JOHN CAMPBELL
- Guest Film Maker -
G'day folks,
Welcome to the life of another talented Australian film maker - John Campbell.
Welcome, John ...
TELL
US A LITTLE
ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR
FILM-MAKING JOURNEY.
60 YEARS - TRAINED
IN FILM EDITING
BY THE BBC,
AUSTRALIAN ABC &
CRAWFORD PRODUCTIONS, FREELANCE COMMUNITY TV, COUNTRY
COUSINS PRODUCTION.
WERE
YOU INTERESTED IN FILMS
AS A KID?
YES, I
STARTED MAKING MOVIES AT
14 YEARS OLD
WHEN
AND HOW DID
YOU BECOME A
CAMERA OPERATOR?
SELF TAUGHT
AT 14 - THEN WITH A DOCUMENTARY COMPANY UNTIL I WAS
21 YEARS OLD
WHAT
DO YOU MOST
ENJOY
ABOUT YOUR JOB?
PRODUCING
BEAUTIFUL MOVING PICTURES
WHAT
IS THE HARDEST
THING ABOUT BEING
A CINEMATOGRAPHER?
CARRYING
LOTS OF EQUIPMENT
AROUND, CAMERA, SOUND,
LIGHTING IN ORDER
TO GET GOOD
PICTURES.
DO
YOU WORK FOR
YOURSELF, OTHERS OR
BOTH?
I
WORK MAINLY BY
MYSELF, OR WITH
MY CO-PRODUCER, CHRISTINE,
ON OUR TELEVISION
SHOW. I ALSO DO DOCUMENTARY
WORK WITH CO-PRODUCERS
IN DIFFERENT GENRES.
WHAT
WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE,
BEFORE YOU BECAME
INVOLVED IN MAKING
FILMS?
I
DIDN'T HAVE A
PAST LIFE BEFORE
MAKING MOVIES, BUT
INITIALLY I WAS APPRENTICED TO
MY "MASTER BAKER"
FATHER, IN BREAD AND FLOUR CONFECTIONERY. I
HAVE ALSO BEEN
A TRAINED NURSE
AND MIDWIFE FOR
NEARLY 25 YEARS.
ALL MY LIFE
I HAVE ALWAYS
DONE MY OWN
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
WORK AND I
AM STILL DOING IT
WHAT
IS YOUR GREATEST
ACHIEVEMENT?
BEING
PART OF PRODUCING TWO
BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, NOW
AROUND 50 YEARS OF AGE
WHAT
ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
APART
FROM STORIES FOR
MY SHOW "COUNTRY COUSINS" ON
COMMUNITY TV. I HAVE
SEVERAL DOCUMENTARIES ON
THE GO, AND HAVE COMPLETED
THE ROYAL VICTORIAN
AERO CLUB'S 50 MINUTE
DOCUMENTARY CELEBRATING THEIR
CENTENARY
WHAT
IS YOUR FAVOURITE
SUBJECT?
NATURALLY
THE STUDY OF ALL
ASPECTS OF MOVIE
MAKING. BUT MY
PASSION IS FOR
FILM EDITING. THIS
INVOLVES THE JOINING
TOGETHER OF ALL
THOSE SEPARATE SHOTS,
THAT COME OFF
THE CAMERA, INTO THEIR
CORRECT ORDER AND
LENGTH, TO TELL
A COHESIVE AND FLOWING
STORY
WHAT
INSPIRES YOU?
GETTING A
MESSAGE OUT ON A VIDEO THAT
HAS BEEN PROVEN
TO HELP PEOPLE
IMPROVE THEIR LIVES
WHAT
DO YOU PREFER
TO FILM?
NATURE,
AS THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL SUBJECT OF ALL. I
HAVE IN THE PLANNING, DIRECTING
MY OWN FEATURE
FILM INSPIRING THE
WORLD BY DEMONSTRATING
THE ULTIMATE IN
COMPASSION
DO YOU
HAVE ANY TIPS FOR
EMERGING CINEMATOGRAPHERS?
TRAIN
WITH EXPERTS AND
DO YOUR OWN
READING AND RESEARCH
WHAT
IS THE MOST
EXOTIC DESTINATION IN WHICH
YOU HAVE WORKED?
THE
OUTER HEBRIDES, OFF THE
WEST COAST OF
SCOTLAND, ON AN
ISLAND CALLED BERNERAY,
WILD, WINDY AND
WONDERFUL.
DO
YOU HAVE A PREFERRED SCHEDULE?
PREPARATION
IS ALL IMPORTANT
TO ME. FIRST
I ENSURE ALL
MY BATTERIES ARE
FULLY CHARGED. I THEN TEST AND
PACK EACH ITEM,
FROM CAMERA, SOUND,
LIGHTING BEFORE EACH
TRIP. I ALSO
CHECK THESE BEFORE
I START WORK
EACH DAY
DO
YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PLACE, OR
TIME TO FILM?
ODDLY
- BRIGHT SUN
CAN OFTEN CAUSE
MANY PROBLEMS. I PREFER BRIGHT
OVERCAST WEATHER, WITHOUT
THE SUN PASSING
IN AND OUT
OF CLOUD. I
LIKE FILMING IN
THE MORNINGS, AND WITH MY
LOVE OF NATURE
-I I LIKE
TO EXCLUDE MAN
MADE OBJECTS - WHERE APPROPRIATE
WHAT
IS YOUR GREATEST
JOY IN YOUR
WORK?
TO
VIEW A CLEAN, WELL EDITED MOTION
PICTURE, CORRECTLY EXPOSED,
WITH DEEP CONTRAST
AND CLEAR SOUND.
TO PERCEIVE A
MESSAGE, LOUD AND
CLEAR, BEHIND EACH MOVIE I VIEW
DO
YOU PRODUCE DOCUMENTARIES, FEATURE FILMS OR
ANYTHING THAT COMES
ALONG?
I TAKE
MOTION
PICTURES FOR THE
JOY OF IT ALL.
I HAVE TO
TAKE WHAT COMES
ALONG, BUT THE
MESSAGE IS ALL
IMPORTANT TO ME. DOCUMENTARIES ARE
AMONG MY FAVOURITES,
AND I AM
PLANNING MY FIRST
FEATURE FILM
HAVE
YOU MADE COMMERCIALS
AND VIDEO CLIPS?
I
HAVE TO DO ADVERTISING MATERIAL
FOR OUR COMMUNITY TV
COMMERCIALS, BUT IT
IS DEFINITELY NOT MY FAVOURITE
WORK
HAVE
YOU MADE UNDERWATER FILMS?
NO,
BUT WITH MY
NEW WATER-PROOF HELMET
CAMERA, IT IS CERTAINLY
ON THE AGENDA.
UNDER THE WATER
IS A MAGIC
WORLD UNTO ITS
OWN
WHAT'S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU'VE EVER
RECEIVED?
TO
HAVE MY STUDENTS THANK
ME FOR BEING
THERE WITH THEM,
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,
IN THE NEVER
ENDING LEARNING PROCESS
THAT IS MOVIE
MAKING.
DESCRIBE THE FUNNIEST
MOMENT YOU EXPERIENCED
IN YOUR WORK?
CHRISTINE,
MY CO‑PRODUCER IS A
HERBALIST. SHE USES
HER LONG SUFFERING
FRIEND HELEN, AS
A MODEL TO
DEMONSTRATE HER HERBAL
TREATMENTS ON OUR
SHOW. ONE SUCH
DEMONSTRATION INVOLVED BEETROOT
JUICE TO HELEN'S
FACE, AND A LENTIL BREW IN HER
HAIR. HELEN TOOK
ONE LOOK AT HERSELF IN
THE MIRROR, AND
TURNED TO CHRISTINE, WITH
A "VERY CONCERNED", TONGUE
IN CHEEK EXPRESSION,
AND SAID, "CHRISTINE, CAN
I TRUST YOU?"
AFTER THE APPLICATION,
WHICH WAS A
PICTURE TO BEHOLD,
HELEN ADMITTED HOW
SMOOTH HER SKIN
WAS WHEN IT
WAS ALL FINALLY
WASHED OFF.
WHAT WAS THE WORST
COMMENT YOU EVER
RECEIVED?
I
WAS TOLD TO
LEAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL
FARM, THAT WAS TO BE MY
HOME FOR MANY
YEARS TO COME.
IT HAPPENED JUST
AFTER MY LOVING
PARTNER PASSED AWAY
WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS
THAT HAPPEN IN
THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU AS A CINEMATOGRAPHER?
CERTAINLY,
MY LIFE IS
MY BEST SCRIPTWRITER
HOW MANY FILMS HAVE
YOU PRODUCED?
WHO FOR?
HUNDREDS,
FROM FIVE MINUTE
STORIES ON OUR
SHOW, TO TWO
HOUR THEATRE PERFORMANCES AND
DOCUMENTARIES FOR EDUCATION,
HEALTH AND TRAINING
HAVE YOU WON ANY
PRIZES OR AWARDS?
I'M
NOT INTO PRIZES
OR AWARDS, BUT MUCH OF
MY WORK GETS VERY FAVOURABLE
RESPONSES
WHAT DID THEY MEAN
TO YOU?
I
HAVE NO COMPETITION.
I MAKE MOVIES
MY WAY, NOT
ALWAYS THE BEST WAY,
BUT AFTER 60 YEARS,
I AM WELL
AND TRULY ON
THE RIGHT PATH
OTHER THAN MAKING FILMS,
WHAT ELSE DO
YOU LOVE?
I
LOVE ANIMALS AND
FINE SCENERY. I
LOVE THE COUNTRYSIDE,
THE SEA-SIDE AND ALL
THINGS TO DO
WITH NATURE
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
BEING
IN A BEAUTIFUL
PLACE, IN THE
COMPANY OF A WONDERFUL PERSON,
PERSUING A COMMON
INTEREST
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS
FOR THE FUTURE?
I
INTEND TO LIVE
WELL INTO MY
HUNDREDS IN PERFECT
HEALTH. I ALSO
INTEND TO DIRECT
MY OWN FEATURE
FILMS
IF YOU MADE A FILM FOR
THE LEADERS OF THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD
IT BE ABOUT?
WORLD PEACE AND
THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT ALL
PEOPLE ARE ONE,
EQUAL IN EVERY WAY
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO
ADD?
I
WOULD LIKE TO
THANK THOSE WHO
DILIGENTLY WORK AWAY
BEHIND THE SCENES,
OFTEN UNHEARD, UNKNOWN,
WHO DO SO
MUCH TO HELP THEIR FELLOW
MAN, MANY IN
GREAT NEED. I
ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEEP
LOVE THAT BRINGS
ALL OF US TOGETHER IN A
BOND THAT CANNOT
ULTIMATELY BE BROKEN.
Clancy's comment: Thank you, John. Wow, what an interesting life you've had. I've got plans to make some movies of my books, but maybe in the next life.
Stay well.
I'm ...
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