After more than 40 years based in Fremantle, Western Australia’s screen resource organisation FTI will be moving to the City.
With the City of Fremantle about to undertake major renovations at the old Fremantle Boys’ School, FTI’s home since inception, FTI are excited to announce that its core functions will operate from the Perth Cultural Centre in a partnership with the State Library of Western Australia. This arrangement will allow FTI to assess and implement the longer-term strategic requirements of establishing a screen sector hub and public engagement space in or around the Northbridge cultural precinct.
FTI retains the first rights to take up tenancy in the Fremantle building once renovations are complete – anticipated to be towards the end of 2016.
Taking up residency in the State Library of WA will be FTI’s office, professional edit suite, and a new specialised training space. FTI will also enhance the functionality of the Library’s Theatre with the addition of a high-end HD digital video projector to complement the existing 16mm and 35mm film, and presentation standard video equipment along with additional digital playback facilities. Other spaces within, and partnerships with, the State Library will enhance FTI’s skills and network development, exhibition, production support and archival programs. A feature of the new office will be access to high speed internet connected to a fibre optic backbone – a facility that it is hoped will become available to the screen sector in time to enhance the capability of production teams.
Events already scheduled to take place at FTI’s new home include Play Up Perth, a free play test session that lets gaming fans play new games by local developers, to provide them feedback and improve the games further. Another regular event is the FTI/ PAC Script Labs that invite the public to hear live feature film script readings by professional actors. After the reading the audience is invited to share their thoughts on the script over a complimentary Coopers beer or glass of wine. FTI will be making good use of the State Library’s theatre, with the Manhattan Short Film Festival and a special showcase of WA Screen Award nominated films among the screenings to take place later this year.
FTI CEO, Paul Bodlovich said that the move was both strategic and necessary.
“The move delivers on a key strategic aim of improving outcomes for the Western Australian Screen Sector by being closer to more industry players and therefore better able to engage with them, while at the same time placing us better to make locally produced screen content more accessible to more West Australians. We have recently been more active in Northbridge and the Perth Cultural Centre which has been evidenced in FTI’s presentation of the Fringe World Award winning, Bohemia Outdoor Cinema at Rooftop Movies as well as presenting the world’s biggest short film competition, Tropfest, at three public screens in Northbridge last year.”
Clear benefits will arise from being more centrally located. As ScreenWest’s Chief Executive Ian Booth says – “ScreenWest are supportive and excited about FTI's relocation to the Perth Cultural Centre which will bring them much closer to the majority of the practitioners that they support.”
Margaret Allen, CEO and State Librarian, said she looked forward to the new initiatives and activity that FTI would bring. “We welcome FTI and look forward to opportunities for collaboration in relation to film collection, preservation and education programs including a potential creative hub for film and media ”
FTI will be taking up residency on Level 2 of the State Library of WA from 19 May 2014. FTI has advised it will not be contactable via phone from the 12 – 16 May, but will remain active with all FTI staff contactable via mobile and email. Contact details can be found via www.fti.asn.au .
Full details of upcoming FTI events and activities to take place in the Perth Cultural Centre are being advertised via www.fti.asn.au and www.facebook.com/ftiwa.
FTI gratefully acknowledges the support of Screen Australia, ScreenWest and Coopers beer.