Michael Thornhill
Encyclopedia
Michael Thornhill is a film producer
, screenwriter
, and director
.
He has a background in freelance journalism
and publishing
including working as a film critic.
He was a member of the WEA Film Study Group
in the 1960s where he met writers Ken Quinnell
and Frank Moorhouse
. He wrote film articles on film for the WEA Film Study Group
film journal Film Digest from 1965. He and Ken Quinnell
published the film journal SCJ : The Sydney cinema journal from 1966-1968. He was the film critic for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian
(1969 to 1973).
Michael Thornhill has an extensive career in the Australian film industry
. He is best known for his films The F.J. Holden (1977) and Between Wars
(1974). He worked as a projectionist
and film editor before turning to directing short films and documentaries in the late 1960s. Some of his first films were short documentaries made for the Commonwealth Film Unit
(now Film Australia
) including The Esperance story (1968) and Cheryl and Kevin (1974).
He has directed many films with screenplays written by Frank Moorhouse
including The American Poet's Visit (1969), The Girl from the Family of Man (1970) and The Machine Gun (1971), Between Wars (1974), The Everlasting Secret Family (1988) and the docudrama
Who Killed Baby Azaria? (1983).
His screenplay
s include The Esperance story (1968), Cheryl and Kevin (1974), and his feature film
The Journalist (1979) . He has been the producer for many of his films including Between Wars (1974), The F.J. Holden (1977), The Ever-Lasting Secret Family (1988) and Who Killed Baby Azaria?
(1983). In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was a director of the New South Wales Film Corporation, giving valuable support to films such as Hoodwink (1981). In the mid 1980s he produced several high-rating television programs such as The Great Gold Swindle (1984, executive producer) and Robbery (1985, director and producer).
(1974
) was awarded 1976 Cinematographer of the Year, by the Australian Cinematographers Society) for the Cinematographer Russell Boyd
IMDB
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
He has a background in freelance journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
including working as a film critic.
He was a member of the WEA Film Study Group
WEA Film Study Group
The WEA Sydney Film Society is a non-profit film society based in Sydney, Australia.It is a club of WEA Sydney, which is part of the Workers' Educational Association .-History:...
in the 1960s where he met writers Ken Quinnell
Ken Quinnell
Ken Quinnell is a screenwriter and director.He has a background in publishing and freelance journalism including working for Screen International and Rolling Stone. He was a member of the WEA Film Study Group in the 1960s where he met writers Michael Thornhill and Frank Moorhouse...
and Frank Moorhouse
Frank Moorhouse
Frank Moorhouse is an acclaimed Australian writer with a growing international reputation. He has won major Australian national prizes for the short story, the novel, the essay, and for script writing....
. He wrote film articles on film for the WEA Film Study Group
WEA Film Study Group
The WEA Sydney Film Society is a non-profit film society based in Sydney, Australia.It is a club of WEA Sydney, which is part of the Workers' Educational Association .-History:...
film journal Film Digest from 1965. He and Ken Quinnell
Ken Quinnell
Ken Quinnell is a screenwriter and director.He has a background in publishing and freelance journalism including working for Screen International and Rolling Stone. He was a member of the WEA Film Study Group in the 1960s where he met writers Michael Thornhill and Frank Moorhouse...
published the film journal SCJ : The Sydney cinema journal from 1966-1968. He was the film critic for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
(1969 to 1973).
Michael Thornhill has an extensive career in the Australian film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
. He is best known for his films The F.J. Holden (1977) and Between Wars
Between Wars
Between Wars is an Australian 1974 drama/war film released on 15 November 1974. It was directed by Michael Thornhill and written by Frank Moorhouse.-Awards:...
(1974). He worked as a projectionist
Projectionist
A Projectionist is a person who operates a movie projector. In the strict sense of the term this means any movie projector and therefore could include someone who operates the projector in a home video show or school. In common usage the term is generally understood to describe a paid employee of...
and film editor before turning to directing short films and documentaries in the late 1960s. Some of his first films were short documentaries made for the Commonwealth Film Unit
Film Australia
Film Australia was a company established by the Government of Australia to produce films about Australia. Its mission was to create an audio-visual record of Australian culture, through the commissioning, distribution and management of programs that deal with matters of national interest or...
(now Film Australia
Film Australia
Film Australia was a company established by the Government of Australia to produce films about Australia. Its mission was to create an audio-visual record of Australian culture, through the commissioning, distribution and management of programs that deal with matters of national interest or...
) including The Esperance story (1968) and Cheryl and Kevin (1974).
He has directed many films with screenplays written by Frank Moorhouse
Frank Moorhouse
Frank Moorhouse is an acclaimed Australian writer with a growing international reputation. He has won major Australian national prizes for the short story, the novel, the essay, and for script writing....
including The American Poet's Visit (1969), The Girl from the Family of Man (1970) and The Machine Gun (1971), Between Wars (1974), The Everlasting Secret Family (1988) and the docudrama
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
Who Killed Baby Azaria? (1983).
His screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
s include The Esperance story (1968), Cheryl and Kevin (1974), and his feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
The Journalist (1979) . He has been the producer for many of his films including Between Wars (1974), The F.J. Holden (1977), The Ever-Lasting Secret Family (1988) and Who Killed Baby Azaria?
Who Killed Baby Azaria?
Who Killed Baby Azaria? is a 1983 Australian TV docudrama about the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain. It was written by Frank Moorhouse and directed by Michael Thornhill.-Plot introduction:...
(1983). In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was a director of the New South Wales Film Corporation, giving valuable support to films such as Hoodwink (1981). In the mid 1980s he produced several high-rating television programs such as The Great Gold Swindle (1984, executive producer) and Robbery (1985, director and producer).
Awards
His film Between WarsBetween Wars
Between Wars is an Australian 1974 drama/war film released on 15 November 1974. It was directed by Michael Thornhill and written by Frank Moorhouse.-Awards:...
(1974
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
) was awarded 1976 Cinematographer of the Year, by the Australian Cinematographers Society) for the Cinematographer Russell Boyd
Russell Boyd
Russell Boyd is an Australian cinematographer. He rose to prominence with his highly-praised work on Picnic at Hanging Rock , the first of several collaborations with director Peter Weir. He is also a member of the ASC....
IMDB