Encore Magazine articles from August 2005

Encore Magazine archives from August 2005

Editor's note.
August 1, 2005... August marks a busy month for the industry with delegates from the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA)'s annual conference and the distribution and exhibition industry's Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) all...

Roadshow sells half of VRP.(NEWS)(Crescent Film Holdings and Crescent Entertainment acquire Village Roadshow Pictures )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... LOS Angeles-based Village Roadshow Pictures (VRP), which is controlled by Australia's Village Roadshow, will undergo a restructure that will see Crescent Film Holdings and Crescent Entertainment (of which the principals include Norman Lear, Hal...

Smith to quit SPAA post.(NEWS)(appointment of Stephen F. Smith at Screen Production Association of Australia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... SCREEN Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) president Stephen F Smith will not seek re-election this year having served for three years in the office. Smith has worked along side vice president Nick McMahon, who has thrown his hat in...

Buyers circling AAV Digital Media Services.(NEWS)(Omnilab Group to purchase AAV's Digital Media Services)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... THE Omnilab Group is believed to be one of two companies looking to purchase AAV's Digital Media Services division since news broke in Encore last month that the AAV Group was looking for a buyer for the division, which includes the Digital...

Big names behind new FFC-funded projects.(star actors to act in movies financed by Film Finance Corp.)
August 1, 2005... ACTOR Eric Bana and has added his name to the list of high profile Australians signing up for local projects, having confirmed to star in Romulus, My Father funded by Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC). Bana will headline Romulus, My...

Exhibitors on admission drive.
August 1, 2005... CINEMA exhibitors are banking on a stronger line up of theatrical releases in the second half of 2005 and early 2006 to balance the decline in admissions experienced since January. According to Motion Picture Distributors Association of...

Brown accused of 'Twisted' decision making.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Dear Editor, I am writing as I have become concerned about conduct I consider to be unethical affecting the decision making process on the Bryan Brown, Newtown Films produced television series Two Twisted. Two Twisted is, if you are...

David Moore ACS 1924-2005.(OBITUARY)
August 1, 2005... A giant in the history of the Western Australian film and television industry passed away in Tasmania on Saturday July 2 at the age of 80. Through his company, Film Centre Australia, David Moore produced over 60 films and was one of Australia's...

SMPTE demos HD despite policy review: at July's SMPTE conference and exhibition HD was everywhere but the shadow of the federal government's review of its HD policy loomed large. Fiona Williams reports.
August 1, 2005... The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) biennial conference and exhibition took place at Sydney's Convention and Exhibition Centre from July 19 to 22. Official registration figures were unavailable at press time but...

SFF a winter warmer.(ROUGH CUT)
August 1, 2005... Some awesomely bad jokes and some titanically nauseous orations--in praise, as ever, of bureaucrats not film crews--opened on June 10 Lynden Barber's first Sydney Film Festival 40 minutes late and catastrophe loomed and raised its eyebrows and...

Tinseltown keeps watchful eye on Aussie newcomers.(LA INSIDER)
August 1, 2005... Australian films and new young actors continue to create a buzz in Hollywood reminiscent of the early 90s with the hits The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Muriel's Wedding. This time, it's the genre films rather than the...

First digiSPAA finalists named.(Screen Producers Association of Australia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... THE Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) has announced the finalists for its digital feature initiative to be showcased as part of SPAA Fringe in Brisbane on August 13. Finalists for digiSPAA, chosen by SPAA executive director Geoff...

Disney to close unique Sydney site.(NEWS)
August 1, 2005... IN a confirmation of tough times in the animation market and a shift from traditional techniques towards computer-generated animation, The Walt Disney Company has announced it will close down its Sydney studio in a move that will affect 250...

Overseas guests: call SPAA to 'Order'.(FEATURE: SPAA)(Screen Producers Association of Australia)
August 1, 2005... This year's annual Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) conference has seen a return to an emphasis on international guests who are "working practitioners" as opposed to marquee guests who in the past have garnered hefty mainstream...

Reiss to tell animated story of 'Simpsons' success: Mike Reiss' name is synonymous with the Simpsons. The writer/producer will talk about all things Simpsons this month as a guest of the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) conference.(FEATURE: SPAA)
August 1, 2005... Mike Reiss has many TV shows to his credit (It's Garry Shandling's Show; The Critic; Queer Duck) and is a children's book author of note. But it's for his work on The Simpsons that he's best known. His association with the animated family dates...

SPAA conference program.(Screen Producers Association of Australia)(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... saturday 13TH AUGUST 4-6pm FEATURE PRESENTATION TV/FILM: A Co-Production Knockout This session will 'de-mystify' co-productions for producers. The audience will be treated to a tournament where selected producers will vie for...

Film Finances Inc. 25 years in Australia.(Advertisement)
August 1, 2005... The scenes had been scheduled to shoot at one location for the morning, with a move to a second location for the afternoon. Straightforward enough, except for the small detail that the locations were a hundred miles apart. It was 1980 and...

Quest for finance: while the legal sector has mixed views on the current health of the film industry, finance remains the most pressing issue for lawyers. Michaela Boland reports.(FEATURE: BUSINESS)
August 1, 2005... This time last year Ian Robertson was sanguine about the film industry's immediate prospects but now he can identify several reasons for optimism. The chair of Ausfilm and head of media and entertainment law at Holding Redlich, (judged...

SPAAmart finds international footing.
August 1, 2005... SPAAmart market director Duncan Thompson reasoned that with two under the belt, the film financing market is now coming into its own. On the eve of its third showing, as a side event of the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA)...

AIMC turns 60: the 2005 Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) will showcase upcoming product, recognise excellence and address issues impacting the industry. David Hull reports.(FEATURE: AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION)
August 1, 2005... The industry's ongoing battle against film piracy is again an issue of high-priority at this year's AIMC. The Convention, celebrating its 60th anniversary, will kick off on August 15 with a seminar covering the latest developments relating to...

Movie Convention 05.(FEATURE: AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION)
August 1, 2005... ROYAL PINES RESORT, QUEENSLAND AUGUST 10-14 Exhibitors list_05 ATLAB IMAGE & SOUND TECHNOLOGY-30, 31 Atlab Image & Sound Technology Unit 5/151 Granite Street GEEBUNG QLD 4034 ben.wilson@atlab.com.au Phone: 07...

Agenda_05.(FEATURE: AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION)(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... MONDAY 15TH AUGUST 10am Registration office open All day Trade show set up and open 3.30-4.30pm Piracy update in Marquis Room, Royal Benowa Ballroom 7.00-8.00pm Welcome drinks in royal Benowa Ballroom Foyer...

Distribution frenzy: with a clutch of new independent distributors entering the marketplace and delivering a greater number of films to Australian audiences, competition for screens is fiercer than ever. David Hull talked slates with the heads of Australia's theatrical distributors.
August 1, 2005... ACCENT FILM ENTERTAINMENT Marketing and acquisitions manager Dean O'Flaherty said Accent is looking to expand its theatrical distribution activities to a rough figure of eight films per year but will retain its focus on a young art house...

Films and games classified the same: converging technology has prompted a unified approach to film and games classification.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In what's being deemed a world first, computer games and films will use the same system of classification markings, a standardisation aimed to assist across the board age-appropriate usage. According to the head of the Office of Film and...

Police on board ... now for Joe public: consumer behaviour is the prime target in the ongoing fight against film piracy. David Hull reports.(FEATURE: AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION)
August 1, 2005... Although significant strides have been made in the fight against the various forms of film piracy in the past year or so, these crimes remain a thorn in the side of exhibitors and distributors alike. The efforts of anti-piracy body the...

Production report.(movies and television programs)
August 1, 2005... ENCORE's production report includes all known features and television drama and non-drama television programs which have a network presale. Projects in the planning stage appear once only and the listing ends when a project goes into post...

Industry socialises at SMPTE: the broadcast sector was out in force as the SMPTE 2005 exhibition and conference took place in Sydney from July 19-22.(PEOPLE)
August 1, 2005... 1. (l-to-r) Regional sales manager for Codan Broadcast, Brett Smith, with IDC Systems' Declan Coleman, Broadcast Consultants Asia Pacific's Greer Kemp and Sky News' Blake Heaton. 2. Videocraft's NSW branch manager Andy Liell caught up with...

Film Australia toasts Vietnam doco: Film Australia hosted a post-screening party for Vietnam Symphony after its world premiere in Melbourne on July 23.
August 1, 2005... 1. AFC director of Film Development Carole Sklan (l), with Film Australia board member Sue Murray. 2. Bangladesh's Dhaka International Film Festival Director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal (l) with Hawaii International Film Festival executive director...

Cutting edge launches Sydney premises: cutting edge held a launch party for its Sydney facility at circular quay's cruise bar on July 13.(PEOPLE)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... 1. (l-to-r) DOP Tim McGahan with Taxi Film director David Barker and Hoodlum Entertainment's Nathan Mayfield. 2. Executive producer at Capitol Productions Donna Svanberg (l) chatted with freelance producer Sacha Hodgson. 3. Ausfilm colleagues...

Cinema.(AUDIENCE)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... International box office australian box office [week ending: july 22, 2005] This Last % week week Film (Distributor) Weeks Total $ Change 1 (-)...

DVD rentals.(AUDIENCE)
August 1, 2005... DVD rentals [week ending: july 17, 2005] This Last Week Week Film (Distributor) 1 (1) Million Dollar Baby (Roadshow Entertainment) 2 (-) Are We There Yet? (Columbia Tristar) 3 (-) Friday Night Lights...

Calendar.(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... SIGGRAPH August 2-4, LA US www.siggraph.org SPAA Fringe (incl. DigiSPAA) August 11-13, Brisbane www.spaa.org.au/fringe_2005 Angry Film Festival (entry deadline) August 12 www.angryproductions.org...

Video rentals.(AUDIENCE)
August 1, 2005... Video rentals [week ending: july 17, 2005] This Last Week Week Film (Distributor) 1 (1) Million Dollar Baby (Roadshow) 2 (-) Are We There Yet? (Columbia) 3 (2) Hide And Seek (20th Century Fox) 4 (3)...

Terror on and behind the box: well connected industry columnist Harvey Shore keeps his ear close to the ground for the latest gossip doing the rounds at the major broadcasters.(HARVEY'S HEARSAY)
August 1, 2005... Barely a month after terrorists bombed London, two local production companies are actively developing telemovies based on that dramatic event. Both companies have UK affiliates, and insiders tell me co-productions are already arranged. The...