Screen Australia | Annual Report 2014/15 Screen Australia Annual Report 2014/15 www.screenaustralia.gov.au Published by Screen Australia October 2015 ISSN 1837-2740 © Screen Australia 2015 The text in this Annual Report is released subject to a Creative Commons BY licence (Licence). This means, in summary, that you may reproduce, transmit and distribute the text, provided that you do not do so for commercial purposes, and provided that you attribute the text as extracted from Screen Australia’s Annual Report 2014/15. You must not alter, transform or build upon the text in this Annual Report. Your rights under the Licence are in addition to any fair dealing rights which you have under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth). For further terms of the Licence, please see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/3.0/au/. You are not licensed to reproduce, transmit or distribute any still photographs contained in this Annual Report without the prior written permission of Screen Australia. TV ratings data Metropolitan and National market data is copyright to OzTAM. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or part without the prior consent of OzTAM. All Annual Report enquiries should be addressed to: Regional market data is copyright to RegionalTAM. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated Communications Unit (electronically or in hard copy) in whole Screen Australia or part without the prior consent of Level 7, 45 Jones Street RegionalTAM. Ultimo NSW 2007 This Annual Report is available to download Toll free: 1800 213 099 as a PDF from www.screenaustralia.gov.au Phone: 02 8113 5800 Front cover image from Mad Max: Fury Road. Email: [email protected] Auditors: Australian National Audit Office Annual Report Production Proofread by Effie Rassos Index by Michael Wyatt Design implementation and layout by ARMEDIA Printed in Australia by CanPrint Communications Pty Ltd Annual Report 2014/15 Love Child Our vision is to support bold, enduring and culturally significant Australian storytelling that resonates with local audiences and succeeds in a global marketplace, created by a skilled and entrepreneurial screen industry. 2 2014/15 Letter from the Chair 4 Screen Australia Board 7 Executive overview 2014/15 11 Organisational structure 15 Senior management 16 1 QUALITY, CULTURE AND INNOVATION 4 EFFICIENCY, RESPONSIVENESS, Television drama 21 ACCOUNTABILITY Online and interactive 25 Operations 71 Feature films 29 Governance statement 75 Documentary 33 Board Charter 77 Indigenous 39 Board Code of Conduct 78 Recoupment: financial returns on investment 43 Statutory Reports 79 Portfolio Budget Statement (PBS) 2014/15 83 2 DEVELOPING AND CELEBRATING TALENT APPENDICES Professional development 47 Appendix 1: Enabling legislation 85 Festivals and awards 51 Appendix 2: Assessors and script consultants 87 Appendix 3: Investments, loans, grants 3 STRENGTHENING SCREEN and other initiatives 88 BUSINESSES Appendix 4: Awards 106 Enterprise 55 International business and market support 57 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 109 Producer Offset and Co-production 61 Abbreviations and acronyms 151 Strategy, Research and Communications 65 Index 152 Screen Australia 2014/15 3 Letter from the Chair Dear Minister, Screen Australia’s support for television I am pleased to present Screen drama helps to increase the ambition Australia’s Annual Report for 2014/15, and diversity of local productions, from which the Board approved at its historical fiction The Secret River, to meeting on 7 September 2015. sophisticated political thriller The Code, kung fu comedy Maximum Choppage, I am delighted to be working with and Alice Springs–set comedy/drama the Screen Australia team to support 8MMM Aboriginal Radio. Children’s Australia’s screen production industry. television productions continue to I would like to acknowledge the win accolades and entertain young contribution of my predecessors, in audiences around the world: Nowhere particular Deanne Weir, on leading the Boys and Dance Academy were both organisation as it responded to new nominated for International Emmy® funding disciplines and an industry Kids Awards during the year. undergoing exciting, but challenging, There have been some outstanding times. cinema successes at the Australian box Over many years a clear consensus office with Russell Crowe’s directorial has developed that a creative, debut The Water Diviner garnering $16 innovative and commercially vibrant million and Robert Connolly’s family screen industry is of immense value to filmPaper Planes taking $10 million. Australians. Our screen culture shapes Feature documentary That Sugar and reflects contemporary national Film also connected strongly with identity, helps us to understand our audiences, taking $1.5 million at the box NICHOLAS MOORE history and connects us to the rest of office in 2014/15. CHAIR the world. The tangible value of the Australian features also make a big industry – as investment, employment impact internationally. Mad Max: and sustainable businesses – is also Fury Road, a Hollywood-financed significant. blockbuster by acclaimed Australian The past year provided ample evidence filmmaker George Miller and The of the local screen industry’s vitality. Babadook, a low-budget debut feature On television, high-quality, culturally from Jennifer Kent, are two standout significant and compelling Australian examples in 2014/15. Mad Max: Fury drama series reached a broad range of Road grossed over $500 million audiences. The centenary of World War internationally with critical acclaim I was honoured on screen with ANZAC as a bold and original action film. The Girls for the ABC, Nine’s Gallipoli and Babadook was released in theatres Foxtel’s Deadline Gallipoli. Series that in 16 countries and elevated the depict our more recent history, House of international profiles of lead actress Hancock and Catching Milat, were also Essie Davis and writer/director Jennifer very popular, with both programs seen Kent. by over two million viewers.1 The reach and impact of the Australian documentary sector is also significant and wide ranging. Screen Australia– supported titles released in 2014/15 include First Contact, which reached two million Australians2 and stimulated conversation and debate across the 4 Screen Australia’s support for television drama helps to increase the ambition and diversity of local productions, from historical fiction The Secret River, to sophisticated political thriller The Code, kung fu comedy Maximum Choppage, and Alice Springs–set comedy/drama 8MMM Aboriginal Radio. nation, and The War That Changed Us, Screen Australia has a vital role in they emerge. Given the rapid change which explored Australia’s experience facilitating international business in business models and challenging of World War I through the lives of six partnerships. The agency’s presence economics of local screen production, individuals. at festivals and markets promotes this is not always an easy task. But it Indigenous filmmakers continue to Australia as a leading screen production is one that the local industry is well make an incredible contribution to destination. In April 2015, Screen equipped to realise with strong creative Australian screen culture. A highlight Australia led a record delegation talent, savvy businesses and effective in 2014/15 was the sold-out premiere of Australian screen practitioners direct and indirect government support. of Songlines on Screen at the Sydney and industry representatives to the Local audiences are seeking bold, Film Festival. A special pilot program Australia-China Industry Forum, as creative and culturally relevant in conjunction with NITV, this Screen part of the Beijing Film Market. In Australian content wherever they Australia initiative aims to give place to addition to China, other key territories choose to watch screen stories. Screen some of the many Aboriginal and Torres of focus for screen partnerships in Australia prioritises quality, culture Strait Islander songlines integral to 2014/15 included the US and the UK and innovation, backing content with a Indigenous Australia. and our newest co-production partner unique Australian voice and an ability country, the Republic of Korea. Online content supported through to resonate with audiences beyond Screen Australia’s Multiplatform Changes in audience behaviour the initial viewing. Importantly, this Drama program is attracting millions and expectations are leading includes supporting new forms of of views on YouTube and Facebook. In transformation in screen content creative expression and ways of response to increasing international production and distribution engaging with audiences and the interest in Australian online talent, globally. Screen Australia recently Indigenous production sector. I look Screen Australia presented a showcase commissioned a survey of Australia’s forward to continuing to work with the of Australia’s most successful online video-on-demand audience in order to Australian industry to deliver our own talent at MIPTV, the world’s largest better understand the implications of stories to audiences. television and digital content market. these changes. The research revealed Nicholas Moore that online viewers have a strong In addition to its crucial role appetite for Australian content, with administering the Producer Offset nearly all watching it across various and providing direct investment and platforms and just under half watching grants, Screen Australia fosters