John Whitefoord Heyer OAM OBE (14 September 1916 â€" 19 June 2001) was
an Australian documentary filmmaker, who is often described as the
father of Australian documentary film.John Heyer spent the majority of
his career producing and/or directing sponsored documentaries, and was
active from the 1930s until his death. His most successful film was
The Back of Beyond (1954), but many of his films garnered awards at
festivals around the world. He was committed to the whole process of
filmmaking from the initial research phase to distribution and
exhibition. While he was grounded in the British documentary
tradition, particularly during his years at the Australian National
Film Board working under Ralph Foster and Stanley Hawes, he developed
his own style noted for its lyrical quality.Heyer was an active
participant in the documentary film movement in Australia in the 1940s
and 1950s: he was among the first producers employed by the Australian
National Film Board, was head of the Shell Film Unit in Australia, and
was President of the Sydney Film Society and on the committee which
organised the first Sydney Film Festival. He moved to England in 1956
where he continued to make films for Shell, and then through his own
company. While he died in England, he maintained contact with
Australia throughout his life, producing films in both countries.
an Australian documentary filmmaker, who is often described as the
father of Australian documentary film.John Heyer spent the majority of
his career producing and/or directing sponsored documentaries, and was
active from the 1930s until his death. His most successful film was
The Back of Beyond (1954), but many of his films garnered awards at
festivals around the world. He was committed to the whole process of
filmmaking from the initial research phase to distribution and
exhibition. While he was grounded in the British documentary
tradition, particularly during his years at the Australian National
Film Board working under Ralph Foster and Stanley Hawes, he developed
his own style noted for its lyrical quality.Heyer was an active
participant in the documentary film movement in Australia in the 1940s
and 1950s: he was among the first producers employed by the Australian
National Film Board, was head of the Shell Film Unit in Australia, and
was President of the Sydney Film Society and on the committee which
organised the first Sydney Film Festival. He moved to England in 1956
where he continued to make films for Shell, and then through his own
company. While he died in England, he maintained contact with
Australia throughout his life, producing films in both countries.
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