Press release from WA Screen Academy.
WA Screen Academy 2010 directing graduate Ben Mizzi will join the crew of the new season of Underbelly, which is currently being filmed in Sydney.
Ben has been awarded a directing attachment and will be working alongside acclaimed Australia television director, Tony Tilse (Crownies, East of Everything, Scorched, City Homicide) on his episode of Underbelly: Badness.
“I'm excited to work on Underbelly as it's one of the biggest TV productions in Australia, and it's a great opportunity for me to continue to learn and improve my directing skills, whilst working with people in the industry,” said Ben.
Ben arranged the attachment with the assistance of Kingston Anderson and the Australian Directors Guild, of which he is an associate member.
Andrew Lewis, The Associate Director of the WA Screen Academy and also the Directing Lecturer said “Ben was an exceptional student who displayed great visual flair in his storytelling. He was sensitive to the needs of actors and achieved an outstanding result with his graduating war film Casualties. I was delighted to hear of Ben’s professional attachment and have no doubts he will achieve professional employment as a director.”
Underbelly: Badness is the fifth installment in Nine’s prime time crime series set from 2001 – 2011 and stars Jonathan LaPaglia as underworld figure Anthony Perish.
A Press Release indicates “Perish maintained an almost non-existent public profile, which was only revealed when his connection to the murder of Terry Falconer, a former inmate of Sydney’s Silverwater jail, brought him to the attention of Strike Force Tuno, formed to find Falconer’s killers.
Ben will soon head to Sydney thanks to the financial assistance of ScreenWest, the Western Australian screen development agency, who has agreed to fund the directing attachment that will run mid May till mid June.
WA Screen Academy Director John Rapsey was thrilled to hear of Ben’s upcoming directorial attachment.
“This is a very exciting and unique opportunity for Ben. It is another example of one of our outstanding graduates getting a kick-start in the industry. I know he’ll do a terrific job and make the most of his time working with one of Australia’s leading television directors.”
Media contact: Natalie Bell, WA Screen Academy Marketing Officer, natalie.bell@ecu.edu.au +61 8 9370 6703