26 February 2009

GENERAL COUNSEL APPOINTED

Elizabeth Grinston will be joining Screen Australia on 30 March as General Counsel. She will be heading up the Legal Division here after working as Special Counsel at Gilbert + Tobin, where she has been in the firm’s Intellectual Property and Litigation Group. Read the full media release.
 

RECOUPMENT REVERSION AND TERMS OF TRADE

Screen Australia will revert its recoupment entitlement in favour of the producer, for all production investments approved by Screen Australia after 1 January 2009. The reversion of the agency’s recoupment entitlements will take place seven years after delivery of the project. Read the full media release.

And after a period of industry consultation last December, Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade are now available on the website. They provide guidance on how the agency will transact its business.
 

PROGRAM NEWS

Deadlines have been extended for the following programs:

• Television Drama Production: Extended to 27 February
  
  
• Documentary Production, International Program: Extended to 27 February
  
  
• Enterprise Program, Expressions of Interest: Extended to 27 March. The guidelines for the Enterprise program have been revised to clarify the Expression of Interest (EOI) process. A new EOI form is now available on the website too.
  
  

Marketing Travel Grants

• Type B: market attendance – producers with market experience
  Cannes - Deadline: 3 March

• Type C: market attendance – producers developing market experience
  Cannes - Deadline: 3 March

Please note: most Screen Australia funding programs do not have deadlines and are not assessed in rounds. Please check the website for application details for all of our programs.

Partnerships with ABC

Screen Australia has teamed up with the ABC on two new initiatives announced during AIDC last week:

• triple j tv docs4 seeks fresh approaches to half-hour and one-hour documentaries that explore contemporary issues, ideas and culture through the eyes of generations X, Y and Z. Deadline: 6 April. Download the guidelines and an application form from our website on the Special Documentary Initiatives page.

• Serious Games will support the development of three games and the production of one game. Successful applicants will attend a workshop and receive development funds. Deadline 24 April. Download the guidelines and an application form from our website on the Targeted Initiatives page under the Talent Escalator Program.
  
   

ICD Funding Program announcement

Screen Australia's Industry & Cultural Development Program is being reviewed in the first quarter of 2009 as a part of the Marketing Support and Promotion Division. Until this review is completed, all ICD funding applications will be by invitation only. Read full details on the ICD Funding page.
 

DOCUMENTARY MANAGERS ANNOUNCED

Claire Jager, Mary-Ellen Mullane and Julia Overton have been confirmed as Screen Australia's new Investment Development Managers – Documentary.

Claire Jager has worked as a program maker and broadcaster across factual and documentary production. She was a Project Manager with the AFC and then Screen Australia, and prior to this held positions at SBS, Film Victoria, Artist Services and the ABC. Claire also wrote and directed the AFI-winning documentary The Good Looker – the turbulent life of artist Joy Hester.

Mary-Ellen Mullane is an award-winning independent documentary producer with more than a decade’s experience in production. During this time she produced series and one-off programs for ABC, SBS and Film Australia, and she has worked for NSWFTO and Film Australia. Mary-Ellen’s work on My Own Flesh & Blood and Divorce Stories secured her two Logie nominations.

Julia Overton has a multi-faceted track record as an independent producer. Most recently she worked as Investment Manager at the FFC then Screen Australia. She has assisted the production of more than 150 projects including Forbidden Lie$, First Australians and Eternity Man. At the AFC, Julia developed a number of successful projects including Harvie Krumpet, Jewboy, Sexy Thing and Mary & Max.

Claire, Mary-Ellen and Julia will join Screen Australia Investment Managers Sally Browning, Mark Lazarus and Tim Phillips in the Production Investment area, headed by Ross Matthews. Mary-Ellen and Julia will be based in Screen Australia’s Sydney office, with Claire working out of the Melbourne office.
 

2009 DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION REPORT RELEASED

The 2009 edition of Documentary Production in Australia is now available to download from the website. The report contains key data from Get the Picture about Australian documentary production activity, employment, funding, release, TV, video and cinema.
 

POSITIONS VACANT 

Full details on the jobs page of the website.

Closing Thursday 26 February 09

• Head, Producer Offset and Co-productions

Closing Thursday 5 March 09

• Documentary Assistant
  
  
• Investment Coordinator, Drama
  
  
• Investment Coordinator, Documentary
  
  
• Project Manager, Documentary

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