Moving Pictures Magazine
Canadians in Shorts: The Bravo!/FACTPhenomenon
If we can agree with the 1979 New Wave song which alleged that video killed the radio star, in an age of attention span deficit, could short films be threatening the feature’s future? Read more…
Filed under: Arts & Entertainment || Published in: Moving Pictures Magazine
On Location: Ausfilm
Countries (especially those as far away as “OZ”) hoping to lure foreign film productions to their shores must compete with ferocity to showcase their territory as a bounty of pleasant conditions, skilled crews and financial incentives. And for good reason. When a big-budget movie comes to town, it brings with it a raft of A-list actors, directors and production teams, which can then translate into revenue, jobs for locals and excellent exposure for the country, often boosting tourism and the location’s international reputation.
AUSFILM
Australia’s federal content attraction organization, Ausfilm, is headed up by Sydney-based CEO Mark Woods, who describes the organization as a “gateway” for foreign, or “footloose,” producers to access both federal and state-based incentives and services. “Any producer can come to us and give us their script. We read it, tell them what the federal incentives would be, offer a soundstage base, and perhaps a second unit,” explains Woods. “We work closely to place them in the right state; if they need snowfields, that is going to limit their options. If they need a desert, that’s going to be a different state. We navigate the shortest route for producers to get what they need.”
While each Australian state offers different motivations and lays down different stipulations for bringing productions to their territory, if an overseas production plays its cards right, a combination of state and federal incentives can account for some 15 percent of its budget. Read more…
Filed under: Arts & Entertainment || Published in: Moving Pictures Magazine