Screen Illawarra is a non-profit organisation that represents the behind-the-scenes creatives, producers and technical experts who make film and TV shows. Its mission is to make the Illawarra a hub for global screen production by promoting job opportunities, networking, professional development, education and training. The group is growing fast and has almost 400 members.
As part of the Flame's ongoing series featuring the local talent behind the scenes, Thirroul's Janys Hayes shared her story.
I would describe myself as a theatre tragic.
I have been in this industry for five decades. Many years ago, I spent all my money studying at Drama Centre London for three years with a wonderful Swedish acting teacher, Yat Malmgren. (He taught Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Coin Firth, just to name a few). I became a proponent of his actor training technique, which extends Method acting into considerations of the link between experiential states and gesture.
I have acted, directed, taught acting, and have written about theatre and acting. I admire actors’ skills and I love the passionate world of the theatre and theatre-making. My last 30 years have been teaching acting and directing shows for the performance course at the University of Wollongong, whilst also maintaining independent directing when possible.
Over the years I have developed a close connection with a number of Vietnamese theatre artists, who came to Australia for postgraduate studies, before returning to Vietnam. Last year I visited Hanoi twice, directing students from Hanoi’s premiere acting academy, The Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema (HATC).
The changing scene
Australian theatre has grown and matured since the heady days I spent at the University of Melbourne, where the Pram Factory and La Mama were buzzing with the newness of Australian writing. The plays then were blatant, hyper-masculine and crude. That was the 70s.
Australian plays are now internationally respected and produced. The major change I have seen most recently has been in the rise of diversity of casting. The old restrictions limiting the kinds of bodies given space in theatre and film no longer dominate.
Fresh creative talent
I joined Screen Illawarra because I want to support and promote the Illawarra’s film culture.
I have always championed and contributed to innovation in creativity in Wollongong. I served for many years on Wollongong City Council’s Cultural Arts Grants Committees and the Public Art Advisory Committee. I see a great future for filmmaking in this region, as well as for our superb landscape being utilised for locations by visiting film units.
Late last month I joined a Screen Illawarra group to see Coil, created by re:group and presented by Merrigong Theatre at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC). Blurring the boundaries between theatre and film, Coil is a fresh and brilliant new contemporary performance. It’s a romance, a comedy, an homage to the past, when we all regularly spent time at video stores.
Coil is an elegy to the closure of Thirroul’s Leading Edge Video store, with the old neon light from the original store utilised in the set. It was created by a team of performance makers who graduated from the UOW Performance degree in the years between 2007-2012. I was over-joyed to be in the audience, because each of the cast had been one of my Acting students. It is always exciting for me to see young talent blossom into excellence.
The Q&A afterwards run by Nick Bolton from Screen Illawarra with re:group members Solomon Thomas and Steve Wilson-Alexander demonstrated the intelligence, passion and caring that these local, emerging artists bring to their creativity.
To join Screen Illawarra and find out about its networking nights, workshops and other functions, visit the website
