Enterprise Program assessors announced

19 July 2011 By Screen Australia

UK screen executive Christina Willoughby will join consultant Jonathan Olsberg this year in providing a global industry perspective on the assessment committee for Screen Australia's Enterprise Program.

Other committee members are Screen Australia CEO Ruth Harley, Senior Manager, State and Industry Partnerships Chris Oliver, and Enterprise Manager Megan McMurchy. The committee will consider applications for the third round of the Enterprise Program, allocating up to $3 million over three years.

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 augural round in 2009. He has worked in the screen industry for 29 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.