George Miller Lunchtime Lecture
Dr George Miller speaking with Kim McKay for the Lunchtime Lecture series Image: Nick Langley
© Australian Museum

Australian film legend George Miller traces his multi-award winning engagement with film to the ritual Saturday matinee in his hometown of Chinchilla, Queensland. After a stint at medical school he became a filmmaker, going on to create the Acadamy Award-winning Mad Max, Babe and Happy Feet series among many others.

In this intimate talk, George discusses his early life and career, and reveals some amazing facts about his films, such as how his wife, editor Margaret Sixel, had to edit 480 hours of footage for Mad Max: Fury Road down to just two.

He also speaks about his own creativity and process.


I’m probably mostly right-brained – seeing things holistically and in patterns. With the benefit of medical school I was lucky enough to exercise the left side of my brain. I noticed in there that you needed a very convergent view of the world, basically paying attention to detail, but I had a very divergent view of the world and saw things broadly, looked for patterns. [Because of medical school] when I’m working I’m able to get very granular and specific on detail almost to the point of driving everyone around me crazy.



This installment of Lunchtime Lecture Series took place at 1pm, Tuesday 4 September in the Hallstrom Theatre at the Australian Museum.

Lunctime Lecture Series: Australians Shaping the Nation is a series of talks with distinguished Australians who are shaping the nation across science, sport and the arts. This year's speakers were drawn from our 200 Treasures in the Westpac Long Gallery. The series will return in early 2019.