Encore Magazine articles from June 2005

Encore Magazine archives from June 2005

Editor's note.(Traditional Values Coalition industry)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... The Australian Film Commission's TVC Economic Survey for the 2003/2004 financial year reveals several areas of concern within the TVC industry including a significant drop in TVC budgets and a substantial reduction in offshore TVC production...

McAlpine to go in latest TV shake-up.(NEWS)(John McAlpine resigns from Network Ten )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... IN the second announcement of a top-tier shuffle in as many weeks at a commercial network, Network Ten chief executive officer John McAlpine announced his plans to retire and hand over the reins to current general manager, network sales Grant...

Saville's 'Noise' snares SBS.(PRODUCTION)(Matthew Saville)(SBS Independent)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Director Matthew Saville's feature Noise has received funding from SBS Independent (SBSi), following a continuation of Government funding, as outlined in the Federal Budget (see story opposite). Saville wrote and will direct Noise, which tells...

Karmel to helm plague film.(PRODUCTION)(Letter of Intent given by Australia. Film Finance Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A UK/Australian co-production that tackles an English village's efforts to deal with the onslaught of the 17th Century bubonic plague has received a Letter of Intent through Film Finance Corporation Australia's (FFC) evaluation process. Year of...

Nine true crime.(PRODUCTION)(Ian Collie and Michael Cordell to produce television documentary)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ian Collie and Michael Cordell will produce the 8 X half-hour documentary series Forensic Files, to be directed by Kay Pavlou. The series will follow Australia's leading forensic investigators and will be produced for the Nine Network.

FFC backs docos.(PRODUCTION)(Film Finance Corporation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Five documentaries received finance from Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) at the organisation's May board meeting. Going Bush follows athlete Cathy Freeman and actor Deborah Mailman on a journey of exploration to learn more about their...

'Wacky' Concept in devt.(PRODUCTION)(Ambience Concept and Brett Clements make television series)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ambience Concept is developing a DVD board game and spinoff TV series, Escape from Count Wackula's Castle, in collaboration with producer Brett Clements, who enjoyed considerable success in the 1980s with the video/board game hybrid Nightmare....

Prospero rises from ashes.(NEWS)(Prospero Productions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Fremantle-based Prospero Productions has secured new premises after fire destroyed the company's headquarters on April 30. A faulty coffee machine is thought to have sparked the blaze and actual fire damage was mostly contained within the...

Budget's $88m band-aid won't stick.(FILM and television industry groups have welcomed the Federal Government)
June 1, 2005... FILM and television industry groups have welcomed the Federal Government's 2005/06 Budget announcement, which was all about making good on its pre-election carrot of $88 million in funding, but cautioned the band-aid solution falls short of the...

Williams named AFI GM.(NEWS)(Australian Film Institute appoints Geoffrey Williams)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Australian Film Institute (AFI) has appointed Geoffrey Williams (above, second from right) its new general manager, a role AFI chair Denny Lawrence said would involve steering the film and TV industry body as it pursues "new objectives"....

Industry budget allocations: 2005/2006.(Income Tax Assessment Act 1936)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... AFC $5 million per year for three years from 2005-06, plus $6.9 million over three years to improve its educational and exhibition activities and increase access to, and understanding of, Australian audiovisual culture. AFTRS $9 million...

Producers champion tax break.(NEWS)(Screen Production Association of Australia)
June 1, 2005... THE Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) has proposed a new taxation scheme centring on tax breaks for export earnings--dubbed '10BB'--one of several attempts to entice investment from the private sector and kick start high-end...

ABC launches 'Outback House'.(NEWS)(American Broadcasting Companies Inc. ABC Broadcast Group)
June 1, 2005... The ABC launched its landmark 8-part television series Outback House at Sydney's historic Vaucluse House on May 11. The series centres around 20 people who step back in time to live as if they were in the 1860s. Outback House aimed to be...

Screen Producers Association of Australia--monthly update.(Television Producers)
June 1, 2005... In this month's column, I'd like to reinforce and acknowledge the plurality of SPAA's membership, and highlight the often unsung strengths of the television commercial sector. SPAA's relationship with the TVC sector often takes a back seat to...

NAB 2005 celebrates the Year of HD, again.(National Association of Broadcasters)
June 1, 2005... THE National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas is where the pros meet to shop for new equipment and exchange ideas. This year numbers were up some 7,000 on last year, with the official numbers sitting just shy of...

Local films glean: favourable interpretation.
June 1, 2005... As the black central character of The Interpreter, Nicole Kidman is unconvincing. I say black because when she menaces with a bomb a black Mugabe-like figure (in a wondrously unguarded UN office) and makes him read out stumblingly his own early...

Australia gets great exposure at Locations Expo.(LA INSIDER)(2005 Association of Film Commissions International (AFCI) Locations Expoer)
June 1, 2005... The annual pilgrimage by film commissions from across the world to Los Angeles took place in April with 260 film commissions and production resource companies descending on Santa Monica for the 2005 Association of Film Commissions International...

TVC producers revel in offshore upturn: the local TVC industry is benefiting from the finalisation of an updated offshore talent agreement, an open attitude to new forms of advertising and the establishment of a new awards program. David Hull reports.(Traditional Values Coalition)
June 1, 2005... Australian production companies reaped the dividends of a notable increase in offshore television commercial production during the first quarter of 2005. The welcome upturn in this crucial area of the TVC market has coincided with the Screen...

Gongs to recognise local concepts.(Screen Producers Association of Australia)
June 1, 2005... Members of the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA)'s Television Commercials Division are behind the introduction of an annual non-for-profit awards program to recognise excellence in ideas and craft in the Asia Pacific region....

Film Vic plans TVC shake-up: Film Victoria is planning to overhaul the way TVC production is serviced in the state. David Hull reports.(Melbourne Film Office )
June 1, 2005... The Melbourne Film Office (MFO) has completed the first stage of Film Victoria's television commercials strategy, which it hopes will revitalise TVC production in the state. Initial research was carried out in partnership with the Melbourne...

Tough times ahead for TVC sector: a recent economic survey conducted by the Australian Film Commission (AFC) suggests these are worrying times for the TVC industry. David Hull reports.(FEATURE)(television commercial)
June 1, 2005... The average size of television commercial budgets has dropped significantly in the last four years, according to preliminary findings of the Australian Film Commission (AFC)'s TVC Economic Survey covering the 2003/2004 financial year. Building...

Luscious drives Chinese auto spot.(FEATURE)(LUSCIOUS International's comedy director Damien Toogood and producer Tim Berriman create advertisement for Chevrolet)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... LUSCIOUS International's comedy director Damien Toogood and producer Tim Berriman jetted to China to complete Chevrolet's 'Sweet Dream' campaign, which featured a light-hearted look at one man's love of his car to launch the new Epica sedan....

Kids get Radical for emotive Corolla commercial.(FEATURE)(Toyota Corolla Aichi)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... AD agency Publicis Mojo enlisted @radical.media to produce the latest campaign for Toyota Corolla in which a young boy plays with his toy car, dreaming what it would be like to own a Toyota Corolla and to date the girl next door who he clearly...

Stenders helms anti-smoking trailer.(FEATURE)(Kriv Stenderscreates advertisement for The Cancer Council Australia)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... POD Film's Kriv Stenders was approached by the agency Workshop to direct a 30-second cinema trailer for the Cancer Council addressing the negative impact that excessive smoking in movies has on young Australians. In questioning the...

Revolver /AL create a knife-storm.(FEATURE)(Revolver Film and Animal Logic create television commercial for Toyota Australia)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... REVOLVER Film collaborated with Animal Logic to complete a 60-second Toyota Camry Sportivo Knives TVC directed by Steve Rogers for Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney. Promoting the Sportivo V6 sedan, the ad features images of hundreds of knives falling...

Denneen directs action-packed US spots filmed in three Australian cities.(FEATURE)(Campbell-Ewald does advertising for Farmers Insurance Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... IN April and May, Filmgraphics completed two spots for Farmers Insurance with Los Angeles-Based agency Campbell-Ewald. The director was David Denneen and the basic premise of the ads was that Farmers would help get your life back to normal...

RGB ads 3D juice to Mentos Plus TVC.(FEATURE)(RGB Pictures)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... RGB Pictures worked alongside Paperbark Films to produce a launch campaign for Mentos Plus featuring CG fruit and juice. Maintaining the 'sheep riding lawnmowers' theme used in the previous Mentos ad campaign. Paperbark director Gregory Read...

Glue in the flow with 5 Cent.(FEATURE)(Glue Society )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A DIMINUTIVE African-American rapper called 5 Cent took centre stage in a Virgin Mobile TVC demonstrating the offer of 5c texts and 5c for one-minute voice calls between Virgin phones. The ad, produced by @radical.media through the Host agency,...

Anifex gives Paddle Pop Lion a modern make over.(FEATURE)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... ADELAIDE-based Anifex was responsible for the latest Streets Paddle Pop Lion revamp for which director/animator Michael Cusack wanted to give the brand a more upbeat and contemporary look. The 30-second spot combines stop motion animated...

Taxi and Cutting Edge scratch themselves happy.(FEATURE)(contract of Taxi Films and Publicis Mojo )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... BRISBANE production company Taxi Film won the pitch with ad agency Publicis Mojo (Queensland) to deliver the State's Instant Scratch-Its 'Little Thrills' campaign, which consisted of 30, 45 and 60-second TVCs. Produced by Taxi's Andrew Wareham...

Kit Kat gets Plush treatment in JWT Sydney's youth campaign.(FEATURE)(J WALTER Thompson Australia )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... PLUSH Film produced JWT Sydney's recent campaign for Kit Kat featuring two young guys who use the product in a distinctively Australian way to relieve the boredom of a scoreless footy game. Shot at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, the spots were...

DNA behind anti-drug push.(Batey Red Cell contracted with DNA films to produce ads)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... SYDNEY agency Batey Red Cell called upon DNA Films to produce a series of ads for the Federal Government illustrating the social impact and the physical harm associated with illicit drug use. The job consisted of three 45-second television...

Production report.(Drama industry)
June 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...

Cinema.(Film Distributors)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... International box office australian box office [week ending: may 18, 2005] This Last % week week Film (Distributor) Weeks Total $ Change 1 (1)...

DVD rentals.(Digital Video Disc)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... [week ending: may 15, 2005] This Last Week Week Film (Distributor) 1 (1) Meet The Fockers (Universal Pictures) 2 (2) National Treasure (Buena Vista) 3 (-) Closer (Columbia Tristar) 4 (-) Sideways...

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... 52ND SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL June 10-25, Sydney www.sydneyfilmfestival.org 26TH BANFF TELEVISION FESTIVAL June 12-15, Banff, Canada www.banff2005.com BROADCASTASIA 2005 June 14-17, Singapore ...

Video rentals.(AUDIENCE)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Video rentals [week ending: may 15, 2005] This Last Week Week Film (Distributor) 1 (1) Meet The Fockers (Universal) 2 (2) National Treasure (Buena Vista) 3 (-) Closer (Columbia Tristar) 4 (-)...

Networks turn up the heat: well connected industry columnist Harvey Shore keeps his ear close to the ground for the latest gossip doing the rounds at the major broadcasters.
June 1, 2005... Mark Fennessy's company Crackerjack has a green light from Ten to produce a new Jamie Oliver series in Australia. Oliver arrives here soon to record eight episodes of the new series, possibly called Jamie's Australian Kitchen. Crackerjack will...