Leo Berkeley Leo Berkeley i(A141201 works by)
Born: Established: 1956 Sydney, New South Wales, ;
Gender: Male
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1 Screen Production Enquiry : A Study of Five Australian Doctorates Susan Kerrigan , Leo Berkeley , Sean Maher , Michael Sergi , Alison Wotherspoon , 2015 single work criticism
— Appears in: Studies in Australasian Cinema , vol. 9 no. 2 2015; (p. 93-109)

'Within Australian universities, doctoral research in screen production is growing significantly. Two recent studies have documented both the scale of this research and inconsistencies in the requirements of the degree. These institutional variations, combined with a lack of clarity around appropriate methodologies for academic research through film and television practice, create challenges for students, supervisors, examiners and the overall development of the discipline. This paper will examine five recent doctorates in screen production practice at five different Australian universities. It will look at the nature of the films made, the research questions the candidates were investigating, the new knowledge claims that were produced and the subsequent impact of the research. The various methodologies used will be given particular attention because they help define the nature of the research where film production is a primary research method.' (Publication abstract)
1 Between Chaos and Control : Improvisation in the Screen Production Process Leo Berkeley , 2011 single work criticism
— Appears in: TEXT : Special Issue Website Series , April no. 11 2011; 'This paper will examine the role of improvisation within the screen production process. There is nothing new about improvised acting in film. It has a significant but relatively minor position in the history of screen drama. The prevalence of improvisation is arguably increasing in an era where the costs of filming are reducing, which previously was a strong disincentive to take the looser, less controlled approach of shooting unscripted dialogue and action. Through looking at the recent production of a film drama where unscripted dialogue was used, it will be argued that approaches that more explicitly engage with concepts of improvisation offer both risks and possibilities for the creative process of screen production. The relevance of the theories of M.M. Bakhtin around the concept of the dialogic will be considered in relation to developing a better understanding of the qualities that distinguish improvised performances from scripted ones. In this discussion, reference will be made to performance theory and discussions about improvisation in theatre (Schechner, 1988) and in jazz music (Soules, 2004). The paper will highlight tensions in the screen production process between improvised performances and accepted modes of production, which are often premised on concepts of control developed in the early years of the Hollywood film industry and widely applied throughout the screen production field. The paper will also discuss attempts to more broadly structure a production around the concept of improvisation, which has significant implications for both the way a film is shot and the nature of the story being told.' (Author's abstract)
1 4 form y separately published work icon Holidays on the River Yarra Leo Berkeley , ( dir. Leo Berkeley ) Australia : Jungle Pictures , 1991 Z1794830 1991 single work film/TV

'Eddie and his buddy Mick have entered their young adulthood without any plans, skills, or regular employment. They live in urban Australia, subsisting on the fringes of everything, looking for a bit of action and a bit of a good time. They fall into a job working for a mysterious, monied and very racist man, painting obnoxious slogans on factory walls. Soon, their employer lets them know that they could join the racist and a crew of mercenaries on a military adventure in Africa.

'However, as newbies, they must raise some money to prove their sincerity. In fact, Eddie, who doesn't look rough enough, is nearly left out in the cold altogether but gets considered for the job of cook. Now the two lads have a purpose in life. No, they're not committed to "the cause," but it looks like some real action for a change. However, raising the money for their entry fee gets them into far more trouble than they bargained for.'

(Source: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/143676/Holidays-on-the-River-Yarra/overview)
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