Timothy Spanos
b. Upper Ferntree Gully, Melbourne, Australia.

BIOGRAPHY:   Timothy Spanos was born in Upper Ferntree Gully in Victoria and grew up in the nearby suburb of Boronia where he lived for his first 23 years. He went to a performing arts school in Box Hill where he began writing and making short films including one about a woman who thought she was turning into Nana Mouskouri (which he later remade in 2006). He eventually graduated as a secondary teacher of Drama and Media and has worked as a retail worker, office worker, bakery assistant, nurse's aid, baby photographer, café attendant, department store spruiker, wedding videographer and as a clown at children's parties. After graduation, he traveled the world doing strip shows in Europe at sex clubs. He found himself working as a reporter on a music series for RNTV called Black & White, where he interviewed '90s Europop dance acts.

Upon his return to Australia, he enrolled in film school and secretly made over fifteen short films which screened in over 60 film festivals and television throughout the world. In 2003, three of his short films were released on DVD as part of a DVD titled "Out Wild" In 2004, Spanos wrote, directed and produced his first feature film Prisoner Queen, based on chapters of his novel Mindless Music & Mirrorballs. Prisoner Queen screened in New Zealand, UK, Canada, USA and Ireland. In 2005, he gathered a company of actors and began working and making feature films with them. The first feature Nancy Nancy (2006), a musical black comedy about Stockholm syndrome became a cult hit in the USA and won Best Comedy Feature in Atlanta. In 2007, he directed and released the follow up and unofficial prequel Moonlight & Magic, which also was awarded Best Comedy Feature at The Atlanta Underground Film Festival. In 2008 he completed his fourth feature film with his ensemble called Boronia Boys about love and suburbia. He is currently in post production of a docu-comedy, Disgrace Around the World, and plans to make a new film with his ensemble in 2009.

Spanos worked as the head of the video department at Melbourne’s Photographic Imaging College for 4 years and then as a film lecturer at The Foostcray College Film School.

	Moonlight & Magic

CRITICAL OVERVIEW:   Timothy Spanos humorously explores the shift between the old and the new and invites the observer to join his characters on a somewhat philosophical journey, exploring the relationship between individual and environment, both politically and socially. Escapism is repeatedly communicated via a series of metaphorical play offs between each character, living on the fringes of a society that seems empty, seamless and at times futile. Choosing to avoid the clash between the Australian past and present, these colourful and instinctually basic characters depart from the mainstream and embark on their own self created journeys, seeking enlightenment through rebellion, discovery, freedom and independence. Most prominently represented in Moonlight & Magic we follow two oddball characters on their search for a "new empire of thought". This humorous observation delves into the chaotically emotional relationship between two individuals who cannot understand nor accept the socially indoctrinated purpose of contemporary Australian culture.

Visually, Spanos atmospherically applies a series of selected colours to illuminate his films, presenting the Australian landscape as an innovatively rich kaleidoscopic backdrop. This creates a playfully vibrant stage by which these child like characters desperately clutch to their own particular social values and ideals, however curiously, timidly and apprehensively poking their heads into a new Australian culture.

Utilising black humour to investigate issues regarding contemporary Australian cultural ideas, Spanos draws from the past, comedically reflecting on and reviving the forgotten political and social milestones from the '70s and '80s. A somewhat nihilistic approach to current issues such as multiculturalism, feminism, indigenous culture and the excessive use of environmental resources creates a claustrophobic sense of regret, sadness and the need to repair and revive. A happy ending won’t be found in an external sense however, is revealed internally as each character resolves, concludes and assesses their own place in a changing world.

"The refreshing body of work by Timothy Spanos presents as a beautiful and honest, well crafted mix of prose and visual inspiration. This multiple award winning independent filmmaker is successfully able to write, direct, perform in, produce and edit by creating a significant feature film offering with safety, strength and trust for his staple ensemble cast and crew. As a professional actor of over 20 years, I know working with Tim that I will feel love and be trusted. Tim is quite extrodinary. As an artist he stays true, clear and clever by way of his self financed films. Tim both emotionally and artistically successfully pays homage to the art form of storytelling."

- Maxine Klibingaitis, Actor

FILMOGRAPHY:

	Prisoner Queen

Psychedelic Playboy (1996, 5 minutes, Super 8, mini DV)

Bog (1996, 3 minutes, Super 8, mini DV)

Vicious Mink (1997, 28 minutes, Super 8)

Vixen (1997, 8 minutes, mini DV)

Black Lindy, White Lindy (1998, 12 minutes, mini DV/Super 8)

The Little White Boat (1998, 5 minutes, Super 8)

Nicholas Dickmuncher (2000, 7 minutes, 16mm)

Crayfish (2000, 8 minutes, mini DV)

	Nancy Nancy

Chrysalis (2002, 10 minutes, mini DV)

I Love You ... Plop! (2004, 5 minutes, HDV)

Prisoner Queen (2004, 75 minutes, HDV)

Miss Mouskouri (2006, 8 minutes, HDV)

Nancy Nancy (2006, 90 minutes, HDV)

Moonlight & Magic (2007, 90 minutes, HDV)

Boronia Boys (2008, 90 minutes, HDV)

Disgrace Around the World (currently in Post-Production)

	Boronia Boys

AWARDS:

MOONLIGHT & MAGIC
Best Comedy Feature 2007 – The Atlanta Underground Film Festival
Best Supporting Female Actor, Maxine Klibingaitis – The Melbourne Underground Film Festival

NANCY NANCY
Best Comedy Feature 2006 – The Atlanta Underground Film Festival

NICHOLAS DICKMUNCHER
Best Horror Film – The Melbourne Fringe Film Festival 2000
Best Film – The Trasharama Film Festival 2001

BLACK LINDY, WHITE LINDY
Best Film – The Trasharama Film Festival 1999

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Moonlight & Magic review, Atlanta Underground Film Festival, Creative Loafing, 2007.

Moonlight & Magic review, Atlanta Underground Film Festival, Life with Movies and Maxxxxx, 2007.

Contact Timothy Spanos

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