25,000 each for Kidz Horizon Appeal.
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13 September, Mel Gibson donated $25,000 to Kidz Horizon Appeal |
Source: Channel News Asia
Oscar-winning director and actor Mel Gibson has left Singapore after a three-day visit but not before leaving quite an impression.
Gibson donated S$25,000 to Kidz Horizon Appeal, a charity organisation that raises funds for children suffering from illnesses such as cancer and HIV.
He was in Singapore for the Forbes Global CEO Conference, which was held earlier this week.
But the Hollywood actor also took the opportunity to campaign for children suffering from chronic and terminal illness.
And his passion rubbed on to the CEO of Petra Group, Vinod Sekhar, and CEO of the True Group, Patrick Wee.
The two bosses increased their initial pledge of S$10,000 to S$25,000 each for Kidz Horizon Appeal.
14 SEPTEMBER 2007.- THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL MOVIE
Source: 24dash.com (UK)
The Shawshank Redemption is the most inspirational movie of all time, a new survey revealed.
Starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, the 1995 film, based on a story by Stephen King, tells the story of two prisoners who develop a strong bond after years of severe hardship.
Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List - the true story of German businessman Oskar Schindler, who saved around 1,100 Jews from almost certain death during World War Two, came second in the poll by DVD specialist HMV.
Third place was taken by the 1994 Tom Hanks smash hit Forrest Gump. The film sees nice but dim Forrest Gump overcome a low intelligence to achieve fame and fortune.
Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart, came in at number four followed by the first UK film to be featured - Billy Elliot.
Sixth place went to Mel Gibson's Braveheart while The Green Mile is the seventh most inspirational movie.
Erin Brockovich, based on a true story of a single mum who almost single-handedly bought a multi-billion dollar company to its knees after rumbling its dark secret, is at number eight.
Titanic's tale of real-life disaster mixed with a fictional love story polled at number nine, while Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is the last film to make the top ten.
Other classics featured in the poll of more than 2,000 UK film fans include ET at number 14, Pretty Woman at 23 and The Sound of Music at number 41.
Rounding off the top 50 most inspirational films of all time is Christmas feel-good movie Miracle on 34th Street.
HMV Head of DVD, Charles Fotheringham, said: ''Films have a powerful and enduring capacity to inspire - touching each and every one of us on an emotional level in a way that no other medium can. The Shawshank Redemption is a great example of this.
"Films can fire our imagination and help shape our dreams. Truly inspirational films can even change our view of the world and the things around us - helping us to see them from another person's perspective.
"Ultimately, films can inspire us to change our lives in some way - think how many dancers must have started out in their chosen career after watching Billy Elliot."
Source: 24dash.com (UK) |
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Titanic's tale of real-life disaster mixed with a fictional love story polled at number nine, while Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is the last film to make the top ten.
Other classics featured in the poll of more than 2,000 UK film fans include ET at number 14, Pretty Woman at 23 and The Sound of Music at number 41.
Rounding off the top 50 most inspirational films of all time is Christmas feel-good movie Miracle on 34th Street.
HMV Head of DVD, Charles Fotheringham, said: ''Films have a powerful and enduring capacity to inspire - touching each and every one of us on an emotional level in a way that no other medium can. The Shawshank Redemption is a great example of this.
"Films can fire our imagination and help shape our dreams. Truly inspirational films can even change our view of the world and the things around us - helping us to see them from another person's perspective.
"Ultimately, films can inspire us to change our lives in some way - think how many dancers must have started out in their chosen career after watching Billy Elliot."
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