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Interview:
Richard Bradley, Richard Bradley Productions: 3rd
June 2004
Media
Man Australia further explores the world of film making,
and in particular, the Australian market.
Richard
Bradley is one of Australia's most respected and successful
film and documentary makers.
In
this insightful interview, Bradley discusses the business
end of film making, behind the "glitz",
and elaborates on his latest feature film, 'Brothers
At War'.
Mediaman:
Many people have asked if Brothers at War is just
a "shoot 'em up bikie flick" or does it
have a real script?
Richard
Bradley Productions: That is a good question. Although
the event attracted our attention it was the screenplay
that really worked for us. The screenplay took three
writers nearly 4 years to perfect as a three act dramatic
story that would attract good actors.
Mediaman:
Is that why actors like Colin Friels who is one of
our best actors and stage actors wanted to do the
film?
Richard
Bradley Productions: Exactly. He fell in love with
it the moment he read it. He could see a three act
story with strong characters built on a background
of ordinary people caught in extraordinary events.
The screenplay is the most important element of a
good film, without it you will always struggle to
deliver. Many multimillion dollar blockbusters have
sunk without a trace because they forgot the script
when producing the special effects or having to pay
a couple of big stars so much money they had to rewrite
the script because they didn't have enough to make
the good story they originally had. And believe me,
that happens a lot - we don't have that problem with
this.
Mediaman:
Obviously bikies and bike culture enthusiasts will
want to see this film but what about the wider audience?
Richard
Bradley Productions: A good dramatic script will give
us the entire market because everyone enjoys a good
story that is produced to its dramatic potential.
No matter what it is about. And although some people
may not want to see a "bikie film" they
will when they hear about it from others who have
seen it. At the end of the day, the best marketing
weapon a film has, is positive word of mouth.
Mediaman:
You mention "dramatic" a lot, how accurate
is the script and where did you get the information
from?
Richard
Bradley Productions: Brothers At War is a dramatisation
based on historical events. The information came direct
from sources such as police and bikies and from public
record material. The film will have a disclaimer saying
that it is a dramatisation.
Mediaman:
I notice that you have a theatrical release in place,
how important is that?
Richard
Bradley Productions: Very important, no matter how
limited the release it will cater for 10BA guidelines
to provide investors with tax deductions on their
investment. A television sale also does this as well.
Mediaman:
Some people are worried that the Tax Office won't
allow 10BA for the film.
Richard
Bradley Productions: 10BA is Government Legislation
enacted by Federal Parliament and has nothing to do
with the Tax Office. 10BA was brought in many years
ago to assist local films to find private investment
because they are speculative investments. Providing
we comply with 10BA, investors will get a deduction
- it is very simple. The Tax Office rules on the level
of deduction investors can claim. This film has a
10BA provisional certificate that it is a Qualifying
Australian Film and providing the investment is spent
properly in the actual production of the film, investors
will get their deduction. Our Executive Producer IMMM
can answer those question in greater detail. But the
Government (either Liberal or Labour) are very keen
on 10BA because Australian films promote Australian
culture and identity, that's why The Australian Film
Commission and the NSW Film and TV Office which are
Federal and State funding bodies invested into this
film - to get it made.
Mediaman:
Talking about Australia, I notice that you have not
presold this to other countries around the world,
why not?
Richard
Bradley Productions: Two reasons for this. Firstly
major presales would be deemed as guaranteed income
and the investors would get reduced deductions under
10BA. Secondly and more importantly, you are always
at a disadvantage giving away territories in a pre
sale because the bargaining chip is in the other hand.
This way we will have a finished film with a guaranteed
market worldwide, with plenty of "blue sky"
unsold markets. And a finished film that has built
a track record in its own domestic territory will
get higher sales, further to this sales will come
in US Dollars providing higher returns to investors.
The investors win both ways, firstly they get the
10BA deduction because they were "at risk"
and secondly they get first returns from overseas
sales.
Mediaman:
What do you think is the main attraction for this
film?
Richard
Bradley Productions: Very simple, it has a world wide
audience already in place and it has a terrific screenplay
to capture a wider audience. And this type of film
genre has a proven track record of success ever since
The Wild One in the early 1950's - which also had
a very good script that was thought provoking. And
good actors who became stars because of the film.
Mediaman:
I notice you are in constant work.
Richard
Bradley Productions: I turn out a complex feature
length documentary production with an average running
time of 100 minutes about every 16 weeks - that's
what they pay me to do - make films.
...end.
Editors
note: An educational and insightful look at one of
the greats of Australian film making. Media Man Australia
looks forward to a great deal more collaboration with
Richard Bradley Productions and his associates.
Links:
Official
websites
Brothers
At War
International
Movie Makers Market (Media Man Australia is a
syndicate)
Australian
Film Commission
NSW
Film and TV Office
Profiles
Biker
Movies
Richard
Bradley
Articles
Bikie
massacre movie planned - 23rd June 2002
Back
in red and black - 2nd January 2003
The
Might Eels, by Cameron Bell - 2nd January 2005
Movie
Makers and movie stars - What makes a star?
Interviews
Richard Bradley - 16th June 2007
Keith
R. Ball (Bikernet)
Biker
websites
Harley-Davidson
The
Harley-Davidson Cafe
Bikernet
Oz
Biker.org
Websites
KEMPS
- Richard Bradley Productions
Media
Man Australia
Current
Projects
Entertainment
*Media
Man Australia, Greg Tingle, is a syndicate of the
International Movie
Makers Market
Additional
Information (Credit:
IMMM)
Brothers
At War
Description:
The
movie will focus on the events leading up to what
became the largest criminal investigation in Australian
legal history and get right into the bizarre cultures
of the 1980's bikie gangs in Australia. Brothers At
War will demonstrate the history of the trans-pacific
drug trade boosted by the alliances made between the
Motorcycle clubs in both countries and how this played
out in the Australian criminal world. Moreover, it
will show the downfalls of fast-living bikies, how
so many lives both criminal and innocent were changed
forever, and how it set a drug trade legacy in Australia
that has only increased ever since.
Richard
Bradley (Producer)
Richard
Bradley is an award winning film maker and has been
working in the film industry for twenty (20) years.
His experience includes involvement in film studies
and advertising agencies. He has produced special
effects for over 300 commercials and the US Bikie
Film “Sidecar Racers” (Universal Pictures),
starring Ben Murphy, Endy Hughes and Peter Graves.
In
the early 1980’s Richard Bradley Productions
Pty Ltd was formed and Richard Bradley’s work
component expanded to include video, films, radio
and TV commercials and public relations.
Richard
Bradley has produced over 80 videos, films and commercials
which have included the feature film “Southern
Crossing” (Australia/US), featuring Dave Brubeck,
telemovies “The Hitchhiker” (Fuji/Japan)
based on the short story by Roald Dahl, TV specials
Flying Doctor Service (Australia/ABC). “Prisoner
of Poverty” (Nine Network) and countless other
TV Pilots, documentaries and short drama.
In
the early 1990’s Richard Bradley was appointed
Australian Media Agent for the renowned Dr.W Edwards
Deming who was personally appointed by General Douglas
MacArthur to rebuild Japanese Management and Industry
at the end of World War 2.
At
present, Richard Bradley is working on three major
documentary series, each running between 10 to 14
hours in 2 hour episodes. He has just completed another
feature length production that has gone into international
release and is planning a re release of another completed
film to the international music market.
Attention
Media: Contact Greg Tingle m: 0424 223 674 e: pr@mediaman.com.au
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