2 July 2010 Production Investment for a strong and sustainable Victorian screen industry

2 July 2010

Film Victoria has committed $1.45 million towards eight projects in the latest round of Production Investment funding, marking the end of a successful year for the Victorian screen industry and bringing the agency’s total investment in film and television projects to more than $5.4 million in 2009/10.

The latest round of funding will support the return of two successful children’s television franchises, a television drama series, a telemovie and four documentary series.

The projects include a gritty family drama based on a best-selling novel (THE SLAP); the spiritual journey of Judith Lucy (JUDITH LUCY’S SPIRITUAL JOURNEY); the inspiring true story of a former police officer’s quest for justice (TRAFFICKED – THE RECKONING); an Australian beauty pageant with a twist (MISS SOUTH SUDAN AUSTRALIA); an intriguing look inside the changing face of architecture, innovation and design in Australia (ARTHOUSE); the return of some Aussie pranksters (PRANK PATROL SERIES 2); life inside an Australian Dance Academy (DANCE ACADEMY SERIES 2); and the story of a group of Australian nurses and nuns made prisoners of war in 1942 (SISTERS OF WAR).

Film Victoria CEO Sandra Sdraulig said the variety and quality of projects funded in this round of Production Investment reinforces Victoria’s position as a leader in the Australian screen industry. Local screen businesses are building their slate of projects and generating jobs and revenue.

“Our continued commitment to businesses producing high-quality screen content is what keeps Victoria at the forefront of the Australian screen industry. Victoria is home to talented practitioners and world class production facilities. Investing in these productions helps to ensure our industry remains strong, vibrant and full of activity leading into the 2010/2011 financial year.”

At its June meeting the Film Victoria Board also approved a Writer’s Fellowship for local writer Roger Monk for his feature film script, ROMEO AND CHERYL. The Writer’s Fellowship is a commitment of the Screen Industry Strategy, launched by the Victorian Government in November 2009, and offers support for talented, proven writers to develop high-quality feature film or television projects. The fellowships will allow writers to focus on one project over a significant period, rather than requiring stage-by-stage funding.

The Board also granted Scott Alexander International Market Support to attend XMediaLab Animation Market China 2010 with his project THE LAST ANDY. The loan, part of Film Victoria’s Professional Development programme, will give Scott a chance to promote his project and network with key international and local broadcasters.

Stay informed of funding deadlines, opportunities and announcements via www.film.vic.gov.au, eNews or twitter (http://twitter.com/filmvictoria)

Project background:

THE SLAP, Matchbox Pictures: Helen Bowden and Michael McMahon, Producers; Alice Bell, Emily Ballou, Brendan Cowell, Kris Mrska and Cate Shortland, Writers; Jessica Hobbs, Tony Ayres, Cate Shortland and Robert Connolly, Directors. At a suburban barbecue, a man slaps a child who is not his own. This event and what follows ricochets through a tight-knight group of family and friends to shocking effect. THE SLAP is based on Christos Tsiolkas’ bestselling novel of the same name.

JUDITH LUCY’S SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Bearded Lady Productions: Todd Abbott, Producer; Judith Lucy, Writer. Judith Lucy is lost. So now, ready or not, she's going on a journey to find herself. Over six episodes she'll explore what's on offer for the spiritually curious and relive the hilarious, bizarre and profound moments that have shaped her spiritual belief system.

TRAFFICKED – THE RECKONING, FairTrade Films: Luigi Acquisto, Writer/Director/Producer; Stella Zammataro, Producer/Researcher. The sequel to Trafficked, and the first film to investigate slavery in Australia, TRAFFICKED - THE RECKONING tells of a former police officer’s quest to find the man who enslaved a young Thai girl in a Sydney brothel.

MISS SOUTH SUDAN AUSTRALIA, Matchbox Pictures: Michael McMahon, Polly Staniford, Tony Ayers, Producers; Shannon Owen, Writer/Director. MISS SOUTH SUDAN AUSTRALIA is a joyful and exuberant half-hour documentary following the journey to pull together the premiere event for Australia’s Sudanese community - the Miss South Sudan Australia beauty pageant – and the lives of the organisers and participants.

ARTHOUSE, Paalma: Martin Bartsch, Writer/Producer; Britt Arthur, Director. ARTHOUSE looks at the changing face of architecture, innovation and design in Australia through the eyes of Melbourne-based husband and wife team, architect Robert McBride and interior designer Debbie Ryan. The documentary follows this stellar design team over eight months, while examining the intricacies of their working relationship, and the inspiration behind their iconic and at times controversial works.

PRANK PATROL Series 2, ActiveTV: Kylie Washington, Series Producer; Shona Van Lieshout, Co-series Producer; Peter Lawlor, Victorian Director. PRANK PATROL is back, riding the wave of success series 1 created when it became the most watched television show on ABC3. Host Scotty Tweedie, his sidekick Ninjas and guest experts, help Aussie Pranksters pull off big time pranks with all the action captured on hidden cameras.

DANCE ACADEMY Series 2, Werner Film Productions: Joanna Werner, Producer; Samantha Strauss, Liz Doran, Greg Waters, Writers. Tara returns to the National Academy of Dance with the goal of representing Australia in the world’s most prestigious ballet competition in the second series of ABC TV’s hugely successful DANCE ACADEMY.

SISTERS OF WAR, Pericle Films: Andrew Wiseman, Producer; John Misto, Writer; Brendan Maher, Director.
Project Name/Genre: A 90-minute history drama is inspired by the true story of a small group of Australian nurses and nuns who found themselves in the eye of the storm when the Japanese military made them prisoners of war on the remote island of New Britain in 1942.