Encore Magazine articles from January 2006

Encore Magazine archives from January 2006

Editor's note.
January 1, 2006... We kick off 2006 with the news that the new Film Licensed Investment Company (FLIC), Mullis Capital Independent, plans to establish a 'studio-style' system to finance up to six $10-$20 million local features over the next two years. The key...

New FLIC group seeks $100m.(NEWS)(Film Licensed Investment Company)
January 1, 2006... A VAST new source of funding may soon be available to the Australian film production industry if the ambitious plans of a newly formed group of actors, directors, producers and investment bankers come to fruition. The new group, known as...

Mangement reshuffle at Fox.(NEWS)(Twentieth Century Fox appointed Oliveria Marcos and Kimatrai Sunder)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... TWENTIETH Century Fox Australia has named Marcos Oliveira its new managing director, following the October 2005 promotion of Sunder Kimatrai to the position of vice president--Asia/Pacific. Oliveira assumed his new role at the distribution...

ABC cooks up a new show.(PRODUCTION)
January 1, 2006... The ABC has announced a new cooking show, called The Cook and The Chef, to air in early 2006, featuring home cooking expert, Maggie Beer, and professional chef Simon Bryant. The show will be based around Beer's home in South Australia's Barossa...

'Dirty Girls' gets clean funding.(PRODUCTION)(Screen West)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Dirty Girls has secured script development funds as part of Screen West's low budget feature initiative, West Coast Visions. The film, which tells the story of when two sisters find themselves on the wrong side of the law in isolated Albany, is...

Vic team preps boxing feature.(PRODUCTION)(Creative Immediacy )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Melbourne-based production company Creative Immediacy is in pre-production with boxing-themed feature film The Promoter a follow-up to Terminal Bliss, which the company recently finished shooting. Writer/producer/actor Tom McCathie told Encore...

'Puppy' to be unleashed in theatres.(PRODUCTION)(Arkles Entertainment)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Independent local feature Puppy has secured a theatrical release through distributor Arkles Entertainment and will appear in cinemas across Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2006. Arkles Entertainment managing director John Davies...

ABC calls for pre-school project.(PRODUCTION)
January 1, 2006... The ABC is seeking co-producers for a program aimed at pre-schoolers, as part of the second Children's Special Television Project. The program must be suitable for an audience of two to four-year olds and meet the ABC's local broadcast...

Beetle Ramen' picked for Cinemart.(FESTIVAL NEWS)
January 1, 2006... Melbourne based producer Margot McDonald and writer/director Yen Ooi are the only Australian filmmakers selected to participate in Cinemart, the film market offshoot of 2006 International Film Festival Rotterdam, for their feature project,...

Berlin premiere for 'Opal Dream'.(FESTIVAL NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Australian/UK co-production Opal Dream (formerly Pobby & Dingan) will have its international premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, which will take place from February 9-19. The film, directed by Peter Cattaneo, will open the...

Neil Armfield's Candy.(NEWS)
January 1, 2006... Neil Armfield's Candy, starring Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish, has been selected to screen in competition at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival. Produced by Margaret Fink and Emile Sherman, the film will screen in competition at the...

UK revamps tax laws for local relief.(NEWS)
January 1, 2006... THE Blair Government has introduced a new tax scheme for film production, boosting incentives for UK productions and co-productions such as those with Australia. Chancellor of the Exchequer Cordon Brown delivered his pre-budget report in...

Exhibitors unite under ACEC banner.(NEWS)
January 1, 2006... AUSTRALIA'S fiercely competitive exhibition sector has united under the banner of the Australian Cinema Exhibitors Coalition (ACEC) to lobby government on key industry issues, such as piracy, falling admissions, classification rules and digital...

Australian Screen Council lobby group formed.(NEWS)
January 1, 2006... THE Australian screen industry has formalised its plans for a united peak body, with key industry representatives agreeing to the formation of the Australian Screen Council (ASC) in December. The organisation was formed, according to...

Film, TV and TVCs on the cards for new Apple Isle studio.(NEWS)
January 1, 2006... SCREEN Tasmania hopes to attract a greater number of local and international productions to the stale after it opened a new state of the art studio in Hobart in December. Tasmanian-born producer Martin Brown, whose credits include Moulin...

SSBP keynote warns: Australia risks isolation; Australia's lack of innovative programming came under fierce attack during November's Small Screen Big Picture television conference, which was held in Western Australia. Fiona Williams reports.(NEWS)
January 1, 2006... AS the ratings year drew to a close in November 2005, key players in Australian television production headed to the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle, Western Australia, for the Small Screen Big Picture TV Conference (SSBP). Organisers of the...

A new generation turns west: a group of first time filmmakers has turned west for inspiration. Will Sinclair visited them on set to find out how they got their dream project off the ground.(ON LOCATION)
January 1, 2006... In A well-worn pub in Sydney's inner-west, a young, unshaven bloke with a striking mullet, a heavy metal t-shirt and a scruffy pair of rugby league shorts is chatting up a couple of girls. He struts to the bar and orders them each a bourbon...

Docomakers get in shape for AIDC: AIDC delegates should be prepared to flex some intellectual muscle when the event kicks off next month, Fiona Williams reports.(Australian International Documentary Conference )
January 1, 2006... The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) takes place from February 13 to 16 in the host city of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Melbourne. AIDC organisers have taken a cue from the sporting event that follows soon after and...

Doco pioneer Graef sharpens ice pick for AICD: observational documentary pioneer Roger Graef is part of the UK delegation at next month's Australian international documentary conference and real life on film festival. He spoke to Fiona Williams on the eve of his visit.(AIDC PREVIEW)
January 1, 2006... Roger Graef is living proof of the power of documentary. His award winning series on the Thames Valley Police scrutinised the workings of a metropolitan police force and exposed some serious flaws in procedure. The episode An Allegation of Rape...

The year ahead: mermaids, animals and superheroes.(LA INSIDER)
January 1, 2006... It is difficult to predict what 2006 will bring in terms of productions for Australia but one thing is certain--Australia will be prominent on the big screen this year. From mermaids and penguins to talking spiders and superheroes, the...

Anatomy of a witch hunt.(ROUGH CUT)
January 1, 2006... To all us thoughtful teenagers 1950s Albert Camus was the Bogart of literature and Edward R. Murrow--haggard, baritone, chain-smoking, honourable to a fault--the Bogart of broadcasting. His unflinching radio reports from the London Blitz, his I...

Production report.(Australian TV programs)
January 1, 2006... 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...

Playhouse Disney Channel goes live across Australia.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2006... PLAYHOUSE DISNEY, A NEW CHANNEL AIMED AT PRE-SCHOOLERS, WAS LAUNCHED AT THE WHARF RESTAURANT IN SYDNEY ON DECEMBER 5. 1. Mike Hammond (Foxtel) with his nephew 2. Antonia Kidman and Asha Keurten (Disney Channel) 3. Foxtel CEO Kim Williams....

'Ra Chol' script takes top honours at awgies.(awards for writer/director)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... THE AUSTRALIAN WRITERS GUILD HANDED OUT ITS ANNUAL AWGIE AWARDS ON NOVEMBER 25 AT MELBOURNE'S GRAND PLAZA BALLROOM. 1. Victorian Arts Minister Mary Delahunty (left) with Australian Writers Guild executive director Megan Elliott. 2. Labor's...

VCA premiere awards honour new talents.(PEOPLE)
January 1, 2006... THE VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS HELD ITS PREMIERE AWARDS NIGHT ON DECEMBER 7 AT MELBOURNE'S ACMI. 1. From left: Nova Cinema's Natalie Miller, with ACMI's Tony Sweeney and outgoing VCA Film School Head Jennifer Sabine. 2. Cinematographer...

Flickerfest 2006 launches at Bondi.(film festivals)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... THE 2006 FLICKERFEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL WAS LAUNCHED AT SYDNEY'S BONDI ICEBERGS ON DECEMBER 6. 1. Festival director Bronwyn Kidd with the 2005 winner (for The Scree), Paul McDermott. 2. Actor Chris Hayward and...

Making good TV: is child's play; 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)
January 1, 2006... Is children's TV ever going to be profitable for local producers? Many nodded their heads at that question when Playhouse Disney joined the growing list of Kid's TV channels on pay-TV last month. Aimed squarely at pre-schoolers (2-5 year...