Forte Corp announces Naomi Cleaver as Head Of Production

Friday, March 3, 2023, Melbourne, Australia - Melbourne-based film production and finance group, Forte Corp is pleased to announce the appointment of Naomi Cleaver as Head of Production.

With more than twenty-six years’ experience as a production management professional, Cleaver is highly-regarded in the Australian film industry for her exceptional expertise across all facets of film and television production, and her reputation as a talented, collaborative and practical producer with an eye for detail.

At Forte Corp, she joins a thriving holistic network of film and TV finance and production services headed by CEO Craig McMahon and his team of industry stalwarts including London-based film financier and producer Charles Auty (Chief Commercial Officer) and Brisbane-based entertainment and finance lawyer Ted Cawrey (Chief Operating Officer). The company encompasses Forte Corp Pictures, Tilt Media & Entertainment, Elevate Production Finance and Consolidated Media Services

With a degree in Arts Management from Western Australia’s prestigious WA Academy of Performing  Arts combined with Cleaver’s vast experience in scripting, planning, financing, budgeting, scheduling, crewing, post production , McMahon says she will be an enormous asset to Forte Corp’s group of companies.

Says McMahon, “We are thrilled to welcome Naomi Cleaver to the Forte Corp team, working across our physical production entities and production service company. 

“Naomi's extensive experience and production capabilities will be invaluable as we continue to grow and innovate.”

Cleaver says, “I am so incredibly excited to be joining Craig and all the team at Forte Corp. Their expertise in both local and international markets is extraordinary and their passion and commitment to all of their projects and people make this a company that I am proud to be a part of.”

Cleaver’s recent producer credits include the large budget television series for Universal Television and Match Box Productions, La Brea (2021) and the Australian-Chinese feature film The Longest Shot (2018), which premiered on 40,000 screens throughout China. 

Her top level experience also includes key roles on successful productions such as 2019’s highest box office earner Ride Like A Girl (Co-Producer) and ABC TV’s highest rating drama, also in 2019, Mystery Road 2 (Line Producer).  She was Co-Producer on ODDBALL (Australia’s Top 25 highest grossing films in 2015), and Line Producer on Hawke (AFI Award Winner - Best Telemovie 2010). 

Cleaver is viewed by Australia’s federal and state film funding bodies and national completion guarantors as an asset to any production and is regularly referred by state funding bodies to international production teams wishing to film in various states in Australia. 

Cleaver is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman, whose mob hail from Northern New South Wales.

fortecorp.com 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Erin Jameson – erin(at)jamesonandco(dot)com / +61 419 323 663

COMPANY BIOS:

Forte Corp Pictures: 

Forte Corp Pictures has been producing feature films and staging bespoke live events in Australia and globally since 2008. The team at Forte Corp Pictures takes pride in combining its production expertise and uniquely structured finance methods to deliver profitable entertainment projects that inspire and uplift audiences on a wide scale.

Founded by entrepreneur Craig McMahon, the Melbourne-based, globally-focused company’s achievements in feature films include executive producing George Miller’s first directorial feature after Mad Max: Fury Road, ‘Three Thousand Years Of Longing’, which received a standing ovation after its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival.

Currently in production, with Craig as Producer, is ‘Better Man’, the satirical biopic based on the life and career of UK superstar Robbie Williams. Directed by Michael Gracey (‘The Greatest Showman’), it is the biggest independent film production ever to be made in Australia. Craig also executive produced the recent box office hit, ‘Never Too Late’. The company has an exciting slate of projects in development across a number of different genres and formats.

In 2009, Craig also produced record-breaking Australasian music tour by Italian Maestro, Andrea Bocelli with the Czech National Philharmonic Orchestra and more recently collaborated with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in the development and staging of the highly successful show, George Michael – Listen To Your Heart.

Elevate Production Finance: 

Established in 2017, Elevate Production Finance (EPF) is fast-becoming Australia’s leading film and television production financier. Operating internationally, in five short years EPF has helped fund a growing number of significant screen projects with aggregate budgets of more than AUD$275 million, having secured more than AUD$210 million of loan capital in a recent 18 month period. Highlights include George Miller’s highly anticipated Three Thousand Years Of Longing starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, Australian box office hit, Never Too Late featuring Oscar® winner Jackie Weaver and Oscar® nominee James Cromwell (director Mark Lamprell), the Australian-Chinese co-production At Last, War Of The Worlds starring Eva Longoria, the Netflix hit 2067 and Blacklight, starring Liam Neeson. For television, EPF has provided loan finance to Hoodlum for Five Bedrooms – Series 3, Ambience Entertainment for Barrumbi Kids and to Aquarius Films for Savage River.

In 2020, EPF led the way in its sector by redefining its assessment protocols in response to COVID-19 concerns. It was thus able to successfully provide debt funding to film and television production in Australia and New Zealand, even under pandemic conditions when insurance coverage was excluded.
The company is nimble, creative, adaptive and prepared to go the extra mile to see ideas blossom into successful entertainment.

Consolidated Media Services: 

A new venture, Consolidated Media Services (CMS) offers projects that are brought to Australia from overseas a one-stop-shop for physical production, accounting services and maximising local incentives. CMS is strategically positioned to focus on projects that will qualify for Australian federal incentive programs offering rebates for local spend despite the projects not originating in this country.

Given the deep sector expertise of CMS’s Principals, including Craig McMahon, Charles Auty and Ted Cawrey, CMS will maximise Australian incentives, which regularly offer soft money of up to 40% of production budgets (features and episodic) and we will add value by offering co-financing and/or exec producing through Forte Corp’s wider group of companies. Australia offers a safe production environment, incredible locations, talented crew and excellent infrastructure

Tilt Media & Entertainment: 

Tilt Media & Entertainment (Tilt) is a newly created media company founded by Chris Hilton, supported by Forte Corp Holdings. Chris’s new venture brings together a top-flight creative and management team to participate in the new golden age of premium original content. Tilt will focus on authentic stories which have always had transcendent power to move audiences who are fascinated by the revelations that true life can provide. Whether it’s scripted or unscripted stories based on true crimes, historical events or personal memoirs, these stories resonate widely because truth really can be stranger than fiction. Chris Hilton is one of Australia’s most prolific and award-winning executive producers and producer/ directors who have made over 500 hours of content from feature films and television drama through feature docs, CGI driven series and lifestyle programming for broadcast clients including Disney, Fox, Discovery Networks, National Geographic, Viacom, A&E Networks, PBS, BBC, Channel Four and Arté France as well as all Australian television networks.