Ftonews #199

7 Sep 2006

Subject: FTONEWS #199 Date: 7 September 2006 From: ftonews Conversation: FTONEWS #199

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AURORA SCRIPTWRITING DEADLINE – DECEMBER 11

The New South Wales Film and Television Office (FTO) is inviting applications for the next Aurora scriptwriting program by Monday December 11, 2006.

Aurora has one round per year, which supports up to four projects through an intensive residential script workshop and development process. The program also assists producers with marketing their films to international and Australian financiers.

Scripts need to be well developed and at least at second draft stage. A director and producer must be attached as well as the writer. Teams comprising of writer/directors with a producer attached, as well as co-writers with a director and producer attached will also be considered. One member of the team may reside outside New South Wales.

Films which have gone through Aurora include SOMERSAULT and LITTLE FISH. Some of the filmmakers whose scripts have gone through the program include Liz Watts, Vincent Sheehan, Rowan Woods, Cate Shortland, Anthony Anderson, David Caesar, Kriv Stenders, Jeremy Sims, Samantha Lang, Christina Andreef and Helen Bowden.

For more in information about the FTO’s Aurora program: Contact Harriet McKern, Coordinator, Aurora PH: 02-9264-6400 Email: [email protected]

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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUBMISSIONS FROM THE FTO

The FTO submitted recommendations to two major Federal Government funding reviews.

Full submissions to the Review of Australian Government Film Funding Support (20 pages) and the Review of the Refundable Film Tax Offset Scheme (8 pages), and an executive summary of the FTO recommendations, are available on the FTO web site, at: http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au/content.asp?content=3&Id=403

For more in information about the FTO’s submissions: Contact Sue McCreadie, Manager, Policy PH: 02-9264-6400 Email: [email protected]

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YOUNG FILMMAKERS FUND DEADLINE – OCTOBER 9 99 projects – 650 screenings – 100 nominations & awards

The FTO is looking for NSW residents, aged 18-35, who would like to turn their film vision into a reality. Through the Young Filmmakers Fund (YFF), grants of up to $30,000 are provided to produce short films in any format or genre – dramas, documentaries, animation or experimental films. YFF hasn't just given young filmmakers a break into the industry - it's helped launch fantastic careers. You could be next.

Round 20 closes Monday October 9, 2006. Guidelines, application forms, and all information required to apply is available at http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au/fund.asp?id=48

Please note: Funding is not available for student films or projects that form part of any assessment at an educational or training institution.

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YFF FILM AWARDED GRAND JURY PRIZE IN MONTREAL

YFF supported film, CHECKPOINT, (Round 17) has been awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film in the world competition at Montreal International Film Festival. Producer – Tim Kreibig , Writer/Director – Ben Phelps.

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Driving on a deserted road in rural Australia, a multi-racial family is stopped by a group of soldiers. After some preliminary formalities, the conversation turns into ambiguous intimidation when the family is accused of trespassing. As the intentions of the soldiers become clear, the father, Nedal, realizes that the safety of his wife and daughter rests in his hands. Checkpoint is an 11-minute film that captures contemporary concerns about the abuse of power in modern Australia.

For more in information about the FTO’s Young Filmmaker’s Fund: Contact Valerie Allerton, Coordinator, YFF & DFX PH: 02-9264-6400 Email: [email protected]

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REGIONAL FILMING FUND UPDATE

NOT ALL TEA AND SCONES, a 4 x 26 min documentary series for ABC television has received a grant of $7,412 from the FTO’s Regional Filming Fund to enable the program to be filmed in regional NSW.

Produced by Carmel Travers and Cheryl Conway, the documentary is about the Country Women's Association and the bond that binds rural Australia together through its current battlegrounds, both political and social.

Shooting will take place in the regional locations of Condobolin, Parkes, Forbes, Grafton, Maitland, Singleton, Narrabri and Bourke.

NOT ALL TEA AND SCONES is scheduled for completion in December 2006.

Last month, the FTO announced provision of a $100,000 Regional Filming Fund grant for a new television drama for Australia’s Network Ten and Britain’s ITV to be shot entirely in NSW, called TO CATCH A KILLER – THE JOANNE LEES STORY.

It’s currently in production in and around Sydney.

For more in information about the FTO’s Regional Filming Fund: Contact Melissa Lee, Regional & Industry Services Officer. PH: 02-9264-6400 Email: [email protected]

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PORTABLE FILM FESTIVAL – BEGINS SEPTEMBER 13

The inaugural Portable Film Festival goes live with more than 60 “films” available for viewing online and on portable devices.

Festival organisers are also hosting a free symposium in Sydney, to position the festival alongside discussion on the impact of portable media and interactive content on a range of industries. The symposium will provoke critical discussion such as will monetisation of the internet and the portable medium offer a level playing field for bedroom media-makers and big broadcasters, and will the social networking boom alter ideas about privacy?

Speakers include: Martin Keogh - Director Convergence & Customer Experience, Telstra Ean Thorley - Executive Producer, MTV Australia Gary Hayes - Director, Laboratory or Advanced Media Production (LAMP) Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) Mark Dando - Business Development Manager, Mobile Group ninemsn

Symposium Details: When: Monday, September 25, 6.45pm Where: Chauvel Theatre, Paddington Town Hall. To Reserve a Place: EMAIL: [email protected] PH: 03-9640-0822

Meanwhile, the full festival program will be available for free download from September 13. Scores will be calculated on October 13, winners will be announced, and subscribers will receive a videocast of the festival’s best from October 22. The festival ends October 31.

Access the Festival from: WEB: www.portablefilmfestival.com

Page 2 of 5 The Portable Film Festival is an international festival of short films conceived for portable devices such as Sony PSPs, iPod videos, 3G phones, and laptop screens. 60 films have been pre-selected from 13 countries including Australia, the Netherlands, the US, the UK, Romania, Canada, Austria, Hungary, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore and Papua New Guinea. Submissions include video-clips, documentaries, experimental films, animations and short narratives. Films compete through an open vote, online.

It is supported by the FTO through the Industry & Audience Development grants program. For more information about the I&AD program: Log onto the FTO web site at: http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au/fund.asp?id=52

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ASDA CONFERENCE – REGISTER BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15

Narrative in Motion is a craft-focused conference aimed at Directors, Producers, Writers, Actors and other creative practitioners, with sessions run by acknowledged experts in her/his field.

Rolf de Heer (10 Canoes), recently awarded the Telluride Silver Medallion, will be at the ASDA Conference Dinner to accept his Cecil Holmes Award for Services to Directing.

Participating creative talent include: Deepa Mehta (Earth, Fire and Water) Zhang Jian-Ya (Once Upon a Time in Shanghai, Red Snow, Crash Landing) Sarah Watt (Look Both Ways) David Caesar (Mullett, Dirty Deeds) Peter Abbott (Big Brother) Catriona McKenzie (RAN)

Speakers include: Rolf de Heer (10 Canoes Kim Dalton, ABC Head of TV Chris Kennedy, Bryon Kennedy Award-winning Designer Nadia Tass, Award-winning Director Peter Frampton, Internationally renowned proesthetics genius Nash Edgerton, Action Director Clayton Jacobson, Director (Kenny)

When: September 15-17. Where: Sidney Myer Asia Centre, Cnr Swanston Street and Monash Road University of Melbourne, Carlton. Bookings: WEB: www.asdafilm.org.au PH: 03-9690-6893 FAX: 03-9699-4885

This conference is supported by the FTO through the Industry & Audience Development grants program.

For more information about the I&AD program: Log onto the FTO web site at: http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au/fund.asp?id=52

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IF AWARDS – SCORING CLOSES SEPTEMBER 16

Scoring for the 2006 Inside Film Awards closes at midnight , September 16th.

To rate films via SMS, text your score between 1 and 5 (5 being the highest), followed by a space, and the film title to 1990 8008 (ie. 4 FILM TITLE).

Or, log onto www.ifawards.com, click on the register button at the top right hand corner of the home page, fill in your details and then rate each film, once.

You can win VIP tickets to the Inside Film Awards on the Gold Coast. Full competition prizes and requirements are also available on the IF web site.

For more information: Contact, Polly Staniford, IF Media Office PH: 02-9318-4400 EMAIL: [email protected].

IF Awards are supported by the FTO through the Industry & Audience Development grants program.

For more information about the I&AD program:

Page 3 of 5 Log onto the FTO web site at: http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au/fund.asp?id=52

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METRO SCREEN IS 25 – SEPTEMBER 22 PARTY

Metro Screen is celebrating a quarter of a century of training screen industry practitioners, on September 22, 7pm during a party at it’s facilities at Paddington Town Hall, Cnr Oxford St + Oatley Road, Paddington. Dress code, “metropolis”, meaning black or silver.

Movies for mobile phone competition winners will be announced then.

Metro Screen

RSVP by September 19 to: [email protected]

For upcoming Metro Screen Events from September 15-22, contact Metro Screen: PH: 02-9361-5318 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.metroscreen.org.au

Metro Screen is a video, television and multimedia resource centre offering production support and training to emerging filmmakers, new media makers and community based screen practitioners and artists.

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LAMP CALLING FOR SUBMISSIONS – SEPTEMBER 25 DEADLINE

The Laboratory of Advanced Media Production (LAMP) is seeking cross-media projects from creative teams in the Australian media industry for its 5th live-in-lab in Freycinet, Tasmania, October 29-November 3.

LAMP requires teams to be comprised of: Creator – executive producer, producer, director, writer, etc Designer – broadcast, brand, visual identity Other Craft – editor, writer, talent, sound DOP etc.

Participants will be led by Australian and international mentors with specialist skills in designer, writing, business, user experience and the technical aspect of cross media. The Lab will conclude with teams pitching their projects and showcasing their prototypes to VIPs from the Australian media industries.

LAMP is an initiative of the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS). Peter Giles, Head of Digital Media at AFTRS, says producers need to make the shift and follow audiences to embrace new delivery platforms such as broadband internet, IPTV, games and mobile devices.

For more information: Contact AFTRS: PH: 02-9805-6611 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.aftrs.edu.au

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POPCORN TAXI – SUBURBAN MAYHAM – SEPTEMBER 27

Margaret Pomeranz is guest interviewer for Q&A with SUBURBAN MAYHEM Director, Paul Goldman, and Screenwriter, Alice Bell, after SUBURBAN MAYHEM screens Wednesday, September 27, from 7.30pm at Greater Union, Bondi Junction, Sydney.

The film dives into the life of Katrina Skinner (Emily Barclay), a 19-year-old single mum who lives in a world of petty crime, fast cars, manicures and sex. When her father threatens to contact social services to take away her child, Katrina, master-manipulator of men, sets in motion a plan to wreak suburban mayhem that will leave a community in shock and make the starry centre of a media frenzy.

Bookings: WEB: www.popcorntaxi.com.au

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Founded in 1999 by independent filmmakers Gary Doust and Matt Wheeldon, Popcorn Taxi is a regular in-depth film event, run by filmmakers for filmmakers. It screens films of all types and invites directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors and writers on stage to talk about their work in greater detail.

ELECTRO FRINGE 2006 – KICKS OFF SEPTEMBER 28TH

Full program details are available from September 8 at: WEB: http://electrofringe.net PH: 02-4927-0470

Electrofringe is a Newcastle-based festival of experimental, digital, electronic, new media arts and culture. It is dedicated to unearthing emergent forms, highlighting nascent trends and encouraging participants to explore technology and its creative possibilities. It occurs as part of This Is Not Art, promoted as Australia’s largest gathering of young and emerging artists, media makers, musicians, writers, activists, academics and enthusiasts.

Electrofringe is supported by the FTO through the Industry & Audience Development grants program. For more information about the I&AD program: Log onto the FTO web site at: http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au/fund.asp?id=52

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New South Wales Film and Television Office GPO Box 1744, Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: +61 2 9264 6400 Fax: +61 2 9264 4388 email: [email protected] web: http://www.fto.nsw.gov.au Freecall: 1300 556 386

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