Hey there readers,

Once again, I'm SO sorry for the delay in bringing you this column, but I have a really really good excuse this time - I have just finished shooting the first 12 minutes of a film version of Contest . Once cut together and scored, I'll be taking this 'pilot' to LA in the hope of securing a distribution deal. Then I'll set about making the rest!

But I thought that some of you - especially those fans from www.thepresidian.net - might like to see some photos from the set, including the very first pictures of a living, breathing Karanadon!

ABOUT THE SCRIPT: The first 12 minutes of Contest

In my spare time, I recently adapted my first novel Contest into a full-length feature-film screenplay. To my mind, the key to Contest 's success as a film is getting the lead character, Dr Stephen Swain, into the library, the venue for the contest, as quickly as possible - while still spending a little time making him a character we want to cheer for.

At present, I teleport him into the library by the 11th minute. Not bad! The 'pilot' ends with Selexin stepping into shot behind Swain and saying 'Greetings Dr Swain. Welcome to the contest...'

ABOUT THE SHOOT: Locations and Actors...

As those who have read Contest will know, getting to this point in the story involves introducing several characters and locations: the thief and the security guard (and the Karanadon) from the grisly opening sequence, Swain and his daughter, Holly, the two cops who get put into the library for the night, and of course, Swain's fight with three gang members in an ER ward.

To get all this, we shot at several wonderful locations: the State Library of New South Wales, the abandoned tunnels of St James Station, Royal North Shore Hospital and at my own house (hey, it was free!).

We also utilized the talents of some wonderful Australian actors whom I would recommend to any filmmaker. Among them, Warren Blood, Tom Sweeney, Ian Johnson, Christina Davis, Lauren Wood (an incredibly talented 10-year-old actress who plays Holly), and as Selexin, the three-foot-six James Fallon.

...AND ONE KICK-ASS CREATURE!

And of course, the Karanadon also features in the opening sequence of Contest . To create the Karanadon, I went to Dave Elsie, of Image Creative Partnership here in Sydney , a wonderful creature designer who I reckon could become the equal of Stan Winston. Dave did some awesome work on Star Wars Episode III .

In any case, Dave built for us a working Karanadon head, complete with blinking eyes, snorting nostrils, snarling lips and...wait for it...drool! Buckets and buckets of drool. So many buckets that we had to lay down an inflatable kiddy pool to catch it!

SO. TO THE PHOTOS, THEN:

This is the Karanadon, giving me a big fat kiss. Look at those wonderful teeth!! This shot was taken on the bottom floor of the Mitchell Library in Sydney. It's dark, grim and all concrete down there. Very atmospheric.

The Karanadon and the crew. We only built the creature's head, so note that our Karanadon puppeteer, Matt, is wearing a hairy gorilla suit, just in case he got into the shot! The suit was hellishly hot, but Matt was utterly sensational. The head itself required five puppeteers to operate it.

Me with my dad, Ray Reilly, a character-actor of long standing, who plays the ill-fated security guard in the opening sequence. Dad gets the honour of being the first actor killed off in a Matthew Reilly movie , at the hands of the Karanadon! As for those scars on my face, well, directing is a very tough job...!

This is me with Lauren Wood, who plays Holly Swain, with James Fallon in the background as Selexin. Lauren is only 10 years old but is already a great actress and ballerina. I can't even imagine how successful she'll be.

This is (part of) our crew in the Reading Room of the State Library, an incredible location. Huge soaring ceilings, and my poor lighting designer, Steve Carter, had to light it all!

This is James Fallon as Selexin, with me, my wife and producer Natalie (at the top), and our supremely talented costume designer, Ali Egger (left), who designed Selexin's self-illuminating costume. (Eagle-eyed fans will note that he has four luminescent 'bars' on his chest, indicating that he guides Contestant No.4 in the Presidian, Stephen Swain).

And that's about all I should show for now. I better run. I have editing and scoring to do!

Very best wishes and, as always, take care,