• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Resident road rage over reduced speed limit
  • Steele retires, ‘Stirts’ to Seagulls
  • Pythons and Tigers all square, oh my!
  • Frankston Football Club hold a successful fair
  • Home services crisis after switch to private providers
  • Call for help after donation drop
  • True passion the source of author inspiration
  • OAM for ‘Coodabeens’ Bill Baxter
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»Entertainment»Thriller mirrors pain of real life
Entertainment

Thriller mirrors pain of real life

By Stephen TaylorMarch 5, 2018Updated:March 13, 2018No Comments3 Mins Read
Peninsula performers: Maria Volk, whom appears in The Dunes with its writer, producer, director and performer Martin Copping. Picture: Supplied
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
Peninsula performers: Maria Volk, whom appears in The Dunes with its writer, producer, director and performer Martin Copping. Picture: Supplied

A PSYCHOLOGICAL thriller set in the small fictional beachside town of The Dunes on the Mornington Peninsula is being made by Martin Copping, who grew up here but now lives and works in the film industry in the US.

The film, now in its final production stages, follows Los Angeles journalist Nicholas Rice who returns home to settle some family issues and sell property. While he’s here, a “mysterious figure from his past re-emerges and threatens his entire existence”.

Copping promotes the story as a “cautionary tale: people need to face up to their problems and not run away from them”.

The actor, producer and director said he had shot The Dunes “well under budget”.

Copping said his film had a “production value of roughly $1 million” but he was  able to bring it in for less than $50,000.

“I was able to do this via a successful Kickstarter campaign and from calling in many favours that my 20-plus years in the Australian and US film and TV industries have afforded me,” he said.

Copping wrote, produced, directed and starred in the movie which he said was “inspired after losing my mother to alcoholism”. She died at Rosebud Hospital in 2016.

“Through the film I want to spread awareness of substance abuse and mental health issues,” he said.

The film was mostly shot in Rye and at the Blairgowrie back beach, with some parts shot in Los Angeles. “I’ve spent a lot of my life on the Mornington Peninsula and I’m incredibly passionate about this landscape,” Copping said.

“I was in Australia until mid-February shooting final pick-up shots for the movie.”

Copping said other Australian actors featuring in the film were Tim Phillipps (Neighbours, Animal Kingdom), Jacinta Stapleton (Never Tear us Apart: INXS, Shappelle), David Ross Patterson (Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Alexandra Davies (X-MEN Origins: Wolverine, McLeods Daughters), Maria Volk (Wolf Creek 2, The Pacific), and Kate Neilson (Killer Elite).

Copping, 40, has appeared in Hawaii 5-0, Zombie Hunter and Forbidden Ground, as well as Australian television series such as Blue Heelers, Neighbours, Good Guys Bad Guys and Ocean Girl. He said Stapleton, Volk, and Neilson “have all spent a lot of time on the peninsula over the years”.

“Both my parents were in the film industry and lived here,” he said.

“My dad, Robin Copping, lives in The Village Glen, Capel Sound. He was a prominent figure in the Australian film industry when I was growing up.”

The Dunes is expected to be out early 2019.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 6 March 2018

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Looks, sounds like Springfield

May 9, 2022

‘Live’ party before art’s virtual return

May 2, 2022

Boot scootin’ party

April 26, 2022

Lockdown was trio’s write medicine

April 19, 2022
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
Jul 7, 2022 - Thu
Mornington, Australia
11°C
light rain
light rain
1 m/s, SW
67%
761.31 mmHg
thu07/07 fri07/08 sat07/09 sun07/10 mon07/11
light rain
12/11°C
light rain
11/9°C
light rain
12/9°C
sky is clear
11/9°C
light rain
12/10°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

June 27, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

May 26, 2022
Council Watch

Keeping watch on councillor costs

June 27, 2022

Leadership lacking for ‘neutral’ policy

June 20, 2022
Interview

True passion the source of author inspiration

July 4, 2022
Property of the Week

278 Dundas Street, Rye

May 11, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

Frankston Football Club hold a successful fair

July 5, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.