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Creative Partnerships Director to leave Screen NSW

Press release from Screen NSW

Ashley Luke, Director of Creative Partnerships at Screen NSW, will leave the organisation at the end of 2011 to return to the UK.

Screen NSW Chief Executive Tania Chambers said that Ashley has made an outstanding contribution to the NSW screen industry over the past three years, including revamping the internationally acclaimed Aurora script development program and the Emerging Filmmakers Fund.

“Over the past 3 years, 17 projects have gone through the Aurora script workshop program and, under Ashley’s directorship, the program has been opened up to interstate partners. In that time, two Aurora projects – The Burning Man and Wish You Were Here – have gone from development to completion of production, which speaks volumes about the effectiveness of Aurora. Several other projects from the past three years are also active in the financing market,” Ms Chambers said.

Ms Chambers said that changes to the Emerging Filmmakers Fund (EFF) had enabled a new partnership program for Indigenous filmmakers with Metroscreen, supported by Screen NSW. This year 14 short films will be funded across both programs, up from eight short films through EFF two years ago.

“With his distinguished background in acquisitions and development in both Europe and Australia, Ashley’s role at Screen NSW has also included considerable work in brokering relationships between our filmmakers and the international marketplace. He’s been very involved in partnering producers and directors with international financiers and sales agents and encouraging filmmakers to apply to attend international financing markets and co-production forums around the world.”

In recent years Screen NSW has assisted filmmakers to attend the Talent Campus and Co-Production market in Berlin, No Borders in New York, Cinemart in Rotterdam, the International Finance Forum in Toronto, Strategic Partners in Halifax and the Ausfilm Co-Pro Forum in London. Ashley has also advised SPAAmart on international guests and worked with the Sydney Film Festival on its Industry forums.

“Screen NSW and our industry have been extremely fortunate to have the benefit of Ashley’s considerable knowledge and acumen over the past three years. We wish him well for his return to the UK where I’m sure he’ll continue to make a valuable contribution to the screen industry. We are determined to ensure the NSW screen industry works with him again in the future,” Ms Chambers said.

Ashley Luke said that he plans to consult across the international industry after returning to the UK.

“After almost 25 years in the film and television business working in everything from development to acquisitions I have decided to take some time off for travelling, but fully intend to carry on working in a consultancy capacity from my UK base,” he said.

An appointment to the role of Director of Creative Partnerships at Screen NSW will be made over the next months.