The phrase most often heard during a four-day short film festival is that film-making, in particular short films, is a ‘labour of love‘.By that, the film-maker means he/she/they did not make a bean out of it – in fact probably lost money. Gympie’s Heart of Gold International short film festival was held last weekend after a two-year hiatus through the Covid pandemic. Festival director Jackson Lapsley Scott waded through 914 short movies from Australia and…
As Halloween (and Guy Fawkes) is almost upon us, I decided to revisit a post from 2015, which, statistics suggest, most of you missed. The prediction in 1940-something that Mother’s new bairn would be born in late October may have caused some angst. In Scotland, those of a superstitious nature would have been in a ‘swither’ (a state of nervous agitation). But “no worries” as we say in Australia, or ‘nae bother’ – I was…
It’s Mental Health Week, aptly coinciding with a self-diagnosed bout of post-viral depression. Those of you who suffer the ‘Black Dog’ will know that a flu or virus can tip you into a depressive cycle. She Who Also Gets It commonly says: “Don’t be depressed – it’s boring.” Fine for her to say if she’s OK. (Read to the end then come back and watch this 43 second video by Bob) As my Ma would…
Call it coincidence, but I was in the midst of a domestic internet security overhaul when news of the Optus hack broke. As we know, what the press is calling the biggest hack in Australian history left the private information of up to 10 million Optus customers open to potential abuse. Optus customers are clamouring to have their drivers’ licences and passports re-issued and there is talk of class actions. Like most of us whose…