Screen Australia E-Bulletin

9 April 2009

DEATH OF WOUTER BARENDRECHT

Screen Australia mourns the tragic loss of respected international film sales agent Wouter Barendrecht, co-founder of the Amsterdam and Hong Kong-based Fortissimo Films, who died on Sunday 5 April of heart failure. He was just 43.

A regular visitor to Australia and a passionate champion of many of our filmmakers, Wouter was instrumental in discovering, promoting and selling many Australian films on the world stage. These include Japanese Story, Candy, Suburban Mayhem, Somersault, Walking on Water, The Home Song Stories, Son of a Lion, Unfinished Sky, Disgrace and Look Both Ways.

Wouter was known with great affection by numerous Australian directors, producers, distributors, festival directors and film agency staff, whose work he championed, sold and was instrumental in leveraging into major film festivals.

A dynamic personality, dedicated cinephile and visionary businessman, Wouter’s loss to the Australian and international film community is immeasurable.

 

BOARD FUNDING APPROVALS

At the Screen Australia Board meeting on 8 April, $8.6 million was committed to a diverse slate comprising a feature film, television dramas and documentaries including National Documentary Program projects. Thirteen approved projects will generate $26.4 million worth of production. Read the full media release, which includes all project details.

INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS

Screen Australia is hosting a national series of briefings in April and early May. Coordinated by Chris Oliver, Senior Manager, State and Industry Partnerships, the briefings will provide information to potential applicants about the best way to apply for:

  • documentary development funding
  • production finance for feature, TV drama, children’s drama and documentary;
  • development and production finance for Indigenous programs.

The briefings will also include details on how the Producer Offset dovetails with your production financing plan and provide an update on the Enterprise Program.

Screen Australia staff members will also be available for one-on-one meetings in centres where Screen Australia does not maintain an office.

For details and dates see www.screenaustralia.gov.au/briefings. Representatives from the Development and Marketing areas will be hosting briefings in June and July – details and dates will be circulated shortly.

AUSTRALIAN SCREEN PRODUCTION INCENTIVE REVIEW

The Government has completed its review into the impact of the Australian Screen Production Incentive in relation to levels of production by the Australian independent production sector, compared to levels of production by Australian television broadcasters. A copy of the report can be found on the Treasury’s website. Read the Government’s media release.
 

PROGRAM NEWS

A new Deadlines 2009 page on the Screen Australia website provides all program deadlines and, for production investment, the correlating Board meetings at which funding recommendations will be considered and approvals made.

Development

Production

Marketing Travel Grants


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.

 

POSITIONS VACANT 

Full details on the jobs page of the website.

 

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