Bruce Beresford & Sue Milliken
Currency Press; rrp: $29.99 PB; colour pic section; ISBN: 9781925005660
"Two of Australia's most successful practitioners react with wry resignation, indomitable fortitude, and high speed improvisation to get cameras rolling, as
deals collapse at the eleventh hour and stars go feral. Required reading if you have any illusions about the glamour of film-making." David Williamson
"I devoured this correspondence between Sue and Bruce. It has all the humor and metaphors you could wish for in an intimate exchange about the angst of
ever getting a film made, anywhere, anytime." Margaret Pomeranz
Who would have thought that faxes could be so expressive?
Receiving a fax from Bruce Beresford first thing in the morning generally guarantees a good start to the day. No matter how serious the subject, or the enquiry, one can be sure it will be liberally laced with laconic or sardonic wit and humor for the addressees eyes only. Sue Milliken's responses are equally pithy and wryly observant, says Anthony Buckley in his foreword.
There's A Fax from Bruce is edited correspondence between Director Bruce Beresford and Producer Sue Milliken from October 1989-March 1996. They worked together on a number of projects, some of which never made it to the first day of filming, and stayed in touch by fax machine. As well as taking care of professional business, the faxes are chock full of industry gossip and news, ruminations on books they had
read or films they had seen.
Most people think they have an idea about what movie making is all about but it's harder than it looks. These faxes reveal the background to how the industry works and the many uncertainties in getting a film up. It also shows the relationship between the director and the producer – in this case, the effective working relationship and enduring friendship between Bruce Beresford and Sue Milliken. The faxes have warmth and immediacy that only comes from a genuine relationship.
There's a Fax from Bruce is a fun, fascinating, informative and ultimately charming read. And yes, you may wonder why they do it!
Available at all good bookstores and online
Additional Reading
The Fax of Life for Film-Makers – Inside Story
The Australian