Media release: Forte Corp announces new CFO, Dragan Savic

Monday, May 8, 2023, Melbourne, Australia - Forte Corp is proud to announce the addition of highly respected financial executive Dragan Savic to its expanding team of film and television industry experts.

Savic has commenced his new appointment as Chief Financial Officer at the Melbourne-based film production and finance company, bringing high-level experience at major studios to the thriving group, having held integral roles at Warner Bros. International Television Production and NBCUniversal.

Forte Corp’s CEO, Craig McMahon says that Savic is a perfect fit for Forte Corp’s multi-faceted business of providing production services as well as producing and financing screened entertainment. He says, “Dragan has worked closely with both studio executive and screen producer teams and it’s this holistic vision and his experience that will be invaluable assets to Forte Corp. I am thrilled to welcome him to the team.”

Says Savic, “I’m very excited to join Forte Corp and work alongside such a talented and experienced team. It’s an exciting time to be joining the group and I’m looking forward to work across the broad spectrum of services Forte Corp offer in TV and film production and financing.”

Savic has held senior positions in banking and financial entities including Westpac and Deloitte in Perth before moving to London where he joined NBCUniversal as Financial Accounting Consultant, with responsibilities including implementing new accounting software across UK reporting entities.

Returning to Australia in 2016, Savic joined Warner Bros. International Television Production where in 2019 he was appointed Head of Finance. During his tenure he led the finance team through a period of rapid growth and expansion into scripted production. 

For the highly successful TV franchise production, Bachelor in Paradise, Savic worked with Fijian government officials to ensure the project met all requirements for rebate and relevant approvals. 

Savic is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and holds a Bachelor of Commerce & Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia.

Forte Corp, which encompasses Forte Corp Pictures , Tilt Media & Entertainment, Elevate Production Finance (EPF) and Consolidated Media Services (CMS), was represented last week at Screen Forever by its key executives, including McMahon and Savic, UK-based film financier and producer Charles Auty (Chief Commercial Officer), COO Ted Cawrey, Investment Manager Samantha Laidlaw, Head of Production Naomi Cleaver and Chris Hilton, CEO and Executive Producer at Tilt.

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.