Harry Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Harry Sinclair is a film director
, writer
, and actor
. In his early career he was an actor and member of The Front Lawn
, a musical theater duo. He went on to write and direct several short films, a TV series and three feature films.
and brother of writer Stephen Sinclair. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Rebecca Rand Kirshner Sinclair.
in Paris, and went on to a career on the stage in Auckland, as well as roles in a number of New Zealand films including working with Peter Jackson
, playing the role of Roger in Braindead
and Isildur in The Lord of the Rings
.
), a multi-media comedy music duo. Sinclair and The Front Lawn toured internationally with a series of live shows including: Songs and Stories from The Front Lawn, The Reason for Breakfast, The Washing Machine, and The Story of Robert. They also completed two music albums, Songs from The Front Lawn and More Songs from The Front Lawn. They performed twice at the Edinburgh Festival
, in 1988 and 1989, winning The Independent
newspaper's theatre award for the festival in 1988, and in both years winning inclusion in the "Pick of the Fringe" season at London's Donmar Warehouse
.
The Front Lawn also toured extensively in Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand.
Sinclair and McGlashan made several short films: The Lounge Bar (which was featured in the First Annual International Festival of Short Films in the U.S. as one of the "world's best live-action shorts"), Walk Short and Linda’s Body (which won Best Short Film at the New Zealand Film Awards).
Sinclair's first feature film Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997), starring Danielle Cormack
and Joel Tobeck, was released theatrically in 23 countries and won nine awards at the New Zealand Film Awards including Best Director and Best Film. It was a spin-off from his TV series of the same name, which was shown on TV3 in New Zealand and on SBS in Australia. Each of the 41 episodes was only 4 minutes long, and featured a different song from Flying Nun Records
.
His second feature, The Price of Milk
(2000), starring Danielle Cormack and Karl Urban
, was his only film to be released in the US, by Lot 47 Films. It won the Grand Prize at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
(2001) and the Grand Prize at the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival (2001).
His third feature was Toy Love
starring Dean O’Gorman and Kate Elliott (2002).
His three feature films were made in an unconventional manner, with Sinclair casting his lead actors before writing the scripts. The stories were developed during video workshops with the actors, and the final scripts written during the shoots, allowing the stories to develop organically, building on what naturally developed between the actors.
In 2009 he directed an episode of the TV series 90210
.
, and continues to tour in 2010. He also plays a lead role in Continuous City, appearing only in projected film sequences.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. In his early career he was an actor and member of The Front Lawn
The Front Lawn
The Front Lawn was a New Zealand musical/theatrical duo formed by Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair. From 1989-90, they were joined by Jennifer Ward-Lealand. Their song Andy appeared at number 82 in the Top 100 New Zealand Songs...
, a musical theater duo. He went on to write and direct several short films, a TV series and three feature films.
Background
Harry Sinclair was born in 1959 in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the son of historian and poet, Keith SinclairKeith Sinclair
Sir Keith Sinclair, CBE was a poet and noted historian of New Zealand.Born and raised in Auckland, Sinclair was a student at Auckland University College, which was then part of the University of New Zealand. He was awarded a Ph.D...
and brother of writer Stephen Sinclair. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Rebecca Rand Kirshner Sinclair.
Training and theater career
Sinclair studied acting at the Ecole Philippe GaulierPhilippe Gaulier
Philippe Gaulier is founder of École Philippe Gaulier, a theatre school located in Sceaux, near Paris. He trained with Jacques Lecoq from 1965 - 67. Then became a teacher at École Jacques Lecoq from 1976 - 80. Gaulier is also a playwright and has worked as a clown and theatre director...
in Paris, and went on to a career on the stage in Auckland, as well as roles in a number of New Zealand films including working with Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
, playing the role of Roger in Braindead
Braindead (1992 film)
Braindead , released as Dead Alive in North America, is a cult zombie comedy splatstick horror film directed by Peter Jackson. The film is universally regarded as being one of the goriest films of all time...
and Isildur in The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
.
The Front Lawn
In 1985 he co-founded The Front Lawn (with Don McGlashanDon McGlashan
Don McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who has been a member of bands such as The Plague, From Scratch, The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, The Mutton Birds and, from 2009, The Bellbirds. He composed several pieces for the Limbs Dance Company...
), a multi-media comedy music duo. Sinclair and The Front Lawn toured internationally with a series of live shows including: Songs and Stories from The Front Lawn, The Reason for Breakfast, The Washing Machine, and The Story of Robert. They also completed two music albums, Songs from The Front Lawn and More Songs from The Front Lawn. They performed twice at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, in 1988 and 1989, winning The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper's theatre award for the festival in 1988, and in both years winning inclusion in the "Pick of the Fringe" season at London's Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
.
The Front Lawn also toured extensively in Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand.
Sinclair and McGlashan made several short films: The Lounge Bar (which was featured in the First Annual International Festival of Short Films in the U.S. as one of the "world's best live-action shorts"), Walk Short and Linda’s Body (which won Best Short Film at the New Zealand Film Awards).
Film career
After The Front Lawn disbanded in 1990, Sinclair directed two short films, Casual Sex, and Avenue Du Maine.Sinclair's first feature film Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997), starring Danielle Cormack
Danielle Cormack
Danielle Cormack is a stage and screen actress from New Zealand. She was one of the original core cast of the long-running soap opera Shortland Street, though she is also known for her role as the Amazon Ephiny in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, Cynthia Ross in The Cult, and Shota in...
and Joel Tobeck, was released theatrically in 23 countries and won nine awards at the New Zealand Film Awards including Best Director and Best Film. It was a spin-off from his TV series of the same name, which was shown on TV3 in New Zealand and on SBS in Australia. Each of the 41 episodes was only 4 minutes long, and featured a different song from Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
.
His second feature, The Price of Milk
The Price of Milk
The Price of Milk is a 2000 film from New Zealand. It was directed by Harry Sinclair. This film is set in rural New Zealand where a farmer, Rob , gets engaged to his love, Lucinda . But Lucinda is worried about their relationship losing its spark and she continues pushing him to try and keep the...
(2000), starring Danielle Cormack and Karl Urban
Karl Urban
Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor.He is known for playing Éomer in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the 2009 film Star Trek and Julius Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess...
, was his only film to be released in the US, by Lot 47 Films. It won the Grand Prize at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
The Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival , or PiFan, is an international film festival held annually in July in Bucheon, South Korea...
(2001) and the Grand Prize at the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival (2001).
His third feature was Toy Love
Toy Love (film)
Toy Love is a New Zealand made film released in 2003. The film was directed and written by Harry Sinclair and features Dean O'Gorman, Kate Elliott, Marissa Stott, Michael Lawrence, Genevieve McClean, Chris Dykzeul, Peter Feeney, Quinton Hita, Miriama Smith, Kim Michalis, Rose McIver and Lynette...
starring Dean O’Gorman and Kate Elliott (2002).
His three feature films were made in an unconventional manner, with Sinclair casting his lead actors before writing the scripts. The stories were developed during video workshops with the actors, and the final scripts written during the shoots, allowing the stories to develop organically, building on what naturally developed between the actors.
In 2009 he directed an episode of the TV series 90210
90210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
.
The Builders Association
From 2006 to 2008 Sinclair collaborated with the New York-based Builders Association, touring internationally as an actor in their production Super Vision. He wrote their next production, Continuous City, which premiered in November 2008 at the Brooklyn Academy of MusicBrooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, United States, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance....
, and continues to tour in 2010. He also plays a lead role in Continuous City, appearing only in projected film sequences.
Acting
| Film | Role | Production Company |
|---|---|---|
| The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Isildur | Wingnut Films |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings... |
Isildur | Wingnut Films |
| Braindead | Roger | Wingnut Films |
| Linda’s Body | Lead | Front Lawn Films |
| Walk Short | Lead | Front Lawn Films |
| The Lounge Bar | Lead | Front Lawn Films |
| The Footstep Man | Seskau | Hibiscus Films |
External links
- http://harrysinclair.com/
- Radio interview with Kim Hill, Radio New Zealand, 20 August 2011 (audio only)