Encore Magazine articles from June 2007

Encore Magazine archives from June 2007

Ironing out the details: the film package offered in the Federal Budget is yet to be passed as legislation and begs closer examination, if it will have the desired effect.(Editorial)
June 1, 2007... THE REACTION TO THE FILM INDUSTRY PACKAGE offered in the Federal Budget has been largely positive, with widespread acknowledgement that it's a positive sign Government has been listening to industry concerns. That's not something to take...

Booth lands top job in the west: ScreenWest's long search for a successor to Tania Chambers has ended with the appointment of entertainment lawyer Ian Booth as the new chief executive. David Hull reports.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2007... FILMMAKER AND ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER Ian Booth was named the new chief executive of ScreenWest on May 15, in a move that ended months of industry speculation. Booth replaces Tania Chambers, who left the role in February to lead the NSW Film &...

Animal seals multifilm deal with Warner.(DEVELOPMENT)
June 1, 2007... ANIMAL LOGIC HAS LEVERAGED THE SUCCESS OF its animated feature Happy Feet into a multi-film development deal with Warner Bros. Pictures. The deal will see the two companies develop and co-produce a slate of animated feature films, three of...

Directors rebrand for future.(AWARDS)(Website overview)
June 1, 2007... DIRECTORS DONALD CROMBIE, PETER ANDRIKIDIS AND GILLIAN ARMSTRONG RECEIVED HONOURS at the Australian Directors Guild's (ADG) annual awards dinner on May 11. The event signalled the end of the Australian Screen Directors Association, which has...

Nine promises new spin on legal/medical show.(TELEVISION)(Nine Network Australia Ltd. new television series 'Canal Road')(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... AFTER 10 YEARS IN DEVELOPMENT, THE NINE Network's new in-house drama series Canal Road has commenced production. The show is set in an medical and legal advisory centre right in Melbourne's CBD, and combines a large cast of characters, mystery...

Industry welcomes new rebate scheme, merger: landmark changes to the screen sector have been welcomed. Fiona Williams reports.(BUSINESS)
June 1, 2007... THE INDUSTRY HAS RESPONDED WARMLY TO the Federal Government's $282.9 million film package announced in its May 8, signalling the significant changes to support and administration structures will lead to a "significant increase in production"....

IFG seizes on new tax rebate.(BUSINESS)
June 1, 2007... INTERNATIONAL FILM GROUP (IFG), WHICH LAUNCHED ITS OPERATIONS IN in early May, is set to make the most of the Federal Government's promised 'overhaul' of the Australian film industry. Key to the structural changes promised in the Howard...

Old nabs another runaway.(PRODUCTION)
June 1, 2007... FAMILY FILM SPECIALIST WALDEN MEDIA, PRODUCER OF CHARLOTTE'S Web and the Narnia franchise has chosen Queensland as the major location to base their adaptation of Canadian/Australian author Wendy Orr's best-selling children novel Nim's Island....

'World's Fastest Indian' DOP tops ACS gongs.(IN BRIEF)
June 1, 2007... David Gribble ACS picked up the Milli Award or Australian Cinematographer of the Year at the Australian Cinematographers Society(ACS)'s National Awards, which were held in Adelaide on May 5 Gribble won for his work on the Roger...

New 'fat' series for Northern Territory.(IN BRIEF)
June 1, 2007... Endemol, European TV production giant of the Big Brother franchise, has landed a research and development team in Australia's Northern Territory to begin preparing a new reality show in the growing mini-genre of...

Pedersen takes AFC Indigenous Fellowship.(IN BRIEF)(Aaron Pedersen got australian film commission's award)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Aaron Pedersen has won the Australian Film Commission (AFC)'s 2007 Bob Maza Fellowship, which is awarded annually to further an Indigenous actor's professional development and career opportunities internationally. Pedersen, an Arrernte/Arabana...

10BA scrapped in favour of rebate: the Government's removal of the troubled Division 10BA received mixed reactions.(TAX REBATE)
June 1, 2007... FILM FINANCE CORPORATION Australia (FFC) chief Brian Rosen has told the industry to "forget" about the loss of Division 10BA of the Tax Act amid concerns that the troubled scheme has been abandoned too hastily in favour of the landmark...

'The Pacific' prepares to double assault on Qld and Vic.(PRODUCTION)
June 1, 2007... PRESTIGE US CABLE GIANT HBO, DREAMWORKS AND TOM Hanks' Playtone Company have officially given the green light to their World War II mini-series The Pacific, which will commence shooting in August in far north Queensland and later at Melbourne's...

A man of single-minded passion: filmmakers in New Zealand and Australia were saddened by the death of director Brad McGann in May. Friends and colleagues Catherine Fitzgerald and Trevor Haysom pay tribute to the inspiring filmmaker.(Obituary)
June 1, 2007... BRAD WAS BORN IN 1964 IN AUCKLAND, GROWING UP IN Pakuranga, an eastern suburb which epitomised the opportunity and optimism of the "half-gallon, quarter-acre pavlova paradise" of post-war NZ. Academically gifted, Brad attended Sacred Heart and...

Location looms large in 'Newcastle': the Northern new South wales port city from which director Dan Castle's Newcastle takes its name plays a key figure in the film. Peter Galvin reports from the set.(On Location)
June 1, 2007... It has been nearly 10 years since writer/director dan castle first had the idea of making a movie about surfers in a small town. A native of Delaware on the US east coast, Castle moved in 1991 to Los Angeles, a city famous for its satellite...

A STUDY OF WARMTH AND INSTANT NOSTALGIA: IT'S A FEAST OF FOREIGN FILM THIS MONTH, AS BOB ELLIS SAMPLES SOME OF THE HEARTWARMING AND LIFE-AFFIRMING CINEMATIC OFFERINGS FROM FRANCE, SWEDEN AND RUSSIA.
June 1, 2007... THIS MONTH: BOB ELLIS REVIEWS THE PAGE TURNER (DIRECTOR: DENNIS DERCOURT, PRODUCER: MICHEL SAINT-JEAN), PARIS JTAIME (DIRECTORS: VARIOUS, PRODUCERS: EMMANUEL BENBIHY AND CLAUDIE OSSARD), AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (DIRECTOR: KAY POLLAK, PRODUCER:...

Widespread praise for enhanced incentives: the Australian film industry is finally catching up with the rest of the world as it welcomed the news of an enhanced tax incentive package, says Tracey Montgomery.(LA Insider)
June 1, 2007... US-BASED PRODUCTION EXECUTIVES AND Australian Post/Digital/VFX (PDV) companies welcomed the news of enhanced and new incentives that will form the Australian Screen Production Incentive--Location Rebate, recently announced by the Federal...

The creation of a 'super agency': as Australian filmmakers prepare for the merger of the three Federal agencies into the Australian Screen Authority, European correspondent Julian Newby profiles the UK Film Council, which was born from a similar consolidation effort in 2000.(Euro Insider)
June 1, 2007... IT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH (MAY) THAT Australia's three main screen agencies, Film Australia, the Australian Film Commission and Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC), are to merge into one agency', the deadline set for one year from now....

The devil is in the detail: in wake of the Government's budget announcement, SPAA executive director Geoff Brown urges the industry to make itself heard before the legislation is finalised.(Above The Line)
June 1, 2007... THE FEDERAL BUDGET WAS HANDED DOWN IN EARLY May, and largely confirmed what the industry was expecting. The tax rebate system for both offshore and domestic production has been well received, but of course the devil is in the detail, and it is...

Advertising as content: branded entertainment is a new buzzphrase being bandied about the advertising industry. Key players tell Tracey Prisk that it's more than just product placement under another name.(TVC)
June 1, 2007... WITH ADVERTISING BUDGETS GETTING SMALLER AND THEATRICAL audiences dwindling, 'branded entertainment' is now a big-dollar business in the US; and many believe its ability to push products while simultaneously entertaining an audience is set to...

Getting the message across.(TVC)
June 1, 2007... SYDNEY-BASED CREATIVE AGENCY THREE DRUNK MONKEYS HAS written and directed a short documentary for SBS to promote SBS Radio to advertisers. The documentary, called Marketing Myths, highlights the difficulty marketers face when talking to people...

Back to the future: writer/director Rolf de Heer broke with convention by shooting his new project Dr Plonk on out-of-date film stock and then took the risky step of attempting a 2K digital intermediate in-house at his Adelaide studio. David Hull reports.(DR PLONK)
June 1, 2007... AFTER ENLISTING ATLAB TO UNDERTAKE AUSTRALIA'S FIRST 4K digital intermediate (DI) on Ten Canoes, Rolf de Heer upped the stakes for his latest film Dr Plonk. Demonstrating his propensity to be a glutton for punishment, the Adelaide-based...

Quickening the pace: what are the implications of the current trend of cutting feature film and television drama 'faster'? Some of Australia's top editors speak about the evolution of their craft.(EDITING)
June 1, 2007... EDITOR MARTIN CONNOR RECALLS READING AN ARTICLE A FEW years ago about 'rapid movement' as an optical phenomenon that affects the central nervous system--and the fact that humans essentially find it compulsive and very exciting. "It was in...

Same, but different: as content increasingly makes the move to mobiles and the web, what considerations do producers have to make, to ensure the images and importantly, the sound suit the playout device? Fiona Williams reports.(VERSIONING)
June 1, 2007... IPTV AND MOBILE TV PLATFORM PROVIDERS ARE NOT IN A position to offer commissioning-style budgets for content; that's why very little, if any original content is being created for the new platforms. That's also why observers note an...

The black art of colour: Peter Galvin canvassed a group of senior colourists to get a sense of what makes these craftspeople tick and to what extent their role has evolved in the age of digital intermediate post production technology.(COLOURISTS)
June 1, 2007... A COLOURIST, ONE PROFESSIONAL TOLD ENCORE RECENTLY, IS practicing 'a black art.' That is to say in a art and business culture like film, one so dependent on technology, one that is essentially populated with experts whose skills are hard won,...

Broadband network at risk from internet piracy: the introduction of a high-speed broadband network would be likely to accelerate the impact of internet piracy on the industry. Lawyer Hamish Watson * looks at the most recent changes to the Copyright Act.(Legal)
June 1, 2007... ALL EYES IN THE INDUSTRY ARE FIXED ON THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED changes to tax relief and government funding in the Federal Government's budget. However, both sides of politics, rival telcos and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...

'Kill Car 9' courts big names ahead of October shoot: the filmmakers behind $13 million action/adventure film Kill Car 9 are looking to secure a blue-chip cast ahead of production later this year. David Hull reports.(Script)
June 1, 2007... INDEPENDENT FEATURE KILL CAR 9 IS SCHEDULED to shoot in Sydney over six weeks in October/November 2007, with pre-production pencilled in for an early August start. Written and directed by Dwayne Labbe and produced by Aaran Creece, the film will...

Young, dumb and full of franchise potential.(IN BRIEF)(RGM Entertainment)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Singapore-based production and talent agency RGM Entertainment will finance and produce a sequel to the 1991 surfing and bank robbery-themed thriller Point Break, which starred Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. Written and directed by Peter...

Meek and Cribb to meet with WA writers.(IN BRIEF)(Australian Writers Guild and Screenwest hosted the Revelation Perth International Film Festival)(Scott Meek and Reg Cribb)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Australian Writers Guild (AWG) and Screenwest will co-host a session designed to provide creative and market feedback to emerging Western Australian filmmakers during next month's Revelation Perth International Film Festival (July 12-22)....

'Homicide' shoots on Melbourne's streets.(IN BRIEF)
June 1, 2007... Water Rats and Blue Heelers scriptwriting veterans John Hugginson and John Banas have returned to the crime beat once more as the writer-creators of a new 14-part cop show, City Homicide, which began filming in Melbourne in April. The series...

Hawke to star in 'Daybreakers'.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke has signed on for the lead role in Michael and Peter Spierig's new horror film Daybreakers, the follow up to the brothers' 2003 zombie flick Undead. Daybreakers commences a Queensland shoot in July, The film focuses...

'Goolash' on the menu at Photon.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Animation and VFX house Photon has commenced production of The Adventures of Voopa the Goolash, a children's CGI-animated TV series aimed at seven-to-11-years olds. The series charts the adventures of a pre-history race known as The Goolash...

Vic filmmaker takes co-operative approach: a group of young Melbourne filmmakers have formed a co-operative to create films and boost their credits in a bid to develop their careers. Fiona Williams reports.(Shoot)
June 1, 2007... THE ENCORE PRODUCTION REPORT CHARTS THE progress of projects each month and as a gauge of industry activity, it's also a good barometer of the levels of production and the funding mix behind many of the projects (specifically, films) listed....

Animal recruits VFX veteran to hunt for work: Animal Logic's new head of film VFX is bracing herself for busy times ahead, particularly now that incentives apply to VFX production.(Sync)
June 1, 2007... AS VISUAL EFFECTS PRODUCER ON CHARLOTTE'S Web, US-based Karin Joy (pictured) worked closely with Animal Logic, one of a number of Australian visual effects companies that worked on the Hollywood film, which was shot in Victoria in 2005. ...

New database for UK film and TV industry.(IN BRIEF)
June 1, 2007... UK Post & Services has launched MediaBase, a new searchable database that focuses entirely on production and post-production activity in the UK. The site was developed over 18 months is being billed as a resource for production companies...

EditShare launches version 5.0.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... EditShare has announced version 5.0 of its eponymous shared storage technology. The new release includes ergonomics improvements, remote synchronisation functions, and improved administration features. New functions allow EditShare...

Cutting Edge takes on new Spirit, staff.(IN BRIEF)(Cutting Edge Entertainment Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Cutting Edge has purchased a second Spirit telecine for installation at its Sydney facility, which is located in the Entertainment Quarter next to Fox Studios Australia. Current and recent projects for the company include the features...

Sharmill names new distribution manager.(IN BRIEF)
June 1, 2007... Melbourne-based distribution company Sharmill Films has announced the appointment of Elly Smart as distribution manager. Smart has earned practical experience through her role as project officer at the Melbourne International Film Festival over...

Mobile TV Awards receive boost.(IN BRIEF)
June 1, 2007... The third edition of the MIPCOM Mobile TV Awards has been expanded by a new partnership with the Marche du Film and the Short Film Corner, key components of the Cannes Film Festival. The partnership will introduce two new film categories into...

Overseas demand 'houdini-themed film.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Gillian Armstrong-directed Australia/UK co-production Death Defying Acts has been bought by a host of overseas territories for theatrical distribution. The romantic adventure, which stars Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was sold by its...

Content goes green as buyers get eco-friendly: global warming is hot property right now, as Fiona Williams discovered at MIPTV, the global content market that took place in Cannes, France in April.(Screen)(Industry overview)
June 1, 2007... WORLD CONTENT MARKET MIPTV FEATURED A significant emphasis on green-friendly programming this year; which for once was on an equal footing with cross-platform production as the most discussed elements of the program. The success of US vice...

Listings.(Production Report)(Directory)
June 1, 2007... EVERY MONTH 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...

Guide.(Web)(Directory)
June 1, 2007... 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 www.steadisystems.com CABLE & CONNECTORS BVT -...

People.
June 1, 2007... The LaB Sydney - 6 rooms 6 wines PHOTOS BY BELINDA ROLLAND [WHAT] The LaB Sydney wine tasting evening to celebrate refurbishment [WHERE] The LaB, Sydney [WHEN] May 17 Nothing but 'The Best' for XYZ [WHAT] 'The Best...

The search for the new TV royalty: a landmark telemovie celebrating the life of Australia's true king of television highlights the need to find the next generation of local stars, says industry insider Harvey Shore.(Hearsay)
June 1, 2007... LAST MONTH, ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF Graham Kennedy's death, Peter Hudson's pay-TV channel TV1 held an exclusive preview in Melbourne for its new telemovie The King. Bert Newton (68) didn't attend, despite being portrayed kindly by...