Killing Priscilla (ATOM Study Guide)

Killing Priscilla is a behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of Stephan Elliott's third feature film, Eye of the Beholder. The documentary is directed by Lizzy Gardiner, a close friend of Elliott's who worked with him as the costume designer on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Eye of the Beholder. Through the eyes of Gardiner, we are taken on a personal and intimate journey with Elliott and the cast and crew, witnessing the frustration and exhilaration of film-making first hand. Killing Priscilla details aspects from pre-production through to post-production as well as distribution and marketing. It exposes the reality of financing a film and the concessions and compromises that must be made to please the funding bodies and distributors. The documentary presents a brief account of Elliott's recent hits and flops and explores how his past successes and failures impact upon the current project.

Curriculum Links:

Killing Priscilla is an excellent resource for teachers of Media Studies. The documentary would be an ideal starting point for studying media production and media process. The discussion questions and activities in this study guide provide an introduction to these areas. There are extension activities included that encourage students to further develop their ideas and explore the production process. Some of the activities have been structured to incorporate information technology, as this is a required component of the Media Studies curriculum.