Maurice Shadbolt

Although best known as a writer, Maurice Shadbolt also did time as a filmmaker. In his 20s he made a number of films at the National Film Unit, as part of a career that encompassed fiction, journalism, theatre and two volumes of autobiography. His classic Gallipoli play Once on Chunuk Bair was made into a feature film in 1992.

...between one day and the next I determined that I was competent to direct films. I dusted off forgotten projects, found cameramen willing to work, and did. No one seemed to object; or even notice. Maurice Shadbolt on working at the National Film Unit, in his 1993 autobiography One of Ben's