1 NOVEMBER 2010 NEW INCENTIVE TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VICTORIAN CREW
MONDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2010
The Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings, and Film Victoria today announced a new programme that will give Victorian screen practitioners more opportunities to enhance their skills on visiting film and TV productions.
Designed to encourage international and qualifying Australian productions to use Victorian practitioners in senior creative and technical positions, the Head of Department Incentive enables production companies to apply for a grant to employ a local head of department on an eligible production.
Mr Jennings said the programme would boost local job opportunities for Victorian screen practitioners by reducing the likelihood of projects recruiting interstate and international practitioners in key head of department roles.
“The Victorian Government has recognised the need to support Victorian crew being employed in more senior positions on international projects,” he said. “That is why we identified this new incentive as an action in the Victorian Screen Industry Strategy – to foster a highly-skilled screen industry workforce and ensure our local crew are exposed to significant and more complex work experiences.”
Sandra Sdraulig, CEO of Film Victoria, was thrilled to launch the programme for local crew. “Victoria is home to so many accomplished and talented key creatives and technicians, and this is acknowledged around the world,” Ms Sdraulig said. “The Head of Department Incentive will give local crew experience working on larger-scale productions and internationally-recognised credits, which they can then use on future productions.
“Production companies receiving the incentive will be required to employ between one and four Victorian crew members reporting to the head of department, providing further opportunities for Victorian crew to increase their skills and increasing the skill base of the industry as a whole.
“It also builds on the success of our Production Investment Attraction Fund (PIAF), which encourages the employment of Victorian crew in all roles.”
Victorian practitioner Dean Hood, who has worked as Financial Controller on the HBO miniseries THE PACIFIC, and most recently as Unit Production Manager for Guillermo del Toro’s DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK and Omnilab Media’ s THE KILLER ELITE, says having the chance to work on large-scale productions at home has been invaluable.
“It’s great to have these opportunities right here in Melbourne, and to be able to use the credentials I’ve gained on future projects,” Dean said. “Film Victoria’s new incentive is a great opportunity for local crew, and will help our crew base get the international credits they require. “
Up to $50,000 per application will be made available, depending on the type and size of the project. Feature Films, Tele-movie, Miniseries and Television Series, Documentaries are all eligible.
For more information, contact Film Victoria’s Incentives Coordinator on (03) 9660 3250.
