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TELEVISION NEWS THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S TELEVISION FOUNDATION ISSUE No. 115 NOVEMBER 2009 A small ‘dot’ on the big screen The call is out to all children aged 15 Trop Jr will take place during the kids show for their filmmaking is really years and under – get cracking on afternoon before the main Tropfest exciting, whether they go solo or do your Trop Jr entries! festival at Sydney’s Domain on Sunday it as a group at school or with a bunch Trop Jr – the world’s largest short film 21 February 2010. If your film is of friends. The quality of entries gets festival for kids, by kids – is presented selected as a finalist both you and better each year and I can’t wait to see by the Australian Children’s Television your film will be there! Furthermore, this year’s batch of films.” Foundation in partnership with your film will be broadcast to a Tropfest and this year’s new media national audience on the new ABC 3 partner, ABC3. children’s channel in 2010. Entry into Trop Jr is free and entries Tropfest Founder and Director, John close on Thursday 7 January Polson said, “Trop Jr plays an important 2010. It’s a perfect Term 4 activity. role in nurturing the next generation Each film submitted, whether it is of filmmakers and it’s great to see live action, drama, animation or more and more kids getting involved. documentary, must include the Trop We started Trop Jr in 2008 and with Jr signature item (TSI). This year the TSI more than 110 films entered last year, is DOT. Entrants may interpret this Trop Jr has quickly established itself anyway they like. as one of the major film initiatives for children in Australia.” Young filmmakers may enter as individuals, as a group of friends, or as John Polson also said, “Trop Jr was a school group or activity. For more created to encourage kids to get out Tropfest Founder and Director, information on competition guidelines there and make films about things John Polson visit www.tropjr.com. important to them. The passion these Two New Aussie Dramas… Dance Academy is a new 26 part drama show. Having begun dancing at the age The nerdy Sammy Lieberman will be series for ABC children’s television which of nine, Xenia is a multi-talented dancer. played by Tom Green, who began invites the audience into an exciting working professionally as an actor in world of dance and music. Playing Tara’s carefree friend Kat 2007. Tom has been nominated for Karamakov is actress Alicia Banit. Alicia ‘Best Young Actor’ at the AFI Awards for The teen drama is set in the prestigious made her film debut as a young Miranda his work in The Ground Beneath and (and fictitious) National Academy of Otto in The Dead Letter Office and was awarded ‘Best Actor’ at the St Kilda Dance. It follows the life of Tara Webster, is known for her roles in TV shows Film Festival for his performance. Tom a country girl who enters the world of including Neighbours, Summer Heights has just finished work on Home and Dance Academy where the finest in the High and Halifax F.P. Away in the role of Dexter. country train to become dancers. The best will be selected to join the National Kat’s older brother Ethan, will be played The ambitious Abigail Armstrong, the Ballet Company, but the students must by talented actor and singer Tim Pocock. best in the year and not afraid to show master all forms of dancing, whether Starting out in the Australian Children’s it, will be played by Dena Kaplan. A it’s Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz or Choir, Tim grew into a successful dancer since the age of three, at 16 she Acrobatics. Principal in the 1995 Australian Opera joined the adult ensemble for the Sydney and Melbourne seasons of The Lion King, touring to China. In 2005 and 2006 Dena won Australian Dance Idol before moving to New York to train at the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Production began on Dance Academy Company’s ‘Magic Flute’, before She has recently made her feature film in Sydney in July, and will continue spending five years with Opera Australia. debut in the forthcoming How to Change shooting until January 2010. The He then turned his focus to acting, in Nine Weeks opposite Guy Pearce and episodes are being filmed in blocks by studying at the National Institute of Miranda Otto. The Dance Academy main directors Jeffrey Walker, Cherie Nowlan, Dramatic Art (NIDA) before appearing cast will also feature well known Shirley Barrett, Ian Watson and Ben as Scott Summers (aka Cyclops) in Australian actress Tara Morice (Strictly Ballroom, Candy, Razzle Dazzle), Chessell. The producer is Joanna Werner. the 2009 feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. experienced stage and television More than 1,000 talented actors and performer Robert Alexander (All Saints, dancers, both new and familiar faces, Actor Jordan Rodrigues’ role as ‘Jai Home and Away, Muriel’s Wedding) and auditioned for the production’s six lead Fernandez’ in the popular television Sydney Dance Company and Australian Ballet soloist Josef Brown. roles. series Home and Away had him nominated for a Best New Talent award Dance Academy will screen in 2010 on The lead role of Tara Webster is played at the 2009 Logies. Jordan will join ABC 1 and the ABC’s new digital by Xenia Goodwin, who is excited to be the academy as rebellious character, children’s channel ABC 3, as well as in starring in what will be her very first TV Christian Reed. Germany on ZDF. 2 Lockie Leonard 2 Gracie Gilbert (Vicki), along with been kind and the community has got Rhys Muldoon (Sarge, Dad) and right behind the production with many Briony Williams (Mum) from NSW. locals working in small guest roles and as extras.” WA filmmakers James Bogle (Closed for Winter, The Circuit) and Peter With the production spending more Templeman (Bogan Pride) each than $4.5 million in WA, Lockie Leonard directed seven episodes. 2 has provided an economic boom. ScreenWest’s investment of $475,000 in Culture and Arts Minister John Day, the series has benefited the local film Education Minister Liz Constable and and television industry, as well as local the ACTF’s chair Janet Holmes à Court The much anticipated second series AC visited the set in June to meet with businesses. of Lockie Leonard has now finished the cast and crew. shooting and is in post production, The first Lockie Leonard series won the preparing to hit television screens in Minister Day thanked producer Kylie du AFI, Logie and ATOM Awards for ‘Best 2010. Fresne of Goalpost Pictures for bringing Children’s Series’ in 2007, as well as Lockie, his family and his friends back being nominated for a BAFTA. The 26 episodes bring more drama, to Albany. tears, mayhem and laughter. Just when Lockie Leonard 2 will screen in Australia Lockie thinks he’s got it all sussed out, “The setting of Albany had once again on the Nine Network. It has also been everything changes. That’s the thing provided the perfect place for Lockie’s presold to Nickelodeon Australia and about the future – it just happens. But adventures” he said. “The weather has the BBC. as long as Angelus has the best waves Lockie has ever seen, why would he want to be anywhere else? Once again, the lead cast includes Busselton actor Sean Keenan (Lockie), Australind’s Corey McKernan (Phillip), Perth actors Clarence Ryan (Egg) and 3 ACMA’s Children’s Television Standards 2009 released The Australian Communications of broadcasting C programs in blocks of This is because the pay television and Media Authority (ACMA) has a minimum of 60 minutes duration and children’s channels typically acquire released the new Children’s on a minimum of two days per week, Australian C drama content that has also Television Standards (CTS) 2009, rather than require broadcasters to been commissioned from a commercial following a lengthy review period. schedule a half hour of C programs broadcaster, with the pay television each week day. The half an hour a day channel contributing very low licence Predictably, the ACMA’s refusal to rule was resulting in children’s programs fees towards the cost of production. introduce a ban on advertising being squeezed into the schedule There is no doubt that children’s audiences unhealthy food to children as part of the between two unrelated adult programs are migrating to destinations where Standards has received considerable and often meant that children had no they can find content at times when media attention. idea that these programs were there. It they want it, and that with the launch of is hoped that the flexibility to schedule By way of contrast, the response of Free ABC 3 later in the year and eventual children’s drama and other C programs TV Australia, representing the commercial digital switch off by 2013, children’s in “blocks” will make it easier for children networks, almost snuck under the radar. viewing patterns on all platforms may to find the programs that are made Whilst the commercial broadcasters change dramatically. It will therefore be for them. The ACTF supports these were obviously pleased that the necessary to continue to monitor the amendments to the CTS. regulator chose not to implement success of the CTS, and particularly the a ban on the advertising of junk The CTS deliver on the clear Government impact of the changes in block food, they came out highly critical policy of providing Australian children scheduling, the impact of ABC 3 and the of the regulator for maintaining with local content.