I've decided to be a jeweller instead.

So, I've taken a leaf out of my Grandfathers book, who was among other things a very talented jeweller, and decided to custom make some jewellery. I'll be using them as props for a film. Who would have thought you could wake up one day and just decide to do this and have it work... well... me, really!

Yeah, OK, I didn't have anything to do with making the nickel plated brass counter bell. That comes from a women Melbourne for surprisingly little investment. I did try to find pendants that would fit the bill of what I needed but when I couldn't find what I wanted I just made them from odds and bobs and bought bits. I'll explain.

The one of the right which is the one that will be used in the film uses a 16 mark negative lens from an 1950s Optometrist kit which although securely attached also comes completely free from the mirror beneath. The lens fits in perfect contour with the mirror which I cut to measure and edged with brass foil. I then took a large steel spoon for the back (below) and cut and hammered it to shape then punched with a, well, a metal punch to create the textured finish. This is all pinned together using the strip of brass down the back which used to be a brass wall hook that I hammered out flat and retro-fitted to the pendant. I've then used raw brass filigree cut and hammered into shape, and attached a necklace eye loop, as a decorative edge. The chain is a vintage brass chain that I bought.

The Pendant as a prop is to be used as a key to open and read a book of spells (which I also made; no photo's yet). So in keeping with the mood of the piece I tracked down a copy of the Arcana Mundi, which is a book about the occult that contains some very old rituals and spells from Greek and Roman times, in which I found an appropriate spell and on a bright sunny afternoon bound a spirit to the heart of the pendant... apparently... Oh, I followed the ritual perfectly but hey, who knows if these things work... I do wonder though if that might account for the seizures people have when the put the pendant on ;)

The second pendant on the left is my grandfathers broken watch mounted backwards, to show the watch gears, in more raw brass filligree. It's combined with a brass butterfly that was given to me, and faced with a 1920s monocle all pinned together with a brass document clasp that's been reshaped for the purpose. I still need to put a back on this pendant... Mooncar thinks some type of moulded black acrylic, which would look cool, but I'm thinking another metal back would look good too. The thing I like about this pendant is that although the watch movement is broken the Second hand still occasionally works and without warning the gears inside the pendant will suddenly spring into life for a few seconds. It's like a kinetic sculpture.

It's been a fun process which I've enjoyed a lot. Not a lot of Directors get to hand make props for their films so I may as well enjoy it while I can.


PS. A huge thank you to Shel over at Halfland for her beautiful gift of fabrics, and so forth, for Mooncar and I. Well, Mooncars are beautiful... mine are well, Monstery! Puppet Monstery! Cool! I can't wait for us to create something fun with them. THANKS MATE!

It's all so bright and shiny

I don't think I've ever put these on here. This is the very bright and shiny front cover and label art for the DVD of Whirligig. It's a strange thing to revisit a film I made so many years ago. But it is nice to remember that putting a lot of effort into a good story pays off in the product.

Although, watching it again (really watching it not just having it play) after so many years makes me wonder what the film would have been like if I'd of had a half decent animator involved. I guess that just goes to show that a good story is a good story no matter how it's packaged.

Now I should stop revisiting the past and get on with another, new, good story... hmmm, do I have one?

Whirligig event

If you're anywhere near the State Library of Victoria on Oct 7 you should drop in and help support that states Mental Health Week by attending the Mental Health Legal Centre fundraiser being held by Law Institute Victoria.

An added bonus of your philanthropy is that you'll get to see Whirligig on the big screen, which of course, is where you want to see it most of all.



...and after all, we could all use a little more mental health couldn't we! Even if it is only easing your middle class guilt by giving $20 to a more than worthy cause.

Owall Graffiti

Parliament of Hearts