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ilma's story on the Snowy River set
When you walk into the series town called Patersons Ridge, you see all the buildings along a muddy street. The printery on your right, the school and shop, the bank, and nothing more on the right. Turning back to the beginning on the left side, you see stables, another shop, the jail, and further away you see the hotel, and the train station, of course with the train, reminding me of one episode of the series I really liked. So, turning to face the bank there is a small hill going out of town...I can not resist to walk up the hill towards the church standing there all alone. There is a lot of fog and it's raining.. It somehow looks normal, a small western town in the hills.
I decided to go into one of the buildings, the printery looked very interesting. Well, walking in I discovered it was empty. A few crew people were just taking away some printing material. I walked up the wooden stairs in the hallway, and upstairs I found a few old newspapers printed by Kathleen.. I took one with me, and it's really good as it's used in one of the scenes in the series. Coming down the stairs I almost fell, because the board was very wet.
The empty interior reminded me they are shooting the "inside" scenes in the studio in Melbourne nowadays .They used to shoot it all on set, and it's very cold and more expensive. The crew and cast used to hire houses in the neighbourhood of the set for about six months. The set is about a two hour drive from Melbourne, and while shooting most of the crew and cast stay in a hotel nearby. Days on set are very long...
There are about thirty crewmembers walking around (some days sixty or more), and then I suddenly see a familiar face... Matt McGregor (Andrew Clarke) doing a scene with a large bull. Shooting first in front of the hotel, and then in the main street, the crew and cast are ready for action.
They are all wearing raincoats, boots, woollen hats, and portable headphones. There are large umbrellas everywhere, and I only see one camera covered with plastic. They do one scene about six or more times, but every time from a different angle. The big bull is not really in a good mood, and sometimes doesn't want to cooperate. There are extras walking up and down the street, and people are shouting; "Quiet, take one!!" Then you better shut up and stay behind the camera. First rule; Stay behind the camera. Do not walk in the way, and shut up!!
After a cold morning we all walk to a few large tents for lunch. It's 12.30, and we all have about 45 minutes to get warm and eat something. This lunch is absolutely great, and everybody (cast and crew) sit together in the warm tent. I talk to some extras and to one of the actresses who plays Danni. She is very nice, and doesn't look forward to the afternoon. The afternoon scenes are at Langara, and its very cold because it's somewhat on a hill. A lot of people are talking to me, saying its a pity I missed Brett Climo (Colin McGregor) on just one day. They all have a lot to tell about him, and it's like I've known him for a long time. They all think he is very nice.
After lunch shooting continues at Langara station, so we all hop into a car taking us there. The rain stops for a minute, and I can take some photos. The fun starts when some of the crew and I have to lead a herd of cows into the front paddock. My question; "What do I do when they come right at me?" The answer; "Stay where you are and wave with your umbrella!" How nice to know.
The shooting goes on and on. In front of Langara, in the barn, outside the barn, with bull or without bull. (Andrew is happy without the bull, because this one starts to make a lot of noise every time he has his lines). I am sitting in a small part of the barn on a hay sack, and between scenes I am talking to the make-up ladies who show me great photos of the cast, where I am of course interested in the photos of Brett. (cute, very cute).I also talk to a guy named Red who does "sound", and he worked with Brett on the Flying Doctors also.
At about six o'clock we all go inside Langara, and we all get a few warm hotdogs and cake. An actor called Hugh Jackman who tells me he has a guest role in the series, offers me a hotdog, and we chat a little. (he plays Duncan in the series) Then bright lights shine in the barn where the last scenes of the day are starting. It is raining again, and I am standing with my feet in the mud outside the barn. Cold? Oh yeah!
The work goes on until seven o'clock, then the crew get their gear together, put it all in vans and trucks, and finally everybody leaves the set, to go to the hotels in the neighbourhood. I get a lift back with Red, because the crew is staying in the same hotel as me. The town Patersons Ridge is lying in the dark as I hop into the van, after visiting the toilet caravan behind Langara (very small and high).We are back at the hotel at 7.30, and I really need a hot shower.
Later on after the shower it was very nice to talk to some of the cast and crew in the hotel bar. We all had something to eat, and a few drinks. I was very tired, and their work started all over again the next day... How does anybody like to do this?
It must be because of the food!
Wilma Hoogland,
17-07-1996.
I decided to go into one of the buildings, the printery looked very interesting. Well, walking in I discovered it was empty. A few crew people were just taking away some printing material. I walked up the wooden stairs in the hallway, and upstairs I found a few old newspapers printed by Kathleen.. I took one with me, and it's really good as it's used in one of the scenes in the series. Coming down the stairs I almost fell, because the board was very wet.
The empty interior reminded me they are shooting the "inside" scenes in the studio in Melbourne nowadays .They used to shoot it all on set, and it's very cold and more expensive. The crew and cast used to hire houses in the neighbourhood of the set for about six months. The set is about a two hour drive from Melbourne, and while shooting most of the crew and cast stay in a hotel nearby. Days on set are very long...
There are about thirty crewmembers walking around (some days sixty or more), and then I suddenly see a familiar face... Matt McGregor (Andrew Clarke) doing a scene with a large bull. Shooting first in front of the hotel, and then in the main street, the crew and cast are ready for action.
They are all wearing raincoats, boots, woollen hats, and portable headphones. There are large umbrellas everywhere, and I only see one camera covered with plastic. They do one scene about six or more times, but every time from a different angle. The big bull is not really in a good mood, and sometimes doesn't want to cooperate. There are extras walking up and down the street, and people are shouting; "Quiet, take one!!" Then you better shut up and stay behind the camera. First rule; Stay behind the camera. Do not walk in the way, and shut up!!
After a cold morning we all walk to a few large tents for lunch. It's 12.30, and we all have about 45 minutes to get warm and eat something. This lunch is absolutely great, and everybody (cast and crew) sit together in the warm tent. I talk to some extras and to one of the actresses who plays Danni. She is very nice, and doesn't look forward to the afternoon. The afternoon scenes are at Langara, and its very cold because it's somewhat on a hill. A lot of people are talking to me, saying its a pity I missed Brett Climo (Colin McGregor) on just one day. They all have a lot to tell about him, and it's like I've known him for a long time. They all think he is very nice.
After lunch shooting continues at Langara station, so we all hop into a car taking us there. The rain stops for a minute, and I can take some photos. The fun starts when some of the crew and I have to lead a herd of cows into the front paddock. My question; "What do I do when they come right at me?" The answer; "Stay where you are and wave with your umbrella!" How nice to know.
The shooting goes on and on. In front of Langara, in the barn, outside the barn, with bull or without bull. (Andrew is happy without the bull, because this one starts to make a lot of noise every time he has his lines). I am sitting in a small part of the barn on a hay sack, and between scenes I am talking to the make-up ladies who show me great photos of the cast, where I am of course interested in the photos of Brett. (cute, very cute).I also talk to a guy named Red who does "sound", and he worked with Brett on the Flying Doctors also.
At about six o'clock we all go inside Langara, and we all get a few warm hotdogs and cake. An actor called Hugh Jackman who tells me he has a guest role in the series, offers me a hotdog, and we chat a little. (he plays Duncan in the series) Then bright lights shine in the barn where the last scenes of the day are starting. It is raining again, and I am standing with my feet in the mud outside the barn. Cold? Oh yeah!
The work goes on until seven o'clock, then the crew get their gear together, put it all in vans and trucks, and finally everybody leaves the set, to go to the hotels in the neighbourhood. I get a lift back with Red, because the crew is staying in the same hotel as me. The town Patersons Ridge is lying in the dark as I hop into the van, after visiting the toilet caravan behind Langara (very small and high).We are back at the hotel at 7.30, and I really need a hot shower.
Later on after the shower it was very nice to talk to some of the cast and crew in the hotel bar. We all had something to eat, and a few drinks. I was very tired, and their work started all over again the next day... How does anybody like to do this?
It must be because of the food!
Wilma Hoogland,
17-07-1996.
THE SNOWY RIVER CONNECTION;
On the set of the television series "Banjo Patersons, the man from Snowy River" it is cold, very wet, and if you like mud you're in the right place. No, there is no glamour in doing scenes for six times, standing in the pouring rain... How do I know? Well, lets say I've been on the set for a day, and almost went back home with frozen feet!
On the set of the television series "Banjo Patersons, the man from Snowy River" it is cold, very wet, and if you like mud you're in the right place. No, there is no glamour in doing scenes for six times, standing in the pouring rain... How do I know? Well, lets say I've been on the set for a day, and almost went back home with frozen feet!
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ictures of the Snowy River set
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nowy River Chronicle
When Wilma was looking around the Printery set she saw a chronicle on the floor laying around, a chronicle that was used in a scene with Brett. So what do you do when you see something like that just laying on the floor? ;)
)