Airport Conversations - Bundanon Workshop

A$6,085
of $6,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 3rd Dec 2012 at 12:00AM.
               Thank you to our generous Pozible Suporters you are now a part of our project.  
                        

Help 8 Aust & NZ theatre/digital artists to workshop a new form dealing with the ethics of global consumerism -'epic eulogy meets graphic novel' - using sound, film, stage design, lighting, animation, text and original music.




WHY? The creative team have been granted a much coveted 2 week workshop space at Bundanon. We are fundraising for our ARTISTS to TRAVEL interstate to Bundanon (airfare and shuttle to rural NSW), living expenses (11 days- December 10th-21st, 2012) and Equipment Hire, as we are dealing with intricate multimedia elements (projectors, mics, scrims etc). 

What is it? Airport Conversations is a visual theatre performance which is in it's final stages of it's 3 year development. This Bundanon workshop will culminate in a showing in Melbourne at the end of December.

What is Bundanon? Bundanon is a property in rural NSW that was gifted by to the artists of Australia by Arthur Boyd. The Bundanon Trust promote arts practice and enjoyment by making the Bundanon properties a living arts centre for the creation and presentation of visual arts, writing, music and other performing arts, and the promotion of education and research in the arts. By conserving and preserving the natural and cultural heritage, and providing access to Bundanon and the Shoalhaven River, the Bundanon Trust encourages an appreciation and understanding of the importance of the landscape in the lives of Australians.

What is the show about? The project explores the way ‘globalised corporate culture’ effects how we form ethical relationships- or not. It looks at the way ‘personal responsibility’ becomes disengaged by time and distance.  

At the core of the work is a relationship between two international businessmen with a shared history. The men maintain a fractured dialogue via Skype as they transit through airports on separate routes to Bangkok. Their journeys and their relationship are disrupted by the ambiguous presence of Pakpao, a Thai woman who intrudes upon their consciousness with increasing persistence. The Kader Toy Factory Fire - how Pakpao came to work there and how she died, as well as the connection the two business men had with the factory – stands as an emblematic event within the play.

Airport Conversations was initially conceived by Merfyn Owen (Aust) and Simon O'Connor (NZ) who were deeply struck by the events of the 1993 Kader Toy Factory Fire* in Bangkok, along with the images of melted 'Bart Simpson' dolls that lay among the debris, and the lack of media attention towards one of the worst industrial fires in history. 


✈ From our 2011 development @ Dance House, Melbourne. Set & Lighting Design by Marty Roberts. Video work by Rhian Hinkley, Sound by Jethro Woodward.

Who are the artists?
Jethro Woodward Sound design / Composer
Michael Carmody Digital Artist / Film maker
HaiHa Le Performer/Text devisor
Joel Zika Digital Artist
Simon OConnor Performer / Text devisor
Richard Huber Director / Text devisor
Martyn Roberts Designer / Lighting Designer
Merfyn Owen Performer / Text devisor 
Anna McCrossin Owen (co-producer IntheCompanyofPleasure)

        

Why Crowd Funding? 

Our Artists are donating 100% of their time and talents to allow this Bundanon workshop to go ahead.

The New Zealand artists have been funded by Creative New Zealand for this workshop. We are raising funds for the Australian contingent.

We have created this piece slowly over 3 years. We have previously received funding during the process from the Besen Foundation, Full Tilt at the Victorian Arts Centre and Creative New Zealand. 

Crowd funding allows us to open the work up to the wider community and invite our audience to engage with the work as we create it. The future of the project involves potential performances in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. THANK YOU!

What is the Kader Toy Factory Fire?

The Kader Toy Factory near Bangkok, Thailand, manufactured stuffed toys and plastic dolls primarily intended for export to the United States and other developed countries. In 1993 a fire broke out and  killed 188 workers – most of the victims were young women who were unable to open illegally locked and blocked doors as managers were concerned with theft. The Kader building was illegally constructed made with cheaper uninsulated steel, resulting in rapid collapse. Charges against 14 company officials including the managing director, an engineer, and a shareholder were dropped, however Viroj Yusak - a Kader worker was jailed for ten years after admitting he smoked a cigarette just before the outbreak of the fire. 

Further info: http://www.anroev.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/OSH-ALU-47.pdf



Our Artists

Richard Huber Director / Text devisor New Zealand
Richard Huber has varied theatrical interests. He performs, writes, collaborates, directs and teaches (Otago University). Of late he has specifically focused and developed his interests and understandings of the nature of collaborative work with an eye to formalising his understandings. Richard along with collaborator Simon OConnor and their company ‘PBS Productions’, create socially questioning works with high theatrical values.

Merfyn Owen Performer / Text devisor Australia
Merfyn Owen has a wide range of performing experience and interests. He has worked in rock n roll, opera, music theatre, community theatre, youth theatre, mainstream theatre and project based explorative theatre works as well as having his own company ‘in the company of pleasure’. Credits include- MTC King Lear, Molly Sweeney. Malthouse- Woyzeck. Blue Heelers. Merfyn has been nominated many times for Victorian Green Room Awards for Best Actor and received the Age Award for Best Collaboration for Rigoletto- A Perversion. He performed The Fever in private homes in Australia & New Zealand for 5 years and for the Melbourne Festival 2002.

Simon O'Connor Performer / Text devisor New Zealand
Simon O'Connor is an artist with forty years of theatrical experience to draw upon. Simon is as equally at home in a State Theatre company environment working with established texts as he is writing and devising community works dealing with issues such as domestic violence. Simon is a Fellow of Otago University where he lectures in playwrighting, while pursuing his own original socially committed theatre work with his Dunedin NZ based companies ‘Talking House’ and ‘RBS Productions’.

HaiHa Le Performer/Text devisor Australia
HaiHa Le works across Film, TV and Theatre. In 2005 she received a Green Room Award nomination for her performance in Shrimp (Melb. Workers Theatre/La Mama). Recent theatre credits include: The Seizure (Hayloft Project), Doomstruck Oedipus (VCA), Aviary (LaMama), Letters From Animals (The Storeroom), Make Me Cry (45 Downstairs). HaiHa was a regular cast member of Bed of Roses-Series 1, 2 &3 (ABC) and also Kick (SBS). Other Film and Television credits include; Neighbours, Sea Patrol, Rake, City Homicide, The Elephant Princess, Macbeth, A Nocturne, Stingers, Fergus McPhail.

Jethro Woodward Sound design / Composer Australia
Jethro Woodward studied composition at the Victorian College of the Arts. Since graduating he has built a reputation as an intuitive and skilled collaborator in the fields of music, theatre, dance and film and has received many peer and industry awards and nominations.

Martyn Roberts Set Designer / Lighting Designer New Zealand
Martyn Roberts is highly regarded in many performing and visual arts fields in NZ. As well as having his own company, ‘Afterburner’ that pursues project based theatre, he works as a freelance designer and exhibits as a stills art photographer. Martyn also lectures at Otago University in the theatre department.

Michael Carmody Digital Artist / Film maker Australia
Michael Carmody has designed video for acclaimed theatrical productions that includeBare Witness (Nadja Kostich),Stories from the Hidden City (Bagryana Popov) andChapters from the Pandemic(Angus Cerini) and many more. Recently his video/sound installationAnatomy of Atoms (with Elissa Goodrich) was exhibited in Italy as part of the international sound symposium – ‘Keep an Ear on’. 

  
Video Art by Michael Carmody.

Joel Zika / Digital Artist Australia 
Since completing his undergraduate studies in 2002 the main focus of Zika’s work has been the development of immersive experiences. Looking at pre cinematic theatrical attractions as a way of finding new ways to present media content. As well as developing installation work, he has had video performances in both theatrical and gallery contexts across Australia. 


A thank-you in our program. Any gesture of support is much appreciated.

2 chosen / 198 available

Est. delivery is Oct 12

A thank-you in our program and an invitation to the Melbourne Showing.

18 chosen / 12 available

Est. delivery is Oct 12

Airport Conversations T-Shirts<br /> with art work by our designers<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> S, M, L<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> + Thank you in the program

6 chosen / 44 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

Tea Towel with artwork by our talented designers.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> + T-Shirt<br /><br /> + Invitation to the showing<br /><br /> + Thank you in the program

6 chosen / 44 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

Personalised - Signed 'Thank-You' tea towels from the Airport Team! <br /><br /> + T-Shirt<br /><br /> + Invitation to the showing<br /><br /> + Thank you in the program

3 chosen / 17 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

A $220 Voucher to use at Actors Caravan.<br /><br /><br /> Headshots for actors/corporate, reel editing or audition self-tapes. for services please visit: www.actorscaravan.com<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + T-Shirt

0 chosen / 5 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

Intimate dinner with Airport Conversations company. Lovely home cooked meal, good wine, great company...<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> + Invitation to the showing<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + Thank you in the program

0 chosen / 10 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

All of the above (except Actors Caravan Voucher)

0 chosen / 10 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

Whoa...this would entitle you to EVERYTHING we have to offer above and our deepest gratitude.

2 chosen / 4 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12

A great nights sleep knowing that you, and you alone have sent eight passionate artists on their way to Bundanon...a true Parton of the arts are you...<br /><br /> <br /><br /> + All of the above

0 chosen / 1 available

Est. delivery is Dec 12