FilmLab 2009 team

Matt Bate and Julie Byrne

Matthew Bate

Julie Byrne

Follow the team's blog at  http://mattnjuliefilmlab.wordpress.com/.  

Matthew Bate – Writer/Director
Matthew Bate co-owns and operates Plexus Films based in Kensington. Beginning his career in drama Matt made a number of short drama films notably Turbulence. In 2005 Matt changed his focus to documentary, making 42 short documentary films on Australian cultural icons for ABC Asia Pacific’s Nexus series. His 2006 film, What The Future Sounded Like is a visually experimental exploration into the genesis of electronic music that spans Dr Who to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. The film has screened at numerous film and music festivals around the world. In 2008 Matt completed the first documentary co-production between SBS and Al Jazeera on the film The Mayor, The Artist, The Farmer And His Wife, and has previously directed episodes of the hit 2007 SBS series Risking It All. Matt has recently completed production on Connected By Light, a film about world-renowned new media artist Lynette Wallworth.

Julie Byrne - Co-Producer
Julie Byrne has been working as an independent filmmaker and in a variety of onset and production based roles in the SA film & television industry for 20 years.

In 1999 Julie wrote, produced and directed the multi-award winning short drama The Sweeper (best director, film &/or actress in several national festivals). It screened internationally, including at the Palm Springs Intl Short Film Festival. In 2003 she co-produced the highly original short film Carcass and also a half hour documentary Parachilna: 5037 for the SBSi series Australia by Numbers.

Julie simultaneously developed a strong career in the industry as an assistant director and production co-ordinator of many feature films (incl. The Quiet Room, Travelling Light, Sample People, Heaven's Burning) and then most notably as production manager, including such films as Paul Cox's Innocence and Human Touch and in recent years on the long running popular television series McLeod's Daughters. In 2008 she was Line Producer on the Australian period feature drama Lucky Country.

Julie recently created a producing partnership, Velvet Orange, with the writer, director & producer Vicki Sugars and they are currently developing a broad range of projects. Velvet Orange is also under the umbrella of the newly formed alliance of SA film producers, Cinergy Group. Julie is currently serving on the council of the South Australian Screen Industry Council (SASIC).

Other FilmLab 2009 teams

    Eddie White and Hugh Nguyen of the People’s Republic of Animation. 
    Ashlee Page and Sonya Humphrey of Sacred Cow.
    Sophie Hyde, Bryan Mason and Matt Cormack of Closer Productions.