Convergence review deadline looms with local content quota top of the agenda
Industry bodies and individuals are racing to meet today’s deadline for submissions to the government’s media convergence review which will have far-ranging implications for the screen industry including the rules on local content.
The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has been open to submissions since July.
Among those already received is one from Prof Stuart Cunningham of Queensland University of Technology who addresses questions around the local content quota for television. Referring to the argument that the best rating shows are local, meaning there is no need for a quota, he argues Read more »
SBS maintain 2018 and 2022 World Cup broadcast rights
SBS has secured the rights to 2018 and 2022 Soccer World Cups.
Russia will host the 2018 World Cup, which means games will be broadcast at 10pm, 12am, 2am and 5am.
The 2022 World Cup will be hosted by Qatar, and similar broadcast times can be expected.
Final Post launches in the Hunter Valley
New post-production house Final Post opens in the Hunter Valley catering to both local and international filmmakers.
Final Post will launch on November 3 and specialises in digital cinema finishing and grading. Final Post will have Australia’s first Precision Panel, ‘the next general for creating high quality colour and special effects for film’ a statement by Final Post said.
Man on fire: Burning Man’s Jonathan Teplitzky
Burning Man, Jonathan Teplitzky’s third cinematic offering, proves a small budget Australian film can stand tall on a global stage. Georgina Pearson spoke with Teplitzky about the film’s creation.
Within our society there is a common underlying thread. That unspoken C word, only ever briefly discussed or tentatively skirted during dinner party conversation. Despite a growing abundance of people living with or affected by cancer, it still remains the elephant in the room. Jonathan Teplitzky’s, Burning Man does no such tiptoeing.
Streaming video will fight internet piracy claims Quickflix CEO
Quickflix CEO Chris Taylor has claimed that the advent of the company’s streaming video service will impact internet piracy.
The service is the first to the Australian online movie market with streaming content, initially to Sony devices.
Taylor told Encore: “I’ve always believed that the best antidote to piracy is with a legal provider. The success of Netflix in the US is evidence of that. An affordable and accessible service will succeed in the face of piracy.”
Brisbane animators score series with Sesame Street
Igusto the Animal Prankster
A Brisbane animation company has tapped major children’s television broadcaster Sesame Street to produce an original short series.
Liquid Animation will deliver series Ziggy the Rapping Zebrasaurus for the US children’s program, aimed to teach pre-schoolers about shapes.
Liquid Animation managing director Steve Viner said: “As a studio that has cut its teeth on producing work for other people, we’re extremely excited to be developing our own story ideas.”
Quickflix lock in US production studios for streaming content
Online movie rental company Quickflix today announced they’ve secured leading US production companies for their new digital streaming subscription service.
The service will run to all Sony PS3 consoles and Sony Bravia internet connected devices.
Quickflix have secured deals with Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros International Brand Services, Lakeshore Entertainment, Content Media Corporation and Pinnacle Films.
Digital Ignition clinic attendees announced
Eight screen productions have been selected to take part in a multi-platform and transmedia clinic in November, organised by Screen Australia.
The Digital Ignition Multi-platform clinic is a week long workshop designed to “support the development of production ready multi-platform strategies.”
The clinic will be run by Gary Hayes, co-founder of StoryLabs who also wrote Screen Australia’s How to write a Transmedia Production Bible.
British media convergence bigwig to speak at SPAA
Stephen Carter, the man who re-engineered the UK’s regulatory landscape for media, is to offer a presentation on convergence at next month’s SPAA conference.
The session at the Screen Producers Association of Australia event is highly timely because Australia’s media regulations are undergoing a similar review to that carried out by Carter around seven years ago.
Carter created the UK super-regulator Ofcom after the merger of several individual media regulators. He later became a government minister and is now boss of telco giant Alacatel-Lucent. Read more »
Drama investment plunges, Screen Australia reveals
Screen Australia has released figures demonstrating the dramatic fall in film investment in Australia during the last financial year.
Overall, drama production in Australia accounted for $495m, the figures showed. Local feature production accounted for 18% of that. This was a drop of 67% on last year to $88m. Foreign activity accounted for 17% or $85m of the $495m. It was a fall by 53% on last year, due to only two foreign films shooting in Australia last year; Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Don’t be Afraid of the Dark.
The TV drama sector was the only bright spot, with expenditure rising by $12%. The sector took $322m, or 65% of the $495m, according to Screen Australia’s The Drama Report. Read more »