Tag / Entertainment

by brandsa2018

VFX studio Resin reaching new heights as projects soar

Post production rebates, revolutionary high-speed internet networks, and a growing reputation for world class visual effects (VFX) work are just some factors Adelaide studio Resin says is boosting business.

The opportunity to grow at the small VFX studio specialising in long-form series and feature film VFX has prompted the Adelaide born and based Resin to branch out and open offices interstate.

At the end of 2018, Resin expanded with a new business partner to open studios in Melbourne and Brisbane, a huge feat for the relatively small business and its 14 staff and portfolio including the 2019 Storm Boy, Electric Dreams, Red Dog and Netflix series Tidelands.

The business’s founders, VFX supervisor Grant Lovering and VFX producer Lincoln Wogan, say Adelaide is a great location to co-ordinate production between the teams Resin is building in the other studios.

“The expansion opens up access to more projects coming into Australia and will enable more face time with less travel to be with our clients in those locations,” Grant says.

Resin was the primary VFX vendor for the beloved Storm Boy remake, creating a digital double of the famous pelican Mr Percival, along with ocean and storm VFX.

Resin’s VFX producer Lincoln Wogan, left, and VFX supervisor Grant Lovering are Brand South Australia’s latest I Choose SA ambassadors. Photo by JKTP.

“Virtually anything you see on TV, in a series or on film, will have VFX in it,” Lincoln says. “Sometimes it’s as simple as they’ve shot at a particular location and all the signage needs to be removed, to changing a half-built location in a studio set to a dense jungle.

“Sometimes it’s simulating something too dangerous to do practically, but the most common requirement is to fill in the gaps to make the audience believe what is presented to them on screen no matter how unbelievable that may be.”

Despite Resin’s work ending up on small screens and cinemas nationally and worldwide, the business’s founders say Adelaide will remain as the headquarters.

“Fortunately the opportunity to do this work from any location means we don’t need to relocate to Los Angeles,” Lincoln says. “Regular visits make me appreciate Adelaide’s five minute commute to the studio.”

VFX supervisor Grant agrees, adding that the rollout of the city’s Ten Gigabit ultra-fast fibre optic network has been a tremendous benefit, however, it’s the state’s sound training facilities and VFX education courses training the next generation of VFX professionals that is helping grow VFX as an industry in Adelaide.

“For the younger generation that’s coming through now, there are heaps of good (VFX and post production) courses available in SA through our universities and private education institutions,” he says.

“We have great training facilities all around us and we have brilliant physical infrastructure that allows us to compete internationally.”

A shot from TV series Electric Dreams (Sony Studios).

SA’s Post Production, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) rebate is also making Adelaide an attractive place for large budget international productions.

The offset sees companies receive a 10% rebate on their SA expenditure. Combined with the Federal Government’s PDV offset of 30%, international films can apply for a total combined 40% rebate on expenditure on post production, digital and VFX works on eligible projects.

Resin was born in 2006, with Grant and Lincoln partnering to create a post-production and VFX studio specialising in television advertisements. The work was consistently flowing and in 2010 Resin began working internationally for clients including Disney and Braun over a two to three year period.

Despite the distance between SA, the US and Europe, Resin continued effortlessly to base itself in Adelaide and complete all works from its small studio with about 17 staff at its peak.

But due to an economic downturn in the US and with the Aussie dollar soaring, international work for Resin began to contract and so the business focused itself on more local projects.

Resin’s Lincoln Wogan, left, and Grant Lovering, with the digital double of Storm Boy’s famous pelican Mr Percival.  Photo by JKTP.

By 2015, Resin had completed a few TV and film projects, including film Red Dog, when it became the sole VFX vendor for US series Hunters, with executive producer Gale Anne Hurd of The Walking Dead and Terminator franchises.

“At the end of that project we came away knowing this was our future … we pieced together that production in advertising wasn’t a growing market, shifts were happening,” Grant says.

“We were in the emergence of Netflix and all the other streamers as well so it was quite a good opportunity in the marketplace.”

With an increase in streamed content creating a demand for long-form VFX work, Resin changed its focus to rely solely on TV and film work, joining Ausfilm and focusing itself in LA. That focus led to the opportunity to work on Sony TV series Electric Dreams, an anthology of stories from Philip K Dick (Bladerunner). Resin travelled to Chicago and completed on-set supervision and VFX on two episodes, while also working on The Tick (Sony) and Queen of the South (Fox).

Growth at Resin has been on a healthy upward climb over the past three years. Grant and Lincoln say they are preparing for work to “explode”.

“We’ll need to make a decision about how much we want to grow in the next 12 months with some great projects lining up, it’s that significant,” Grant says.

Grant Lovering and Lincoln Wogan are Brand South Australia’s latest I Choose SA ambassadors for creative industries.

Industry in focus: Creative Industries

Throughout the month of March, the state’s creative industries will be explored as part of I Choose SA.

South Australia is home to a thriving ecosystem of creative businesses and specialists who are delivering world-class works VFX, TV and film production, app development and the VR space. Read more creative industries stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Riverland Youth Theatre inspiring communities through the arts

For more than three decades, theatrical productions, workshops and visual arts performances have been played out in Riverland theatres and institutes.

The Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) is the organisation behind many of the region’s creative and artistic activities, helping to boost confidence in young people and create a more culturally inclusive community.

Based out of the Renmark Institute, the professional youth arts organisation is one of only two in regional South Australia.

RYT general manager Danyon De Buell says the organisation runs an annual program of workshops and major projects and also plays a part in a number of community events.

The Tackerz group are part of Cirkidz, a circus arts class run at RYT.

“Each year more than 4000 people participate in arts projects and activities that RYT is engaged with,” she says.

“RYT participants are aged between 5–26 and come from as far as Blanchetown. We also have a number of young people who come over from the Mallee.

“We offer a number of creative opportunities including styling, makeup, technical support, so it’s not just about acting. We’re constantly amazed at the confidence building that happens.”

RYT was born in 1985 as a participatory organisation for young people, putting on drama productions and hosting workshops and performances by visiting artists in Renmark’s Chaffey Theatre.

In 1995, it became independently incorporated and since then has consistently built its reputation for promoting inclusivity and presenting opportunities for Indigenous and multicultural groups to celebrate culture through the arts.

RYT is involved in Riverland Harmony Day, an annual event celebrating cultural diversity.

RYT relies heavily on philanthropic support and receives donations from local businesses as well as funds raised through the annual RYT gala dinner.

Last year’s gala dinner was attended by well-known ABC radio personality Peter Goers as well as jazz act and former RYT performers, The Casey Brothers.

Danyon says RYT offers a non-competitive and non-threatening environment for young people to build on or develop their skills in creative arts.

“All our work with young people isn’t competitive, although team work is implicit in what we do,” she says. “At no time is any child or young person given negative feedback either. We see friendships form and it breaks down barriers between towns.”

Danyon has been in her current role at RYT since 2014 but was involved with the organisation for some years prior.

RYT’s artistic director is Christopher Bond, a Flinders University and National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) graduate who has directed and workshoped theatre performances at a number of arts education institutions.

A group of Nunga Rhythms young performers and tutors.

Highlights of the 2019 program include TECHDesign, a nighttime light and sound show enabling youth to learn about lighting design and projection.

Professional Indigenous dancer and choreographer Michael Harris will work with young people on Nunga Rhythms, a performance of traditional Indigenous dance and movement.

Six RYT participants will be selected to travel to the Melbourne Fringe and take part in Standby Cue 1: GO!, which involves a behind-the-scenes experience at the major arts festival.

Back at home, RYT will bring colour and culture to the community through its performances and creative presences at annual local events including Riverland Harmony Day, Riverland Field Days, National Youth Week, NAIDOC Week, Renmark Rose Festival and local Christmas pageants.

“RYT gives young people confidence and we make sure all programs and projects are inclusive for all young people including young people with disabilities,” Danyon says.

“RYT isn’t just for Renmark, it’s for the whole of the region.”

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Rich talent and education at the heart of our musical city

Adelaide is home to an experienced pool of individuals working on major world-class arts and music festivals, according to the state’s music industry body.

Music SA’s general manager Lisa Bishop says the live music industry also offers many opportunities with boutique music festivals and club nights contributing to a “thriving sector”.

“Our thriving venue-based live music sector offers jobs ranging from, but not limited to, promoters, bookers, merchandisers, sound engineers, tour managers and publicists,” she says.

South Australia is home to a number of major annual music events and festivals including the upcoming Adelaide Fringe (February 15–March 17), WOMADelaide (February 8–11), Superloop Adelaide 500 concerts (February 28–March 3), as well as smaller boutique events such as St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Handpicked Festival, Stonecutters Festival and Umbrella Festival.

But SA’s music industry not only holds opportunities in industry-based roles – but also jobs in the spotlight. Maggie Collins is the brains behind Brisbane’s BIGSOUND, one of the biggest events on the Aussie music calendar. She says Adelaide is brimming with musical talent.

St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival. Photo: SATC.

“The talent per capita is one of the stand-out elements that comes to mind of the SA music industry,” she says. “It’s inspiring to watch from afar that SA has great quality workers and artist representatives who are lovely to work with on any project.”

Adelaide was designated as Australia’s first and only City of Music in 2015, becoming a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The network was created in 2004 and currently promotes 116 cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

Director of the UNSECO Adelaide office, Rebecca Pearce, says Adelaide was recognised as a City of Music because creativity, the arts and music are woven into the city’s fabric and are central to the state’s development.

“It not only looks at our extensive history, but also how far we can grow our urban culture,” she says.

Adelaide has birthed a number of hugely successful talents, including international pop sensation Sia, hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods, pop singer Guy Sebastian, opera’s Greta Bradman, rock legends Cold Chisel, ’90s rock group The Superjesus, and rap queen Tkay Maidza, all of which have established international fan bases.

Adelaide rap queen Tkay Maidza has gone on to achieve massive success.

SA is also known as the festival state, hosting internationally renowned four-day world music festival WOMADelaide, which attracts attendances beyond 86,000, almost half of which travel from outside the state.

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is the biggest cabaret festival in the world, while the Adelaide Guitar Festival is the most significant of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival of Arts and OzAsia all include strong music programs, while our city is also home to the oldest tertiary school in Australia, the Elder Conservatorium founded in 1883.

Music also plays a part in our youth’s future learning, with the State Government throwing its support behind the Music Education Strategy. According to the strategy, music education helps build confidence, promote creativity and assist students to develop emotional and behavioural awareness. Musically trained children perform better and use language more effectively and earlier, it says.

Music SA’s Lisa Bishop says a number of education institutions exist in Adelaide, including the Sia Fuller Institute, SAE Institute, Fresh 92.7 radio station and Music SA itself. Each run a variety of music courses, with Musica Viva – Australia’s oldest independent performing arts organisation – and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra also running workshops.

“There are networking opportunities at free public workshops run by Music SA, Northern Sound System and local councils,” she says. “The Music Development Office also runs a grant program to help people collaborate with other songwriters, as well as set up their own mini music festival or event.”

Triple J breakfast radio presenter Liam Stapleton begun his radio career as a teenager at Fresh 92.7 in Adelaide. He says the city’s community radio sector was a launching pad for him to hone his skills and build on-air experience.

“Without volunteering in community radio, I don’t think I’d be working in radio,” Liam says. “It gave me experience and stacks of time on-air to hone my craft, my craft of talking. It’s harder than it looks.”

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Adelaide to host 2020 Fringe World Congress

Delegates from Fringe festivals across the globe will descend upon Adelaide in 2020 when the city hosts the biennial Fringe World Congress.

The formal gathering of international Fringe representatives, directors and organisers will visit Adelaide during the Adelaide Fringe Festival (February 14 to March 15) to share ideas and network.

It will be the first time since its establishment in 2012 that the World Fringe Congress has been held somewhere in the southern hemisphere, with past gatherings occurring in Edinburgh and Montreal.

Adelaide Fringe, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2020, is the second largest ticketed arts festival in the world after Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Adelaide Fringe director and CEO Heather Croall says winning the bid to host the World Congress is a major coup for South Australia’s arts community.

“We’re delighted that we’ll be celebrating Adelaide Fringe’s 60th anniversary with the worldwide Fringe family by hosting the congress in 2020,” she says.

A Fringe show promoter in Adelaide’s Garden of Unearthly Delights. Photo by Trentino Priori.

“The congress will be a great platform for our festival to increase its international exposure while also raising the profile of SA as an arts destination.

“Adelaide Fringe is the party that defines our city and we want everyone to be able to experience the festival’s vibrancy and transformative power for themselves.”

World Fringe managing director Holly Lombardo says she is delighted the next congress will be held in Adelaide.

“This will be the fifth global meet of Fringe directors like this, and after destinations like Edinburgh and Montreal it is right and fitting that it’s going to the southern hemisphere – especially for Adelaide Fringe’s 60th,” she says.

“I know Adelaide Fringe will be perfect hosts for such a wonderful conference of international Fringes and I look forward to being part of it.”

Last year’s Adelaide Fringe was a record breaker with artists selling 705,761 tickets worth $16.6 million. More than $15 million landed directly into the pockets of artists and venues, thanks to the abolishment of inside charges.

Adelaide Fringe also attracted more than 20,000 interstate and international visitors last year, up 8% on 2017, delivering $29.5 million for the state. Gross expenditure related to the 2018 Fringe hit a record $90.6 million.

Click here to view the 2019 Adelaide Fringe guide.

Header photo by Tony Virgo features the Fringe Wives Club.

by brandsa2018

Port Lincoln cinema saved from closure

When Port Lincoln woman Angela Perin heard that the town’s only cinema would close its doors on December 31 last year she saw an opportunity to save the much-valued community facility.

The Port Lincoln cinema had been run by youth social enterprise, Youthoria, under community organisation West Coast Youth and Community Support (WCYCS) for almost a decade.

But due to a lack of funds, Youthoria announced its looming closure causing disappointment among locals as the next closest cinema is three hours away in Whyalla.

“When the board announced that it was going to close the cinema I hoped that someone would grab it up and give it a new lease on life. But that didn’t appear to be happening and the community was really upset,” Angela says.

“I have two kids, aged 12 and 13, and we can’t imagine the town without a cinema. So I did what I’m always telling others to do and that is do something about it. I had a chat to my family we decided that we’d do it.”

Rudi Perin takes charge of the popcorn machine at the Lincoln Cinema.

As an employee at WCYCS, Angela was familiar with the running of the Youthoria cinema and had worked alongside  the youth group that took over the theatre in 2008.

She is now running the cinema as a family business, purchasing the cinema equipment from Youthoria and leasing the 90-year-old theatre building from the Port Lincoln Council.

On January 3 the movie theatre was revived under a new name, Lincoln Cinema, welcoming 200 movie goers through its doors and continuing the tradition of watching holiday blockbusters on the big screen.

“The community has been so supportive, people have come from Tumby Bay, Cummins and Cleve,” Angela says. “The support has been overwhelming.”

The Lincoln Cinema will close from January 29 until the end of February to undergo minor renovations, with Angela hoping to expand the candy bar to create a more welcoming coffee spot and meeting place for visitors.

The Port Lincoln cinema, originally known as Flinders Picture Theatre, was established in 1929. Photo courtesy of Cinema Treasures, Granola.

She says the cinema is an essential facility for regional youth as it offers them a safe place to meet and socialise.

“Going to the movies is an experience,” she says.

“You can watch movies at home but going to the movies with friends and family and seeing something on the big screen – there’s nothing like it.”

Longstanding SA movie theatre company Wallis Cinemas is the booking agent for Lincoln Cinema, which Angela says will screen some of the summer holiday blockbusters including Mary Poppins Returns.

The movie theatre on Hallett Place in Port Lincoln was established as the Flinders Picture Theatre in 1929 by Mrs R. L. MacGregor.

An article in the Port Lincoln Times newspaper on Friday, September 6, 1929, reports on the ceremony where the foundation stone was laid.

The article states, “It was recognised that a theatre of the class that was being built was essential to the progress of Port Lincoln. The hope was expressed that the venture would prove a success”.

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SA film industry attracts record spend in screen production

South Australia’s film industry continues to reach new heights, with the state achieving a record share of national screen production expenditure in 2017/18.

With a number of big feature films shot in SA in the past 12 months, including the remake of the Australian Coorong classic Storm Boy, SA reached a new record of screen production and PDV (post production, digital and visual effects) spend at $82 million.

According to Screen Australia’s National Drama Report, the state made up 10% of national screen production expenditure in 2017/18, and recorded its third consecutive year of growth.

SA and WA were the only states in Australia to have achieved an increase, with our state’s national expenditure share increasing from 3% to 10% in 12 months.

The National Drama Report measures the health of Australia’s screen industry by looking at the production of local and foreign feature films, TV dramas, online programs and PDV.

Matchbox Pictures opened its SA office in 2018 and filmed season three of Channel Seven’s crime drama Wanted. Pictured is producer Kirsty Stark, an I Choose SA ambassador.

SA has been the location of choice for a number of films in the past financial year, including Storm Boy, I Am Mother, Top End Wedding, and The Flip Side.

TV productions include Pine Gap (ABC/Netflix), Wanted season 3 (Channel Seven), and If Time Flows Back, one of only four Chinese titles shot in Australia in 2017/18.

Half the national expenditure in SA in 2017/18 came from PDV work on titles such as Animals, Hotel Mumbai, The Nightingale, Storm Boy and foreign features Tomb Raider (US/UK), X Men: Dark Pheonix (US) and Animal World (China).

Minister for Industry and Skills David Pisoni says these recent results demonstrate the state’s thriving local screen sector and is a testament to the work being done to ensure SA is a competitive and attractive production destination.

“This includes developing the infrastructure to support a growing industry, the continued development of the state’s capacity to support multiple productions concurrently, and creating opportunities for skills development,” Mr Pisoni says.

South Australian Film Corporation CEO Courtney Gibson says a combination of strategies including rebates and grants, studios and locations, SA’s world-class PDV companies and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, were positioning the state to capture even more national and international spend in the future.

Interested to know what other famous films have been shot in SA? Read ‘SA the star of Australian cinema’ here.

Header photo features Rebecca Gibney, left, and Geraldine Hakewill in ‘Wanted’.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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State Opera set for new era of drama in 2019

The State Opera of South Australia (SOSA) is entering a new era with an impressive line-up of imaginative firsts and a rejuvenated education program to help engage communities in the dramatic art.

The State Opera has revealed its 2019 program, unveiling plans to rediscover three of Australia’s ‘lost operas’ in The Lost Operas of Oz.

Among these Australian works is Martin Wesley-Smith’s Boojum! originally premiered by State Opera in 1986, and based on the legendary poem The Hunting of the Snark by Louis Carroll.

Boojum! is described as a “deadly serious choral fantasy” showing at the Dunstan Playhouse in July, 2019, and will also provide opportunities for SOSA’s new Winter School students to be involved.

The oldest remaining in-tact theatre on mainland Australia – the Queen’s Theatre on Playhouse Lane – will host Christina’s World by Ross Edwards and Madeline Lee by John Haddock.

A program image of Christina’s World.

Christina’s World is about a middle-aged woman obsessed by a desire about returning to the house of her youth, while Madeline Lee tells the story of B24 bomber Lady Be Good and the 9-man crew who disappeared without a trace over Libya in North Africa in 1943.

Premiering in Sydney in 2004, the work went on to receive widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for seven Helpmann Awards.

“Creating new opera is very important to State Opera, but often in the push to produce new work, many great works only receive one outing,” says recently appointed State Opera artistic director Stuart Maunder AM.

“In 2019, State Opera will be leading the charge to showcase existing Australian opera. Not only are we dedicated to creating more opera, but we are reflecting on history and creating an opportunity for audiences to engage with these fantastic pieces.”

Families and younger audiences will be drawn to the world of opera with the 2019 season’s headlining “summer outdoor spectacular”, Carmen in the Square.

The passionate and feisty Carmen will come alive in Victoria Square.

The family-friendly performance, directed by Stuart Maunder, will take over Victoria Square Tarntanyangga on March 23, featuring the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera Chorus.

Set in Spain with “strutting bull-fighters, beautiful girls, jealousy and passion”, the production will also be filmed and simulcast to two regional theatres ensuring country communities can enjoy the city action.

The Adelaide Showground will host child-friendly opera Cunning Little Vixen, which SOSA says is a perfect introduction to opera for families and newbies.

State Opera executive director Yarmila Alfonzetti says the 2019 season belongs to the people.

“Stuart (Maunder) and I have strived to deliver on one of the simplest but more profound of arts aspirations – more opera for more people,” she says.

A scene from Cunning Little Vixen.

“From large scale family-friendly events such as Carmen and the magical world of Cunning Little Vixen, right through to intimate offerings in a diverse range of SA venues and an education program for all ages. We are very excited for what lies ahead.”

State Opera will also rebirth its education series including a primary schools tour of Elixir of Love, and a partnership program, The Opera Effect, which will engage high school students with the opera by offering discounted tickets, work experience opportunities and links to SACE achievements.

A new initiative between SOSA and the Helpmann Academy will also be launched, allowing an aspiring director to hone their craft and work alongside the creative team on opera productions.

For more information on the State Opera 2019 season visit the website.

by brandsa2018

Major Disney stage production to dazzle Adelaide for the first time

Hit Broadway musical Aladdin is set to charm local audiences with half-a-million Swarovski crystals and 337 glittering costumes in 2019, when Disney hits the stage in Adelaide for the first time.

Disney Theatrical Production – which is behind hugely successful musicals The Lion King and Mary Poppins – will present 1994 classic at the Adelaide Festival Centre in April next year.

“Over the years, four of our Disney Theatrical shows have been received in Australia with incredible warmth and affection,” says Disney Theatrical Production president and producer Thomas Schumacher.

“But we know that South Australians have had to travel to those other cities to see those shows.

“So it’s fantastic that – through the Adelaide Festival Centre and the SA Government – South Australians and visitors to Adelaide will be able to experience Aladdin in your wonderful Festival Theatre.”

The arrival of Aladdin in April, 2019, will mark the first time a Disney stage production has been brought to Adelaide.

According to Disney Theatrical, the Australian production features a cast of 34 and 337 glittering costumes featuring 712 styles of beads and almost half-a-million Swarovski crystals.

Twenty six 40-ft trucks will transfer 40 tonnes of exotic flying scenery and 60 tonnes of automation and staging into Adelaide to recreate the colourful fantasy city of Agrabah across the nine-week season.

Aladdin was adapted from the original 1992 animated Disney film, which raked in more than $550m worldwide.

The tale centres around a poor boy, Aladdin, who discovers a Genie in a magic lamp and uses it to rescue a princess.

The Aladdin Broadway show made its world premiere in 2014, and has since expanded its global footprint to Tokyo, Hamburg, London and North America.

Aladdin and Jasmine, played by Ainsley Melham and Hiba Elchikhe.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and artistic director Douglas Gautier says securing the smash hit for Adelaide is “tremendously exciting”.

“The investment in our new foyers, facilities and the beautiful new northern promenade and Walk of Fame have secured Adelaide Festival Centre’s place as an attractive venue,” he says.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to see a major musical at the Festival Theatre and we can’t wait to welcome Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie and the whole show to Adelaide.”

The Festival Centre has recently undergone major transformations and redevelopments, including new northern foyers and the installation of the Walk of Fame.

SA Premier Steven Marshall says that securing the world renowned musical is a “tremendous result” for the state.

“This announcement is a vote of confidence in our arts and creative industries, and securing the world-renowned production on the local stage will not only add to Adelaide’s growing vibrancy, but also help drive economic activity in SA,” he says.

A wait list is now open for those wanting to be first in line when pre-sale tickets land in October. Click here for more information.

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Wallis Cinemas still making magic after all these years

Wallis Cinemas boss Lorna Wallis’ first date with the man who would later become her husband was sitting in the rows of the Capri Theatre, in Adelaide’s inner northern suburbs.

It was the late 1950s, a time when going to the movies was worth getting dressed up for, “gloves and all”.

Lorna, 79, can’t remember the name of the film they watched, but recalls the moment she dropped a box of chocolates Bob had bought her all over the floor.

“Buying a box of chocolates in those days was very expensive and I’d just opened them when I went to get one out and dropped the lot,” she says.

“Bob was very cross. I miss him terribly, it’s been 11 years.”

Wallis Theatres founder Hughie Wallis, second from left.

More than half a century later and Lorna is still walking the foyers of South Australian cinemas, carrying on the legacy of her late husband and the state’s movie man, Bob Wallis.

Bob was the son of Wallis Theatres founder Hughie Wallis, who opened the state’s first drive-in theatre, the Blue Line at West Beach, in 1954.

The opening of the Blue Line theatre sparked the explosion of drive-in culture in SA: teenagers piled into FJ Holdens, speakers hanging from car windows and kids munching on Chiko Rolls in the back seat.

In 1955, the Mainline Drive-In at Gepps Cross opened and is now the only one left in Adelaide.

Hughie died in 1994 aged 84, leaving Bob in charge. But when Bob himself fell ill and passed away in 2007, it was Lorna and their daughter Michelle’s turn to take over.

Lorna and her late husband Bob, son of Wallis Theatres founder, Hughie Wallis.

The cinema chain, now known as Wallis Cinemas, has been making South Australians laugh, cry and everything in between for almost 70 years.

“As long as people still come to the cinemas, that’s what we want,” Lorna says.

“There’s nothing like the big screen, I know there are big TVs now, but there’s nothing quite like a night out at the movies.”

Hughie Wallis had a fascination with photography and filmmaking and laid the foundations of his business when he began screening Hollywood films in community halls across Adelaide.

The opening of the Blue Line at West Beach in the ’50s sparked the establishment of a handful of other Wallis drive-ins and cinemas across metropolitan Adelaide and regional SA.

Its theatres included the Ozone at Glenelg, the Chelsea in Adelaide’s east, a cinema complex in Hindmarsh Square and of course, the Piccadilly in North Adelaide.

Lorna has fond memories of the old theatre, as she grew up around the corner on Childers Street, and would see a film there every Wednesday and Saturday night “with a group of young ones”.

The Piccadilly Cinema in its early days. PHOTO: Cinema Treasures, Brian Pearson. 

She says the Piccadilly Theatre was also Bob’s favourite.

“Bob loved going to the Piccadilly, his funeral was held there,” she says.

“They had on his seat, ‘reserved for Bob’, which was nice.”

Over the decades, the drive-in culture faded and the company closed many of its facilities.

Wallis now employs about 230 people across four cinemas at Mitcham, Piccadilly, Noarlunga, and Mt Barker, as well as the Gepps Cross drive-in. The business recently purchased the Deacons Cinema at Mildura.

Lorna says Wallis Cinemas’ success and longevity in SA as a small-to-medium enterprise is all down to its loyal employees.

“A lot of our staff have been with us for 40 years, so we have very loyal employees. You have to have good people around you. Bob always told me that you’re only as good as the people around you,” she says.

“The patron is number one and we believe in pleasant customer service and cleanliness in our cinemas.”

The Piccadilly Cinemas.

Lorna admits business is tough with competition from larger cinema chains and online streaming giants such as Netflix, causing Wallis to drop its ticket prices by almost 50% last year.

Nonetheless, she says Wallis Cinemas is proud of its SA heritage and its small-scale footprint.

“We’re family. We’re too small to go up against the big guys interstate,” Lorna says.

“I’m proud to be South Australian. I’ve grown up here, my family’s grown up here and I just think we’re a lovely little state.

“You get into these others that get a bit big, but I love it here.”

I Choose SA for Small to Medium Enterprise stories are made possible by Bendigo Bank:

Visit I Choose SA for Industry to learn more stories about key industry leaders, why they’ve chosen SA as a base and how the state is enabling them to succeed.

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How to choose SA this Easter

We’re the birthplace of Haigh’s Chocolates, our Easter seafood is the best in the nation and we knew that combining Fruchocs and hot cross buns was a legendary move.

South Aussies know how to make the most of Easter, whether it’s camping under the stars in the Flinders Ranges or nibbling the ears off a chocolate bilby at the Beehive Corner.

With the four-day break only days away, we’ve compiled a list of ways to choose South Australian businesses, products and places this Easter.

Don’t forget to share your local purchases or experiences with us on Facebook and Instagram by using the hashtag #ichoosesa

1. Stick around

Why gallivant around elsewhere when some of the most stunning landscapes, natural hideaways and pristine environments are on our doorstep?

Eyre or Yorke Peninsula coastal getaways, Far North explorations, Limestone Coast escapes and Barossa Valley wonders are all reachable within a day’s drive (or flight).

When you choose to holiday locally, you support local accommodation providers, the hospitality sector, shops, businesses and families.

So pick a spot you haven’t been before or return to an old favourite.

The Adelaide Central Market is a good place to collect Easter seafood that’s fresh and local.

2. Stock up at the Adelaide Central Market

Almost half-a-million shoppers are expected to wander through this foodie’s paradise in the lead up to Easter, on the hunt for fresh products, local seafood and traditional Easter eats.

Market traders are expecting to sell more than one million kilograms of fresh produce before the weekend, with Easter rating as the market’s second biggest trading period of the year.

Samtass Seafoods is expecting to sell 500kg of fresh local snapper, 250kg of Spencer Gulf prawns and 100kg of local flathead fillets, while market bakers will churn out more than 75,000 hot cross buns.

Visit the Kangaroo Island Stall in the market for a selection of island produce, including the ultimate Easter feast, southern rock lobsters by Ferguson Australia.

3. Go fishing in one of SA’s pristine ocean spots 

From the clear and peaceful waters of the Yorke Peninsula to the true fisher’s territory off Kangaroo Island, there are plenty of good spots to wet a line in SA.

Autumn is the time for mullet as the fish school in large numbers, while catches of flathead and the much-prized King George whiting increase in the lead up to winter.

Stuck on where to go? Check out our Top 10 Fishing Spots.

Simon Haigh from Haigh’s Chocolates is an I Choose SA ambassador.

4. Get your chocolate fix from a local chocolatier

From the legendary Haigh’s Chocolates, to a hot-cross bun flavoured Red Cacao truffle, SA knows a thing or two about Easter indulgences.

Chocolatiers are perfectionists and sticklers for quality so you can be sure that a beautifully packaged Easter treat has been made with love and probably hand-packaged as well.

Try Melba’s Chocolates at Woodside, Bracegirdle’s House of Fine Chocolate, Chocolate @ N°5 in Hahndorf, Just Bliss, or the Port Elliot-based Carob Kitchen.

5. Frock up for the Easter races

The Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival in the Adelaide Hills is one of the biggest events on the state’s racing calendar, with the tradition dating back almost 150 years.

This year the carnival will undergo a bit of a reshuffle, as the Great Eastern Steeplechase moves from Easter Monday to Easter Saturday, with the latter expected to draw crowds of about 20,000 people.

The Clare Easter Races will also unfold on Saturday, March 31, and seeing as the Clare Valley is home to some of the state’s finest wines and produce, expect gourmet offerings.

6. Cling onto the Fringe madness

The Adelaide Fringe might have gone into hibernation for another 12 months, but in Whyalla the party is just getting started.

The UneARTH Festival is on March 30 and 31, providing creatives, artists and locals a chance to enjoy everything from circus acts to music and cabaret.

7. Have a hot-cross-bun-a-thon

There is nothing more mood-lifting than watching butter melt on a toasted hot cross bun.

Longstanding family business Kytons Bakery do a good all-round version of the spiced sweet buns (and even a Fruchoc variety!) while we hear that Red Door Bakery is also among the best bun makers in town.

Give a few local bakeries a go and rate them out of 10!

8. Fly a kite at Semaphore

Kite flying is a childhood pastime and in Semaphore the sky will come alive with colour for the Adelaide International Kite Festival from March 31 – April 2.

The free community event at Semaphore Beach will feature South Aussie kite fliers going up against New Zealanders and interstate visitors.

A festival marketplace with wares and activities will be open from 11am–5pm each day.

9. Soak up the tunes at the Blenheim festival

About 2000 people are expected to gather in the Clare Valley for the annual Blenheim Music and Camping Festival from March 29–30.

Listen to tunes by the likes of The Black Seeds, Mojo Juju, Timberwolf, Bootleg Rascal, Z-Star Delta, Kings and Associates, Wanderers and Emdee.

Festival-goers can camp (or glamp if it’s more your style) under the stars and do it all again the next day.

Blenheim is family friendly event with all ages welcome.

Zoos SA CEO Elaine Bensted is an I Choose SA ambassador.

10. Visit the zoo

Adelaide and Monarto zoos will both be open over Easter.

Free choccie eggs will be on offer and visitors have the chance to see a real life Easter bilby.

Monarto Zoo’s Lions 360 experience will also run as usual – although this heart-stopping chance to get up and close to the king of the jungle is popular so be sure to book before you go.

11. Get on ya bike!

With an extensive network of trails across national parks, forests and reserves, Adelaide’s Mt Lofty Ranges is well on its way to becoming an international mountain biking destination.

So dust the cobwebs off the deadly treadly, pump up those tyres and explore some pretty amazing scenery at the Cudlee Creek Forest, Eagle Mountain Bike Park, the Belair National Park or Sturt Gorge Recreation Park.

Check out more spots here.

12. Take your pooch on an Easter egg hunt.

Yes, really.

The Woofery Dog Bakery is hosting a free doggie Easter hunt on Saturday, March 31, at Plant 4 Bowden.

Four-legged friends will be sniffing out dog-friendly Easter treats in Bowden Park and humans can also indulge as the Plant 4 market stalls will be open from 9am–3pm.

Register your pooch here.

Phil Sims from Robern Menz is an I Choose SA ambassador. The longstanding SA business is bound to get a workout in the lead up to Easter.

13. Grab a FruChocs showbag at Coles

Fruchocs maker Robern Menz has been around for 150 years and is one of the state’s strongest family businesses spanning over four generations.

This Easter they’ve launched a $10 FruChocs Easter showbag in all Coles supermarkets across SA.

Featuring a trio of Fruchocs varieties, the goodie bag is the perfect Easter gift to take to that Easter barbecue.

14. Graze your way around a farmers market

Prepare to stretch your I Choose SA tote bag to its limits this weekend, as many farmers markets will welcome Easter treats to the usual lineup of fresh produce.

Farmers markets are great places to not only smash the weekly shop, but sample local produce and chat to the farmer or maker all in the one spot.

Many SA farmers markets have live music, hot coffee and delicious pastries to keep you going while you stock up for an Easter Sunday feast.

Check out this list of SA farmers markets, but consult Google to check if the one closest to you is running over Easter!

15. Enjoy the bizarre pre-Good Friday rush at your local supermarket

There’s nothing quite like the Easter Thursday rush that has grocery shoppers in a flurry.

Mums and dads are flying through the aisles with chocolate-smeared toddlers hanging from their trolleys, the cheese and cracker section is getting a good work out and everyone’s arguing over what box of Shapes to take on the camping trip.

It’s busy and a bit crazy, but the pre-holiday spirit is infectious.

Visit I Choose SA to find out how you can support our state by choosing South Australian businesses, products and services.

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