Simon Target
Encyclopedia
Simon Target is a British/Australian film-maker. He is best known for a series of self-filmed television documentaries
he made for The Australian Broadcasting Corporation which include King's School (on The King's School, Sydney
), Flight for Life (about the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
), The Academy (on the Australian Defence Force Academy
), and Rough Justice (about the legal profession). Uni, his study of a group of dissolute arts students at Sydney University, featured Charles Firth, Craig Reucassel
and Andrew Hansen
, who formed the comedy group The Chaser
. Hansen later satirised Target in CNNNN, where he played the network's British
correspondent who was also called Simon Target, most recently in The Chaser's satirical coverage of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Target wrote and directed the feature film Backsliding, starring Tim Roth
, with an original score by Australian composer Nigel Westlake
, and the TV series Operatunity Oz
- a nationwide talent search to find an ‘undiscovered’ opera singer. Target has also directed live opera for the stage in England and the USA, with artists such as Simon Keenlyside
, Simon Russell Beale
and conductor Andrew Parrott
.
Other work includes TV series with Donna Hay
, Curtis Stone
, Ben O'Donoghue
, Kylie Kwong
, Ainsley Harriot and Rick Stein
. In 2010 he wrote and directed the natural history series Penguin Island
, with Rolf Harris
for BBC Television
.
Target was born in the United Kingdom. Educated at Westminster School
, London, where he starred in a BBC television documentary about the school, he read Music and English at Trinity College, Cambridge
. He then attended Britain’s National Film and Television School
making his first films with fellow students Molly Dineen
, Michael Caton Jones, Nick Park
and Mark Herman
. He lives in Sydney
, Australia
and is married to Polish doctor Beata Zatorska with whom he co-wrote a book about Poland Rose Petal Jam, published by Tabula Books.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
he made for The Australian Broadcasting Corporation which include King's School (on The King's School, Sydney
The King's School, Sydney
The King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
), Flight for Life (about the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
), The Academy (on the Australian Defence Force Academy
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force .Tertiary education is provided by the...
), and Rough Justice (about the legal profession). Uni, his study of a group of dissolute arts students at Sydney University, featured Charles Firth, Craig Reucassel
Craig Reucassel
Craig Bruce Reucassel is a television and radio comedian from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser...
and Andrew Hansen
Andrew Hansen
Andrew John Hansen is an Australian comedian and musician, best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser...
, who formed the comedy group The Chaser
The Chaser
The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste...
. Hansen later satirised Target in CNNNN, where he played the network's British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
correspondent who was also called Simon Target, most recently in The Chaser's satirical coverage of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Target wrote and directed the feature film Backsliding, starring Tim Roth
Tim Roth
Simon Timothy "Tim" Roth is an English film actor and director best known for his roles in the American films,Legend of 1900, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Four Rooms, Skellig, Planet of the Apes, The Incredible Hulk and Rob Roy, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for...
, with an original score by Australian composer Nigel Westlake
Nigel Westlake
-Biography:Nigel Westlake's career in music has spanned more than 3 decades.He studied the clarinet with his father, Donald Westlake and subsequently left school early to pursue a performance career in music.Nigel toured Australia and the world playing with ballet companies, a circus troupe,...
, and the TV series Operatunity Oz
Operatunity Oz
Operatunity Oz was a 2006 talent search, and accompanying four-part television documentary by Simon Target, in which Opera Australia conducted a nationwide search to find someone in Australia without professional opera experience, who could be coached to sing in a staged opera — Verdi's...
- a nationwide talent search to find an ‘undiscovered’ opera singer. Target has also directed live opera for the stage in England and the USA, with artists such as Simon Keenlyside
Simon Keenlyside
Simon Keenlyside CBE is a British baritone who has had an active international career performing in operas and concerts since the mid 1980s.-Early life and education:...
, Simon Russell Beale
Simon Russell Beale
Simon Russell Beale, CBE is an English actor. He has been described by The Independent as "the greatest stage actor of his generation."-Early years:...
and conductor Andrew Parrott
Andrew Parrott
Andrew Parrott is a British conductor, perhaps best known for his pioneering historically informed performances of pre-classical music. He conducts a wide range of repertoire, including contemporary music. He conducted the premiere of Judith Weir's A Night at the Chinese Opera...
.
Other work includes TV series with Donna Hay
Donna Hay
Donna Hay is an Australian food stylist, author, and magazine editor.She is best known as the author of 14 bestselling cookbooks, including Off the Shelf, Modern Classics , The Instant Cook, Christmas, and Instant Entertaining. Selling over 3 million copies worldwide, her books are known for their...
, Curtis Stone
Curtis Stone
Curtis Stone is an Australian celebrity chef, author and television personality, nicknamed "The Quiet Terminator" by fans following his performance on The Celebrity Apprentice 3.-Background:...
, Ben O'Donoghue
Ben O'Donoghue
Ben O'Donoghue is an Australian chef and television personality. Currently he is one of the hosts and contestants of The Best in Australia airing on LifeStyle Food.-Early years:...
, Kylie Kwong
Kylie Kwong
Kylie Kwong , is a prominent Australian television chef, author, television presenter and restaurateur.-Early life and education:...
, Ainsley Harriot and Rick Stein
Rick Stein
Christopher Richard "Rick" Stein OBE is an English chef, restaurateur and television presenter. He is currently the head chef and co-owner of "Rick Stein at Bannisters" at Mollymook, New South Wales, Australia, owns four restaurants in Padstow, a fish and chip shop in Falmouth, Cornwall and has...
. In 2010 he wrote and directed the natural history series Penguin Island
Penguin Island (TV series)
Penguin Island is an Australian natural history television documentary series about the Little Penguin.The series premiered on 30 June 2010 on BBC TV. In Australia the show airs on ABC TV. The executive producer and series producer is Sally Ingleton and the series director is Simon Target and the...
, with Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris, CBE, AM is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.Born in Perth, Western Australia, Harris was a champion swimmer before studying art. He moved to England in 1952, where he started to appear on television programmes on which he drew the...
for BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
.
Target was born in the United Kingdom. Educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, London, where he starred in a BBC television documentary about the school, he read Music and English at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He then attended Britain’s National Film and Television School
National Film and Television School
The National Film and Television School was established in 1971 and is based at Beaconsfield Studios in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, and it is located close to Pinewood Studios.-History:...
making his first films with fellow students Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen is a BAFTA and Royal Television Society award winning UK television documentary director, cinematographer and producer....
, Michael Caton Jones, Nick Park
Nick Park
Nicholas Wulstan "Nick" Park, CBE is an English filmmaker of stop motion animation best known as the creator of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep....
and Mark Herman
Mark Herman
Mark Herman is an English film director and screenwriter best known for writing & directing the 2008 film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas....
. He lives in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and is married to Polish doctor Beata Zatorska with whom he co-wrote a book about Poland Rose Petal Jam, published by Tabula Books.
External links
- The Academy - official web site (incomplete)
- Opera Australia
- Rose Petal Jam at Tabula Books