Here I Am’s Beck Cole, Kath Shelper and Warwick Thorton are here to stay
The Hollywood machine loves selling audiences ‘the new project from the creators of…’ a certain box office hit or a critically acclaimed film. It looks great on the posters, but most times it doesn’t guarantee anything.
There are times, however, when such a reference is not just an empty marketing tool, but a real promise of the aesthetic and creative capabilities of a close-knit group of collaborators.
The McKee to Success
Every year, thousands of writers around the world pay hundreds of dollars to attend this man’s seminar. Miguel Gonzalez spoke with the one and only Robert McKee about how he’s planning to educate Australian writers.
His official website (mckeestory.com) boasts the names of hundreds of former students turned celebrities with a combined 35 Academy Awards (and 160+ nominations) and billions of dollars earned at the worldwide box office.
Encore’s Power 50 top man, Emile Sherman
Last February, Sherman became the first Australian producer to receive an Academy Award for Best Picture, alongside his See-Saw Films partner Iain Canning, and Bedlam Productions’ Gareth Unwin. It also won at the BAFTAs and the Producers Guild of America, in addition to the many other honours for its cast and crew.
Encore’s Power 50, 2011
For the second consecutive year, Encore has chosen a select group of screen professionals who have achieved new heights in 2010/2011, whose decisions influence and shape Australia’s audiovisual industry, and whose work has stood out from the crowd. These are our Power 50.
1. Emile Sherman – Producer
Last February, Sherman became the first Australian producer to receive an Academy Award for Best Picture, alongside his See-Saw Films partner Iain Canning, and Bedlam Productions’ Gareth Unwin. It also won at the BAFTAs and the Producers Guild of America, in addition to the many other honours for its cast and crew.
While technically a UK production, the Australianness of the film is undeniable – and so is its success; with a modest U$15m budget, The King’s Speech has grossed more than $405m worldwide – one of the most successful independent films of all time. Read Emile Sherman interview
Singapore Sunset in 3D launches at ScreenSingapore
Australian producers Bill Leimbach and Mandaley Perkins will attend ScreenSingapore this week in support of their new $28million project Singapore Sunset in 3D.
About the Japanese bombing of Singapore and its lead up between December 1941 and February 1942, including the bombing of Britain’s battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battle cruiser HMS Repulse, the film will bring together a multinational cast with production in both Singapore and Australia.
Film Critics: Everyone’s a critic
Trent Griffiths spoke with six of Australia’s leading film critics to find out how they approach their craft, how their role has changed in the modern media landscape, and what they think the future of film criticism holds.
The evolution of digital media, social networking, and the global information society has ushered in a brave new world of possibilities for the film industry. The 3D revolution, downloading and DIY filmmaking have all been widely discussed, but the concurrent change in the nature of film criticism has received scant attention.
The Rise of Singapore
Singapore may be geographically small but it has big plans for its screen industry, including making good use of its co-production treaty with Australia. Miguel Gonzalez reports.
Next month, the screen industry’s eyes will be in Singapore, as the island nation hosts its first market/conference/ trade and technology exhibition, simply called ScreenSingapore.
Brain drain: The point of no return
Australia’s screen professionals must be free to practice their skills anywhere in the world, but how do we stop this healthy career development from becoming a dangerous brain drain? Miguel Gonzalez reports.
If we were to make a list of all the Australian screen practitioners who have made it overseas, it would be a very long list indeed. It would probably start with the A-list creatives everybody knows, followed by the more anonymous and numerous executives, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, VFX artists and technicians working all over the world.
On Location: Cloudstreet
Tim Winton’s much-loved Australian novel Cloudstreet has been adapted for the small screen two decades after
it was first published. Laine Lister visited the West Australian set to document the ride.
When the screen rights to Cloudstreet returned to Australian ownership, Tim Winton devotees celebrated the great coup; the quintessential Australian story was finally coming home.
Significant Australian Content: Passing the test
Some call it the ‘kangaroos and koalas’ requirement forcing producers to include stereotypical Australian elements in their work; others object that projects with no visible ‘kangaroos and koalas’ should not be eligible for the Producer Offset. Can the Significant Australian Content test be improved to stop this debate?
Beyond productions’ documentary series Taboo was the first project to be denied the Producer Offset based on the incentive’s crucial Significant Australian Content test. It is also the first to be challenged in both the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and Federal Court.