The Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch
Writer/Director/Character Design: Emma Magenta
Producer: Rachel Okine
Animation Director: Aaron Powell
Synopsis:
A story about a girl who collects cups, 5 useless lovers, a heart being thrown out a window, hair cutting as a
metaphor for suffering, the heroine jumping off rooftops and surviving, a fox, severe amounts of jogging, an oak tree
that wants to be a Japanese flame tree, receiving therapy from an ancient bird and finally: dying… as a means to
living. the gradual demise of phillipa finch, narrated by Emmy Award-winning actress Toni Collette, follows
acclaimed artist Emma Magenta’s newest character Phillipa Finch as she delves into her emotional history to solve
the mystery of how she “died”.
Web Site: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/phillipafinch/
Biographies:
CREW
WRITER - DIRECTOR - CREATOR
Emma Magenta author and illustrator of the enchanting books The Peril Of Magnificent Love and A Gorgeous Sense
Of Hope has delved once more in to her rich storehouse of naïve wisdom and joyful artistry to create the magical
story of Phillipa Finch. Author, poet and mother of two, Emma draws on her own life experiences and lessons to paint
a rich tapestry of universal truths. As a result, a wide range of people seem to directly relate to her whimsical tales.
PRODUCER
Rachel Okine’s move from Exhibition into the world of Film Distribution was to the acquisitions department of
FilmFour in London (Channel 4’s standalone film division). Returning to Australia in 2002, Rachel was a founding
member of leading independent film distribution company, Hopscotch. She has worked across the publicity and
marketing campaigns of films ranging from Bowling For Columbine, Touching the Void, Somersault, Spellbound,
Downfall and Mrs Henderson Presents among many others, and advising on all international and local acquisitions.
As Acquisitions Executive, Rachel has been involved in the acquisition of upcoming films such as Source Code, Take
This Waltz, Two Little Boys, Gainsbourg and the recent hit The Kids Are All Right.
Since mid-2006, Rachel has headed up Hopscotch’s production division, producing a number of interactive DVD
projects, a 13-part food series for SBS called My Family Feast which went to air in 2009, and a 17 part multiplatform
animation for the ABC called the gradual demise of phillipa finch, which will air in February 2011. Rachel is currently
developing several projects under the Hopscotch Productions banner, in addition to her continuing role as
acquisitions executive for Hopscotch Distribution. She is also General Manager of the recently formed Hopscotch
Features, a joint venture with writer John Collee and producer Andrew Mason, in which she will oversee the
development of high end feature film projects. In 2010 Rachel was profiled by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the
20 young film executives to watch in the Asia-Pacific region in a “Next Generation Asia” special feature.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Sally Chesher has over 15 years experience in the film and television industry. She began her career at Shanahan
Management, becoming an agent representing actors. She then worked freelance in the film industry in production
on various films including The Boys, Holy Smoke, The Matrix and Bootmen. She produced a half-hour critique of
reality television, “Video Dare” for SBS in 2000. From 2000 to 2007, she was Creative Director at Icon Shanahan,
developing a slate of feature films and served as Executive Producer on Australian feature film The Black Balloon.
Currently at ABC TV as Manager of Development for Arts & Entertainment, she is also executive producing a few
arts projects for ABC TV including her favourite, the gradual demise of phillipa finch.
ANIMATION DIRECTOR
Aaron Powell is a Director, Animator and Designer with over 15 years experience. His love for animation began at an early age in between skating the mean streets of Vancouver and spending far too much time daydreaming at animation film festivals. With an art school education in his satchel and four years experience with Bardel Animation Studios, he moved to London where he honed his craft. During his seven year stay he worked as Animator and Animation Director on BAFTA winning productions, Peppa Pig and The Secret Show alongside films, TV series and commercials for clients such as the BBC, ITV and Cartoon Network. He now calls Sydney home where he continues to create animated magic with his production company Red Rocket Nine.
COMPOSER
Tony Dupé is a musician, composer, arranger and producer and has released two full length albums: 2004’s
Everything’s a Love Letter and in 2007, Night Maps under the name Saddleback. He has produced the albums for
people such as Holly Throsby, Jack Ladder, The Woods Themselves, Grand Salvo, and Bluebottle Kiss among
others.
SOUND MIX
Sam Petty dropped out of university in 1986, after handing in only one essay. Which he spent a long time writing.
After a decade of mucking around in bands, and scoping things out as an assistant picture editor, he went to AFTRS
in the early ‘90s to study editing and then sound. His first film as Sound Designer was The Boys in 1996, working with
fellow AFTRS graduates Rowan Woods, Tristan Milani, Nick Meyers and Robert Connolly. Since then he has been
sound designer and mixer on about 25 features, the same number of documentaries, with a bit of theatre, and many
short films. His work is always influenced by psychoacoustics, and mostly carried out by acoustic psychos. He is
often preoccupied by the subtle abstraction of ‘real’ sounds - looking for tonal qualities and emotional resonances;
hoping to blur the line a little between sound design and musical score. He sometimes wonders what mark he got for
that essay.
IPHONE GAME DEVELOPERS
The Project Factory is a transmedia production company producing the next generation of interactive entertainment
for audiences. The company works across online, mobile, games, 3D worlds and social media to deliver highly
engaging experiences that extend program brands, and create new revenue streams in the digital world.
WEB DEVELOPERS
Based On Birds is a multimedia design boutique, specialising in interactivity and motion graphics in a web
environment. The studio draws its name from the “bird base” – a paper fold in origami that forms the basis for an
infinite number of possible creations. Co-founders and creative directors Arash Katrak and David Kaldor met while
completing a Bachelor of Design in Architecture at the University of Sydney. Their studies of the built environment
gave them a rich foundation in design process and theory, and combining this with their love for illustration, animation
and digital mediums, they created Based On Birds in early 2008. Soon after, they were joined by technical director
Simon Jankelson (Masters of Interactive Multimedia, UTS) – a programmer with an extensive history in web
development and a talent for bringing people together. Since its conception, Based On Birds has worked with a
diverse set of clients, ranging from the local to the global. Producing work for a host of Sydney’s young designers,
artists and musicians, as well as the ABC, Sony and ClimateHub (an emerging Australian voice on climate issues),
Based on Birds has gained a reputation for its innovative and unorthodox approach. Based on Birds is currently
exhibiting work at the Powerhouse Museum, and recently spoke at the SPAA Fringe 2010 conference in Sydney.
Biographies:
CREW
WRITER - DIRECTOR - CREATOR
Emma Magenta author and illustrator of the enchanting books The Peril Of Magnificent Love and A Gorgeous Sense
Of Hope has delved once more in to her rich storehouse of naïve wisdom and joyful artistry to create the magical
story of Phillipa Finch. Author, poet and mother of two, Emma draws on her own life experiences and lessons to paint
a rich tapestry of universal truths. As a result, a wide range of people seem to directly relate to her whimsical tales.
PRODUCER
Rachel Okine’s move from Exhibition into the world of Film Distribution was to the acquisitions department of
FilmFour in London (Channel 4’s standalone film division). Returning to Australia in 2002, Rachel was a founding
member of leading independent film distribution company, Hopscotch. She has worked across the publicity and
marketing campaigns of films ranging from Bowling For Columbine, Touching the Void, Somersault, Spellbound,
Downfall and Mrs Henderson Presents among many others, and advising on all international and local acquisitions.
As Acquisitions Executive, Rachel has been involved in the acquisition of upcoming films such as Source Code, Take
This Waltz, Two Little Boys, Gainsbourg and the recent hit The Kids Are All Right.
Since mid-2006, Rachel has headed up Hopscotch’s production division, producing a number of interactive DVD
projects, a 13-part food series for SBS called My Family Feast which went to air in 2009, and a 17 part multiplatform
animation for the ABC called the gradual demise of phillipa finch, which will air in February 2011. Rachel is currently
developing several projects under the Hopscotch Productions banner, in addition to her continuing role as
acquisitions executive for Hopscotch Distribution. She is also General Manager of the recently formed Hopscotch
Features, a joint venture with writer John Collee and producer Andrew Mason, in which she will oversee the
development of high end feature film projects. In 2010 Rachel was profiled by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the
20 young film executives to watch in the Asia-Pacific region in a “Next Generation Asia” special feature.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Sally Chesher has over 15 years experience in the film and television industry. She began her career at Shanahan
Management, becoming an agent representing actors. She then worked freelance in the film industry in production
on various films including The Boys, Holy Smoke, The Matrix and Bootmen. She produced a half-hour critique of
reality television, “Video Dare” for SBS in 2000. From 2000 to 2007, she was Creative Director at Icon Shanahan,
developing a slate of feature films and served as Executive Producer on Australian feature film The Black Balloon.
Currently at ABC TV as Manager of Development for Arts & Entertainment, she is also executive producing a few
arts projects for ABC TV including her favourite, the gradual demise of phillipa finch.
ANIMATION DIRECTOR
Aaron Powell is a Director, Animator and Designer with over 15 years experience. His love for animation began at an early age in between skating the mean streets of Vancouver and spending far too much time daydreaming at animation film festivals. With an art school education in his satchel and four years experience with Bardel Animation Studios, he moved to London where he honed his craft. During his seven year stay he worked as Animator and Animation Director on BAFTA winning productions, Peppa Pig and The Secret Show alongside films, TV series and commercials for clients such as the BBC, ITV and Cartoon Network. He now calls Sydney home where he continues to create animated magic with his production company Red Rocket Nine.
COMPOSER
Tony Dupé is a musician, composer, arranger and producer and has released two full length albums: 2004’s
Everything’s a Love Letter and in 2007, Night Maps under the name Saddleback. He has produced the albums for
people such as Holly Throsby, Jack Ladder, The Woods Themselves, Grand Salvo, and Bluebottle Kiss among
others.
SOUND MIX
Sam Petty dropped out of university in 1986, after handing in only one essay. Which he spent a long time writing.
After a decade of mucking around in bands, and scoping things out as an assistant picture editor, he went to AFTRS
in the early ‘90s to study editing and then sound. His first film as Sound Designer was The Boys in 1996, working with
fellow AFTRS graduates Rowan Woods, Tristan Milani, Nick Meyers and Robert Connolly. Since then he has been
sound designer and mixer on about 25 features, the same number of documentaries, with a bit of theatre, and many
short films. His work is always influenced by psychoacoustics, and mostly carried out by acoustic psychos. He is
often preoccupied by the subtle abstraction of ‘real’ sounds - looking for tonal qualities and emotional resonances;
hoping to blur the line a little between sound design and musical score. He sometimes wonders what mark he got for
that essay.
IPHONE GAME DEVELOPERS
The Project Factory is a transmedia production company producing the next generation of interactive entertainment
for audiences. The company works across online, mobile, games, 3D worlds and social media to deliver highly
engaging experiences that extend program brands, and create new revenue streams in the digital world.
WEB DEVELOPERS
Based On Birds is a multimedia design boutique, specialising in interactivity and motion graphics in a web
environment. The studio draws its name from the “bird base” – a paper fold in origami that forms the basis for an
infinite number of possible creations. Co-founders and creative directors Arash Katrak and David Kaldor met while
completing a Bachelor of Design in Architecture at the University of Sydney. Their studies of the built environment
gave them a rich foundation in design process and theory, and combining this with their love for illustration, animation
and digital mediums, they created Based On Birds in early 2008. Soon after, they were joined by technical director
Simon Jankelson (Masters of Interactive Multimedia, UTS) – a programmer with an extensive history in web
development and a talent for bringing people together. Since its conception, Based On Birds has worked with a
diverse set of clients, ranging from the local to the global. Producing work for a host of Sydney’s young designers,
artists and musicians, as well as the ABC, Sony and ClimateHub (an emerging Australian voice on climate issues),
Based on Birds has gained a reputation for its innovative and unorthodox approach. Based on Birds is currently
exhibiting work at the Powerhouse Museum, and recently spoke at the SPAA Fringe 2010 conference in Sydney.
