Imagining Magic Beach for cinema

Writer and director Robert Connolly and producer Kate Laurie dive into the magic that inspired the screen adaptation of Alison Lester’s beloved children’s book, Magic Beach. 

Producer Kate Laurie, author and illustrator Alison Lester, writer and director Robert Connolly and the cast of Magic Beach. Photo by Alex Cardy

Over 14 years ago, Robert Connolly met with his friend, and one of Australia’s most celebrated and treasured filmmakers, the late Sarah Watt, to discuss a passion project she’d been working on with prolific children’s author and illustrator, Alison Lester. The project, of course, was Magic Beach. Watt had been tinkering away on the concept for years herself, before bringing Connolly into the fold. In 2011, Watt tragically lost her battle with cancer, leaving the film to Connolly and his team at Arenamedia. It took Connolly another decade to get the project off the ground, with production and post taking place at the start of 2024. Then in August last year, at Melbourne International Film Festival’s coveted children’s gala, Magic Beach finally made its world premiere. Now, this highly anticipated film is screening in cinemas across the country. 
 A still from the film

“One of the things I loved about Magic Beach [the book] and something Alison Lester really wanted to make sure we captured in the film was the idea that young children need space to create their own stories, and that their imagination should lead them into the narrative,” Connolly explains. 

Robert Connolly directing behind the scenes on Magic Beach. Photo by Caitlin Wong

With this principle grounding their production philosophy, the creative team set off to Victoria’s southwest Gippsland in late summer to shoot with a lean documentary-sized crew and nine child actors. The film’s main unit base was established at Lester’s childhood home, which is the same property featured in her original story book. 

 Alison Lester and her dog Bigsy at their Magic Beach in southwest Gippsland. Photo by Caitlin Wong

“Each day [of filming] we'd come to her house, and the kids would put their costumes on, and Alison would be there with Bigsy the dog, and we'd all head down to the beach together to improvise these scenes,” Connolly says. “The way Kate set up the model so that we could work from Alison's home was fantastic. It was kind of in the DNA of the film; in the magic of the film.”  

 Behind the scenes filming Magic Beach. Photo by Caitlin Wong

“During their breaks, some of the kids would sit down and do watercolour paintings with Alison. It was a very special time, and I know that a lot of these kids will remember it for the rest of their lives,” Laurie added.

 A still from the film

The film also features 10 distinctly unique animations. It was important that the 10 Australian animators reflect the diversity of our contemporary society, Connolly says. “It was our great hope that these animations would reflect this incredibly, diverse and exciting world that is around us for young people.”
  A still from the film

“The way we engaged with the animators was very much in the spirit of what Alison really wanted the book to do,” Laurie continues, “which is just letting people have free rein and decide what the beach means to them; to let their imaginations take them down the rabbit hole, which is why the animations are so beautifully unique and different from one another.” 

VicScreen supported the making of Magic Beach through the Victorian Production Fund and through the Regional Filming Victorian Screen Rebate. “I think of VicScreen as one of our earliest supporters of the film – one of our most patient supporters of the film – and their commitment to sticking with us over a long time was so valuable,” Connolly says. “Films like Magic Beach, which are hand crafted over years, don't happen easily. So, we really appreciated that support.” 

 Director Robert Connolly and author/illustrator Alison Lester with dog Bigsy. Photo by Alex Cardy

Magic Beach’s target audience is around three- to seven-year-olds, the filmmakers say, laughing. They would love for children to experience the magic of Magic Beach in a movie theatre. “The cinema is a great, adventurous place, but for some kids it can be a little bit scary so the way we built this structure and narrative is, it's 70 minutes long, it's G-rated, and it's got short-form content which allows little kids to lose themselves in the film.”

Magic Beach is now screening in cinemas across the country.