Encore to represent Variety in Australasia
Focal Attractions P/L, the publisher of Encore magazine and media portal mUmBRELLA, has recently entered into an agreement to represent Variety magazine in Australia and New Zealand.
“Having a local Variety representative will make it easier for individuals and organisations trying to reach the international screen industry to assess their options,” said sales director Sean McKeown. Read more »
Australia launches voice casting app
Sound studio GASinc has launched Talent Please, a voiceover casting app for the iPhone that allows casting directors and producers to find voice talent and recording facilities using their mobile phone.
“It’s ensuring that our talent gets exposed to more work, worldwide,” said marketing manager Jana Wilkes. Read more »
Focus on South Australia: looking south
The wheels have been turning in South Australia to bring the state’s film industry to the forefront of the entire nation. Micah Chua reports on the state’s progress and finds out just how this ambitious goal is being acted out.
The vision for the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) as stated in their Strategic Plan for 2012 is to have SA ‘recognised globally as the most dynamic screen industry in Australia’, with measurable targets such as doubling the state’s feature production by 2014 and increasing the number of credited producers and writers in the state. Read more »
Gil Scrine launches home entertainment arm
Independent distributor Gil Scrine Films will launch its new label Antidote Films next month, in partnership with All Interactive Distribution, which will handle distribution to rental and retail channels.
The company’s titles had previously been released through Madman Entertainment. Read more »
UK Film Council to be abolished
Britain’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced plans to abolish the UK Film Council as part of a cost-cutting and transparency/accountability/efficiency plan across 55 of its public bodies.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the proposal contemplates abolishing the UK Film Council and establishing “a direct and less bureaucratic relationship with the British Film Institute” to “support front-line services while ensuring greater value for money. ”
Marketing guidelines released
Screen Australia has released the new guidelines for its marketing programs, which include a new Innovative Distribution Partnership Program for slates focusing on non-traditional and innovative release strategies, such as Robert Connolly’s reformatting of his feature The Bank into five-minute mobisodes.
“[The program has potential] to help take advantage of the new models that are allowing access to expanding markets. Three distribution partners will be funded for two years to release slates of projects across new and emerging delivery platforms, with an annual total of $450,000 available,” said CEO Ruth Harley. Read more »
Still waiting at the box office
Claire McCarthy’s Indian-set drama The Waiting City (Hopcotch) has topped the limited release chart on its second weekend, adding $99,818 (average $3,992) for a total of $355,283. The film dropped 27 percent compared to the previous week.
Animal Kingdom (Madman) is about to reach the $4.5m mark, and remains at number 10 – a position it’s held for four weeks. Read more »
BBC Worldwide appoints new TV director
BBC Worldwide has appointed Deirdre Brennan as the director of television for its Australian channels, replacing Brendan Dahill.
Brennan will be responsible for production, programming, acquisitions, on-air promotions and presentation for UKTV, UKTV NZ, BBC Knowledge and CBeebies. Read more »
Dafoe to hunt in Tasmania
Daniel Nettheim’s debut feature The Hunter, starring US actor Willem Dafoe, will shoot in Tasmania later this year.
“It’s going into production later this year, for delivery in 2011,” James Hewison, Madman Entertainment’s head of theatrical, told Encore. Read more »
Six producers win MIFF market placings
Robert Connolly, Lisa Shaunessy, Richard Lowenstein, Della Churchill, Philippa Campbell and Yael Bergman are the winners of the MIFF 37ºSouth Market Alliance, receiving places at the UK’s Production Finance Market, Abu Dhabi Circle and Strategic Partners (Canada) markets.
The first to attend these international events will be NZ-based Campbell and Bergman, who will go to Strategic Partners in September. Connolly, Shaunessy and Lowenstein will go to the PFM in October; Churchill will attend the Circle in the United Arab Emirates the same month. Read more »