Are Australian films and television series cutting through globally? The short answer from Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason: No.
eOne has promoted Troy Lum to a newly created role, executive vice president of international productions, while Sandie Don will step up to be MD Australia/New Zealand.
Dispelling suggestions that cinema is ailing, Fox executive Andrew Cripps has delivered an upbeat assessment of the global film industry, pointing to a healthy upswing after a big slump in the US summer.
Australian distributors will soon be offered new technology designed to more accurately predict the box office results for any film and to help them choose the most appropriate release dates.
Some distributors, exhibitors and producers have welcomed a new distribution model which will see local and international films available to rent online immediately following a one-week theatrical release.
“We have a lot of films that are looking to go into production in the last quarter of 2017 or the first quarter of 2018 which big sales companies, gap lenders, financiers and distributors are actively pursuing."
The cinema is repeatedly held to be dead or dying. Evidence to support these claims is practically non-existent.
Word of mouth could not be stronger for The Dressmaker, judging by its superb second weekend takings in Australian cinemas.