Press release from QPIX
NRL star turned actor Ian Roberts is set to play the part of a professional boxer in QPIX short film The Mug’s Game when it shoots at the Conrad Treasury Hotel this week in Brisbane.
‘I love Brisbane and it’s always great to get the chance to work in cane toad country,’ said Roberts.
The Mugs Game is about a professional boxer who is past his prime.
‘It’s a hard decision for any athlete to know when to retire and as an ex-professional sportsperson myself I know the conflict of this dilemma personally,’ said Roberts.
The Mug’s Game has also secured local acting legend Billie Brown whose film credits include The Chronicles of Narnia, Oscar and Lucinda, and AFI winning film Unfinished Sky.
2 award-winning directors, Lav Bodnaruk and Michael Mier, will co-direct this QPIX short film, made in association with Screen Queensland and Screen Australia.
As directors, Lav and myself are always looking out for a good dramatic tale and QPIX is a great place where scripts are nurtured and developed into great films,’ said Mier.
‘The Mug’s Game will be an incredibly gritty ride because it’s a boxing movie that explores the heart of a professional fighter at breaking point,’ said Bodnaruk.
2 award-winning producers from Blacmac Productions, Graham Young and Peter Blackburn, will co-produce the film.
‘The Mug’s Game is a self-contained slice from a larger feature film project,’ said Co-Producer Graham Young.
‘Using a technique similar to the Screen Australia template for development, we are using this short film as a teaser to gain interest in investment toward the feature film,’ said Young.
The Mug’s Game is one of many QPIX films.
‘Every year QPIX executive produces up to 15 short films and 7 documentaries in association with Screen Queensland and Screen Australia and we’re right in the heat of our 2010 production season now,’ said QPIX CEO Mr Kerry O’Rourke.
‘In fact we’re also calling for short film scripts and documentary concepts for our 2011 productions right now. Successful films will receive free development, equipment and support from QPIX as well as cash budgets of up to $15,000 per film.
The submission deadline is November 30.