Encore Magazine articles from August 2007

Encore Magazine archives from August 2007

Time to get serious about Digital Cinema: the inevitable conversion of Australia's exhibitors to full-DCI specification Digital Cinema will require a delicate process of negotiation and above all else, quality content.(Editorial)
August 1, 2007... IT'S AUGUST ALREADY, SO THAT MEANS IT'S TIME TO HEAD north for the Austral an International Movie Convention (AIMC). Encore is the event's official magazine and inside this issue you'll find the official program to the distribution and...

Union and 'Pacific' united on crew: fears the producers of the Pacific could look to exploit Australia's ir confusion proved to be unfounded. Peter Galvin reports.(INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS)(First Division Productions and Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance under contract)
August 1, 2007... AFTER LENGTHY NEGOTIATIONS, FIRST Division Productions, the company producing HBO's mini-series The Pacific, and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) finally reached agreement on below-the-line crew fees and conditions ahead of the...

'Black Water' makes a splash overseas: low-budget horror film Black Water will appear on the opening night of the 2007.(DISTRIBUTION)
August 1, 2007... FrightFest Film Festival in the UK, which kicks off on August 23. Black Water, which shares a double bill at FrightFest with New Zealand project Black Sheep, has also screened at this year's International Festival for Science Fiction, Horror...

Beresford giveaway: encore has five copies of Bruce Beresford's new book Josh.(GIVEAWAY)
August 1, 2007... Hartnett Definitely Wants To do This... True Stories From A Life In The Screen Trade to giveaway courtesy of Harper Collins. To win, simply be one of the first five readers to email encore@reedbusiness.com.au with the titles of three features...

Sarfaty quits Dendy post: Dendy cinemas head mark sarfaty resigned from his position last month in the wake of parent company becker's sale to prime TV. Peter Galvin reports.(PEOPLE)(Dendy Cinemas)
August 1, 2007... MARK SARFATY ANNOUNCED HIS resignation as head of Dendy Cinemas on July 4 after seven years in the role, telling Encore that he was "not going onto another job offer" and was "keeping his options open". However, Sarfaty, who is a co-president...

Woods to head up MIFF film fund.(PEOPLE)(Melbourne international Film Festival)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... EX-AUSFILM CEO MARK WOODS WILL HEAD UP THE NEW MELBOURNE international Film Festival (MIFF) Investment Fund as manager, Victorian Minister for Innovation John Brumby announced at MIFF's new film market 37 South: Bridging the Gap. The MIFF...

SPAA 2007 secures BBC Worldwide's Garvie.(IN BRIEF)(Screen Producers Association of Australia)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... BBC Worldwide director of content and production Wayne Garvie will be a key international speaker at the annual Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) Conference, which will take place from November 13 to 16 on the Gold Coast Garvie...

Omnilab appoints Whealy and Moody.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Omnilab Media has appointed Jason Moody to the position of commercial director, while manager, Legal Counsel and Business Affairs, David Whealy joins on a full-time basis, in moves to strengthen the company's content development, sales and...

Bernard leaves PFTC to return to radio.(IN BRIEF)(Pacific Film and Television Commission)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Pacific Film and Television Commission (PFTC) senior media officer Alex Bernard left the state agency in July to return to a career in radio. Bernard, who was an evening presenter on 612 ABC until September 2005, landed a new gig in commercial...

Haraldson joins AFTRS marketing dept.(IN BRIEF)(Australian Film Television and Radio School)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Nicole Haraldson has joined the Australian Film Television and Radio School's Marketing & Development Department as media and marketing officer. The new position is an expanded form of the previous media manager role and Haraldson began her new...

Publicist Zipser quits Palace Films.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Palace Films marketing manager Rebecca Zipser has quit her post after more than three years. She did not confirm what her next move would be other than that she would be travelling overseas for a month. Prior to joining Palace, Zipser worked in...

Dover to head up ABC overseas service.(IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2007... The ABC has appointed Bruce Dover as the chief executive of Australia Network, the public broadcaster's international television service to Asia, the Pacific and the Indian sub-continent. An experienced journalist, editor and business...

Campion and Chapman team up for 'Bright Star': in a period of frenetic activity in government financing circles, a new Jane Campion project heads the list of film and TV projects funded through the FFC.(FINANCE)(Film Finance Corporation)(Jane Campion)(Jan Chapman)
August 1, 2007... THE FILM FINANCE CORPORATION Australia (FFC) approved funding for five features at its July board meeting; most notably, Jane Campion will reunite with her producing partner, Jan Chapman, on an Australian-UK co-production called Bright Star....

'Dwights' starts strong in US.(DISTRIBUTION)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... INTRODUCING THE DWIGHTS, CHERIE NOWLAN'S FEATURE FILM - BETTER known locally as Clubland - registered the sixth-highest screen average when it opened in Los Angeles and New York for the July 4 long weekend. The film, which stars Brenda Blethyn...

Fringe lured by FTO backing.(CONFERENCE)(Screen Producers Association of Australia)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... THE SCREEN PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA'S (SPAA ) FRINGE Conference will be held in Sydney in October, after having been based in Brisbane for the last three years. The main SPAA Conference will remain in Queensland, where it will be...

Farewell to a genre trailblazer: Filmmaker Richard Franklin was an unorthodox but crucial contributor to the renaissance of Australian feature film in 1970s and 1980s. Peter Galvin pays tribute to his friend.(Obituary)
August 1, 2007... DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER RICHARD FRANKLIN DIED ON Wednesday July 11 just four days short of his 59th birthday, from prostrate cancer. Recently interviewed for Mark Hartley's forth-coming documentary feature Not Quite Hollywood, which offers an...

The power of great performance: two doyennes of the acting world provide a rare treat for film lovers, as does the documentation of a rock star's transition into a Christlike campaigner for free speech.(REVIEW)
August 1, 2007... THIS MONTH: BOB ELLIS REVIEWS EVENING (DIRECTOR LAJOS KOLTAI, PRODUCER JEFF SHARP; STARRING MERYL STREEP, VANESSA REDGRAVE, CLAIRE DANES, NATASHA RICHARDSON, PATRICK WILSON AND GLENN CLOSE) AND THE US VS JOHN LENNON (DIRECTOR/PRODUCERS...

'Starter wife' director sold on old: Tracey Vieira (nee montgomery) speaks to the director and executive producer of emmy-nominated mini-series the starter wife about his experiences shooting the project in queensland.(LOCATIONS)
August 1, 2007... VETERAN FILMMAKER JON AVNET RECENTLY SERVED as director and executive producer for The Starter Wife, the highly successful American cable mini-series starring Debra Messing (Will & Grace), which shot on Queensland's Gold Coast. In talking about...

A hot summer but Spanish films out in the cold: Australian audiences aren't the only ones reluctant to embrace local content; Spanish films are struggling to connect with their local filmgoers. Julian Newby reports.(LOCAL CONTENT)
August 1, 2007... AS SOUTHERN EUROPE'S SUMMER HOTS UP, AND unseasonably strong winds give way to the more familiar 40-degree daytime temperatures, so people look more to pools and beaches and less to theatres and cinemas to cool down and fill their leisure time....

Striking the right balance: screen producers association of Australia executive director Geoff Brown delves into the intricacies and uncertainties of the government's proposed producer rebate.(REBATE)
August 1, 2007... THERE'S BEEN MUCH SPECULATION AND ANXIETY IN the industry as discussion of the Producer Rebate hots up, and as is usual in complicated matters like these, the devil is in the detail. Much of the debate has centred on the role and function...

Weddings, parties, anything: a run-of-the-mill filmmaker with delusions of grandeur lies at the heart of an eight-part series made for the movie network. Peter Galvin went on set. photos by Mark Rogers.(CHANDON PICTURES)
August 1, 2007... IN CHANDON PICTURES, AN EIGHT-PART HALF-HOUR COMEDY SERIES produced by Shadowfax TV for the Movie Network, actor Rob Carlton plays Tom Chandon, filmmaker. To use the brutal parlance of the film and TV industry, Tom is a character that is...

Message from the premier of Queensland.
August 1, 2007... I am delighted to welcome delegates attending the 62nd Australian International Movie Convention to Queensland. This convention brings some of the best films to Australian screens. It's also part of Queensland's unique mix of film industry...

AIMC gets a makeover: organisers of this year's movie convention are building towards the creation of a slicker and more dynamic event that has greater appeal both locally and overseas. David Hull and Fiona Williams report.(PREVIEW)
August 1, 2007... ORGANISERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE Convention (AIMC) are making a concerted effort to boost the profile of an event which has struggled to bridge the gap between finding a foothold in the global cinema marketplace and maintaining...

At a Glance: Your guide to AIMC 2007.(PREVIEW)(Australian International Movie Convention)
August 1, 2007... Celebrating 62 years and attracting record numbers of delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the United States and Europe the 2007 Annual Australian International Movie Convention is the most prestigious and longest running Australian...

Exhibitors list.(PREVIEW)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Visit the Australian International Movie Convention's trade show (located in the Royal Benowa foyer) to catch up on some of the latest developments in technology and cinema equipment, as well as meet with merchandisers, distributors and other...

Distributors looking in their own backyard: after years of paying lip service to the importance of local content it seems many of the big name distributors are finally looking to put their money where their mouth is. Fiona Williams reports.(DISTRIBUTION)
August 1, 2007... AUSTRALIAN CONTENT SEEMS MUCH ON THE MIND OF LOCAL distributors. Many of the majors are talking the talk like never before, and are adamant they will put their money where their mouth is for the right project. Take the recent split of...

Waging war on pirates: Tracey Prisk spoke to Australia's anti-piracy campaigner Adrianne Pecotic to get the lowdown on the industry's renewed drive to educate the public about the far-reaching consequences of film piracy.(PIRACY)
August 1, 2007... GEORGE MILLER, PHIL NOYCE, ALAN FLETCHER AND MARGARET Pomeranz have all agreed to lend their voices to a new campaign which is designed to send a message to Australians that film piracy is not harmless and has real consequences. Miller...

The truth most of us are too polite to mention: leading comedy writer Steve Kaplan is heading down under this month to host workshops aimed at uncovering the inner workings of the genre. By Tracey Prisk.(Script)
August 1, 2007... AMERICAN COMIC WRITER/COACH STEVE KAPLAN plans to help local producers work on their laugh lines and "look at their own writing and their own work in a new way" through a series of seminars he's running in Sydney and Melbourne this month....

Beresford to direct 'Last Dancer'.(li cunxin's autobiography going to be a movie)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Bruce Beresford has signed on to direct the adaptation of Li Cunxin's memoir Mao's Last Dancer. The film shoot will span locations in China, Australia and the US when it gets underway in February 2008. Mao's Last Dancer takes place in the wake...

Discovery selects four docos for funding.
August 1, 2007... The Discovery Channel has awarded letters of intent for co-production funds to four documentary projects as part of its Ignite initiative. They are: Maryella Hatfield's The Future Makers (ecological solutions to global warming inspired by...

Six national interest docos get backing.(documentary series )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Film Australia has commissioned six new documentary series under its National Interest and Making History strands. The films include a new investigation into the disappearance of former Prime Minister Harold Holt, as well as a doco on Sir...

NZ brings incentives into line with OZ.(New Zealand follows Australia)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... New Zealand has followed the Australian Federal Government's lead by announcing substantial reform to its tax incentive offering. The review comes following extensive consultation with the NZ screen sector. The Large Budget Screen Production...

FFC to factor Rebate into 2007/08 decisions.(Film Finance Corporation Australia )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) has adopted a co- investment strategy for the rest of 2007/08, administered according to its current investment guidelines. In a background paper released on July 4, the FFC advised that it saw little...

Classic tale of hedonism re-located to Melbourne: Peter Galvin gets the inside story on Richard Wolstencraft's adaptation of f Scott Fitzgerald's the beautiful and damned.(Shoot)
August 1, 2007... RICHARD WOLSTENCROFT, FILMMAKER AND director of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival, is currently in post production on a "Dogma-style" adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 novel The Beautiful and Damned. The cast includes Ross...

SBS observational series celebrates teachers: a sydney documentary duo has followed up their one-off film footy chicks with a series that enters the realm of the profession all kids love to hate. by Peter Galvin.(Sync)
August 1, 2007... THE PREMISE OF A NEW FOUR-PART HALF-HOUR documentary series produced by Sydney-based Red Ithaca Productions is that, all of us, at one time or another has had their lives bettered by a great teacher. "I think every one has had a teacher,...

Omnilab Group makes Websend Acquisition.(Websend )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Omnilab Group has acquired the web-based display advertising delivery service Websend in a deal it hopes will provide its advertising industry clients with greater options in terms of how their content is created and distributed. The Group...

Composer Klose takes part in us Workshop.
August 1, 2007... Adelaide-based film composer and sound designer Ashley Klose was recently one of 12 participants in this year's ASCAP Film & Television Scoring Workshop, held in Los Angeles from early July to early August The event included an orchestral...

Screen awards engage Cutting Edge.
August 1, 2007... Brisbane--headquarted post production firm Cutting Edge will collaborate with Grubstreet Media (the production house run by television journalists Peter Hiscock and Graham Davis) to faciltate television coverage of the inaugural Asia Pacific...

Fairlight makes sale to Audiobrien.(Audiobrien)(Fairlight)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... North Sydney-based audio production house Audiobrien has commissioned two CC-1 powered Dream II stations to provide an extensive range of audio production and sound design functions for radio, television, animation and online programming. The...

UK Distributor sets up shop in Sydney.(iD Distribution )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... UK firm iD Distribution opened a Sydney office on July 1 as it looks to form closer ties to Australasian broadcasters and producers. The company, which was launched by CEO Sally Miles at MIPCOM in October 2004, and which licenses and represents...

Toronto selects 'Romulus'.
August 1, 2007... Richard Roxburgh's debut feature Romulus, My Father has been chosen to appear at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) joining Tony Ayres' The Home Song Stories which was announced earlier. The film, which will screen as part...

'Miles' honoured at Karlovy Vary.(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Australian feature Lucky Miles, directed by first-timer Michael James Rowland, has picked up the Special Jury Prize at the Czech Republic's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival to add to recognition at the SydneyFilm Festival. The film, a...

'September' to screen in October.(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Peter Carstairs-directed local feature September will be released through Hopscotch Films on October 25. The film, produced John Polson, Serena Paull, Lynda House, is the first project to emerge from the Tropfest Feature Program. Set in...

Sony holds high hopes for gothic local epic 'Gabriel': the story of how director shane abbess' epic saga of the battle between light and dark is a classic rags to riches tale, Fiona Williams reports.(Screen)
August 1, 2007... DIRECTOR SHANE ABBESS IS THE FIRST TO ADMIT that he could talk under wet cement. Spend an hour with him and it becomes apparent how he and his filmmaking partners managed to convince an experienced cast and crew to work for Vegemite sandwiches...

Drama.(LISTINGS)
August 1, 2007... FEATURES IN PRE-PRODUCTION Crosswires Prod off: Brisbane Prod co: New Holland Productions Exec prod: Anton Smit Prod: Cathy Overett, Mark Overett Format: 8 x 30mins Shoot From 1/10/2007 Description: A bomb blast at a Brisbane...

People.(AUGUST 2007)
August 1, 2007... Redlich welcomes new partner [WHAT] Holding Redlich drinks to celebrate Sonia Borella's appointment as partner [WHEN] June 28 [WHERE] Holding Redlich offices, Sydney FROM LEFT: MICHAEL BOURCHIER OF BLINK FILMS AND IAN...

No longer the one but still in the game: reports of the nine network's death are greatly exaggerated, says television columnist Harvey Shore. The ratings year may be half over but don't assume nine is a sinking ship.(Hearsay)
August 1, 2007... GERALD STONE'S BOOK, WHO KILLED CHANNEL 9?, was the industry talking-point when released without warning last month. The killer, in Stone's tale, is John Alexander (whom Kerry Packer left to run his PBL Media empire). Whether the book was...