Screen Australia’s marketing programs announced

Thursday 16 July 2009

The audience is firmly at the focus of Screen Australia’s programs following the release of the organisation’s marketing programs today.

“We want to grow demand for Australian content across all platforms, and have increased the budget for marketing and associated programs by $2 million in 2009/10 to assist Australian productions in reaching wider audiences,” said Ruth Harley, Screen Australia Chief Executive Officer. “Our new marketing programs provide the resources and skills to help get projects onto the screen and in front of audiences. We’ve also focused our screen culture programs towards our ultimate aim of engaging audiences with Australian content.”

Screen Australia’s new marketing guidelines reflect the agency’s commitment to:

• support the marketing of all Australian screen production
  
  
• emphasise audience engagement at every stage, from inception through development, production and distribution 
  
  
• provide information, skills development, and opportunities for sharing knowledge and expertise
  
  
• support international networking.

The suite of programs includes theatrical P&A support, a separate fund to encourage innovative approaches to distribution, as well as an initiative dubbed the  ‘quarantined marketing budget’ or QMB where feature films funded by Screen Australia are expected to set aside funds specifically for marketing activities. International programs include an enhanced travel grant program with an expanded range of eligible festival and markets, including project development workshops and digital media events. The guidelines also include support for awards and screening programs.

Screen Australia has transferred the management of some programs from marketing to parts of the organisation with direct synergies, with the Innovation Development Manager now administering funding for digital media-related events and activities, and support for screen publications being administered by Screen Australia’s Strategy and Research Unit. Guidelines for these two programs are currently being developed and will be available soon.
Screen Australia is also working with the government screen agency and screen resource organisation (SRO) in each state on tripartite arrangements for supporting these organisations.

“The aim is to help streamline administration and reporting requirements and make the most of our combined resources,” said Harley, “acknowledging the important role played generally by the SROs, particularly in providing services to entry-level practitioners.”

The total budget for all new and ongoing programs, including Screen Australia’s marketing programs, the screen resource organisations, digital media events and publications, is $8.4 million compared to $6.2 million last year.

The guidelines can be downloaded here along with a covering letter from Ruth Harley.

Victoria Buchan, The Lantern Group, victoria@lanterngroup.com.au
T: (02) 9383 4033  M: 0408 114 864