Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason recognises the structural challenges facing independent films but does not subscribe to the view that this is a down year for Australian cinema.
Screen Australia has announced the five finalists who will compete in its pitching competition, Pitcher Perfect, to be held at VidCon in Melbourne this Friday.
For director Ben Lawrence, the reaction to his feature debut 'Hearts and Bones' at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was both “emotional and overwhelming”.
"You'll find us moving the dial away from what I call 'traditional funding', because last time I checked pretty much anyone under 30 is not watching films. They're not watching our TV. They watch the online stuff. So we're going to move more and more into that space."
Screen Australia expects to support the same number of documentary projects each year despite the proposed scrapping of the Producer Equity Program (PEP).
Given the relentless competition from Netflix and other streaming services, Australian exhibitors and distributors can take heart from the 2019 box office total, which was the third highest ever.
Screen Australia has selected 11 creatives selected to travel to New York in April as part of the Talent USA: New York. The delegation will attend the Australian International Screen Forum where they take part in professional development and networking opportunities.
Apart from the cancellation of MIPTV and Canneseries, the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t affected the screen industry in Australia yet.