Byron Eric Kennedy Born Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 was an Australian film producer

Film producer

A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...

 best known for the Mad Max

Mad Max

Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...

 series of films.

At the age of 18 years, Kennedy formed his own company named "Warlok Films" and produced many amateur short films under this logo.

In 1970, at the age of 21 years he won The Kodak Trophy — Australia's Ten Best On Eight — for the short film "Hobson's Bay", a short documentary film about the Melbourne port suburb of Williamstown

Williamstown, Victoria

Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....

.

This award enabled him to travel overseas and gain invaluable knowledge of the international film/television industry. Upon his return he embarked upon a television/film course at the University of NSW where he met George Miller

George Miller (producer)

George Miller is an Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and former medical doctor. He is most well known for his work on the Mad Max movies, but has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the Oscar-winning Happy Feet and "Babe" family films.Miller is the older brother...

.
The first mini-film made by both was Violence in the Cinema filmed in Yarraville, Melbourne. The film won International acclaim and this led to the formation of the new film company "Kennedy Miller" which was incorporated in 1975 with both George Miller and Byron Kennedy as co-directors.

Their first major movie together was the international smash hit Mad Max

Mad Max

Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...

. This film set a record for the highest grossing film relative to budget, a record which was only broken with the advent of The Blair Witch Project

The Blair Witch Project

The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...

.

In 1983, at the age of 33, Kennedy was killed in a helicopter crash at Warragamba Dam

Warragamba Dam

Warragamba Dam is the primary water source for the Australian city of Sydney. It is approximately to the west of Sydney on the Warragamba River, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River, and impounds Lake Burragorang.- Overview :...

 in New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, Australia. In his honour, the Australian Film Institute

Australian Film Institute

The Australian Film Institute was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry...

, with George Miller as a panel member, established the Byron Kennedy Award

Byron Kennedy Award

The Byron Kennedy Award was established in 1984 by the Australian Film Institute in honour of the late film producer Byron Kennedy."This is an accolade usually bestowed upon someone early in their career, whose quality of work is marked by their relentless pursuit of excellence."It is accompanied...

. This award is bestowed upon those whose work is marked by their pursuit of excellence within the film and television industry and sponsored by Kennedy Miller, Warner Bros., Village Roadshow, Greater Union, Cinemedia and Steven Spielberg.

His original production company, Kennedy Miller, is now Kennedy Miller Mitchell Pty.

Motion pictures

• Violence in the Cinema, Part 1 (1971)
• The Last of the Knucklemen (1977)
• Mad Max
  Mad Max
  Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
  
  (1979)
• Mad Max 2 (1982)

Mini series

• Dirtwater Dynasty
• Cowra Breakout
• Vietnam
• Bodyline
• Bangkok Hilton
• The Dismissal
  The Dismissal (TV miniseries)
  The Dismissal is an Australian television miniseries, first screened in 1983, that dramatised the events of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis....
  
  -mini series produced for Network 10 Australia.

External links