Kimble Rendall(1957-2025)
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Director/Writer Kimble's passions are film and music. His entrée into
the world of film began with an 8mm camera, writing and directing his
own short films at school.
He gained a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Mass Media (Film Major). He then trained at the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to become a film editor. He worked for the BBC in London and for the four major television networks in Australia, editing documentaries, current affairs and drama. As a freelance editor he cut low budget features and documentaries including "My Survival as an Aboriginal", winner of the Rouben Mammoulian Award at the Sydney Film Festival. For two years Kimble took acting classes under acclaimed Australian theatre directors John Bell, Richard Wherrett and Ken Horler at the Nimrod Theatre. During this era, Kimble met some friends with a similar interest in music. They formed a band, "The XL Capris" which gained minor notoriety in Australia. Two members went on to write a successful TV show called "Sweet and Sour" based on this band's exploits. With Dave Faulkner, Rodney Radalj and James Baker he formed "The Hoodoo Gurus", now considered Australian rock and roll royalty. This band achieved major success and has a large following around the world. In 2007, all band members were admitted into the Aria Hall of Fame.
An experimental video made in 1980 was selected to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale. In 1984 he started directing music videos, winning numerous local and international awards. He was voted (Rolling Stone Magazine) Australia's top music video director and was the first director to win an international award for a music video. He ran his own music video production company for three years as well as directing second unit on a number of mini series. He joined animation/live action company Filmgraphics to direct TV commercials. In 1994 he established Flat Rock Pictures. As well as commercials the company has produced three short films and is developing a number of features. Kimble has won all the major awards in advertising including the Cannes Lion. He first came to international recognition when his short film Hayride to Hell was selected to screen at the Telluride Film Festival as part of "Filmmakers of Tomorrow".
Kimble directed the feature "Cut" released March 2000. A horror film starring Molly Ringwald (Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink) and featuring Kylie Minogue. Produced by Mushroom Pictures and Beyond Films, it was sold to all markets in the world. It opened in France and Hong Kong at number two at the box office being the second highest opening behind Strictly Ballroom. TV work includes directing a comedy series "The Jesters" for Fox/Showtime and documentaries such as "Counting the Beat", the story of Mushroom records.
He was second unit Director on the Matrix sequels Reloaded and Revolutions and the interactive game Enter the Matrix, I Robot, Casanova, Ghost Rider, Underworld:Rise of the Lycans, Knowing, Killer Elite and Gods of Eygypt. In 2011 he directed Bait 3D, Australia's first 3D horror movie and first Australia/Singapore/China co-production. Bait 3D premiered at the Venice Film Festival and opened at #1 in China breaking all records for an independent film. It was Australia's most commercially successful film for 2012. Gross worldwide is 45 million.
In 2016 Kimble wrote and directed Guardians of The Tomb, the largest Australian/China co-production to date, filmed in Queensland, Australia and the Gobi desert China. Starring Li Bingbing, Kellan Lutz, Wu Chun and Kelsey Grammer. The film opened in China at number four and has been sold around the world. It's Australia's highest grossing film internationally for 2017/8.
He gained a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Mass Media (Film Major). He then trained at the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to become a film editor. He worked for the BBC in London and for the four major television networks in Australia, editing documentaries, current affairs and drama. As a freelance editor he cut low budget features and documentaries including "My Survival as an Aboriginal", winner of the Rouben Mammoulian Award at the Sydney Film Festival. For two years Kimble took acting classes under acclaimed Australian theatre directors John Bell, Richard Wherrett and Ken Horler at the Nimrod Theatre. During this era, Kimble met some friends with a similar interest in music. They formed a band, "The XL Capris" which gained minor notoriety in Australia. Two members went on to write a successful TV show called "Sweet and Sour" based on this band's exploits. With Dave Faulkner, Rodney Radalj and James Baker he formed "The Hoodoo Gurus", now considered Australian rock and roll royalty. This band achieved major success and has a large following around the world. In 2007, all band members were admitted into the Aria Hall of Fame.
An experimental video made in 1980 was selected to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale. In 1984 he started directing music videos, winning numerous local and international awards. He was voted (Rolling Stone Magazine) Australia's top music video director and was the first director to win an international award for a music video. He ran his own music video production company for three years as well as directing second unit on a number of mini series. He joined animation/live action company Filmgraphics to direct TV commercials. In 1994 he established Flat Rock Pictures. As well as commercials the company has produced three short films and is developing a number of features. Kimble has won all the major awards in advertising including the Cannes Lion. He first came to international recognition when his short film Hayride to Hell was selected to screen at the Telluride Film Festival as part of "Filmmakers of Tomorrow".
Kimble directed the feature "Cut" released March 2000. A horror film starring Molly Ringwald (Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink) and featuring Kylie Minogue. Produced by Mushroom Pictures and Beyond Films, it was sold to all markets in the world. It opened in France and Hong Kong at number two at the box office being the second highest opening behind Strictly Ballroom. TV work includes directing a comedy series "The Jesters" for Fox/Showtime and documentaries such as "Counting the Beat", the story of Mushroom records.
He was second unit Director on the Matrix sequels Reloaded and Revolutions and the interactive game Enter the Matrix, I Robot, Casanova, Ghost Rider, Underworld:Rise of the Lycans, Knowing, Killer Elite and Gods of Eygypt. In 2011 he directed Bait 3D, Australia's first 3D horror movie and first Australia/Singapore/China co-production. Bait 3D premiered at the Venice Film Festival and opened at #1 in China breaking all records for an independent film. It was Australia's most commercially successful film for 2012. Gross worldwide is 45 million.
In 2016 Kimble wrote and directed Guardians of The Tomb, the largest Australian/China co-production to date, filmed in Queensland, Australia and the Gobi desert China. Starring Li Bingbing, Kellan Lutz, Wu Chun and Kelsey Grammer. The film opened in China at number four and has been sold around the world. It's Australia's highest grossing film internationally for 2017/8.
