British star actor lends his support by Karen Tatman The Standard (Syndicated from The Leader) Wednesday, October 29, 1997 RESPECTED British actor Nigel Hawthorne has accepted the position of Honorary Patron of a newly-formed Australian film production company. Salmac Productions is the brainchild of Melbourne actor, Sally McLean. Ms McLean was the inaugural beneficiary of the Peninsula Performing Artists' Fund (PPAF). Using funds raised through Spotlight '95 (a showcase of Peninsula talent held at the Frankston Cultural Centre), Ms McLean was able to travel to the UK to train at The Actors' Institute, London, completing her post-graduate acting degree and beginning her Masters in Drama. Since graduating, Ms McLean has appeared in numerous stage plays in the UK, and with three fellow graduates, wrote, produced and performed in Salmac Productions' first film, A Little Rain Must Fall. The film was launched in London in July this year and resulted in dicussions with both the BBC and Bravo (pay TV) channel. Ms McLean has now returned to Australia to work on two Australian film projects. "I am in the process of completing a script for a feature film, Forever, to be filmed in Melbourne and Scotland," she said. "The chance that the PPAF gave me was invaluable. "Through the hard work, commitment and talent of all involved in Spotlight '95, I was given the chance to fulfill a dream." Ms McLean said the support of Nigel Hawthorne was an "unbelieveable honour". "It was a major highlight of the most incredible two years of my life," she said. Ms McLean said she was keen to give something back to the community that had given her so much. A percentage of the profits from a series of Masterclasses she will conduct in Mt Eliza next month will be added to funds raised by Spotlight '96 to give another talented young performer the opportunity to study overseas. Ms McLean will conduct the master classes with NIDA graduate and former Peninsula resident, Justin Green. "Both Justin and I worked extensively in the Peninsula non-professional theatre community," she said. "We feel that the next generation of performers to emerge from this area deserve the support and encouragement to follow their dreams." < back to Press