Screen Australia will apply up to $750,000 of its 2008/09 documentary funds for the production of up to five documentary programs with no requirement for market attachments.
The allocation for each project is expected to be in the vicinity of $150,000 but, at the discretion of Screen Australia, may be up to $250,000. Priority will be given to those projects which can be successfully completed within the available budget.
The aim of the scheme is to provide the opportunity for filmmakers to make programs that step outside the potential limitations of broadcaster commissioning and Screen Australia market requirements.
Projects will be selected by Screen Australia, as well as a specialist consultant, by the end of October 2008.
This year we are delighted to announce that the specialist consultant will be filmmaker Ruth Cullen. Ruth is an accomplished and highly respected documentary director with a long list of credits. She has worked in every production department and her experience spans documentaries, features, commercials and music videos.
Ruth made the AFI-nominated and IDFA (Amsterdam)‚ selected documentary The Tightrope Dancer before travelling, writing and working in New York where she edited the feature documentary Criminals directed by Oscar winner Joseph Strick.
Since her return she has produced and directed Becoming Julia, been Series Director on Heat in the Kitchen and worked as a consultant commissioning editor at the ABC. Other credits include the series Problem Parenting and Growing Up Male.
She is in production on the Brendan Young‚ directed You Only Live Twice. Ruth has served on the advisory committee of the Sydney International Film Festival and is a board member of The Australian Director’s Guild where she is the Documentary representative.
When assessing projects the following criteria will be considered:
*track record of creative team and their vision for the project
*distinctiveness of project
*quality of project
*outcomes proposed by filmmaker
*potential to achieve proposed outcomes
Please note the documentary must be of at least a half hour in length.
Applications must be received by Thursday 2 October 2008 and will be considered by Screen Australia at its December funding meeting. The application form can be downloaded from the Screen Australia website or contact Mim Davis on mim.davis@screenaustralia.gov.au