Media releases - 2012
New Feature Enterprise strand and industry assessors announced

Share

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Screen Australia today announced Feature Enterprise, a new strand of the Enterprise Program which will provide up to $150,000 over two years to feature film producers who have had recent commercial or critical success, to support them in the creation of their next Australian feature projects.

Acknowledging that producers largely carry the overhead costs of developing feature films, funding under this program will reward excellence and help recipients maintain a focus on their feature business as they build on their early success.

A total of up to $500,000 will be available through this program for 2012/13.

“Feature Enterprise is an initiative which rewards success in a very light touch manner,” said Screen Australia’s Chief Executive, Ruth Harley. “Recipients can use these significant funds for such things as hiring personnel, funding infrastructure, option purchases and travel support.”

Applications are open today and will close on 17 September 2012. For more details on eligibility visit: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/Feature_Enterprise

Also announced today, international assessors UK screen executive Christina Willoughby and consultant Jonathan Olsberg will once again join Screen Australia’s assessment committee, for the fourth round of the main Enterprise Program. Willoughby and Olsberg will continue to provide a global industry perspective to the program which provides screen businesses with up to $2.5 million over three years. Other committee members are Screen Australia CEO Ruth Harley and Senior Manager, State and Industry Partnerships, Chris Oliver.

Christina Willoughby has represented and worked for an array of award-winning international independent producers, distributors, networks such as Granada Television and Channel 4, and Italy’s state broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana. During her extensive career, Christina has been instrumental in creating corporate business plans, new start-ups and expansion strategies, and the consolidation of companies. She has also built expertise in content creation, sourcing deficit funding, major international co-productions and sales to all media platforms along with the exploitation of ancillary rights. Christina has held Managing Director roles with Chrysalis Distribution (now All3Media International), Channel 4 International and Digital Rights Group during which time she led sales in creating globally recognised brands, including Midsomer Murders, SuperNanny, Nigella Lawson and Underbelly. She is currently guiding Goldcrest Films in their expansion into television production and distribution.

Jonathan Olsberg has served as an Enterprise Program assessor since the inaugural round in 2009. He has worked in the screen industry for 30 years, starting out in New York as an international film sales agent for titles such as My Beautiful Laundrette, before distributing specialised films in the US from directors such as Godard, Verhoeven, Greenaway and Paul Cox. In 1989, Jonathan returned to London as Managing Director of international sales agent Glinwood Films (The Last Emperor). Since 1992, he has been chairman of Olsberg|SPI, a leading screen industry strategy consultancy through which he has advised dozens of government bodies and screen agencies about policies to develop their screen sectors. SPI has also advised over 250 international film and television producers and distributors on strategic development issues. He has a dozen feature credits as producer. Jonathan’s first career was in finance: he spent nine years in merchant banking in London and New York handling merger and acquisition assignments and corporate financings.

Screen Australia’s Enterprise Program will provide funding over three years to support screen businesses that have identified opportunities to develop and expand in terms of turnover, scale of production activity and/or business sustainability.

Applications are open until 6 August 2012, with the successful applicants expected to be announced in early November.