The last financial year saw the amount spent on drama production in Australia crack $1 billion for the first time, thanks in part to record levels of foreign project spend and bolstered local feature film production.
Producers Jason Byrne, Clayton Jacobson and Tait Brady went to the Australian International Movie Convention last year to “sell” 'Sibling Rivalry', a black comedy co-starring Clayton and his brother Shane Jacobson, to cinema owners.
Screen Australia’s revelation that it can no longer afford to support entry-level feature filmmakers has been criticised by the Australian Directors Guild and some producers, writers and directors.
“We have had to get out of the entry-level film market as a result of funding cuts," said Screen Australia COO Fiona Cameron.
The volume of TV drama and TV documentary production in Australia has slumped in the past four years due to fewer commissions from free-to-air broadcasters, according to a survey released today.
“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 Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS), Screen Australia and the state funding agencies have united to put on a skills development program for emerging practitioners from diverse backgrounds.
Produced by Trevor Blainey ('Noise', 'Cut Snake') and written by Nigel Karikari, the film will tell the story of Selina, a vampire who returns to a remote farmstead to destroy the last vestiges of her humanity – her long abandoned son.