Paul's Corner

Hello, Paul.

Good luck to you. Hopefully, your show will be able to get the funding it needs and will continue on.

Is there anything that those of us who live outside of Oz can do for you?

Be Well.
Sally C.

I've gone so far as to purchase a copy of the first 6 episodes of FT and I've been told by the channel that it will be the correct format for playing in the US.

I'm not sure where I'll get some of the more exotic ingredients but isn't that half the fun of cooking?

Paul--

Great to hear you're back to filming new eps and I hope Channel 7 continues to stand behind you and the funding comes in.

Cyndy--where did you find the copies for sale? That's one way of showing interest outside of Oz and get Paul more notice worldwide.

I could write WTTW here in Chicago (our PBS)and pique their interest. Even if there aren't enough episodes for syndication (as yet), have to start somewhere, sometime . . .

Paul--all the best with upcoming Food Trails and Dancing with the Stars!!

Melody
Chicago

I wrote to the email address:
information.centre@dpi.vic.gov.au
and told them that I love PM's work and wanted my own copy of Food Trail. They verified that they had the right format and would ship to me in the USA.

Here's the pricing info:
We can send you a copy of the Food Trail DVD. The DVD contains episodes 1-6.
The price is $17.50. You can pay for this by cheque, money order or credit card.

Here's the link to the order form:
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenfa.nsf/93a98744f6ec41bd4a256c8e00013aa9/b48c433cc0b2e41eca25728400019f3d/$FILE/ATT8LZ6A/Food%20Trail%20TV%20series%20Order%20Form_Public.dot

Hope that helps!
Cyndy

I too would like to know where you can purchase copies of the Food Trail. Any chance of ever coming to the USA??

Hold up some people got me wrong - I am not shooting another series of the Food Trail (much to my sheer frustration and annoyance)This post is to drum up support by writing to the network in the hope that if they get enough letters they will eventually see the light and commission another series.

I shot the Victorian episodes - 6 of them in June 2005 and shot 4 Tasmanian eps in July 2006. These are what is playing and winning ratings currently in Vic and S.A.

I had no idea that the DPI were selling the shows but I am glad that you guys can purchase them. We are waiting to shoot some more eps before we sell them on the overseas market so please do not send them to your local freindly broadcaster as it may hurt my chance of selling them and making a dollar out of it.

Keep in mind as I have posted before you can download a recipe booklet from the Victorian show free off the website http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au

I have some more information from the friendly folks at dpi.vic.gov.au. Here's what they sent me when I inquired if more episodes would be in the works in the future and whether international channels like The Food Channel would be picking up episodes for broadcast:

Hello Cynthia,
Not a problem about sending the information to you. You would need to check with the production company whether the Food Trail is shown on any of the food channels and if there are anymore episodes planned for the future.
The name of the production company is Higland Productions International Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Victoria.
If there are any problems please contact us.
Thank you

Now, if someone would mind helping me to find the info for Higland Productions International so we can innundate them with requests for more Paul, that would be great!

Don't worry, Paul, the FT episodes I purchased are only for my (and my husband's) viewing. I'm the cooking fan and he's the beer fan.

It's a match made in heaven.

Cyndy, I speak with Highland Productions every week as the producer and I are friends. We are working together to get another series of The Food Trail up and shooting so please there is no point in anyone innundating them with requests to use me in more productions. At this stage I would say innundate the network.

Let me know how you go with cooking any of the recipes and of course for a full breakdown of the recipe I have all of mine on the recipe section of Paul's Corner.

Paul, would you find it acceptable for those of us in the US to ask our Australian friends to email the powers that be at Channel 7? It seems clear to me that Channel 7 would rather hear from residents of AU than from those of us residing in other countries, wouldn't you agree? I personally have no qualms asking my friends to send an email to Channel 7 regarding The Food Trail. :o)

Cyndy, you'll have to let us know if the DVDs are indeed the correct format to play in the US. :o)

I am definitely going to mentally and telepathically write letters to chanel 7, as I 'm not living in OZ, which of course has the advantage that I can precisely tell them what I think without having to be too polite about it :-), no worries, I won't be too overly rude either.

Next week I'm off teaching, spring break, yeah. Perfect time to try out some of your recipes Paul and invite some friends over. All of your recipes that I have tried are really delicious!!! and my friends and family agree.

Cyndy, as long as you have a multi-standard or region free DVD player, you won't have any problems, otherwise I'm not so sure that you can play the DVDs.

Greetings to you all.
Evelyn

Excellent! It's nice to know you have friends in High(land)places.

I'm looking forward to getting the DVD and will keep everyone posted if they play in the US. Part of the fun of cooking is the local character of the place & people. Sure, I could make some conch salad at home but wouldn't it be more delicious if I were on the sandy beach with the ocean lapping at my toes?

Ah, the daydreams of a wanna-be world traveler who's living on a wedding photographer's pay!

OK Paul, I'll hold off! :) Maybe the DVD sales will confirm interest to the network, especially those orders coming from outside of Australia.

As to regional DVDs, I found that while I can't play everything on my DVD (region 1) player, my computer (Mac) can play different regions.

Some DVDs come with programs on both sides, one for PAL and one for NTSC (USA).

Rather silly in this highly technical age that we still have multiple regions can can't always interchange. :(

Sending good thoughts Paul's way for new shows!!

Meloday, the multi-regions aren't so much silly as marketing. Take for instance a major film released in different countries. In the US it may have extra features not released in other countries and vice versa. Plus, I know that some films (in some versions) are not even released in some countries. So it has its purpose. Multi-region and region free players can be had for a fairly inexpensive fee (you don't have to buy a huge brand name). I don't have one, but then again I've never felt a need for one. Although it might be nice so I could play some DVDs from down under... ;o)

Thanks, Sarah. One thing I thought was clever with flamenco DVDs is that they started putting the different formats on either side of the disk so they can sell it to various markets. I don't understand why some companies feel that they should do a product a certain way for one region and not at all for the other. I know when Disney released their Zorro series in Europe, it was a far better product than what they produced for us in the States.

On Dancing with the Stars, the version in the States is gearing up and they moved it to Mondays, so I can finally see it. (It was on a class night for me previously.)

Wouldn't it be great for US and AU to have the judges kind of "guest" on the other program? I think it would be awesome for Paul to judge here in the States!! :)

Melody

Sarah/Melody,

Could be the “uptight” factor at play in the regional differences (we must be protected from those “immoral” foreign influences LOL). I too find that the “unrated” or “European” releases are usually much more FUN ;)

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Linda Pannullo from New Jersey, USA.

Hey Paul,
I wanted to tell you that my Uncle Whity (that's the only name I knew him by) used to make Moonshine!! Yeah, distilled gin. I was too young to try it before he passed away (over 20 year ago) but I was told it could have been used for rocket fuel!

Well, I have to finish getting ready for work.

Talk to ya'll soon.
Linda

P.S Love your work.

Rosie, funny, I would think the Europeans think us Yanks immoral. LOL

Welcome, Linda.

I miss DWTS. I can't remember the last time I watched TV. The joys of living in the wilds... with no TV reception... ;o)

Hello All,

I did finally receive SB and Sydney: A Story of a City from Blockbuster Online. LOVED THEM!!!!! I watched SB over and over. My hubby finally asked me to send it back so he could receive the next movie on our list. :) What fun it was to watch!!!

Paul, good luck with the network. All my best hopes in that area. Selfishly, I want you to make enough to send to other countries and then gett them on in the US. That would be worth buying cable or satelite TV access for!!!

Cindy, please do let us know how your FT DVD's work in our USA player. I would also love to buy a set.

Marian

Hi Paul and PC,

After your latest post I went to the Channel 7 website and posted something on their blog suggesting that they run more of the Food Trail. I hope it helps. And I promise to try one of your recipes soon (I'm not much of a cook so I'm hesitant to do much in the kitchen). If I don't the whole Murcurio family can give me a kick in the bum.

I like the new "Thought" by the way.

Hope all is well with you and your family and let's hope the Food Trail makes its way back to Channel 7.

Julie

Hi Paul.
Ch 7 website seems a bit remote -( more advertising and a public forum ) soooo I went to the corporate site and am trying to make up my mind whether Snail Mail would be best to be sent to their head office or to mobbs lane or do I try both ? Any suggestions ?
Cyndy - it was funny reading your post about " writing to the Victorian gov about PM" because that is the abbreviation we use for our Prime Minister ( Oz head of state ) - these two men are EXTREMELY different and I'm hoping the political one will lose his job soon !!!!!so you gave me a chuckle !!

Now " RAZZLE DAZZLE " premiere was this week ( a new film that Paul is in )
Did you go Paul ? I know it's PG but do you think 5 and 6 year olds would be okay with it ( a dancing school group basically )
Let me know the best way to get Ch 7
cheers ab