Screen Australia | Annual Report 2013/14 Screen Australia Annual Report 2013/14 www.screenaustralia.gov.au Published by Screen Australia October 2014 ISSN 1837-2740 © Screen Australia 2014 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 2013/14. 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 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 All Annual Report enquiries should be addressed to: consent of OzTAM. Regional market data is copyright to Publishing Unit RegionalTAM. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated Screen Australia (electronically or in hard copy) in whole Level 7, 45 Jones Street or part without the prior consent of Ultimo NSW 2007 RegionalTAM. Toll free: 1800 213 099 This Annual Report is available to download Phone: 02 8113 5800 as a PDF from www.screenaustralia.gov.au Email: [email protected] Front cover image from INXS: Never Tear Us Apart. Auditors: Australian National Audit Office Annual Report Production Proofread by Effie Rassos Index by Jon Jermey Cover and internal design templates by Lisa Hoerlein Design implementation and layout by ARMEDIA Printed in Australia by CanPrint Communications Pty Ltd SA_AnnRep_1314-Cover-Inside.indd 1 22/09/14 1:53 PM Annual Report 2013/14 Charlie's Country Our vision is to ensure diverse and compelling Australian stories are reflected on screen. Our mission is to support, promote and grow Australian storytelling. 2 2013/14 Letter from the Chair 4 Screen Australia Board 7 Executive overview 2013/14 11 Organisational structure 15 Senior management 16 4 EffiCienCy, 1 Creativity and responsiveness, storytelling accountability Operations 87 Television drama 21 Governance statement 95 Feature films 25 Board Charter 97 Documentary 31 Board Code of Conduct 98 Indigenous 35 Statutory Reports 99 Online and interactive 39 Portfolio Budget Statement Talent Escalator 43 (PBS) 2013/14 103 2 audienCe engagement APPENDICES Business facilitation 49 Appendix 1: Enabling legislation 105 Distribution 53 Appendix 2: Assessors and Recoupment 55 script consultants 107 Promotion 57 Appendix 3: Investments, loans, Screen culture 61 grants and other initiatives 108 Sector development 63 Appendix 4: Awards 129 3 successful sCreen businesses FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 131 Enterprise 67 Abbreviations and acronyms 173 Producer Offset and Co-production 75 Index 174 Strategy, Research and Communications 79 Screen Australia 2013/14 3 Letter from the Chair Dear Minister, cultural and commercial imperatives of I am pleased to present Screen the sector. He takes over from Dr Ruth Australia’s Annual Report for 2013/14, Harley, Screen Australia’s inaugural which was approved by the Screen Chief Executive Officer, who left the Australia Board at its meeting on agency in amazing shape. Dr Harley’s 1 September 2014. achievements in the role, including introducing qualitative assessment and As the inaugural Chair of Screen fostering the industry’s international Australia, I have seen the merger of ambitions, have had a significant three agencies (the previous Australian impact on Australian screen culture. Dr Film Commission, the Film Finance Harley was a champion of Indigenous Corporation and Film Australia) filmmaking and talent, and under her become an efficient and responsive leadership Screen Australia played agency, delivering on its strategic an important role in helping to propel vision for a creatively vibrant and Indigenous screen stories into the commercially sustainable production mainstream with the likes of The industry. Over the last six years we Sapphires, Bran Nue Dae and reduced operating costs by 40 per Redfern Now. cent and channelled funds into the development and production of quality The industry is delivering high-quality Australian programming. We have content and the future is promising had to make hard decisions and back across the board. Television drama is GLEN BOREHAM our judgement. Having completed going from strength to strength, with CHAIR a successful CEO transition and a the continuing trend in high-production restructure of the executive leadership value mini-series resulting in quality team in 2013/14 now is an ideal time to programs such as INXS: Never Tear Us hand over to a new Chair. Apart, a portrait of one of Australia’s most successful rock bands, crime I have been honoured to serve as thriller Secrets & Lies, historical the Chair of Screen Australia and drama Power Games: The Packer- to oversee the important work that Murdoch Story and the contemporary the agency does. Australian screen Indigenous dramas The Gods of Wheat stories help us to understand where Street and Redfern Now series 2. we have come from, who we are and our place in the world as Australians. This year has seen renewed activity in By providing shared cultural references children’s television drama, which has and experiences, screen stories help us continued to deliver high-quality and to connect with each other. engaging content for child audiences. Standout productions released in The Board of Screen Australia is 2013/14 include Nowhere Boys, which delighted to welcome Mr Graeme was awarded the International Youth Mason as the new Chief Executive Jury Prize at the prestigious Prix Officer of Screen Australia. With over Jeunesse 2014, and Dance Academy 20 years of international experience series 3 and interactive animated series in film, television and multi-media Peleda, both of which received awards businesses, Mr Mason brings to Screen at the 2014 Kidscreen Summit in Australia extensive business knowledge New York. and a commitment to balancing the Screen Australia–supported feature films released in 2013/14 showcased 4 During my time as Chair I have seen significant shifts in the industry, which have been accelerated by new technology and changing audience behaviours. Screen Australia will continue to work with industry to adapt to change, across all our programs and activities. the depth of talent and diversity of for screen-based storytelling. technology and changing audience the Australian film industry. This Ringbalin: River Stories was a standout behaviours. Screen Australia will includes The Turning, an ambitious multiplatform project in 2013/14. This continue to work with industry to adapt adaptation of the novel by literary innovative digital project takes the to change, across all our programs and icon Tim Winton, with 17 Australian user on a journey along Australia’s activities. directors each creating a chapter from Murray–Darling Rivers guided by My tenure also coincided with the the book. The film has a unique cultural the stories of Aboriginal Elders. The introduction of the Producer Offset, resonance for Australian viewers, and project comprises video, still images which has been an invaluable incentive attracted a broad audience across and audio clips geo-located on a series for production. Since the Producer cinema, television, video and festivals. of beautiful interactive hand-painted Offset was introduced, average annual Meanwhile, the feature film debuts maps. The project was showcased at production expenditure has increased of Jennifer Kent (The Babadook) and the Adelaide Film Festival before being by 83 per cent for feature films, 46 per Sophie Hyde (52 Tuesdays) attracted nominated for an award at South by cent for television drama and 81 per worldwide acclaim and heralded the Southwest (SXSW) Interactive, the cent for documentaries, as shown by arrival of distinctive new Australian world’s leading showcase for digital Screen Australia research. talent. creativity. I would like to thank the Board Australian documentary makers cover One of Screen Australia’s big members I have worked with over the an incredible range of important and achievements to date has been years for their dedication and vision. I absorbing subject matter, helping us the Enterprise Program, which has would also like to draw attention to the to better understand ourselves and supported ambitious and developing contribution of Ms Rachel Perkins, who our history, as well as providing an companies to achieve their business left the Board on 31 December 2013. Australian perspective on international goals. Over five years, the Enterprise Her experience as an advocate for events and cultures. Outstanding Program has allocated $19.5 million to Indigenous talent and production and documentaries released in 2013/14 29 production companies. In November as a successful producer across film, include The Outlaw Michael Howe and 2013, Screen Australia released the television and online proved invaluable Black Panther Woman, which explore results of a survey examining the and I wish her all the best in the next key people and moments in our history, outcomes