Baba's Birthday EPK

8/14/2019 Baba's Birthday EPK

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Baba’s Birthdaya journey of the heart

Project StatusBaba’s Birthday is a 52 minute English television documentary.

Seking distribution via DVD outlets and television sales

in all territories. Pay-per-view = http://vimeo.com/ondemand/samadhi

Log LineLuke, a young Australian follower of spiritual master Meher Baba,

makes a pilgrimage to India to appear in the classic play

‘Leila and Majnun’, to celebrate Baba’s birthday.

PO Box 1092

Queen Victoria Bld.

NSW 1230 Australia

[email protected]

www.sensoryimage.net

ABN: 97 948 032 868

Australian DVD OutletMeher Baba Film & Video Project

15 Magenta Square

Amaroo ACT 2914

[email protected]

US Distribution

Love Street Bookstore

Tel: +1 323 730 5281

[email protected]

www.lovestreetbookstore.com

Baba’s Birthday

a journey of the heart

The tomb of Meher Baba in Meherabad, India

Production TeamWriter/Director: Peter Sumner

Producer: Michael Ney (Sensory Image Pty Ltd)

Orignal Music: Christopher Gordon

Orchestra Recording: Simon Leadley (Trackdown Studios)

Location Recording: William Bullock

Audio Post: Marcus Longfoot (Full Circle Audio)

Additional Stills & Video: William Bullock & Lynn Burgos

Director of Photography: Michael Ney

Editor: Carolina MitchellScript Consultant: Kris Wyld

Assoc. Producer: Lynn Burgos, Tony Foley

Produced by

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http://vimeo.com/ondemand/samadhi

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.sensoryimage.net/



http://www.lovestreetbookstore.com/

http://www.lovestreetbookstore.com/



http://www.sensoryimage.net/


http://vimeo.com/ondemand/samadhi




Brief Synopsis‘Baba’s Birthday’ is a one hour documentary of discovery for young people

looking for true and lasting values in an increasingly stressful and

confusing world.

We follow Luke Sumner to Meherabad, up on the Deccan Plateau in India,

where he is due to rehearse his leading role in the play to celebrate

Meher Baba’s birthday, the Bedouin classic, ‘Leila and Majnun’.

In the following weeks, amidst the rich culture and bustle of India, Luke

visits Meher Baba’s birthplace in Pune, and his home at Meherazad where

he meets and talks with members of Baba’s family and Mandali – men and

women who devoted their lives to serving Baba.

Luke continues with the rehearsals and his demanding role as the

love-crazed Majnun, but nds time to talk with some of the many young men

and women who come to the pilgrim’s centre seeking answers to their

deepest questions. At sunrise on Meher Baba’s birthday Luke joins the

crowd at His tomb, and the big night of ‘Leila and Majnun’ is a huge success

with the musicians, the entire cast and choir rising to the challenge.

The nal images are around ‘the dhuni re’ – a ritual of dedication

and release and an expression of love for God.

Director’s Statement In the West, mainstream religion appears to have failed generations of

youth caught up in the pervasive snare of consumerism, cynicism and

debased values. In their attempts to nd real meaning in life people of

all ages, beliefs and backgrounds have sought answers in the East, from

the many gurus and masters that have always been a part of the spiritual

fabric of India. From out of the endless babble of tongues offering spiritual

salvation and new gods, one clear voice rises, paradoxically from the

Silent Master Meher Baba, who imparts to us a simple and contemporary

explanation of humanity’s relationship with God.But in a world apparently disintegrating into further violence and chaos,

it’s not difcult to understand why people so often succumb to cynicism

and self-indulgence, and turn a deaf ear to a very sweet voice.

However, hope is an antidote, and in this documentary hope and optimism

are among the discoveries our young man Luke makes, as he journeys to

Meherabad in India, listens to wise elders and clear-eyed young men and

women, and makes a success of his role in the play to celebrate

Meher Baba’s Birthday.

Who is Meher Baba?Avatar Meher Baba was known as the Silent Master who devoted His life, notto teaching, but to awakening humanity to His unifying message of Truth and

Love given by the great messengers of the past. His belief that all had been

said was given emphasis by his observing silence for 44 years, from 1925 until

his death in January 1969.

Born in Pune, India in 1894, of Zoroastrian descent, Baba’s mission as Avatar,

the Hindu word for Godman, began in 1921 and developed as a practical

example of his principle message of love. He worked with disciples in

India, Europe, America as well as the poor of India, through free schools,

dispensaries and shelters.

Meher Baba attracted a dedicated worldwide following from all religious

traditions. He said, “I intend to bring together all the religions like beadson one string, revitalising them for individual and collective needs.” Meher

Baba’s followers are simply known as ‘Baba lovers’, following no rites,

rituals, ceremonies or specic religious duties.

Meher Baba

Luke as “Majnun”

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The StorylineAfter an introduction to Meher Baba with stills and glimpses of India, our young

Australian Luke arrives at Meherabad to be greeted by his friends.

Luke takes the path up to Baba’s tomb where he pays his respects to the Master

and archival footage gives the background to Baba’s declaration in the 1950’s

that He was the Avatar. God in human form.

The cast gathers at the Meherabad Theatre for their rst rehearsal, where thedirector Alan Wagner and the writer Heather Nadel outline the play and the work

ahead. Luke is playing the young Arab prince Majnun in the classic Arabian story

of ‘Leila and Majnun’.

After rehearsal and costume ttings, the cast take time out for a little volleyball

and lunch in the Pilgrim Centre dining room.

Luke drives to Pune where he visits Baba’s early home and meets Jehangir who

unfolds the story of Baba’s early realization and shows Luke Baba’s room. Lukethen heads into town to pay his respects at the tomb of one of Meher Baba’s ve

Perfect Masters, Hazrat Babajan.

Back at the house he joins Baba’s twin nephews Rustom and Sohrab as they laugh

about Baba’s sense of humour.

After rehearsals a cast member Forest talks about his relationship with Baba,

and onstage, in a scene from the nal production, the animals enter and begin

the story. A young Baba lover Shirin talks about her love for Baba.

Then the pilgrims ride through Ahmednagar in the blue bus out to Meherazad,

Meher Baba’s home compound since the 1940’s. Luke’s narration gives us the

background to Meherazad.

Storyline page 1

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We meet the Mandali, several of Meher Baba’s men and women companions who

lived and worked with the Master. To Luke’s great delight, one of the Mandali,

Meherwan, walks Luke up Seclusion Hill, explaining the signicance of this very

special place where Meher Baba did a great deal of His inner spiritual work. At the

top of the hill Luke stands deep in thought and lost in the magic of the moment.

On Luke’s return, Meheru invites him to spend a moment in Baba’s bedroom where

she describes His last days. Rehearsals continue and young Cory talks about tryingto grasp who Baba is.

Debbie Nordeen drills the choir and talks about expressing in the world, truth,

beauty, purity and love. Peter talks to Alan about the importance Baba placed on

the arts, and the idea of forgetfulness, when an artist is so engrossed in the act of

creation, that they forget themselves.

Luke in the play with the animals, as he expresses his disgust for mankind and sings

a song of love for Leila.

Laurie Blum paints her intricate masterpieces for the backcloths for the play and a

bemused Lynne mentions her surprise at ending up in this little village in India.

Luke describes the new Meher Pilgrim Retreat being built on the plain above Baba’s

Tomb and Dot Lesnick talks about putting together the incredible tile wall.

Back at rehearsal Alan relates his amazement

at the birth of baby camels and donkeys and

their perfect velvet-like hooves, and Raph

speaks about Baba’s ability to help him keep

believing in love.

In his ofce in Ahmednagar Luke and Monica

talk to Bhau Kalchuri, the Chairman of theAvatar Meher Baba Trust, about the turmoil

in the world and why baba appeared in the

20th century.

Storyline page 2

page 4Luke Sumner and Bhau Kalchuri




Dress rehearsal is chaotic as costumes are tried on and the makeup experiments

begin. Everyone lends a hand. The day of Baba’s birthday dawns and Luke joins the

people from all round the world at Baba’s Tomb, to celebrate the Master’s coming.

The big night and the choir sings ‘Ocean of Love’ over highlights of the play

‘Majnun and Leila’, bringing the story to its conclusion and ending in great

applause and a nal ‘Happy Birthday!’ to Baba.

The cast spills out onto the collonade for the beginnings of the after show party.

The two father’s light-heartedly tussle over ownership of their their son!

The nal scene takes place around the dhuni re as people gather to toss a small

stick into the ames, symbolising the casting off of some failing or foible. Through

the light of the re we nd the faces of this diversity of pilgrims, silently watching

the ames, deep in their own thoughts. Luke is among them and we follow him to

the re where he casts in his stick and kneels before the ames.

Storyline page 3

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Baba’s Birthdaya journey of the heart Peter Sumner

Writer / Director Born in Sydney and educated in the UK, in the sixties Peter was contracted to

the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and spent a ve year apprenticeship in

television and lm making, beginning as a writer and program assistant and

working his way to directing multicam productions in the studios at Gore Hill.

Peter also worked on projects with Isaacson Productions and wrote 26 half hourdocumentaries which were screened by ABCTV. Peter wrote and directed a

documentary for the ABC shot in Sweden, and also wrote and directed a number

of short lms screened by ABCTV.

In the eighties Peter wrote and directed MOUNTAIN MAN

for Chateau Productions, about a brumby hunter’s life on

the Victorian High Plains. Bought and screened by

Network Ten and later by Discovery Channel and

German and British TV, the critics called it “a stunner”

and “as hypnotic as watching the campre itself”.

Also for Chateau Productions Peter wrote and directed

CRADLE OF MANKIND, shot in Africa and contrasting

Dr Richard Leakey’s theories about ancient hominids

with the contemporary life of the tribes around Lake

Turkana in Kenya. Screened to good reviews by

Network Ten, National Geographic, German and British TV.

Under contract to Beyond Productions Peter worked as a producer on

ENTERTAINMENT BEYOND 2000 and on setting up projects on forensic science,

world water resources and the human brain. He was later commissioned by

Beyond to adapt Trish Sheppard’s novel CHILDREN OF BLINDNESS into a screenplay.

Peter has continued to write and direct short lms, the latest being CIRQUE DU

PSYCHE which was enthusiastically received at the Red Carpet Short Film Festival.

He also has two screenplays currently out in the market, SPIDER DANCE and

BIG TIN GODS, and went to in India in January and February 2006 where hedirected BABA’S BIRTHDAY – a TV documentary on Meher Baba.

Peter has also appeared as an actor in productions such as Star Wars,

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, The Dismissal and with Bell Shakespeare...

as well as many theatre, lm and TV acting credits. Peter was a tutor at AADA,

AFTRS, NIDA, Bathurst University, published the book AUSTRALIAN THEATRE

POSTERS and was consultant to the Sydney Opera House Trust on the feasibility

of a Performing Arts Museum in Sydney.

Full biography online at: www.petersumner.com

Peter Sumner writing on set in India

Luke Sumner Luke Sumner is a young Australian Baba lover who has

spent time travelling in India and South East Asia.

He works for the Tree of Life Company in Sydney, Australia,

has acted in theatre productions, and plans on entering

the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2008.

http://www.petersumner.com/

http://www.petersumner.com/




Michael is a skilled camera person, production manager and Final Cut Pro editor

with extensive experience successfully producing creative projects including

videos, web design, multimedia and live theatre events. His early career consisted

of theatre lighting design, photojournalism and audio-visual production.

After studying television production and running his own commercial photography studio

for six years, Michael opened a multimedia company called Virtual Realm Xchange,

working with high prole clients such as The City of Sydney Council and The Sydney

Symphony Orchestra and Westpac Bank. Video production tasks included directing,

scripting, camera and editing. Other creative director activities included digital design,animation, writing and directing voice-overs and special effects.

Michael produced and directed two 20 minute docu-dramas for the Faculty of Medicineat The University of Sydney. He was also responsible for the rst interactive CD-ROM

for Sydney University, promoting all their undergraduate courses and facilities ...

groundbreaking for its early use of QTVR “virtual reality” in an interactive tour.

Michael rebranded his company in 2001 to Sensory Image to focus on lm and

TV projects. More information at http://www.sensoryimage.net/about-michael-ney

In 2002, he directed Youth Matters, an observational documentary about at-risk kids

going through a vocational program at a 5 star hotel in Sydney. In 2003, he shot

The Making of Dark Love Story, a behind-the-scenes documentary for producer

Greg Read and director Jon Hewitt, starring Belinda McClory and Aaron Pederson.

Michael also worked closely with director Vincent Ward (What Dreams May Come,

The Navigator, Map of the Human Heart) to create an animated proof-of-concept trailer

for his last lm River Queen. This DVD accompanied the script for pitches in London,

New York and Hollywood, and helped Vincent to successfully secure production funding.

In 2004, Michael directed a corporate video for Futurebank, and has directed numerous

short lms and other corporate and promotional or educational video productions.

Finally, Baba’s Birthday, produced by Michael (with writer/director Peter Sumner),

was shot in India over 2 months, edited in Australia over several months

and has original music for orchestra composed by Christopher Gordon. The DVD is

available via Love Street Bookstore in USA, and also seeking television sales.

Michael is a founding member of OZDOX – The Australian Documentary Forum,

which has held monthly events since July 2003 (www.ozdox.org) and he has

produced a DVD archive of 30 of these programs for the public.

He also initiated the video archive of Popcorn Taxi, Sydney lmmaker Q&A events,

and has shot nearly all of these events since 1999 with some footage included on

the DVD releases for various lms and online podcasts. (www.popcorntaxi.com.au)

Michael is a multi-talented lm industry professional who gives immense energy,

passion and focus to any project he is involved in. He is currently nishing a

documentary on the Peace Angels - a spiritually based transformational theatre group

The next project, currently in development with writer Stefanie Lasthaus, is an

interactive transmedia documentary shot in Germany and Switzerland called“From Chaos To Calm – a writer’s journey”, about the German author Hermann Hesse.

Contact: [email protected]

Michael NeyProducer / Director of PhotographyMichael NeyProducer / Director of Photography

http://www.sensoryimage.net/about


http://www.ozdox.org/

http://www.popcorntaxi.com.au/



http://www.popcorntaxi.com.au/

http://www.ozdox.org/




Baba’s Birthdaya journey of the heart Christopher Gordon

Music Composer Composer Christopher Gordon’s most recent projects include:

* the score for the TNT mini-series of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot* a piece commissioned by the Sydney Children’s Choir to mark

their fteenth anniversary and;

* a Bass Trombone Concerta commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra

to receive its premiere performance at the Sydney Opera House in October 2004.

Gordon’s recent lm scores include:

* Master & Commander: The Far Side Of The World

– winner of a Top Box Ofce Award at 2004 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards,

which he co-composed with fellow recipients Iva Davies and Richard Tognetti;

* When Good Ghouls Go Bad

– winner of the 2001 Australian Screen Music Award for

“Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie”;

* Sydney: A Story of a City (1999)

– an IMAX spectacular from leading Australian director Bruce Beresford.

His score for On the Beach received wide international acclaim; often described

as the best soundtrack of 2000, it won four Australian Screen Music Awards.

His highly praised score for Moby Dick (1998) received three ASM awards while

his music for Sanctuary (1995) was nominated in the Australian Film Institute

Awards and the ASM Awards.

In the concert hall Peace On Earth for Gondwana Voices and the Sydney

Sypmphony Orchestra was a popular success with Christmas audiences in 2001.

He composed the choral work a Song of Hope, incidental music for the ofcial

celebration of the Centenary of the Federation of Australia and wrote and

arranged the music for the opening ceremony of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Other recent works include Spin Globe, Spin commissioned by the Sydney

Children’s Choir and Loose Canon commissioned by the Tucana Flute Quartet.

Christopher Gordon conducting the orchestra for “Baba’s Birthday”at Trackdown Studios, Sydney, Australia.

Producer’s NoteThe rich visuals of India, a colourful musical play and the variety of characters

make this documentary a delight to watch. The content, based on Meher Baba, is

intriguing and even perplexing to some... “God in human form - that’s an amazing

concept” says one of the interviewees. In a show of support, long time Baba lover,

Pete Townshend gave permission to use any of his music for the project and we

chose some classics for the trailer. However, when composer Christopher Gordonagreed to write an original score we found the two styles of music so divergent that

we had to pick just one. The orchestral recording was an event in itself and was

satisfying to see the emotional music integrate with the documentary story.

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Baba's Birthday EPK