Still from The Boy Who Loved Rain.
by Simon Sellars

Originally published in RealTime issue #81 Oct-Nov 2007.

RECENTLY IN REALTIME AND ELSEWHERE I’VE BEEN CRITICAL OF AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM AND ANIMATION, SO MUCH SO I’M BEGINNING TO BORE MYSELF (AND DOUBTLESS OTHERS) WITH THE OLD REFRAIN. STILL, I VOICE THESE CRITICISMS FROM A POSITION OF RESPECT FOR [...]

by Simon Sellars

‘Subterrain #2: An Introduction’ was originally published in Subterrain magazine #2, July 2007.

Subterrain is a magazine that provides an opportunity for homeless and marginalised people, primarily those using the services at Ozanam Community Centre (see opposite), to tell their story. That’s about it as far as mantras or mission statements go. We’ve already [...]

interview by Simon Sellars & Anna Krien

‘Music Is Not A Bloody Race’ was originally published in Subterrain magazine #2, July 2007.

There are two music groups for the benefit of clients at the Ozanam Community Centre. There’s one on Mondays, run by Alan Pavlikas, which is more of a rock-band affair, and one on Tuesdays, run [...]

interview by Simon Sellars

‘Whatever Goes into the Mix’ was originally published in Subterrain magazine #2, July 2007.

Alan Pavlikas manages the Ozanam Community Centre’s band, Shallow Rabbit, which has released one CD and has had a documentary made about it (see Subetrrain #1). intrigued, I crashed one of their jam sessions and collared Alan, guitarist Keith [...]

In June 2007, I updated and rewrote Weissmann’s destination report for Melbourne. Weissman provides destination reports for travel buyers, planners and arrangers around the world.

Flyer for Northern Void.

Originally published on Sleepy Brain, 19 February 2007.

Last night I attended the second (and last, for now) screening of Philip Brophy’s 50-minute film Northern Void, billed as a “live cinema performance” accompanied by the real-time sonics of Ph2 (Brophy and Philip Samartzis). Northern Void is set along Plenty Rd, in the northern [...]

Station Pier (photo: Simon Sellars). There used to be a sign here saying ‘Melbourne Welcomes You’, the first thing we saw when we got off the boat, I imagine.
by Simon Sellars

Originally published on Sleepy Brain, 19 January 2007.

I was asked to contribute some thoughts about my family’s immigration story to the second book in Jim [...]

For Lonely Planet’s new online accommodation-booking service, called Haystack, I was initially employed as a consultant. I was involved with developing the shape and structure of the project from an author’s point of view, and contributed to the structure of the templates that are used today for authors employed to wrote Haystack reviews.
Later, I wrote [...]

‘The Perfect Day: Melbourne’ by Simon Sellars, published in The Perfect Day, Lonely Planet Publications, September 2006.

Melbourne’s parks and gardens do the trick most times of the year, and the CBD is ringed by choice examples. I do a lot of work in the city, and on the walk in I like to procrastinate [...]

by Simon Sellars

‘An Introduction to Subterrain’ was originally published in Subterrain magazine #1, December 2005.

In modern welfare work, it’s rapidly becoming clear that ‘homeless and marginalised’ people need more than simply food and housing. Everyone wants to find meaning in their lives, to find freedom of speech – to find a voice. Artistic expression can [...]