THANK YOU!

You can still help...

The campaign time frame is up, but... you can still contribute to the film by making a direct depisit into the Bank Account for the film...

The details are:
Imogen Thomas Films
BSB# 032-118
Account# 266513

Thank you!

The Campaign

Emu Runner has begun post-production! We have all but completed filming with just 5 days of 'pick-ups' to shoot. We need your support to cover the remaining costs for the conversion, assembly, build and logging of the film. A $25,000.00 gap remains in our resources before we can complete the post shoot build and begin editing. We need your help! Shooting for the film in Brewarrina concluded on the 22nd of September. Funds raised through this Pozible campaign will go directly towards costs associated with the the post-shoot: expenses e.g. travel, accommodation, equipment hire, catering, location, animal (Emu) wrangling, post shoot build, logging and insurance. All the cast, crew and support people have committed their time voluntarily.

Emu Runner is a labour of love and we’d love for you to be part of the community that is making it happen. For daily updates on the shoot please follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emurunnerfilm/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emurunnerfilm

The Film

Emu Runner is about the impact of a mother’s death on an Aboriginal family living in a remote outback community. The film is seen through the eyes of Gem, a spirited eight year old who finds solace from her grief by forging a bond with a wild emu, the mythical bird of her ancestors.

Emu Runner is a tale of sorrow and redemption, but its central message is about respecting difference. The film explores underlying racial tensions in regional Australia and the importance of traditional customs in contemporary Aboriginal culture. Please watch the video below of Imogen speaking about the progress of the shoot.

The Cast & Crew

Emu Runner is being made in collaboration with the community, so the majority of the cast are Brewarrina locals. Headed by talented newcomer Rhae-Kye Waites as Gem, the local cast is supported by Wayne Blair, Rob Carlton and emerging talent Georgia Blizzard.

On Location (from left to right): Wayne Blair (Jay Jay), Rhae-Kye Waites (Gem) with dog Cora, Imogen Thomas (Director), 

Mary Waites (Daphne), Georgia Blizzard (Heidi), Letisha Boney (Valerie), Rob Carlton (Stan).   

Photo:  Christiana Ferreira (PointShootSHINE)

Our motley crew is made up of people from all over Australia. Volunteering their time are two fabulous chefs from Bellingen, sound technicians, stills photographers and assistants from Sydney, a set designer from Byron Bay and our fabulous director of photography and our line producer are from from Melbourne (among many others!). We are so grateful for all their support to date. 

The crew and cast on location at Emu Logic, Tooraweenah. 

From left to right: Maurial Spearim (Darlene), Gabriel Barber-Shipton (Producer), Michael Gibbs (DOP), Leteisha Boney (Valerie), 

Rhae Kye Waites (Gem), Dorleen Waites, Stella Carter (Tessa), Jack Ramsey (Grip), Lissa Coote (Art Department), Enna-Jay Curcuruto (Camera Assistant), Imogen Thomas (Writer/Director), Anke Furnee (Caterer) Kathleen O'Dwyer (1st Assistant Director), Sarah Henty (Sound Recordist), Alexandra Mann (Caterer) and Phil Quirk (Stills Photographer). 

The Location

Positioned near the banks of the Barwon River, Brewarrina is home to a large Aboriginal community. It is the traditional land of the Ngemba, Murrawarri, Ualari, Weilwan and Baranbinja people and was a traditional meeting place for these groups to come together for important ceremonies and to enjoy the abundant fish the river offered.  Traditional stone fish traps have been used on the river for over 40,000 years and are still visible. The river continues to hold great significance as as a source of nourishment for the community.

The Brewarrina Stone Fish Traps on the Barwon River date back some 40,000 years.

Georgia Blizzard (Heidi), Rhae-Kye Waites (Gem) and Sandra Murphy (Aunty Joy) on set at the Brewarrina Central School.

Photo:  Christiana Ferreira (PointShootSHINE)

Letisha Boney (Valerie) on location.

Photo:  Christiana Ferreira (PointShootSHINE)

Wayne Blair (Jay Jay) and Mary Waites (Daphne) on location. 

Photo:  Christiana Ferreira (PointShootSHINE)

Christiana Ferreira (Paramedic) and Rob Carlton (Stan) on location.

Michal Zoltkowski (Sound Recordist), Michael Gibbs (DOP), Lindsay Waites (Wes), Sunny Orcher (Uncle Albert), 

Annie Wright (Gloria),  Wayne Blair (Jay Jay), Mary Waites (Daphne), Rodney Boney (Ecka) and Letisha Boney (Valerie).

Imogen Thomas (Writer/Director) with Lindsay Waites (Wes) on location. 

Photo by Ashleigh McArthur.

On location.... 

From Left to right: Michal Zoltkowski (Sound Recordist), Michael Gibbs (DOP), Rachael Baihn (1st AD), 

Imogen Thomas (Writer/Director), Rhae-Kye Waites (Gem) and Stella Carter (Tessa).

Photo by Ashleigh McArthur.

The Filmmaker & Her Collaborator

Imogen Thomas is an award-winning filmmaker who trained at the prestigious Tisch School of Arts at New York University. 

Her relationship with the Brewarrina community began in 2003, when she worked on an arts initiative with Ourunya, a community womens shelter. The contacts she forged during that period led to the development of a short film in 2008, Mixed Bag, which she made in consultation with Frayne Barker and went on to win numerous awards at local and international festivals.  A proud Ngemba woman from the Brewarrina, Frayne brought her extensive knowledge of the challenges associated with living in isolated communities to Mixed Bag, and she has done so again on Emu Runner.

Frayne Barker

To learn more about Imogen’s work go to: http://www.imogenthomasfilms.com

To watch Imogen's award winning short film 'Mixed Bag' made in Brewarrina, go to:  http://www.imogenthomasfilms.com/video/mixed_bag.mp4

Please see above...

Please see above...