Encore Magazine articles from October 2006

Encore Magazine archives from October 2006

Damned lies and statistics: the ratings year might be drawing to a close but the television networks' publicity machines show no sign of slowing down in their battle for P.R. supremacy.(Editorial)
October 1, 2006... Is 2006 OVER ALREADY? You might be forgiven for thinking exactly that, given the Nine Network's eagerness to close out the 2006 ratings year. Spring had barely sprung when in mid-September, Nine's publicity team issued a press release...

Tass heads home for 'Love and Mortar': after a stint in Hollywood, Nadia Tass will return to Melbourne to shoot her latest feature project, the drama Love and Mortar. Steve Misiura reports.(PRODUCTION)
October 1, 2006... NADIA TASS IS SET FOR A RETURN TO Australia to direct her forthcoming feature film Love and Mortar. The film was written by Tass's partner at Cascade Films, David Parker, who will also produce. Love and Mortar follows a woman's journey...

Dalton delivers keynote at ASDA.(TELEVISION)
October 1, 2006... AFTER ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS IN OFFICE, ABC HEAD OF television Kim Dalton gave the keynote speech at the Australian Screen Director's Association (ASDA) conference in September. The address, 'The Future of Film and Television in Australia,'...

Slaninka heads to the apple isle.(Screen Tasmania appoints Karena Slaninka)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... WRITER AND PRODUCER KARENA SLANINKA IS the new director of Screen Tasmania, taking over from John Nicoll. Slaninka commenced the new role on October 9 and was most recently a senior project officer at the New South Wales Film and Television...

'Starter Wife' to shoot at Warner.(National Broadcasting Company Inc. to shoot 'The Starter Wife' at Warner Roadshow Studios in Queensland)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... NBC universal mini-series The Starter Wife is set to film at Queensland's Warner Roadshow Studios. Based on the best-selling 2005 novel written by Gigi Levangie Grazer, the six-hour series is about a woman's quest to redefine herself after...

Audiovisual industries: financial performance.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... AUDIOVISUAL INDUSTRIES: FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 1999/00 2002/03 Operating profit before tax (and profit margin): Production industry $77m (5.4%) $92m (5.9%)...

Audiovisual trade.(Close Up: HEADLINES)
October 1, 2006... AUDIOVISUAL TRADE 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 Total export royalties $93m $80m $152m $164m $115m earned Total import royalties paid $634m $727m $680m $717m...

SPAAmart features named as lineups take shape: producer Leah Churchill-Brown's follow up to Suburban Mayhem lists among the feature film projects selected for this year's SPAAmart program.(CONFERENCE)
October 1, 2006... WITH JUST FOUR WEEKS TO GO UNTIL KICK off, 13 feature projects have been selected for SPAAmart, the financing opportunity for Australasian producers with market-ready projects, many of which will be fast tracked into production. The...

Worthy sues Ausfilm for discrimination: a former Ausfilm deputy commissioner has accused the organisation of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination and breach of contract. Steve Misiura reports.(PEOPLE)
October 1, 2006... FORMER DEPUTY FILM COMMISSIONER FOR AUSFILM, MEGAN WORTHY, has filed a lawsuit against her former employers seeking damages for unfair dismissal, harassment and discrimination. Worthy claims that Ausfilm improperly blocked her maternity...

NSW filmmakers group organises rally.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... The New South Wales Film Makers Group has organised a film and television rally on October 22 in order to raise awareness for the problems filmmakers are facing in the State. With a lack of competitive incentives, high shooting costs and a lack...

'Gambler' adaptation tests in Sydney.(Cinedream to make a movie 'The Gambler')(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Sydney production company Cinedream is about to embark on its first feature project The Gambler. A loose adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's classic novella of the same name, the film centres on Alex, a young criminal whose loyalty lies with a...

Nine launches news podcasts.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... The Nine Network has launched its first podcast service for National Nine News. The news content, available as both audio and video content, will be aligned with iPods or portable MP3 or MP4 players and available free from the ninemsn site....

'Love Story' rekindles collaboration with India: the Adelaide shoot of $10 million Bollywood feature project Love Story 2050 represents the start of a production slate that could mark the start of a rejuvenation of film links between Australia and India. David Hull reports.(PRODUCTION)
October 1, 2006... OFFSHORE PRODUCTION FROM INDIA IS ramping up, with two Bollywood features planning Sydney shoots and another already in production in Adelaide. Melbourne is also being considered as a potential location for another feature as part of slate of...

Arclight sells 'Macbeth' to old dart.(Arclight Films International, Revolver Entertainment)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... GEOFFREY WRIGHT'S MACBETH has been picked up by the UK distributor Revolver Entertainment for theatrical release through the film's sales agent Arclight Films International. Macbeth, which screened at the recent Toronto International Film...

ABC Enterprises confirms redundancies.(TELEVISION)
October 1, 2006... JUST DAYS AFTER ABC UNION MEMBERS started industrial action over pay disputes, the broadcasters commercial arm, ABC Enterprises, has made two people redundant in a restructure that will see two seperate business units. "We have made two...

Clarification.(Correction notice)
October 1, 2006... A story on Mad Cow Pictures in Encore's September issue (page 40) incorrectly stated that it would showcase The Legend of Secret Pass at this year's MIPCOM. That film is already in production and Mad Cow actually took another CG feature...

AFC drafts new protocols: protocols for Indigenous material to serve as industry guide.(Australian Film Commission)
October 1, 2006... THE AUSTRALIAN FILM COMMISSION (AFC) is set to release new cultural protocols concerning Indigenous Australians. The protocols have been developed by lawyer Terri Janke, with assistance from the AFC Indigenous Unit, which is headed up by Sally...

Meek swaps ABC for FFC: as Scott Meek heads to a new role at the FFC, it seems some of the finest ABC dramas are internal, rather than on screen. Steve Misiura reports.(TELEVISION)
October 1, 2006... FORMER ABC TV HEAD OF DRAMA Scott Meek has been appointed the Film Finance Corporation Australia's (FFC) new evaluation manager following a tumultuous month at the national broadcaster. Working alongside Tait Brady, Meek will evaluate the...

'Right Here' posts Toronto win.('Right Here, Right Now' wins an award at Toronto Rebelfest International Film Festival)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Local actor Matthew Newton's directorial debut Right Here, Right Now won the award for Best Feature at the 2006 Toronto Rebelfest International Film Festival. An alternative to the Toronto International Film Festival, Rebelfest is a strong...

Sticky Pictures signs Philippines deal.(Top Draw Animation )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Australian kids' production company Sticky Pictures has signed a deal with Philippines-based production house Top Draw Animation for the distribution of programming in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The new joint venture company, Mango...

AFACT launches education program.(Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) has unveiled a new copyright initiative targeted at eight to 12-year-olds. The venture is a partnership with the National Copyright Unit of the Copyright Advisory Group of Australian...

Aust/China co-pro heads latest FFC approvals: the latest round of FFC board approvals includes five features as well as a host of kids' TV and documentary projects.(FINANCE)
October 1, 2006... THE FIRST OFFICIAL FEATURE FILM CO-production between Australia and China was one of five features that received funding at the September board meeting of the Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC). An Australian/Chinese/German...

Nine claims 2006 audience victory: in the battle for audience figures, it seems that spin is the deadliest weapon. Steve Misiura reports.(Nine Network Australia Ltd., television audience rating)
October 1, 2006... HOT ON THE HEELS OF THE WA-WA/SEVEN V NINE THREATS-OF-LITIGATION debacle, the Nine Network has claimed victory for the 2006 ratings war with opponents Seven and Ten. As the fierce rivalry between the networks threatens continuing public...

Seeing is believing ... as Australian films once more make their mark on the international stage, this year's ASDA conference focused on the small but rather useful issue of visual storytelling. Steve Misiura reports.(ASDA: EVENT COVERAGE)(Conference news)
October 1, 2006... IN A FILMMAKING ENVIRONMENT WHERE CONTENT IS KING AND the endless draft-after-draft search for the perfect script all hallowed, it comes as a breath of fresh air that this year's Australian Screen Directors Association (ASDA) conference focused...

Battle lines drawn over sports rights: the heads of ASTRA and free TV, Debra Richards and Julie Flynn, provide opposing arguments about the Government's anti-siphoning list for the broadcast of sports programs.(Loggerheads: ANTI-SIPHONING)
October 1, 2006... WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S 'USE IT OR lose it' reform plan for TV sports broadcasting rules due take to effect in January 2007, debate has intensified over which sporting events should be included on the controversial anti-siphoning list....

Being David Tench ... Tracey Prisk goes behind the scenes of the animated talk show David Tench Tonight to discovers how its considerable challenges were met in production and in the post suite.(On Location: DAVID TENCH TONIGHT)
October 1, 2006... TALK SHOW HOSTS ARE USUALLY ANIMATED BUT DAVID TENCH TONIGHT TAKES the concept to a new level. Motion capture technology brings the virtual chat show host to life but producer Andrew Denton would prefer the focus be on David Tench--the...

Seven years on: the Ghost of Christmas Past; Bob Ellis ponders the passage of time and questions the reluctance of the not-so-willing participants of Michael Apted's seminal 7 up series.(Rough Cut: REVIEW)(49 Up)(An Inconvenient Truth)(Thank You for Smoking)(The Devil Wears Prada)(Last Train to Freo)(Movie review)
October 1, 2006... THIS MONTH: 49 UP (D/P MICHAEL APTED, P CLAIRE LEWIS), THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH (D DAVID GUGGENHEIM, P LAWRENCE BENDER, SCOTT BURNS, SCOTT Z BURNS); THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (D JASON REITMAN, P DAVID O SACKS), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (D DAVID...

No sweeping changes and little surprise: the Government's media reforms promise much, but will they deliver to anyone but the media moguls, asks SPAA's executive director, Geoff Brown.(Above The Line: MEDIA REFORMS)
October 1, 2006... NOW THAT THE SUBMISSIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT review are in, it's hard to predict what might be on the agenda for the industry after all the deliberating is over with. Given what's happened thus far with Senator Coonan's much-touted 'media reform'...

US/France renew the passion French fling: traditional sparring partners France and the US are enjoying a thawing in relations as their film industries unite in a spate of new productions. Julian Newby reports.(Euro Insider: FRANCE)
October 1, 2006... AHOLLYWOOD THREEQUEL, RUSH HOUR 3, IS shooting this month in Paris. The movie is welcomed by local and national government, and everybody's happy. What's going on? Unlikely bedfellows, France and the US. Tradition has it that they...

Out of sight needn't mean out of mind: despite the tyranny of distance, Australian facilities need to maintain a presence in Hollywood if they hope to secure runaway US production. Tracey Montgomery reports.(marketing)
October 1, 2006... EVERYONE KNOWS THAT AUSTRALIA IS A LONG WAY from the US; and if you don't, you need only attend a meeting with an American executive. They will quickly share their concerns about the distance between the two countries and the rising Australian...

'Dirty Girls' backs up 'Freo' as WA scheme takes shape: ScreenWest's initiative to boost local production in Western Australia has yielded its second feature project. Steve Misiura gets the lowdown on Dirty Girls.(Script: WEST COAST VISIONS)
October 1, 2006... AFTER ALMOST TEN YEARS IN THE PLANNING A West Australian film about identical twins desperate to gain a sense of independence is about to see the light of day thanks to ScreenWest's West Coast Visions scheme. Dirty Girls will be the second...

AFC announces SP*RK hothouse teams.(IN BRIEF)(Australian Film Commission)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Eight feature film teans will attend a week-long residential script lab in Byron Bay from October 22-29 as part of the Australian Film Commission's 2006 SP*RK national script hothouse. The projects selected were: The Collaborators--a macabre...

Greenlight down to final eight.('Project Greenlight' series finalists announced)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The eight finalists competing in The Movie Network/Screentime's Project Greenlight were announced on Septmeber 14 during episode one of the series, which airs on Movie Extra. Each finalist received $20,000 with which to make a short film. The...

Canberra team completes 'Yakka'.(Clear Vision Films completes production of the movie)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Canberra-based production company Clear Vision Films has completed an action feature titled Yakka Oy. The film stars Rob Steele, Steve Jez and Simon Lee. The $35,000 film was shot and DV cam self-funded by writer/producers Warren Coulton and...

Nun's death delays 'the abbey'.(IN BRIEF)(ABC TV)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... ABC TV reality project The Abbey was postponed in late August following the death of the mother superior in the monastery where the series was set to take place. Principal filming was about to take place on August 28, but the abbey's mother...

Yahoo!7 launches interactive drama.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Yahoo!7 has launched an interactive, 12-part drama series called PS Trixi. A cross between an online drama and an interactive game, the series features Erinn Swan as a livewire local radio DJ in her 20s, who quits her job when a romantic...

McGregor swaps SAFC for Rising Sun.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Rory McGregor has departed the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) to take up a sales and marketing role with Rising Sun Research, the Adelaide-based creator of the remote review and approval tool, cineSync, and the cineSpace colour...

Snow says farewell to Rising Sun Pictures.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Andrea Snow has left her role as Sydney-based marketing manager for VFX company Rising Sun Pictures. All things marketing will now be handled by Ian Cope.

Park Road Post appoints McCammon.(IN BRIEF)(Aimee McCammon appointed as general manager )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Wellington-based post house Park Road Post has appointed former Saatchi & Saatchi group account director Aimee McCammon to the position of general manager with a brief is to increase international business for the facility, particularly from US...

Media 100 unveils version 11.5.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Media 100 has launched version 11.5 of its post production software, which incorporates support for digital acquisition and output. The release supports Firewire I/O and the Panasonic P2 format and also enables users to capture to DV or any...

'Like Minds' to hit screens next month.(IN BRIEF)(Becker Films International)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Becker Films' Australia/UK co-production Like Minds will be released theatrically on November 9. Written and directed by Gregory Read and produced by Piers Tempest and Jonathan Shteinman, the feature stars Toni Collette, Richard Roxburgh, Eddie...

Melbourne hits the roof with new cinema.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Creative agency Hunter will open the Rooftop Cinema in Melbourne's CBD in December. The open-air cinema, located on top of Curtin House on Swanston St, will be six stories high, 70m wide and feature deckchair seating for 200 filmgoers. Rooftop...

Forest, Freehand to launch new platform.(IN BRIEF)(Forest Interactive and Freehand Group's new game engine MobiStax)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Forest Interactive and The Freehand Group will be releasing a new content delivery platform for mobile phones and hand held devices later in 2006. The mobile platform, MobiStax, was developed from an internet trading card game created by Forest...

US mobile TV audience grows 45 percent.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... The mobile TV audience in the US grew 45 percent to 3.7 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2006, according to Telephia, the largest provider of consumer research to the communications and new media markets. As expected, news, weather...

Groves says goodbye to Southern Star.(IN BRIEF)(Southern Star Group Ltd's Don Groves joined corporate communications)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Southern Star Group communications manager Don Groves exited the role in September following a restructure of the way the production and sales giant handles its publicity and corporate communications. Groves was in the position for some 15...

Galvin exits Popcorn Taxi to make films.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Popcorn Taxi Programmer Peter Galvin has left the position to concentrate on making films. Galvin started with the film event company in August 2004 and has been responsible for curating the programs in collaboration with company director Gary...

Dacey to manage ABC Enterprises sales.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... Karen Dacey has joined ABC Enterprises as manager of program sales, to replace the outgoing Michael Badorrek. Dacey will oversee the management of ABC Enterprises' program sales business including news and current affairs sales, international...

ABC promotes Mathieson.(IN BRIEF)
October 1, 2006... ABC TV has appointed Randal Mathieson as the new state director for Victoria. Mathieson has been with the ABC for 12 years.

Gold coast hosts digital miniatures workshop: VFX training company fxphd recently contributed to a practical workshop for shooting miniatures showcasing the Genesis camera system.(Shoot: VFX)(visual effects training)
October 1, 2006... AS PART OF AN ONGOING TRAINING SEMINAR program, a group of DOP and VFX artists recently spent a weekend at Warner Roadshow Studios' sound stage one working through a practical session on filming VFX miniatures digitally. The aim of the...

Digital delivery network using DI to bridge gap: Soundfirm has become the latest Australian post house to sign on for the SmartJog secure server-based digital delivery network. Fiona Williams reports.(Sync: TECHNOLOGY)
October 1, 2006... SOUNDFIRM HAS BECOME THE LATEST AUSTRALIAN member of electronic delivery network SmartJog. As mentioned in Encore's 2006 report from the National Association of Broadcasters' annual trade show (June 2006, p39), SmartJog offers a 2K film...

DIY distribution supports 'Wil' festival success: debut feature director Jeremy Weinstein is tapping distribution contacts to get his film seen locally, off the back of overseas festival recognition. David Hull reports.(Screen: WIL)
October 1, 2006... DIRECTOR JEREMY WEINSTEIN IS YET TO SECURE A distributor for his feature Wil but that hasn't stopped him securing an exclusive season for the film at a Melbourne art house venue. The independently-financed film is locked in for a season at...

Sowada heads to vic for new challenge at ACMI: WA-based Richard Sowada is shifting to Melbourne to oversee film programs at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.(Payroll: PROFILE)(Victoria)
October 1, 2006... THIS MONTH RICHARD SOWADA MAKES THE MOVE from the west coast to the east as he takes up his new appointment as head of film programs at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). Sowada is best known as the founder of the Revelation...

Listings.(film and television production report)
October 1, 2006... EVERY MONTH ENCORE's production report includes all known features and television drama and factual programs that have a network presale. Projects in the planning stage appear once only and the listing ends when a project goes into...

James Edwards.(CREW CUT)
October 1, 2006... Job Title: Editor (Offline) First Break Will be great. I am looking forward to going on a bit of a trip to New York after this show has ended. Industry Mentor/s: Andy Nehl, our Producer. Firstly, because it is good to suck up to him,...

Premiere of 'What's The Matter' at the LA International Short Film Festival.(People)
October 1, 2006... [WHAT] What's The Matter premiere [WHAT] September 2006 [WHAT] Los Angeles International Short Film Festival PHOTOS BY TAIT RUPPERT

Cast and crew screening of Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?(People)
October 1, 2006... [WHAT] ABC premiere of Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? [WHEN] September 7 2006 [WHERE] 3 Weeds Bar, Sydney PHOTOS BY KYM DRUITT

Attention to relationships prompts studio rush: industry insider Harvey Shore keeps his eyes peeled and his ears close to the ground to report the latest whisperings in the cruel, capricious world of television.(Hearsay: STUDIOS)
October 1, 2006... ENGLISH NEWSPAPER EDITOR CHARLES MOORE ONCE said, to write a successful column "one is obliged not just to express an opinion but to shout it". Some newspaper columns have lately been shouting that the Pacific Film & Television Commission...

Stop thief ...!(theft at Gearhouse Broadcast)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Some cheeky bugger has gone and nicked a HDV from a client's car no less at Gearhouse Broadcast. It was in a silver road case with all the associated accessories. The serial number is 1311564. If you see it, know where it is or stole it, you...

Sniffing out a pirate.(Motion Picture Association of America uses sniffer dogs to fight piracy)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Variety reports that the Motion Picture Association of America has unleashed--literally--its new weapons in the fight against piracy: two sniffer dogs named Lucky and Flo. The labrador retrievers reportedly wowed a screening room of customs...

Orphan saves the day.(Russian Resurrection Film Festival opens in Sydney)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Sydney's Russian Resurrection Film Festival went off with a whimper when it was plagued by a couple of glitches on opening night. The festive spirit was in full swing with cossack dance demonstrations and a soloist from the Sydney Opera who got...

This month in history.(remembering William Gibson)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... We should just take a moment to remember the 'godfather' of Australian film, William Gibson, who died from broncho-pneumonia in October 1929. His film career started in 1900, when he bought a projector from one of his clients at chemist William...

The production diary of Matty le Marr: don't let the bustards grind you up.(Out takes)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... 9.30pm. I reckon this month has been like the worstest month in my whole, entire life. And It's all to apt that my word of the day today was caprishus... which I think basically means vile and that's how I feel about the world today. I...