Max Bannah papers

Autobiographical account focusing on Max Bannah's animation career.

Autobiographical account focusing on Max Bannah's early life, in particular the year 1954 during which Max lived with an Aunt in Sydney due to his ill health. During this year Max’s father Maurice sent him regular letters illustrated with cartoon characters. This manuscript reproduces and discusses these letters. The letters are contained in the letterbook in this collection (31965/4)

Autobiographical account focusing on the two childhood years Max Bannah spent living with his grandparents on the central Queensland coast due to ill health.

Video compilation of television commercials, short films, commissioned films, and program openers produced by Max Bannah Animation.

Available online at the State Library of Queensland for onsite users only.

Letter book containing original letters sent to Max by his father Maurice Bannah in 1954. During this time Max was living with an Aunt in Sydney due to his ill health and his father sent him regular letters illustrated with cartoon characters. The letter book also includes one letter from Max's grandfather and illustration by Max. 

Material relating to the animated film "Would I lie?":

• Letter from Susie Campbell of the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) with a short biography of Max Bannah attached, 1993.
• Agreement between Max Bannah and the ACTF regarding the production of the film, 1994.
• ACTF document providing background information about the "Lift Off" project, undated.
• Script of the final draft (text only), 1994.
• Spiral bound black and white copy of the storyboard, 1994.

Material relating to the animated film "Winging it":

• Coloured video cassette cover for the film.
• Colour and black and white original drawings and copies of drawings.
• Copies of scripts.  One has a cover with coloured illustrations and contains some black and white iillustrations.  Two are annotated with pen and/or highlighter.
• Letter from Don Featherstone of the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) to Max Bannah regarding the NFSA's use of his films "Winging it" and two others on their website, 2008.
• Coloured negatives.

Material relating to the animated film "Snookle":

• Correspondence and agreements.
• Scripts.
• Black and white copy of the storyboard.
• Booklet explaining the "Lift Off" project.
• Correspondence and invitation associated with the 1993 Annecy Festival.

Material relating to a potential animated film "From the pantry : an oral history":

• Correspondence from the Australian Film Commission to Max Bannah, 2000.
• Sheet outlining project guidelines.
• Various typed and handwritten recipes accompanied by illustrations.
• Project application, 2000.
• Scripts containing text and coloured illustrations.

Material relating to the animated film "Cancer: Captain B sails the 'C'":

• Negatives and black and white photographs of scenes from the film.
• Correspondence, reviews and ephemera.
• Project application.
• Agreement between the Queensland Film Corporation (QFC) and Max Bannah.

Material relating to an update to the 1980's "Slip! Slop! Slap!'" campaign:

• 3 CDs.
• Coloured photographs.
• Black and white storyboards for a TV commercial.  One is a copy and is preceded by copies of various coloured drawings.
• Black and white animation drawings.

Material relating to the book "Bulldog George", a book written and illustrated by Max Bannah:

• Correspondence and publishing agreement, 1991-1994.
• Published book, 1994.

Original coloured drawings used to illustrate an Inkahoots project for the Family Planning Association Queensland relating to women's periods.

Material relating to illustrations in the serial "Different Drum Magazine":

• Original and copies of drawings, mostly coloured.
• Correspondence relating to the decision to cease the publication of "Different Drum."
• Notes.

Material relating to illustrations used to promote "Megatoy Play Systems":

• Black and white copies of drawings.
• Megatoy Play Systems booklets containing colour illustrations by Max Bannah, 1997 and 1998.

Teaching notes and exercises for Griffith University Arts Workshops held in 1993.  They are mostly in pencil and contain both text and drawings.

Material relating to illustrations used to promote World Expo 88:

• Scripts for the World Expo 1988 storybook.  One is supplemented with blue pen illustrations.
• Correspondence, 1987-1988
• Copies of the platypus Expo 1988 mascot designed by Disney.

Material relating to the promotion of the Brisbane International Film Festival:

• Printed script.
• Coloured copy of the storyboard.

Material relating to cartoon illustrations used to promote the Brisbane Animation Festival:

• Pencil drawings, 1996?
• Program and ephemera for the 2nd Brisbane Animation Festival held in 1998.

Material relating to the promotion of Carlton and United Breweries "Fosters Lager":

• Black and white pencil and pen drawings and a collage containing a beer can.
• Fosters ephemera containing Max Bannah's Blue and Son characters etc.

Material relating to a TV commercial produced for the Sunday Sun Classifieds:

• Script
• Storyboards
• Notes related to the production of the animated commercial.

Material relating to a TV commercial "Mr Red Face"  produced for Queensland Road Safety:

• Script.
• Coloured copies of storyboards.
• Coloured animation drawings.
• Notes related to production of the animated segment.

Material relating to a TV commercial/s and ephemera produced for Mitre 10:

• Correspondence, 1988.
• Mitre 10 plastic bags and brochures featuring Max Bannah's artwork, 1988 and 1991.
• Copies of black and white storyboards.
• Photographs of the Mitre 10 logo.
• Black and white copies of drawings.
• Animation drawings.

Booklet containing pencil sketches to support the animation of plasticene characters for a Golden Circle TV commercial, 1992.

Material relating to cartoon illustrations for a variety of projects:

• Illustrations
  • Bundaberg Markets sign.
    • Coloured original artwork.
    • Black and white copies of artwork including correspondence, ca. 1990.
  • Sujada Clothing.
    • Copies of artwork including the company logo.
  • Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union.
    • Copy of cover illustrations including correspondence for their serial publication Focus on Queensland. 
    • September 1991 issue.
  • Children's Leukaemia and Cancer Society.
    • Correspondence and ephemera containing illustrations for the July 1983 issue of their newsletter.
    • July 1983 issue.
  • Copies of artwork for Pepe Capsicums.
  • Copies of artwork for Family Planning Queensland.
• Storyboards for promotional projects for:
  • TAB.
  • QANTAS.
  • Brisbane International Animation Festival.
  • La Famiglia Fine Foods.
  • Dr Spots.
  • Sunny Queen Egg Farms.
  • Herron Goanna Arthritis Cream.
  • Eagle Boys.
  • Tumese.
  • Northern Pernament Building Society.
  • Regal Bakeries.

Sketches, design work and original artwork for unidentified projects.

Selected animation drawings related to a short film "A dream of Ibis" to be screened in the Hinkler Hall of Aviation, Bundaberg.

Selected animation drawings related to exercises used in teaching animation taught by Max Bannah.

Selected animation drawings relating to a commercial for Telecom's STD calls.

Selected animation drawings related to the animated film "Winging it".

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the 30 sec. TV commercial "Prints Charming" for One Hour Colour Prints, 1984.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the Queensland Mitre 10 "Nails"  character used in the TV commercial "I love Saturday morning at Mitre 10", 1988.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Additional drawings related to the commercial are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for PGH Bricks, 1988.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels and paper backgrounds are also included.

Item 57 also contains material relating to PGH Bricks which may or may not be for the same commercial contained in this item.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for Miser Stores, 1985?  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for TV commercials for 4BK featuring the 4BK Bear, 1979 and 1981?  Includes frames featuring the chorus line girls in the 4BK "Feeling Good" 1979 TV commercial.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels featuring the "Shinny Carlton" character for Carlton United Breweries North Queensland Lager Retail TV commercials, 1977. The paper used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Item 51 also contains material relating to "Shinny Carlton" which may or may not be for the same advertisement contained in this item.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for Newspower Newsagents, 1985. Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cel for the illustration on Peters Ice Cream's "Original Vanilla" ice cream tub. 

A copy of the completed label for "Original  Vanilla" ice cream tub is also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the "Some too small, some too big" TV commercial for Rover Mowers, 1986? Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for an Isuzu Lu cinema commercial for New Guinea Motors, 1980.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the end tag of a TV commercial for Queensland Rugby, 1985.

Also included is a print of one of the painted cels.

Coloured rotoscoped frames on paper for a Stefan hair Salon TV commercial that was not produced, 1978.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the "We'll show you the stars" commercial for Channel 9 Brisbane, 1981.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for John Gardner Carpets, 1979.

Paper drawings (some coloured) for the Max Bannah Animation Countdown Leader, 1990.

Also included are coloured painted acetate animation cels for the leader and paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels.

Acetate animation cels with the Pauls ribbon glued to them for a TV commercial for Pauls, 1980 (end tag).  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for TV commercials for Carlton United Breweries Fosters Lager featuring Blue and Son, 1982-1985?.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for FAB Detergent (Malaysia), 1987.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the TV commercial "4BK Bear Surfing" for 4BK, 1980.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the "Pat Malone" Max Bannah animation mascot, 1976.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels featuring the "Shinny Carlton" character for Carlton United Breweries North Queensland Lager Retail TV commercials, 1977.

Item 36 also contains material relating to "Shinny Carlton" which may or may not be for the same advertisement contained in this item.

Acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for Mitre 10 in N.S.W., 1990.  Includes the "Nails" character revised for a Sydney audience.  The cels contain black outlines with the adjoining paper containing colour drawings "colouring in" the black outlines on the cels.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the 30 sec. "4BK bear in concert" TV commercial for 4BK, 1981.

Acetate animation cels (mainly black) for the "Waddaweneed?" Mortein TV commercial, 1983.  Paper drawings which were photocopied onto cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the "It's a jungle out there" TV commercial for Ray White Real Estate, 1985.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the 30 sec. "Dr Pop" TV commercial for Peters Ice Cream, 1987.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for PGH Bricks, 1985.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Item 33 also contains material relating to PGH Bricks which may or may not be for the same commercial described in this item.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels of a marching band from a TV commercial for Datsun Retail, 1978.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for a TV commercial for Mazda Retail, 1986.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the the short film "One man's instrument", 1990.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the the short film "Captain Bill sails the "C", 1985.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels and backgrounds are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the the short film "The lone sailor, 1984.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the the short film "Bird brain, 1983.  Paper drawings used to assist the painting of the cels are also included.

A black and white copy of the storyboard is also included.

Coloured painted acetate animation cels for the the short film "Violet and Brutal, 1982.

Predominantly coloured drawings with some acetate cels.

Predominantly coloured drawings with some acetate cels.

Folio containing original artwork, sketches, caricatures, clippings, ephemera, business cards and correspondence.

This item contains:

• Original illustrated picture book in a spiral bound sketch pad.
• Original drawing of the Taringa River Soccer Club located behind the back cover of the picture book.

Spiral bound facsimile of a children's book written and illustrated by Max Bannah.  The book contains black and white illustrations.

Two copies of the published second series of "Isuzu Lu" cartoons titled "The adventures of 'Isuzu Lu' drawn by artist Bob Browne for the Port Moresby Post-Courier.  One copy is spiral bound, one stapled.

Miscellaneous publications featuring the art of Max Bannah including:

• Monograph "Monster Magic" by Cecily Matthews, 1996.
• Booklet "Within reach : a resource for parents about sexuality and young people in adolescent years", by Family Planning Queensland.
• Monograph "All-media guide to fair and cross-cultural reporting : for journalists, program makers and media students", by Stephen Stockwell and Paul Scott, 2000.
• Mitre 10 brochure, 1991
• Royal Australian Air Force Diamond Jubilee Air Display Souvenir Program, 1981.
• Issue of the serial "4BK Feature".
• Queensland Rail brochure.
• Brochure for the 2nd Brisbane Animation Festival, October 22-25, 1998.

Printed ephemera featuring the art of Max Bannah for a variety of companies and organisations including but not limited to:

• Sunny Queen Eggs
• Family Planning Queensland
• Toadshow
• Queensland Dairy Industry Authority
• 4BK

Promotional posters and large ephemera featuring artwork by Max Bannah.

Copies of a promotional comic strip for Queensland Rugby Union featuring the mascot "Scrummer", 1983.

Five books detailing the various business transactions of Max Bannah Animations July 1981 - July 1992.  This item also includes an Australian Taxation Office Summary sheet containing wage totals for employees in the 1988-1989 financial year.

Copyright issues relating to a variety of projects.

Paper and invoice forms containing the Max Bannah Animation letterhead.

Contracts and related correspondence to a variety of projects including:

• HA! HA! HA!, 1999.
• One man's instrument, 1990-1994.
• Bad by Design, 1993.
• Violet and Brutal, 1990.
• Bird brain, 1990.

Other material such as:

• Information about the Export Incentives "Export Market Development Scheme", 1992.
• Business name renewal application form, 1992.
• Other correspondence.

This item includes mainly correspondence, notes, clippings and ephemera.  The majority of the material relates to various Max Bannah Animation activities.  Also included is other material unrelated to the company's activities.

Max Bannah Animation business stamp containing the company name and logo.

Mainly clippings, interviews and biographies relating to Max Bannah and his work.

Ephemera and programs for galleries, festivals and events featuring the work of Max Bannah.

Miscellaneous correspondence, invitations and greetings cards, both personal and business related.

Correspondence, photographs and papers relating to Max Bannah's time studying at the London Film School.

Posters and ephemera relating to Faculty of Architecture events and other university events Max Bannah was involved with while enrolled at the University of Queensland.

Miscellaneous papers including:

• University correspondence.
• References.
• Agreements.
• List of Australian advertising agencies and their staff.
• Speech relating to the World Festival of Animated Films Life Achievement Award given to the animator Caroline Leaf.
• Report/speech on a visit to the Bannahs by Estonian animator/s.

"Winging it" animated film (sound only).

Sound only.

30 sec. 4BK TV commercial featuring the 4BK Bear, 1981.

30 sec. 4BK TV commercial featuring the 4BK Bear, 1981 (sound only).

Isuzu Lu cinema commercial for New Guinea Motors, Papua New Guinea, 1980 (sound only).

Interview of Max Bannah on ABC TV for the program "Weekend Magazine".

A TV commercial for Brisbane City Council Buses (one film reel is 30 sec. long, the other is undetermined).

TV commercial featuring the "Shinny Carlton" character for Carlton United Breweries North Queensland Lager Retail, 1977.  Comprises of several short ads spliced together.  Includes scenes depicting 'zip top Victoria Bitters etc.'

Writing on cannister: 5No C.U.B Nth Qld  SHINNY + MR MACKAY.

TV commercial for Cut Price Stores, 1976.

Audiotape containing the narration to the animated film "Winging it".

Audiotape containing the narration to the animated film "Winging it".

Audiotape containing the M&E mix to the animated film "Winging it".

Audiotape containing the full mix to the animated film "Winging it".