Encore Magazine articles from November 2008

Encore Magazine archives from November 2008

Content and skills are always in demand; Regardless of financial uncertainty, people will always need entertainment, and Australians should embrace the opportunities available in new markets.(Editorial)(Column)
November 1, 2008... I KNOW IT'S THE STORY OF THE MONTH, PERHAPS THE year Its effects on the Australian screen industry are still unclear; but I've decided I won't talk about the financial crisis. You will find people like Geoff Brown and Tracey Vieira discussing...

New role at FTO.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... Linda Tizard has resigned from her position as Head of Development and Infrastructure at the NSW Film and Television Office (FTO). A new position, Director Creative and Enterprise Development, has been created but not yet filled.

Public consultation.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... The Government announced a public consultation and new board appointment processes for the national broadcasters; it covers the changes in the digital, online and global media environments.

Digital switchover.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... The national analogue switch-off is set for December 31, 2013, but the Victorian Mildura/Sunraysia region will lead the way in the first half of 2010. Other regional centres will follow, culminating with Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth and Tasmania...

Victorian projects.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... Film Victoria will invest $1.2 million on six projects, including feature film Charlie and Boots and TV's Bed of Roses and The Librarians.

Taste of Asia Pacific; Russell Edwards reports from the inside about this year's nominations process for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.(AWARDS)
November 1, 2008... PERFORMING THE PENULTIMATE LEG IN A relay is a big responsibility... and so it is with being on the Nominations Council of the Gold Coast-based Asia Pacific Screen Awards Representative film bodies from New Zealand to Turkey and everywhere in...

Mexican Grindhouse.(FILM FESTIVAL)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... THE HOLA MEXICO FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS TO SYDNEY ON November 25, reaching Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne in December The program features 15 films, including a celebration of low-budget sci-fi/horror comedies in the Mexican...

The sound of music.(AWARDS)(Australian Guid of Screen Composers )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... THE AUSTBAUAN GUILD OF SCREEN COMPOSERS (AGSC) has recognised the best music in television and film. These are the winners of the APRA AGSC Screen Music Awards: Best Soundtrack Album: The Black Balloon, Michael Yezerski Best Original...

Life goes on, and so does MIPCOM; Global financial markets may have come tumbling down, but it didn't interfere with the world's largest broadcast and content market, MIPCOM.(Close Up)
November 1, 2008... THE ATMOSPHERE WAS ONE OF INVINCIBILITY, FUELLED BY the tireless pursuit of content acquisition and distribution deals. Show organizers Reed Midem were pleased with the numbers, with attendance up 2% from last year, and TV buyers surging by 8%....

Get ready for more competition; Screen producers association of Australia executive director Geoff Brown knows that financing will be tougher and while sources will still be there, things will be much more competitive.(Above The Line)(Column)
November 1, 2008... SINCE MY LAST COLUMN, THE WORLD HAS LEAPT OFF a cliff and the heady days of economic rationalism are officially over So, sifting through the wreckage, what does all this mean for the industry, especially given the poor outlook for the Producer...

Every crisis has a brighter side; Tracey Vieira's phone has been ringing constantly now that a lower Aussie dollar has made the country a viable location again.(LA Insider)
November 1, 2008... THE CHALLENGES OF THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS FOR the film industry -the recent stock market crashes and changes in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Board- have actually provided a glimmer of light at the end of the long dark tunnel. It's no...

New territories for content are emerging: Julian Newby was at this year's MIPCOM, where the financial Crisis was not immediately apparent due to the participation of new markets in constant growth.(Euro Insider)
November 1, 2008... IT HAY BE CONSIDERED PATRONISING OR EVEN irresponsible to shout too loud about any areas of industry and commerce that might seem to be avoiding the effects of the credit crunch and general economic slowdown that is affecting so much of the...

Hollywood and the Middle East bad formula; Russell Crowe is miscast in ridley Scott's Body of Lies, Bob Ellis says, but a couple of Irish hitmen lost in Belgium and two little robots provide an unforgettable cinematic experience.(Rough Cut)
November 1, 2008... RIDLEY SCOTT'S MUSCULAR, FORTHRIGHT, GENRE-busting variety (Alien, The Duellists, Gladiator, Blade Runner, American Gangster, Black Hawk Down) suggests a protean artist always at the top of his form. But this is not always so. Like Hitchcock,...

False witness, real thriller Sydney doubles for London And Tajikistan in UKTV's production false witness. Peter Galvin found out that the only fake thing about it is in the title.(On Location)(Movie review)
November 1, 2008... FALSE WITNESS IS A TWO-PART, FOUR-HOUR ACTION THRILLER THAT BOASTS A large cast, a globe--trotting plot, espionage, drug running and stolen weapons of nuclear capability. "It's fiction, certainly, but having done the research, everything in the...

The Spirit of [Baz Luhrmann's] Australia: many worked overtime to ensure the film met its November 26 release date, Miguel Gonzalez spoke with some of them about what they've done for Australia, and what Australia will do for the country.(AUSTRALIA)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... WHEN THE EDITOR OF ENCORE MET HIM ON THE KUNUNURRA SET of Australia in August 2007; Baz Luhrmann said that considering his new film a 'coming of age' for Australian cinema was a 'ridiculous burden to carry in a singular fashion' But the movie...

The Harley challenge: Ruth Harley took up the reins of Australia's nascent 'super agency' this month following a decade-plus at the New Zealand film commission (NZFC). David Hull spoke with her about the challenges of the new role.(Screen Australia)(Screen Australia)(Screen Australia )
November 1, 2008... THE FUTURE DIRECTION OF THE FILM AND TELEVISION SECTOR IS currently being mapped out in the offices and boardrooms of Screen Australia as the agency develops its funding guidelines and support programs for 2009. Driving this process, alongside...

3D'S many dimensions; Digital 3D has being proclaimed as the next revolution, the ultimate cinema experience. Some have even claimed it will be the saviour of the box office. Sarah Tonkin asks, is Australia ready to embrace this trend?(3D)
November 1, 2008... WHETHER OR NOT THE PREDICTIONS COME TRUE, IT IS CLEAR THAT 3D is, at the very least, a large part of the immediate future of cinema. Hollywood will go 3D crazy in 2009, culminating in December with Twentieth Century Fox's release of James...

Connecting with multi-platform audiences: before packing for the gold coast, encore spoke to the new SPAA president about the issues that will be discussed during their annual conference. Tracey Prisk previews the event.(SPAA Conference)(Producers Association of Australia )(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... AS THE PRESIDENT OF 1FM WORLD RELEASING, SCREEN Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) president Antony I. Ginnane knows the importance of international production expertise and experience Based in Los Angeles with an office in...

A Neighbour goes to hollywood writing school; Film Victoria has arranged an opportunity for a local writer to work in hollywood with the creators of American drama NCIS. Miguel Gonzalez reports.(Script)
November 1, 2008... VICTORIAN TELEVISION WRITER DAVID HANNAM IS ready to go to Los Angeles, where he will spend three months working on the CBS drama NCIS. The fellowship arrangement is a Film Victoria initiative that will give him the chance to learn about the...

Rabbit movie.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... Advertising agency Belgiovane Williams Mackay is in the early stages of development of a script for a movie based on the father and son from the "Rabbits" Telstra BigPond ads. Executive creative director Rob Belgiovane declined an interview...

Indigenous HD.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... The Indigenous Community Stories initiative in Western Australia has chosen six projects that will preserve the elders' knowledge in high definition. The projects reflect the diversity of the region's indigenous people and include stories from...

Travel Oz renewed.(IN BRIEF)(ABC1)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Australian travel show Travel Oz has been signed up for a second year of production; ABC1 will broadcast a new series of 24 episodes from March 2009. The program will also air on The Australia Network (Asia Pacific) and producer/presenter Greg...

Meet me in Adelaide.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... MeetMarket, the Screen Australia/Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) joint initiative where filmmakers can meet potential buyers, will be back next February. Entries close on November 20.

ABC loves BBC.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... Auntie has secured access to BBC Worldwide's catalogue for a further two years, having renovated their first look deal. The new agreement is valid for two years and covers drama, natural history, music, arts and religion titles. Marena...

Savage rain.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The independent film Savages Crossing, directed by Kevin Dobson, has recently completed post-production at the Post Lounge's Brisbane facility. I She film, a thriller about a group of strangers forced to take shelter in a madhouse while a flood...

Carbon Curious.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... New Zealand-based production company Curious Film is undertaking an audit of the carbon footprint for their Auckland, Wellington and Sydney operations. Joining Government owned company Landcare Research's carboNZeroCert program, Curious will...

Hot new format.(IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... mcm entertainment has launched a daily video version of The Hot Hitstor Optus customers. It's the first free-to-stream daily mobile music program. "We're a production company, so this opens up a communication line with Optus for future...

Melbourne Design.(IN BRIEF)
November 1, 2008... "Setting the Scene: Film Design from Metropolis to Australia" is the new exhibition at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). Opening on December 4, it will heavily feature Catherine Martin's work on Australia, including the...

Aussie favourites.(IN BRIEF)(Survey)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Australia Film Institute and Australia Post have revealed their list of the Five Favourite Australian Films: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Castle, Muriel's Wedding, Lantana and Gallipoli The movies were chosen...

Bryant and Pyke rock the harbour in sixties style; Director Sam Bryant had rocker Josh Pyke sailing through Sydney harbour in a giant guitar boat. he spoke with Annabel McCully about finding a creative balance.(MAKE YOU HAPPY)
November 1, 2008... MUSIC VIDEOS ARE TRADITIONALLY A TRAINING ground for aspiring feature film directors, but finding room for creativity and personal expression can be tricky. Sam Bryant recently had the opportunity to make waves in Sydney harbour where he...

Atlab legacy, unchanged by Deluxe acquisition; It's been a month since amalgamated holdings limited sold its 50% of Atlab to Deluxe entertainment Miguel Gonzalez services spoke to the MD about the brand's legacy.(ATLAB SALE)
November 1, 2008... THE DEAL CAME AS A SURPRISE, ALTHOUGH THERE were indications that AHL's interest in Atlab had decreased. They had recently written down the value of their Atlab business, revealing a decline in revenue in their Annual Report On the other hand,...

Footy doco relies on fans for distribution: the creators of the fibros and the silvertails are targetting fans in their independent dvd production and distribution efforts. Peter Galvin reports.(Screen)
November 1, 2008... THIRTY YEARS AGO, BEING A FOOTY FAN WAS AS much about community, as it was the sport. "You were rooting for the side, but also your home, the place you came from" explains director Paul Oliver (Lennie Cahili Shoots Through), whose...

Every month.(KEY)
November 1, 2008... 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 and projects in...

Factual.(Production Report)
November 1, 2008... DOCUMENTARY IN PRODUCTION Bridge Between Two Worlds Network: SBS Prod co: Artemis International, Inavision Exec prod: Bnan Beaton Dir/prod: Shireen Naryanan Assoc dir: Mathew Kelley Line prod: Karen Williams Editor: Nick Dunlop Fin:...

The week at a glance.(SPAA CONFERENCE 2008)
November 1, 2008... WEDNESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 09.00 Welcome - Hector Crawford Memorial - Sheraton Ballroom 10.00 Morning Tea 10.30 Making Bigger Better - Feature - Sheraton Lagoon Broadcasters - New Content in Children's Television -...

Web guide.
November 1, 2008... ANIMATION AND VISUAL EFFECTS SAFETY IN NUMBERS http://www.sin.tv/ BUY BACK FILM STOCK STEADI SYSTEMS BUY BACK FILM STOCK www.steadisystems.com CABLE & CONNECTORS BVT - BELDEN CDT CABLES ...

Audiences prove it: docos put bums on seats; Commercial broadcasters are rarely interested in documentaries, but they're drawing big ratings for the abc. Harvey Shore spoke to the 'king' of the genre, stuart menzies.(Hearsay)
November 1, 2008... AFTER A SPLURGE OF DOCUMENTARIES AT SPAA Fringe in October; the organisers of this year's SPAA Conference are introducing DOCO Day to the program. Some say it's about time, since docos are a genre that brings out the best in TV First,...