The Gold Coast Bulletin
Edition 1SAT 26 OCT 2002, Page 066
Lights, camera, action, court in session

ART was imitating law on Monday as thespians donned wigs and the cameras rolled in Court 16 to capture a scene or two for the up-coming crime flick Gettin' Square. The courthouse's fourth floor was transformed into a film set for the day while next door in Court 15 a real criminal drama unfolded. In there top Melbourne silk Con Heliotis teamed up with Brisbane barrister Tony Kimmons to start a legal battle predicted to last a week.

But it lasted little longer than the fiction being filmed next door as the real life barristers tore strips off the prosecution case for five hours.

Finally Judge Julie d*ck decided to call 'CUT' and end the court case four days ahead of schedule. A producer's dream.

IT was difficult to recognise actor and Sea Change heart-throb David Wenham who transformed himself very convincingly into mullet-headed crim type for the lead role.

So effective was his costume - heavily shrunken blue jeans and matching thongs - he resembled many of the regular visitors to Court One. Most impressive was the life-like mullet wig Wenham wore out to lunch on the streets of Southport.

PS for the girls - David appears even shorter in real life.

Adding a touch of realism to the courtroom scene was Southport court reporter Sandy Foord who manned the shorthand machine during the shoot. But she wasn't realistic enough for some.

Sandy was accused of only pretending to type as the cameras rolled - with one of the filmakers suggesting she couldn't be using her fingers because her shoulders weren't moving. Sandy had to explain her shoulders generally remain stationary while her fingers do all the working.

While trying to escape Southport Courthouse without being photographed, a client was assured by solicitor Bill Potts that the horde of media assembled outside the doorway were only actors pretending to be newshounds. Unfortunately Channel Nine news cameraman Rod Ward had been conscripted as an unpaid extra into the horde.

Rod abandoned the movie scene, peeling away to film the client's departure.

While hearing legal argument Judge Julie d*ck inquired whether a nightclub video tape clearly showed the suspects were brushing glitter from their bodies.

When told the material being brushed away by the men could not be clearly identified, Judge d*ck asked: 'How do you know it was body glitter? It might have been cocaine'.