Encore Magazine articles from February 2008

Encore Magazine archives from February 2008

Putting the 'cent' into incentives: keeping up with the joneses is part and parcel of staying ahead in the incentives race. But when can we except the new raft of incentives packages to translate into actual work?(Editorial)(Editorial)
February 1, 2008... THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT; A NEW YEAR always brings with it the annual top deck shuffle at major industry organisations, and this year is no exception. Richard Payten and Andrew Mackie have jumped ship from Dendy Films to set up their own...

'Noise' dominates film critics' gongs: despite missing out on the top honour at the 2007 AFI awards, Matt Saville's Noise was recognised as best film at the film critics circle of Australia Awards presented this month.([AWARDS])
February 1, 2008... URBAN DRAMA NOISE TOOK A TOTAL OF six honours at this year's Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, held in Sydney on February 1. As well as the Best Film and Best Director awards, Noise was recognised in the Best Actor (Brendan Cowell), Best...

Proyas in the 'Know' for Vic shoot.([PRODUCTION])
February 1, 2008... DIRECTOR ALEX PROYAS WILL SHOOT HIS $45 million feature Knowing in Victoria, with Nicolas Cage set to star. The thriller follows the story of a teacher who unearths a 1950s time capsule at his son's school and discovers a series of children's...

Blanchett, Orner carry local Oscar hopes.([AWARDS])(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... CATE BLANCHETT AND PRODUCER EVA ORNER ARE AUSTRALIA'S LOCAL HOPES FOR OSCAR GLORY, WITH both women in the running for gongs when the 80th Academy Awards take place on February 24. The news of Australia's Oscar hopes was overshadowed by the...

Village mourns founder Kirby.([OBITUARY])
February 1, 2008... THE LOCAL EXHIBITION INDUSTRY LOST one of its founding fathers in late January with the passing of Village Roadshow founder Roc Kirby. Kirby's empire grew from humble beginnings in 1954 when he owned and managed one of the first drive-in...

ADG in no hurry to replace Macrae.([PEOPLE])(AUSTRALIAN DIRECTORS GUILD)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... THE AUSTRALIAN DIRECTORS GUILD (ADG) will delay its search for a new executive director following the departure of Drew Macrae, who left the post after just six months in the role. According to ADG president Ray Argall, Macrae left to "pursue...

Payten, Mackie exit Dendy to commence Transmission: the famed indie distributors branch out from Dendy films to go-it-alone again, aided by a joint distribution deal with a major studio.([DISTRIBUTION])
February 1, 2008... THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTION LANDSCAPE HAS undergone a dramatic change with the emergence of Transmission Films, the new venture created by ex-Dendy Films chiefs Richard Payten (pictured) and Andrew Mackie. Transmission will co-fund the...

Hewison quits as AFI celebrates 50 years.([PEOPLE])(AUSTRALIAN FILM Institute )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... JAMES HEWISON WILL FINISH UP AS CEO OF THE AUSTRALIAN FILM Institute (AFI) on February 29, following his resignation from the organisation last month. Chair of the AFI Morry Schwartz told Encore he was "sorry" Hewison had quit because he had...

Masters quits ten drama post.(IN BRIEF)(Sue Masters has resigned from Network Ten Proprietary Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Network Ten's head of drama Sue Masters exited her post at the end of January to "explore new opportunities", with the announcement of a replacement imminent at press time. Of her decision, Masters said she was "looking forward to the next step...

Screenwest funds 'Wasted' feature.(IN BRIEF)(ScreenWest inc.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... High-tech thriller Wasted has become the third feature to receive finance under ScreenWest's West Coast Visions program. The project, from writer/director Ben C. Lucas and producers Aidan O'Bryan and Janelle Landers, will receive $750,000 in...

High point sets up OZ sales office in Sydney.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... UK-based sales agency High Point Films has opened a Sydney office. Producer/writer Adam Bowen will head up operations in Australia and New Zealand and will set to work on sourcing local films and TV projects to add to High Point's catalogue....

Eriksen shifts into gear with senior SBS role.(IN BRIEF)(Special Broadcasting Service)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... SBS has appointed Denise Eriksen to the position of manager, commissioned content. Already working with SBS as the executive producer on Top Gear Australia, Eriksen was previously head of factual at the ABC and her career spans over 30 years in...

ABC makes two key appointments.(IN BRIEF)
February 1, 2008... ABC TV will soon be welcoming German broadcasting executive Barbara Uecker and local children's TV producer Carla de Jong to its ranks. Uecker will commence as Aunty's head of programming and acquisitions, children's TV, on April 1. During her...

Bibb takes EP role at Ambience Entertainment.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Ambience Entertainment has appointed Steve Bibb to the position of executive producer. In his new role Bibb will work alongside fellow executive producer Michael Boughen to expand the Sydney-based production company's development of factual...

Industry mourns Heath Ledger; Performances for Christopher Nolan and Terry Gilliam to provide fitting swansong to the acting talents of Heath Ledger.([OBITUARY])(Obituary)
February 1, 2008... TRIBUTES HAVE POURED IN FROM BOTH sides of the Pacific for Australian actor Heath Ledger, who died in his New York apartment on January 22. Ledger, who will appear in the next Batman movie, The Dark Knight, and was working on Terry...

Edwards retires as PFTC chair.([PEOPLE])(Pacific Film and Television Commission)
February 1, 2008... SIR LLEW EDWARDS, AC, HAS RETIRED AS CHAIR OF THE PACIFIC FILM and Television Commission (PFTC) Board after 16 years of service. The former Health Minister, Deputy Premier and Treasurer of Queensland resigned from the PFTC Board on February 1....

The complexity of being human: the Tinseltown Awards season is in full swing and this month Bob Ellis reviews three much-vaunted and uncompromising films that deal intrinsically with the human condition.
February 1, 2008... THIS MONTH: INTO THE WILD (DIRECTOR: SEAN PENN); ATONEMENT (DIRECTOR: JOE WRIGHT); NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (DIRECTORS: JOEL AND ETHAN COEN). THE AMERICAN CINEMA OF THE PAST FEW YEARS has been like the American novel in the 1920s:...

G'Day USA highlights renewed optimism in OZ; Ausfilm's Tracey Vieira reports on the organisation's contribution to the g'day USA: Australia week, aimed at trumpeting Australia's screen industry and locations.([AUSTRALIA WEEK])
February 1, 2008... G'DAY USA, AUSTRALIA WEEK CELEBRATED ITS fifth successful year in January 2008. Growing from its inception in 2004, Australia Week is now arguably the largest foreign country promotion held annually in the United States, showcasing all things...

Planned ad ban promises French revival: as Australian filmmakers grapple with definitions of 'Australian-ness; Julian Newby observes that France is engaged in a similar debate about public broadcasting.([FRANCE])
February 1, 2008... FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY'S PROMISED "renaissance of French civilisation" took a new twist at the start of this year when, on January 8 in his first full press conference since being elected to power in May 2007, he announced plans to...

Keep a firm grip on the reins; Screen Producers Association Of Australia Executive Director Geoff Brown is disappointed at the likelihood of US studios and local broadcasters gaining access to the producer offset.([PRODUCER OFFSET])
February 1, 2008... THE NEW YEAR IS HERE AND WITH IT COMES A strong sense of optimism A new Labor government, with a rich tradition of support for the arts, offers us an opportunity to fine tune the Producer Offset introduced under the Coalition's watch last year....

Getting smart about tax incentives; In mid 2007 the government introduced a dedicated tax incentive designed to encourage offshore projects to undertake PDV work down under. David Hull investigates the impact this has made thus far.([INCENTIVES])
February 1, 2008... THE AMOUNT SPENT LOCALLY ON FOOTLOOSE POST, DIGITAL AND visual effects (PDV) work in 2006/2007 amounted to $9 million out of a total of $111 million spent by foreign productions in Australia. This figure is drawn from Australian Film...

WA: the quiet achiever; Western Australia is experiencing a mini-boom with feature film and television projects complementing the state's traditional factual output. Peter Galvin speaks to WA'S major players to find out more.([STATE FOCUS])
February 1, 2008... WHEN VETERAN PRODUCER PAUL BARRON (SHAME) FIRST arrived in Western Australia over 20 years ago it did not take him long to put down roots. "I had settled in Perth [from the US] and I remember being on the phone to someone in Sydney; it was a...

The times are a-changin': doco sector in transition; there's plenty of issues to discuss at this month's Australian International Documentary Conference in Perth, from industry reforms to emerging platforms.([PREVIEW])(Conference notes)
February 1, 2008... ACCORDING TO AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY Conference (AIDC) director Joost Den Hartog, the documentary sector is in the midst of a transition phase between the once-standard conventions of TV and film models (in both financing and form)...

AFC bank four in cross platform fund.(IN BRIEF)
February 1, 2008... The Australian Film Commission (AFC) has committed $370,000 to four new projects under its Cross-Platform Digital Media Production Fund. The projects to receive funds are: First Australians Online (produced by Darren Dale and Sohail Dahdal,...

AFC/AIDC announce meetmarket docos.(IN BRIEF)(Australian Film Commission )(Australian International Documentary Conference)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... A total of 20 documentary projects have been chosen to participate in this year's MeetMarket, the joint initiative between the Australian Film Commission (AFC) and the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) Team will present...

'Paper Dolls' demonstrates the power of the pinup; A new documentary is set to expose the little-known role Australian women played in boosting the morale of the boys who served overseas in WW2.(PAPER DOLLS)
February 1, 2008... THE HISTORY BOOKS ARE BRIMMING WITH REPORTS of the contribution of Australian women throughout World War Two, most notably as nurses and support personnel in the armed forces. Little is known, however, of auxiliary efforts of an entirely...

Sydney secures more bollywood action.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Hot on the heels of the local production of cricket-themed Victory, a second Bollywood feature began filming in Sydney laste last month. The untitled project is being produced by Yash Raj Films and will shoot at iconic locations including the...

Out of the blue' shoots for BBC/Ten.(IN BRIEF)(Television program review)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The BBC One drama Out of the Blue will commence production on Sydney's Northern Beaches this month. The series, to screen on Network Ten locally, will be produced by John Edwards and Julie McGauran for Southern Star Entertainment. Out of the...

Kids' animation in production for Ten.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The animated 52 x 12-minute animated series Pearlie is now in production with Sticky Pictures working alongside the Canadian co-production partner Nelvana Studios. Targeted at six to 12 -year-olds, the series focuses on a glamorous, pintsized...

A life less ordinary inspires family tale in the west; Perth boxer-turned-actor Rai Fazio had a sense his childhood would translate well to the screen; producer David Elfick helped make it happen.([TWO FISTS ONE HEART])
February 1, 2008... THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF SCREEN GIANT HARVEY Keitel provided the impetus for actor and ex-boxer Rai Fazio to pen a film inspired by his own unique childhood experiences. Two Fists One Heart is a contemporary story about a young Italian/Australian...

ABC keen to nurture Ruby drama 'Bed of Roses'; Ruby Entertainment is producing a drama for ABC/Southern Star that follows the experience of grief, poverty and a woman's fall from grace.([BED OF ROSES])
February 1, 2008... BED OF ROSES OFFERS A NEW TAKE ON THE 'returning to the family home' premise that figures so strongly in Australian television drama. The uppity lead character hits rock bottom when in one fell swoop, she discovers her husband's...

FSM appoints two new colourists.(IN BRIEF)(Frame, Set and Match)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Sydney post and VFX house Frame, Set & Match (FSM) has appointed two new senior colourists in the form of Crash Carlucci, who arrives from Los Angeles, and Billy Wychgel from The Netherlands. The duo has replaced Christine Trodd and Al Hansen,...

Busy RSP on the recruitment drive.(IN BRIEF)(Rising Sun Pictures)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Adelaide and Sydney-based VFX house Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) has made numerous staffing additions in the midst of a busy spell which sees it working on shots for a host of features including the Fox pictures Wolverine and Australia. The...

Colourist compton checks into the lab.(IN BRIEF)(Lab Sydney )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The Lab Sydney has appointed UK colourist Marcus Timpson to its team of senior colourists. Compton brings with him extensive experience with the C-Reality and Spirit telecine chains. He began his career in the post production industry at the...

Ten, Foxtel limber up for Comm Games.(IN BRIEF)
February 1, 2008... Network Ten and Foxtel will share the exclusive Australian broadcast rights to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. Under the terms of the agreement, Ten and Foxtel will share all the live broadcast rights, except for the opening and...

Johnstone upped at MTV Networks.(IN BRIEF)
February 1, 2008... MTV Networks Australia and NZ has promoted Michael Johnstone to the role of vice president, ad sales. Johnstone has been with the company for three years and was formerly director of ad sales. During his time at MTV Johnstone has overseen the...

'Chandon' scores worldwide deal.(IN BRIEF)(Lionsgate has acquired Chandon Pictures)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... US distributor Lionsgate has acquired the international rights to the Australian comedy series Chandon Pictures, which is a Movie Network Channels/Shadowfax TV production that premiered on Movie Extra in late 2007. The eight x 30-minute series...

Astra conference set for mid March.(IN BRIEF)(Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association )(Conference news)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... This year's Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) conference will be held at the Hilton Sydney on March 19. The event will feature a series of presentations and panels focusing on the pay TV sector. It will be...

'Global Haywire' mixes media to send a clear message; In Global Haywire, renowned political cartoonist Bruce Petty's satirical eye focuses on issues of globalisation and the crisis between east and west.([GLOBAL HAYWIRE])
February 1, 2008... BRUCE PETTY SAYS HIS YEARS OF "FRAGMENTED observations" prompted him to make his latest feature Global Haywire, which Hopscotch Films will release theatrically throughout Australia in March. "Like a cartoon, the balance between...

Listings.(Production Report)(List)
February 1, 2008... EVERY MONTH ENCORE'S Production Report lists features and television drama/factual programs that are currently in development, pre-production or production inAustralia. Television programs must have a network presale in order to be listed...

GUIDE.(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... Animation and visual effects FIRE HORSE STUDIO www.firehorse.net.au YOMP STUDIOS www.yompstudios.com BUY BACK FILM STOCK STEADI SYSTEMS BUY BACK FILM STOCK CABLE & CONNECTORS BVT - BELDEN CDT CABLES ...

Pay TV executives stake claims on the future; On the eve of the subscription TV sector's annual conference, Harvey Shore reports that pay TV service providers are rapidly embracing the future of television in all its forms.([PAY TV])
February 1, 2008... AFTER NEARLY A DECADE OF HARD WORK, Australian pay TV made its first profit late in 2006. Only a modest $4.4 million, but pay-TV was finally in the black. Expanding on that, the industry's peak body, the Australian Subscription Television and...