Paul Drane is an Australian television producer-director. He was initially known as studio director of the Australian TV pop show ''

Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...

'' from 1975 to 1977. During this period, he directed several

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

s (promotional film clips) made especially for ''Countdown'', including the original clips for the AC/DC hits " It's a Long Way to the Top" and " Jailbreak". His innovative and award-winning Countdown video for Supernaut's " I Like It Both Ways" gave viewers an early taste of visual effects in music videos. These were achieved without the benefit of (yet to be invented) high-end CGI, but improvised with clever use of video feed-back by pointing the cameras at monitors to create wildly looping, distortion effects. With its blend of live action and 2D visual imagery, the award-winning video was an early glimpse of the rapid advances that lay ahead. In addition to the Countdown live performances, Drane independently produced and directed many Australian music videos during the 70s (

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) and full concerts by local and international artists. In 1978 he produced and directed the independent music documentary, 'Australian Music to the World', based on the original radio series by Vince Lovegrove. Filmed worldwide, the program featured interviews and performances by artists including AC/DC (live in Atlanta), Peter Allen, Helen Reddy and the Little River Band. The following year Drane produced and directed the documentary special "The Prophecies of Nostradamus" for Australian Seven television network. Hosted by actor,

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, the program set a ratings record, with unprecedented reaction the following day, prompting the network to schedule a repeat run two weeks later. This program was sold to

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

in the United States in 1980. Repackaged for worldwide release, it was narrated by

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and titled '' The Man Who Saw Tomorrow''. Throughout his lengthy career Paul Drane has maintained his passion for music, and in particular live music on television. This has given rise to classic televised concerts from artists including

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, INXS, and Paul Kelly, and iconic musical moments such as

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's " Evie" at the Sydney Opera House. Since 2005, Drane has directed RocKwiz for

SBS One SBS is a national public television network in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally. In 2018, SBS had a 7.7% audience share. As of 2022, SBS is the lowe ...

and continues to make music videos and television content.

Select Credits

*Countdown (1975–77) *Australian Music to the World (1978) *The Prophecies of Nostradamus (1979) *Nightmoves live concerts *Concert of the Decade *Marcia Hines Music *Royal Command Performance for HRH Prince Charles *'' Darwin 1942'' (1986) *Under the Southern Cross *Crowded House Live at the State Theatre *INXS - A Simple Truth (Concert for the Kurds) * RocKwiz (2005 - ongoing) *Music videos:

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Australian television directors Living people {{Australia-tv-bio-stub