Wank

This 16mm film was shown as the third act in a four act play called "Wank" which was performed in the Cement Box Theatre (part of the Schonell Theatre complex) at the University of Queensland in October, 1973.

The visual themes in this "film poem" were also themes explored in the play. For example, the gorilla seen in the film is also one of the characters performing in the play. Towards the end of the film, the gorilla sits on the stage and watches the film along with the audience. The gorilla watches himself sitting in the same position in the film, watching the film within the film.

I had just bought a brand new 16mm camera in early 1973. It was a French camera called a Beaulieu R16 which was my pride and joy at the time. "Wank" was the second project shot with this new camera. All the black & white film was "home" processed, something I'd learnt to do at the Lawson Film School held in the Blue Mountains near Sydney the year before in 1972. Needless to say this film was produced on a shoe string budget (basically the cost of 400 feet of black & white film).

Directed and edited by Peter Gray
Camera work by Peter Gray and Bronwyn Barwell
Year of Production: October, 1973
Format: 16mm, black & white, reversal film.
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Wank