Encore Magazine articles from January 2008

Encore Magazine archives from January 2008

A new take on identity: some 'Australian' films may be difficult to identify at the box office, but is that necessarily a bad thing?(Editorial)
January 1, 2008... THE 2007 BOX OFFICE RESULTS OF THE MOTION Picture Distributors Association of Australia make for interesting reading. Last year's blockbuster franchises brought Australians to the cinema in droves and in turn, box office takings reached...

Banner year for local box office: Hollywood sequels and a studio-funded, Australian-made animation about penguins helped make 2007 a year to remember for the exhibition industry. Fiona Williams reports.(POST PRODUCTION)
January 1, 2008... THE EXHIBITION SECTOR IS CELEBRATING the news that the calendar year of 2007 resulted in the second-highest grossing box office earnings on record. As expected, sequels to popular blockbuster franchises drew in the biggest audiences: Harry...

Runaway windfall.(STATISTICS)(Survey)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... THE FOREIGN FEATURE PRODUCTION SPEND increased dramatically last financial year, according to the Australian Film Commission (AFC)'s Production Survey for 2006/07. The report shows spending from this source to be $111 million, compared to just...

'Romulus' and 'Home Song' lead AFI pack.(AWARDS)
January 1, 2008... RICHARD ROXBURGH'S DEBUT FEATURE ROMULUS, MY FATHER WAS THE BIG WINNER AT THIS YEAR'S Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, held in Melbourne over two nights on December 5 and 6. The film attracted four awards in all: Best Film, Best Actor...

'Pacific' falls victim to writers' strike.(INDUSTRIAL ACTION)
January 1, 2008... THE US WRITERS' STRIKE HAS IMPACTED ON HBO's runaway mini-series The Pacific, which will be wrapping its Melbourne shoot five weeks ahead of schedule. A Film Victoria spokesperson confirmed the project would be cutting short its stay in...

Soap stands out in Seven's new line up.(TELEVISION)
January 1, 2008... A NEW FAMILY DRAMA-SERIAL STARRING Rebecca Gibney and Erik Thomson leads the Seven network's programming for this year. Packed to the Rafters, co-stars Michael Caton and new comers Jessica Marais, Hugh Sheridan and Angus McLaren, and deals with...

FFC backs record number of projects to round off 2007: Film Finance Corporation Australia funded a record number of film and television projects in its December 2007 board meeting. Peter Galvin reports.(FUNDING)
January 1, 2008... THE RILM FINANCE CORPORATION AUSTRALIA (FFC) approved a record 22 projects, worth $72.94 million, at its final board meeting for 2007. The five features financed on December 12, 2007, were: comedy/drama Prime Mover from writer/director...

AFC makes recoupment strides through Terms of Trade overhaul.(FUNDING)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... THE AUSTRALIAN FILM COMMISSION (AFC) HAS ADOPTED A FRESH approach to producers' recoupment, which, according to policy manager for the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) Bethwyn Serow, moves beyond "old, centralised models". ...

Global TV to build new base in Redfern.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Global Television will in late 2009 be moving its production headquarters to a new $123million dollar complex located at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney's Redfern. The announcement was made at site with Global and Seven Network...

Lee bids farewell to SBS.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Debbie Lee has left her role as SBS's commissioning editor for drama to take up a new position at the ABC. During her 14-year stint at SBS, Lee oversaw the development and production of many highly successful programs at SBS including John...

Simlogic and Animax readying SCI-FI trilogy.(IN BRIEF)
January 1, 2008... Animax Films and software and technology provider Simlogic have formed a joint venture which will be launched with a science fiction trilogy. Pre production on the three-pictures is due to commence this month and production will be spread...

Ozploitation rides again in new doco; Peter Galvin delves behind the scenes of mark Hartley's Not Quite Hollywood: the wild untold story of Ozploitation, which documents a neglected area of Australian film history.(On Location: NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD)
January 1, 2008... WRITER/DIRECTOR MARK HARTLEY CANNOT REMEMBER THE EXACT MOMENT WHEN he came up with the idea of making a movie about Australia's genre films of the 70s and 80s But he does recall that the basis for the estimated $1.5million documentary feature...

A brave reworking of the Classics: Bob Ellis revels in a glorious interpretation of the epic poem Beowulf, and throws brickbats and bouquets at Julie Taymor for appropriating the Beatles' music to tell America's history.(Rough Cut: REVIEW)
January 1, 2008... THIS MONTH: BEOWULF (DIRECTOR: ROBERT ZEMECKIS, DISTRIBUTOR: ROADSHOW FILMS); ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (DIRECTOR: JULIE TAYMOR, DISTRIBUTOR: SONY PICTURES RELEASING); A MIGHTY HEART (DIRECTOR: MICHAEL WINTERBOTTOM, DISTRIBUTOR: PARAMOUNT...

BI-coastal support for all things Oz; Tracey Vieira reflects on the offerings of the fifth G'Day USA: Australia Week, which recently took place in Los Angeles and New York, to showcase Australia's strengths and specialties.(LA Insider: AUSTRALIA WEEK)
January 1, 2008... THE FIFTH G'DAY USA: AUSTRALIA WEEK IS JUST drawing to a close in Los Angeles, as you read this. The event is the largest foreign country promotion in the United States, and Ausfilm and this year, the Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC)...

Media moguls find their eco-conscience: James Murdoch's elevation at News Corp will have a positive effect on the company's environmental policy, in keeping with the overall greening of the industry. Julian Newby reports.(Euro Insider: GOING GREEN)
January 1, 2008... IT'S OLD NEWS NOW: JAMES MURDOCH, SON OF RUPERT, has taken control of New Corporation's operations in the UK, Europe and Asia. The move makes him probably the most powerful man in the British media, and is the clearest signal yet that he will...

Producer offset--how Australian is Australian? The definition of 'significant Australian content' is a key issue of the Government's new Producer Offset. In order for producers to access the offset, their projects must satisfy the criteria of the 'sac test'. Entertainment lawyers Ian Robertson and Sonia Borella make sense of the guidelines.(Legal: PRODUCER OFFSET)
January 1, 2008... IN ITS 2007-2008 BUDGET PRESENTED ON MAY 8, 2007, THE Australian Government announced a package of measures to boost its support for the Australian film and television industry, which followed the completion of the Government's review of its...

LIC Australia slates docos with Singapore.(IN BRIEF)(Singapore's Upside Down Concepts)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... LIC Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore's Upside Down Concepts to co-produce a documentary slate worth US$4million. The deal will result in the production of 20 hours of documentaries for the international TV...

Film Victoria invests in four TV pilots.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Film Victoria is investing $556,000 in four Victorian creative teams under its TV Pilot Scheme. The successful production teams will take an equal share of the funding to produce new pilots that can be used to attract broadcaster commitment....

AFC names Intl IndiVision advisors.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Australian Film Comission (AFC) has secured the backing of three high-profile international advisors for its 2008 IndiVision Project Lab. They are: New York-based indie producer Christine Vachon (Kids, Velvet Goldmine, Happiness, Boys Don't...

'Mayhem' continues for workaholic scribe Bell: screenwriter Alice Bell hasn't rested since she blasted onto the scene with Suburban Mayhem. She's got several projects on the go--and not just features.(Script: PROFILE)(Movie review)
January 1, 2008... LIFE HAS PROVED AN AMAZING JUGGLING ACT FOR scriptwriter Alice Bell who, just 12 months since the release of her debut feature Suburban Mayhem, is busier than she's ever been. Already plotting production of her next three features, planning the...

FTO report shows regional boost.(IN BRIEF)(Report)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The 2006/07 Annual Report for the New South Wales Film and Television Office (FTO) has revealed a record production spend of $3.72m in regional NSW. The FTO reported that its Regional Filming Fund provided grants valued at $498,000 towards this...

Ward's 'Beautiful Kate' to shoot in Sa.(IN BRIEF)(Movie review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Director Rachel Ward's debut feature, Beautiful Kate, will commence pre-production in South Australia in March. The South Australian Film Corporation is an investor in the $5m film, as is Film Finance Corporation Australia. Beautiful Kate will...

'Belladonna' takes the red plunge.(IN BRIEF)(Movie review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Director/producers Annika Glac and Marcus Struzina have gone into production on their debut feature Belladonna, which they're making in conjunction with Da Vinci Films and the Polish Film Institute. Belladonna tells a contemporary love story...

'Nothing Men' takes Australia into the Red: a film depicting a Sydney industrial dispute is the first local feature to be shot using the red one camera system. David Hull gets the full story from DOP peter Holland.(Shoot: THE NOTHING MEN)
January 1, 2008... LOW-BUDGET FEATURE THE NOTHING MEN HOLDS the distinction of being the first Australian film to be shot using the groundbreaking Red One digital camera system. DOP Peter Holland, who previously shot the supernatural film Gabriel on the JVC...

U2 streets ahead with first live action 3D feature: 3D cinema is about more than digital projectors. Fiona Williams speaks to U2 3D producer Steve Schklair about what goes into creating 3D content.(Sync: U2 3D)
January 1, 2008... IT'S WIDELY HELD THAT 3D IS A FORMAT THAT HAS finally come of age The introduction of digital projection technology to the exhibition space has created a viewing experience that is much easier on the eyes than earlier; headache-inducing...

Colourist Cahill joins Efilm Australia.(IN BRIEF)
January 1, 2008... Ex-Cutting Edge colourist Trish Cahill has joined Efilm Australia, the newly-founded digital post production offshoot from Atlab. Cahill, who takes on the role of senior colourist, has extensive experience in the areas of dailies and digital...

FTO directs funds to young filmmakers.(IN BRIEF)
January 1, 2008... The NSW Film and Television Office (FTO) has announced the latest recipients of Round 12 of the organisation's Digital Visual Effects Placement Scheme. The recipients are: Daniel Heckenberg, Research & Development (to be placed at Animal...

Avid Technology to open a Sydney office.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Avid Technology is planning to open an office in Sydney to help bolster its operations in the Australian and New Zealand markets. The Sydney office previously consisted of a sales and marketing team but will now also house design and workflow...

Digi Pics appoints new senior colourist.(IN BRIEF)(Digital Pictures Melbourne appoints Deidre McClelland as senior colourist)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Digital Pictures Melbourne has appointed New Zealander Deidre McClelland to the role of senior colourist. McClelland has worked for a number of post productions firms on both sides of the Tasman. McClelland's resume includes stints at Digital...

'Crush' secures distribution deal.(IN BRIEF)(Odin's Eye Entertainment)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The producers of local feature Crush have signed a sales distribution agreement with Odin's Eye Entertainment. The film is planned to open in cinemas across the US in Autumn 2009, with an Australian release to follow. Filming of the $2 million...

Australian shorts hit overseas fests.(IN BRIEF)
January 1, 2008... Three Australian short films have been selected to compete at next month's Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. I Love Sarah Jane (writer David Michod, writer/director Spencer Susser, producer Angie Fielder), Burley! (writer/co-director David...

Danish film claims Flickerfest prize.(IN BRIEF)
January 1, 2008... Blood Sisters, from Danish director Louise N. D Friedberg, took out Best Film at the Flickerfest 2008 international short film festival, which was held at Sydney's Bondi Pavilion from January 4-13. Other winners included Canadian film Madame...

Nocturnal epic 'Night' seeking diverse audience: Lawrence Johnston's Night goes into release next month. Dendy films is pulling out all stops to attract people who usually shy away from documentaries.(Screen: NIGHT)
January 1, 2008... ONCE DISTRIBUTOR DENDY FILMS REALISED THAT filmmaker Lawrence Johnston's latest film Night was "different and unusual" its marketing and publicity team set about devising a release strategy that it hopes will help the film find and build an...

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

Hurdles galore in 2008's ratings race: Harvey Shore surveys the television landscape to determine the individual opportunities and setbacks confronting each of Australia's free-to-air broadcasters as they head into 2008.(Hearsay: TELEVISION)
January 1, 2008... MANDARIN-SPEAKING PRIME MINISTER KEVIN Rudd knows the Chinese word for crisis is composed of two symbols, pronounced wei and ji. The first means danger. The second: opportunity. All free-TV networks face a crisis this year and, appropriately,...