Screen Australia Podcast

Matchbox Pictures is one of Australia’s most successful and prolific producers of television, and in this in-depth interview Managing Director Alastair McKinnon talks about the company and industry at large.

He discusses working with global parent company NBCUniversal, how much time projects take to develop, pitching tips, and providing a pathway for emerging talent with their series The Heights.

Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts.

Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

In this latest podcast episode Screen Australia’s Head of Documentary Bernadine Lim talks through the funding available to documentarians, what the agency is looking for, and how they assess applications. 

Lim also speaks to the proposed changes to documentary guidelines, including who they will benefit and how to submit feedback before 27 October 2019.

To read the discussion paper, or submit feedback on the revised guidelines: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/new-directions/documentary-program-revision-2019 

Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason discusses Toronto International Film Festival 2019, the six Australian titles that were selected for it, and industry trends.

He also gives an overview of television market MIPCOM and provides key pieces of advice for Australians preparing to attend international festivals or markets.

For more information, visit: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/festivals-and-markets

Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts.

Producers John and Dan Edwards of Roadshow Rough Diamond discuss new series Les Norton and keeping up with the changes in Australian TV.

The father-son duo – who between them have around five decades of television experience – dish their thoughts on creating space for new voices, what commissioners are looking for, important TV markets, and genres that sell internationally.

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] 

Four years since the announcement of Gender Matters, producer Joanna Werner of Dance Academy and Riot is glad the conversation around female representation in the industry hasn’t abated.

Werner talks through some of the trends in new industry-wide data, balancing career and motherhood, the journey of Dance Academy, her hopes for the future and much more.

Werner also discusses Screen Australia's Gender Matters KPI which it set out to achieve three years ago, and the newly announced KPI, whereby 50% of the key creatives in projects that receive development or production funding are women, across a three-year-average. 

Werner is joined on the podcast by Judy and Punch writer/director Mirrah Foulkes and Eliza Reilly, the co-writer/co-director of Sheilas, who briefly speak about the greater impact of support on their careers.

To read the new industry wide data or learn more about the new Gender Matters KPI, visit the Screen Australia website, or click here https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2019/08-21-gender-matters-target-exceeded-new-kpi

The audio at the beginning of the podcast episode is taken from the Gender Matters launch video​, with speakers including writer/director Corrie Chen, actor Alison Whyte and producer Sue Maslin.

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] 

Since starting out as a script assistant on Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, television writer Niki Aken’s career has covered script editing, freelance writing and script producing.

Unsure of what any of these roles are? On the latest episode of the Screen Australia podcast, Aken explains the different work out there for television writers who are on the more traditional career progression route (acknowledging that many people are creating their own pathways online).

Aken also gives her top tips for writers starting out and the way the Australian industry could better utilise writers beyond handing in a script.

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] 

What’s the Producer Offset? How much is it worth? How do I get it? How long will it take?

These are just some of the topics covered by Michele McDonald, Senior Manager of Screen Australia’s Producer Offset and Co-Production Unit (POCU), in this latest podcast episode.

Michele discusses the basics – such as the Significant Australian Content (SAC) test and how many government offsets you can get - to more intricate queries around the Gallipoli Clause, and the use of Cinema on Demand in feature film applications.

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] 

FURTHER READING

Producer Offset eligibility criteria and information

The Location Offset & Location Incentive

PDV Offset

In addition to the 10% Create NSW, SAFC and Screen Qld PDV Incentives, Film Victoria also offer a negotiable PDV Incentive

Screen Australia Project Manager Kelly Vincent walks us through the ins and outs of creating a strong application with an accurate budget.

Kelly gives her advice on a broad range of topics including: how to make sure your budget reflects your script, why a production accountant is worth their weight in gold, why you need to include marketing and publicity spend, the meaning of terms such as completion guarantor, and how to know how much items will cost.

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] 

OTHER RESOURCES

Motion Picture Production Agreement (MPPA)

https://www.meaa.org/download/mppa-summary-2018/

The Production Book

http://productionbook.com.au/

Broadcasting and Recorded Entertainment Award

https://www.meaa.org/download/brea/

AZ Budgets can be found in the Screen Australia document library:

https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/about-us/doing-business-with-us/document-library

Producer Kristina Ceyton reveals what stories resonate with Causeway Films and their approach to film festivals.

Ceyton discusses how she and writer/director Jennifer Kent came to work together on their debut feature The Babadook, how The Nightingale came about, and other features on their slate. She also walks listeners through which markets they try to attend, the process of getting a sales agent and how significant a world premiere at a top-tier film festival can be.

For an expanded breakdown of Ceyton’s approach to film festivals alongside comments from Screen Australia representatives, read the Intel piece The Babadook to Nightingale: Festival Release Strategies: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/Screen-News/2019/06-11-festival-release-strategies

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Screen Australia investment managers Lee Naimo and Alyce Adams answer the questions any burgeoning (or existing) online creator might need to know before hitting that ‘submit’ button on their application.

As investment managers, Lee and Alyce assess applications for online support in development, production and completion funding, and they reveal what they’re looking for, how to know how much money to ask for, and why you should get in touch before you apply.

The pair also talk about success stories, including The Katering Show, Bondi Hipsters, Aunty Donna, Kacie Anning, Superwog and the Gender Matters-supported series Sheilas, and they discuss the power of niche audiences – clearly seen in the views behind hits such as Mining Boom on Starting From Now.

This is essential listening for any Aussie online creator.

Subscribe to Screen News here where you’ll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]