It was good to have one of our favourite sons – Robert Ball – back in our midst for lunch on Tuesday.
Somehow, he and the Kooyong staff were able to bring a tense few moments of technological failure into an excellent Skype session with speaker Kirsty Stark. Welcome back, Robert – even if (sadly) we fear it was a one-off appearance! As for Kirsty’s film A Month of Sundays I’ve seen it, and loved it.
I encourage all members to look at the Rotary Sustainable & Fair Trade Shop at 654 Bourke Road, Camberwell, which is normally open 10-4 Monday-Saturday. Why? Because Rotary Hawthorn is being asked to provide volunteers to assist in the running of this shop, which raises funds for Donations In Kind, and other charities; and soon the Board will consider this.
Our (Hawthorn Rotary’s) regular lunch time meeting on June 14 was one of the highlights of the year.
Firstly, it was exciting as it invoked the use of internet technology (Skype) to connect a speaker live in Adelaide with the audience in suburban Hawthorn, Melbourne. Our techno team headed by friend Robert Ball and members Noel Halford and Jill Weeks had been preparing for the event for some time. It all went smoothly. {Perhaps it was a waste to have a pre-recorded version on hand just in case the telecommunications world had another black-out ?}.
Second, for this event there could not have been a better nor more appropriate speaker than Kirsty Stark, an absolute Rotary stalwart starting from when she was 6 years when her father together with the family undertook a Rotary Group Study tour to Japan. Kirsty’s CV re Rotary and participation in it is prolific and continuous, first as an exchange student at 15, subsequent exchange/study stints to Colorado, and Sweden, to member of the McGill-Sunrise Rotary Club in Adelaide. A Flinders University graduate (in Film Production) in 2007 this young woman will be President of the club in 2016/17.
Kirsty’s topic was the story of her progress and passion towards her present and most recent high in the art of cinema photography and film production, namely as producer for the currently circulating Australian movie “ A Month of Sundays”. Here is a link to its trailer:-
We heard how this journey started by making amateur films as a 15 year old, and later opportunity in film making classes at a USA high school, then persistent immersion as a volunteer into various film festivals, university study, and a first real paying job as a production assistant on the set in “Beautiful Kate” an Australian movie with Rachael Ward and Bryan Brown. She followed that with like roles in later and other South Australian based films including “Snowtown”. It was fascinating to hear how a 4 week production of one given feature was based on generating 7 minutes of material each day.
Then a step change, in which with a colleague she a set up a film company (first as the silent investors too) and a year or so later tackling the onerous role of procuring finance from external sources including government (State and Federal) film institutes. This culminated in recent times with “A Month of Sundays” now successfully showing at many theaters around Australia.
There was some prompt feedback from Kirsty re the Skype experience and her pleasure in being involved and of course details about showings of “Sundays”.
Thanks so much for having me to your meeting today! It was great to speak to everyone, and I enjoyed seeing a glimpse of the room and having so many questions to answer.
I have included a link below to the list of cinemas that are currently playing A Month of Sundays.
Kirsty's talent and persistence will be invaluable to the Australian film industry although one must wonder how long before the lure of an overseas production role takes hold.
The final board meeting of the year: incoming and outgoing boards met at Decco Restaurant on Tuesday evening, and speedily wrapped up the business for the Rotary Year.
It was all work until... the partners joined in for an enjoyable meal and evening of chat and exchange of views.
In this age of superstition and witchcraft, we can find signs and portents in the strangest of places. Or so The Shadow concludes, having seen one table at our meeting trying to work out why, on the lunch meals of only certain members, had the tortellini slid off the fish? The Shadow ponders such strange observations, still who can blame other mortals for wondering about the mysterious ways in which The Fates make their decisions?
The Shadow hears whispers that wedding bells are being tuned up for a performance on 27December. Yes, this just might concern Stephen Bowtell and Lisette Bamford
All readers should consider that The Shadow should be a collective effort, gossip from any source is welcome. If you, dear reader, have something to share, then email it to him at the Editor’s email address.
With the end of the financial (Rotary) year near and the friendly email from our Treasurer one is reminded that fees for next year will soon be due. Doubtless the Front Desk will extend its service and happily accept them in the next couple of weeks or so if a member is unable to use other more sophisticated means.
A change from the usual Tuesday format is planned for 12 July.
The Camberwell Art Show is being held at Swinbunre, and the plan is for us to have a lunch at Swinburne and then enjoy a tour of the Art Show, with an art expert critic providing commentary.
Please advise Chris Hanson or Noel Halford of attendance to facilitate catering numbers
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It was good to have one of our favourite sons – Robert Ball – back in our midst for lunch on Tuesday. 
