Azure Productions

CREATE INSPIRE ACHIEVE

Biographies

Text Box: Alex Murawski, Writer/Director Alex, graduated from Macquarie University in 2004, where he studied Communications majoring in Film. Alex has written and directed several short films including ‘CHEATIN.COM’ in 2001 which aired on Music Country in Australia and the USA, and his third film ‘?ROMANCE?’ won the Dendys People’s Choice Award in 2001. In 2003 ‘HOSPICE’ earned him Finalist in the Guerilla Filmfest. ‘THE CHESS SET’, completed in November 2004 is his first drama with Producer Annmaree Bell. A privately funded production, the film is centred on hope. Alex lives in Sydney and is currently working on his next short and first feature screenplay. Annmaree J Bell, Producer Annmaree an accomplished and motivated project manager with broad industry experience started her career in film production in 2003 after studying the Certificate in Screen at Metro Screen. In 2004 Annmaree produced writer/director Michael Chrisoulaski’s three spec-commercials, assisted on Craig Boreham’s film ‘TRANSIENT’, production managed Jennifer Kent’s film ‘MONSTER’ and worked with Metro Screen Indigenous Certificate II students on their location dramas. Annmaree also produced and executively produced her first short film; ‘THE CHESS SET’, a privately funded venture directed by Alex Murawski. In 2005, Annmaree produced a short comedy/drama ‘ELEMENOPEE’ with writer/director Natalia Amoore which was screened in the Best of the Rest for TROPFEST 2005 and is also working on two short films with John Frank; the other half of Azure Productions; ‘The Sound of Shadows Singing’ writer/director Julietta Boscolo and ‘Hollow Hills’ writer/director Kim Ramsay, both scheduled to be shot in 2005. Annmaree has also produced several commercials. In addition, Annmaree has two feature films screenplays in development ‘The Man with a pink tie’ writer, Darren Keating and ‘Spooks’ writers Darren Keating and Megan Riakos. Annmaree lives in Sydney with her partner John. Frank Wilson, Karl Frank Wilson, a veteran of the stage and screen for near half a century has graced the screen in 2004 with the lead role of Karl in Alex Murawski’s short film, ‘THE CHESS SET’. Having began his acting career in 1948 on the Tivoli stage in Melbourne, Frank has actively worked in theatre since, including ‘PAINT YOUR WAGON’ in 1955, ‘GUYS AND DOLLS’; ‘THE CLUB’; ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’; ‘THE PETITION’ AND ‘LOVE LETTERS’ to name a few. In 1983, he was awarded with the Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in ‘NOISES OFF’. Frank first came to our cinema screens in 1950 with ‘THE KANGAROO KID’ and moved on to be apart of films such as ‘SUMMER OF THE SEVENTEENTH DOLL’; ‘PATRICK’; ‘THE JOURNALIST’; ‘FATTY FINN’; ‘THE CLUB’; ‘BLACK ROBE’; ‘THE WELL’ and recently was seen in Mick Molloy’s ‘CRACKERJACK’ as Len. Along side his theatre and film career, Frank’s television career began in 1960. Appearing in Australian favourites such as ‘COP SHOP’; ‘HOMICIDE’; ‘DIVISION 4’; ‘THE SULLIVANS’; ‘HOLIDAY ISLAND’; ‘A COUNTRY PRACTICE’; ‘SEA CHANGE’ and in 2001 starred in the role of Gordon in the ABC mini-series ‘CHANGI’. In 1974, he won the Penguin Award for Best Actor in ‘AND THE BIG MEN FLY’. In 1972 he won a Logie Award for Best Compere of ‘NEW FACES’ which he compered for 12 years. In addition Frank also compered ‘TAKE THE HINT’ for 6 years as well as ‘LETTER CHARADES’; ‘CLUB 7’; ‘IMT’ and ‘TARAX SHOW’. Frank has shared the stage and screen many times with long time friend Stuart Wagstaff, and in 2004 our screens have seen these friends together again in ‘THE CHESS SET’. Stuart Wagstaff, Tom One of Australia’s most admired actors and media personalities, Stuart Wagstaff first arrived in Australia in 1958 after a successful early career in the U.K. which spanned weekly repertory, tours of plays and revues, a couple of West End appearances and some film and television work. Prior to this Stuart saw wartime service in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during WW.II. In Australia, Stuart played Prof. Henry Higgins in “MY FAIR LADY’ for over two years throughout Australia and New Zealand, then he took over as Capt. Von Trapp in the national tour of "THE SOUND OF MUSIC" In 1964 he began his successful Australian television career with “STUDIO A’ for Channel 7 in Sydney and in 1965 took over as “The Beast” in ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” and stayed with it for over two years before moving on to become host of the Channel 7 “SYDNEY TONIGHT” show. During this period he also appeared on stage in various plays including “THERE’S A GIRL IN MY SOUP’, ‘PRESENT LAUGHTER’, ‘PRIVATE LIVES” and various theatre restaurant revues. In 1972 Stuart went to Los Angeles for 20th Century Fox’s version of the daytime panel show ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ (which was not successful) and during his three years in LA appeared in ‘THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY’, ‘THE NEW TEMPERATURES RISING” and the film ‘FOR PETE’S SAKE”, with Barbra Streisand. Returning to Australia in 1975, he was immediately kept busy with television shows including ‘THE DICK EMERY SHOW’, ‘CELEBRITY SQUARES’ and ‘BLANKETY BLANKS’ and hosted seven seasons of the ABC’s ‘STUART WAGSTAFF’S WORLD PLAYHOUSE’. Apart from television, Stuart remained active in his first love, the theatre. A new production of ‘MY FAIR LADY’, ‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’, ‘NOISES OFF’, ‘BLITHE SPIRIT’, ‘BLACK COMEDY’. ‘THE WINSLOW BOY’, ‘LEND ME A TENOR’, ‘CRAZY FOR YOU’ AND ‘PAN”, have kept him busy over the last couple of decades, as well as appearing in TV series such as ‘RAFFERTY’S RULES”, ‘G.P’, AND ‘ALL SAINTS”. During 2002 and 2003 Stuart was touring in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of the musical “OLIVER!”, and is now making his mark in his new career as a cabaret performer, and in 2004 was delighted to be part of the production of the short film, “THE CHESS SET” In 1998 Stuart was made a Member in the Order of Australia for his work in the advancement of Children’s charities. Azure Productions Azure Productions is a young production company established in 2004. Located in beautiful Sydney Australia, Azure Productions is founded on the principals of Create, Inspire, Achieve. Azure Productions is a service company offering production management, project management and IT services to film & television companies and corporate. Azure Productions creates projects that are designed to inspire and entertain and has a built a team that prides itself on being a collaboration of filmmakers working towards their goals in unison.