Press release from Solid Ink Communications
Film Victoria has confirmed a final commitment of $2 million in funding to 23 projects this week, wrapping up a financial year which saw $10 million in financial support across development and production projects.
Film Victoria CEO, Sandra Sdraulig, confirmed this final commitment via the production investment, digital media prototyping and fiction development programs will ensure a significant level of activity in the local industry for the next six months.
“It is terrific to finish the 2008/09 financial year with a $2 million funding boost across both development and production of film, TV and digital media projects. This investment has both cultural and economic benefits for Victorians, by achieving a vibrant screen industry which supports employment and sustainability of businesses as well as enabling Australian stories and perspectives to be realised on screen,” said Ms. Sdraulig when announcing the results today.
A $1.4 million injection from the production investment program will support two new feature films, a television comedy series, two television documentaries and a telemovie.
The six projects will see audiences engage with diverse stories about Australia’s greatest Aboriginal musicians (MURUNDAK – SONGS OF FREEDOM); the trials and tribulations of a tabloid journalist (LOWDOWN); a family relationship comedy (KIN); an insight into a controversial Prime Minister (HAWKE); the terror of Black Saturday (INSIDE THE FIRESTORM); and ‘Wog boy’, who now finds himself on the island of Mykonos (WOG BOY 2: THE KINGS OF MYKONOS).
Victoria’s leading edge digital media sector will continue to flourish with an investment of more than $300,000 in two prototypes for iPhone (ENTOMBED) and PC (JOLLY ROGER) and one production investment for Nintendo DS (FRACTURE). With Film Victoria’s focus firmly on empowering digital media practitioners to retain ownership of their IP, these programs continue to stimulate original ideas that are highly marketable.
Twelve feature film projects and one television series has been awarded fiction development funding and a new comedy improvisation production (Z FORCE) will receive Television Pilot funding, which will enable Victorian television producers to continue to create high quality television productions.
“With more than $10 million committed through development and production investment programs this financial year, the Victorian Government is delivering on its commitment to see Victoria lead the way in content development and production. It will put the industry in a positive position moving forward,” confirmed Ms. Sdraulig.
Screen industry practitioners can stay informed of funding guideline changes via Film Victoria’s website (www.film.vic.gov.au <http://www.film.vic.gov.au> ) e-news or on twitter (http://twitter.com/filmvictoria)
BACKGROUND ON PRODUCTION INVESTMENT APPROVED PROJECTS
Hit writing duo Nick Giannopoulos (Wog Boy) and Chris Anastassiades (Wog Boy, Hating Alison Ashley) will combine forces once more for the See-Saw Films and G.O. Films co-production of WOG BOY 2: THE KINGS OF MYKONOS. The new comedy feature re-connects with the character Steve ‘The Wog Boy’ Karamitsis who unexpectedly inherits a beach on the resort island of Mykonos. Peter Andrikidis (Underbelly: A tale of two cities) will direct alongside producers Nick Giannopoulos and Emile Sherman (Disgrace, Candy).
Feature film KIN tells the story of the Thompson family whose individual love lives are delicious, deviant and desperate, all at the same time. When the youngest son Steve agrees to marry for cash, what was to be a simple secret registry affair turns into the world’s most farcical wedding. Kin Films Pty Ltd secured funding for post-production and is represented by talented writer Christine Barrett, director Amanda Jane and producer Nicole Minchin.
Biopic telemovie HAWKE promises a candid glimpse into the controversial life of Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. The Film Company Pty Ltd, comprising writer Glen Dolman (The Bill, The Clinic), director Emma Freeman (Rush, Secret Life of Us, Love My Way) and producer Richard Keddie (Little Fish, My Brother Jack) will document the transformation of the once alcoholic, womanising Trade Union President as he journeys to become a visionary world leader.
Audiences will laugh at the expense of Alex Burchill, the top reporter at fictional tabloid paper Sunday Sun, thanks to LOWDOWN, a comedy television series from Lowdown TV Pty Ltd. Writer/director Amanda Brotchie (Rats and Cats), writer Adam Zwar and producer Nicole Minchin will draw audiences into the life of Burchill as he produces a weekly scandalous, circulation-boosting story on a misbehaving celebrity.
Renegade Films Pty Ltd will immerse audiences in the chilling facts of Victoria’s worst natural disaster, Black Saturday, with television documentary INSIDE THE FIRESTORM. Writer Chris Masters will team up with producer Lucy Maclaren and executive producers Joe Connor (RockWiz, Wilfred), Ken Connor (RockWiz) and Alex West (Ned Kelly Uncovered) to uncover the frightening details of that fateful day in February when the bushfires began.
Award winning documentary maker Philippa Campey (Words from the City) teams with Natasha Gadd to co-produce documentary MURUNDAK – SONGS OF FREEDOM. Daybreak Films Pty Ltd promises an uplifting and vibrant journey into the heart of Aboriginal resistance music, which will be written and directed by Natasha Gadd (Words from the City, Anatomy – Muscle) and Rhys Graham (Words from the City, Anatomy – Skin), and executive produced by Michael McMahon (The Home Song Stories).
BACKGROUND ON DIGITAL MEDIA APPROVED PROJECTS
Endgame Studio Pty Ltd will develop a complete Nintendo DS game entitled FRACTURE, a platform puzzle game with a twist. It will bring both a bizarre and dark twist to traditional gaming and introduce impressive technology utilising both screens on the Nintendo DS.
Fun Guy Media Pty Ltd will take players on a quest for survival with their iPhone prototype, ENTOMBED. This top down maze puzzler combines a clever touch navigation system with curses, relics and quicksand to take iPhone gamers on a quirky treasure story.
JOLLY ROGER, a traditional adventure “point and click” PC prototype will be developed by Brawsome Pty Ltd. Capitalising on the recent resurgence in retro gaming, the project targets older gamers looking for an entertaining, comedic experience.
BACKGROUND ON TELEVISION PILOT APPROVED PROJECT
Julia Zemiro is Zelda Forsyth (Zed) in Z FORCE a multi-talented accident-prone special agent, in a new television pilot from Renegade Films Australia Pty Ltd. Produced by Peter Bain-Hogg and written by Simon Rogers, the thirty minute spy-com pilot will have physical humour meeting verbal dexterity in an improvisational environment.
BACKGROUND ON FICTION DEVELOPMENT APPROVED PROJECTS
Outline to Treatment
– COME BACK, to be produced by Turnstile 4 Pty Ltd with producer Boyd Hicklin, writer Rohan Jones and executive producer James Hird.
– MADE IN CHINA, to be produced by Storybox Films Pty Ltd with producer Don Linke and writer Max Dann.
Concept to Draft
– UNCLE MUM, to be produced by Mondayitis TV with producer, Marc Gracie and writers Mark O’Toole and Chris Thompson.
Draft to Draft
– LOOKING FOR MR JONES, with producer Andrea Buck and writer/director Dee McLachlan through Jammed Films Pty Ltd T/A The Picture Tank
– HONK IF YOU ARE JESUS, to be written by Matt Cameron and Frances O’Connor.
– IN EXTREMIS, to be produced by D. Ostroff & C. Hannah and written by Everett DeRoche.
– THE ARCHITECT, to be produced by Circe Films Pty Ltd, with producer Beth Frey and writer Stephen Davis.
– BITE, to be produced by Boilermaker Pty Ltd, with producer and writer Gareth Calverley, and executive producer Bryce Menzies.
– BUTTERFLY BALL, to be produced by Puffafish Pty Ltd, with producer Anthony Woodcock and writer Warwick Holt.
– HOMEWORK, to be produced by Mini Studios, with producer Steve Kearney and writer Fin Edquist.
– IN MORAL DANGER, to be produced by Circe Films Pty Ltd, with producer Beth Frey and writer Mary Walsh.
– JOY AND SUNDAY (pka HEIDE), to be prodcued by The Film Company with producer Richard Keddie and writer Joanna Murray-Smith.
– THE LAST LINE, with producer Pete! Ford and writer Sally Faraday.