Don McLennan (born 1950) is an Australian film director, scriptwriter
and producer.He was born in Leeton, NSW, Australia. He grew up on an
island and was educated at Marist College, a boarding school in
Tasmania. After he graduated he went to work at the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation in 1967. He worked for leading Australian
production companies such as Fauna Productions, Grundy Productions,
Crawford Productions, Lewis Young Productions as an assistant director
and producer before making his first film, a short drama, "Point of
Departure" in 1972. In 1975 he produced his first feature film
"Apostasy". He established his name in the Australian film industry
with the award-winning feature "Hard Knocks" which he co-wrote,
co-produced and directed. "Hatd Knocks" won the Jury prize at the 1980
AFI Australian Film Awards, as well as Best Actress for Tarcy Mann.
The following year he started a production company, Ukiyo Films, with
Zbigniew Friedrich. Over the next eight years the company produced
three feature films and numerous documentaries. In 1989 he directed
"Mull" which won the AFI Members Award for Best Film and the Best
Actress for Tracy Mann. The film was invited to the London Film
Festival and Montreal Film Festival. In 1985 he started Ukiyo Theatre
with Friedrich. They co-produced a trio of plays by Samuel Beckett,
"Waiting For Godot", Krapp's Last Tape" and "Endgame" performed by the
American theater group San Quentin Drama Workshop. The plays were
directed by Beckett and toured Australia, Singapore and Italy. In 1990
McLennan moved to Los Angeles and established himself as a
scriptwriter. He wrote scripts for Dimension Films, and several other
leading production companies. He continues to direct documentaries,
PSA's for Federal and State Elections, and TV reality programs.
and producer.He was born in Leeton, NSW, Australia. He grew up on an
island and was educated at Marist College, a boarding school in
Tasmania. After he graduated he went to work at the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation in 1967. He worked for leading Australian
production companies such as Fauna Productions, Grundy Productions,
Crawford Productions, Lewis Young Productions as an assistant director
and producer before making his first film, a short drama, "Point of
Departure" in 1972. In 1975 he produced his first feature film
"Apostasy". He established his name in the Australian film industry
with the award-winning feature "Hard Knocks" which he co-wrote,
co-produced and directed. "Hatd Knocks" won the Jury prize at the 1980
AFI Australian Film Awards, as well as Best Actress for Tarcy Mann.
The following year he started a production company, Ukiyo Films, with
Zbigniew Friedrich. Over the next eight years the company produced
three feature films and numerous documentaries. In 1989 he directed
"Mull" which won the AFI Members Award for Best Film and the Best
Actress for Tracy Mann. The film was invited to the London Film
Festival and Montreal Film Festival. In 1985 he started Ukiyo Theatre
with Friedrich. They co-produced a trio of plays by Samuel Beckett,
"Waiting For Godot", Krapp's Last Tape" and "Endgame" performed by the
American theater group San Quentin Drama Workshop. The plays were
directed by Beckett and toured Australia, Singapore and Italy. In 1990
McLennan moved to Los Angeles and established himself as a
scriptwriter. He wrote scripts for Dimension Films, and several other
leading production companies. He continues to direct documentaries,
PSA's for Federal and State Elections, and TV reality programs.
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