Federal Budget Bad for Film Business

Labrug | 11/05/2007 - 13:17

Australia | Billboard Bulletins | Film and Video

The most recent federal budget announced that $300 million would be set aside for Film and Television Production, including rebate incentives of 40% for Australian Films and 20% for TV.

This is offset by the plan to abolish what is known as the 10AB Incentive. This allows for producers to write off 100 per cent of their costs as a tax deduction and has stimulated the film industry in recent years. There are concerns that the removal of this incentive will see a drop in film production.

Read the Official Alliance Press Release here. Uncertain Future for Aussie Arts.

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A drop in film production?

Author: Na
Date: 11/05/2007 - 13:54

A drop in film production? You mean we can get lower than the current situation?

I will not be surprised if Howard is out by the end of the year. He's really doing all the wrong things at the moment.

Any mention of the budget for theatre?

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What, Theatre?

Author: Labrug
Date: 11/05/2007 - 14:14

You must be joking of course! When does Theatre ever get mentioned in a federal budget announcement? Sticking out tongue Such a concept would completely Alien to the pollies.

This from the official site - Arts, Recreation and Entertainment:
2007-08 Budget initiatives

And - Arts, Recreation and Entertainment:
Ongoing initiatives

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Thanks!

Author: Na
Date: 11/05/2007 - 14:25

I'm sure there will be some sort of uproar from the artistic community about any/all of the arts budgets. They seem to be getting worse and worse.

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Freedom of Art

Author: Labrug
Date: 11/05/2007 - 14:32

It's a part of their overall freedom of press policy - send the arts and film industries into poverty so they don't have the money to say anything. Evil

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Jeff Watkins
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Virgin Director

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Uh, yeah... except that's

Author: Na
Date: 11/05/2007 - 14:45

Uh, yeah... except that's usually when the artists start speaking up. It's when we're all fed and happy that we don't protest as much. (It's just we're not using government money to do so)

Take the sedition laws... the number of playwrights who started writing about 9/11 and loss of freedom, and Howard spoofs, etc. became quite large after the release of the laws. Now we're used to them, and there doesn't seem to be as much.

(Wait til David Hicks' book comes out... there'll be a 1000 and 1 plays about him)

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One of our biggest problems

Author: Logos
Date: 11/05/2007 - 15:12

One of our biggest problems is obvious from the fact that really only half a dozen people actually cooment on these issues here. Most people don't care or don't understnd the long term implications of what is happening. The most conservative federal government of Australia is in charge of the country at a time when labour is becoming more and more centralist and conservative then ever before. Today's labour pollies look a bit like the conservatives of the early seventies and Howards mob are beginning to look a little to the right of Attilla the Hun. Bob Brown and his mob only care about trees and the Lib dems spend so much time fighting amongst themselves they have completely failed to notice they are now totally irrelevant.
The Arts are either strangled or bribed into the establishment. People like La Mama Melbourne lose funding thereby effectively strngling them selves as they have to search for money to keep the doors open and the various State Theatre Companys simply produce unchallenging middle of the road theatre.
I think I need to go and lie down.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
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While I am lying down

Author: Na
Date: 11/05/2007 - 16:28

While I am lying down already, I think I have to agree. Most people don't know and don't care. (I know I'm generalising - I mean the average Aussie who isn't actively involved in the arts)

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14/05/2007 - 13:25 Rory Mac (not verified) The same thing happened in

Muriel's Wedding Priscilla,

Author: Na
Date: 14/05/2007 - 13:41

Muriel's Wedding
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Shine

(We have to remember these are hot exports)

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Oz Films.

Author: Labrug
Date: 14/05/2007 - 13:57

The Piano (93), Strictly Ballroom (92), Moulin Rouge (2001), Happy Feet (06), Rabbit Proof Fence (02), The Castle (97), Romper Stomber (92)

According to Wiki

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15/05/2007 - 11:49 Rory Mac (not verified) muriel, priscilla, shine,

Leeky Creek

Author: Labrug
Date: 15/05/2007 - 12:09

Apologies, missed the reference to Filmed in Oz Films.

How about Wolf Creek? Made a little bit of a wimper of the film seen. Eye-wink

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Jeff Watkins
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Objective?

Author: Na
Date: 15/05/2007 - 13:14

How about we start this discussion again, but have more definitive terms? Like what do you define as successful?

Is it the ones that made money? Or is it the ones that win awards? Is it both?

As usual, we have hit on the more obvious point of: all art is subjective and therefore one man's likes are another man's dislikes.

And it does not detract from the original statement, which is that the government is doing its best to hamper any good (whatever that may mean to you) local creativity.

Edit: Labrug brings another point. Wolf Creek may have died here, but it was a big international hit. I'd say more and more of our films are bigger overseas than they are here.

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Rabbit Proof Fence did well

Author: Logos
Date: 15/05/2007 - 14:10

Rabbit Proof Fence did well in the UK. When was The Dish? Anyway, what exactly is this argument about. Oh and by the way, shot in Australia by an Austtralian crew should count as it brings the bucks into the country and the industry.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

New Political Party?

Author: stinger
Date: 15/05/2007 - 14:46

"Today's labour (sic) pollies look a bit like the conservatives of the early seventies and Howards mob are(sic)beginning to look a little to the right of Attilla the Hun. Bob Brown and his mob only care about trees and the Lib dems spend so much time fighting amongst themselves they have completely failed to notice they are now totally irrelevant."

- Who the hell are the Lib dems?

Ssstinger>>>

Sorry

Author: Logos
Date: 15/05/2007 - 18:00

Spent too much time in the UK recently. I meant of course the Australian Democrats.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

15/05/2007 - 17:11 Rory Mac (not verified) Okay for your

Why do you not include

Author: Na
Date: 15/05/2007 - 19:15

Why do you not include Indigenous work? Surely that should count as Australian?

And again, you list all these qualifying terms, but then say 'Wolf creek could have been better'. It is in your eyes that it could have been better. That does not make it unsuccessful. Subjective v objective.

I could talk to twenty industry professionals who could all come up with completely different qualifiers for 'successful', none of whom would be wrong.

Let's just agree to disagree.

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I still don't know what

Author: Logos
Date: 16/05/2007 - 12:06

we are discussing here. Surely a successful film made in australia with australian crews that increases expertise brings in money and makes the performers used to working here has to count as an australian film.
May I make one small comment about some films I have seen in recent times. Some directors and writers seem sometimes determined to make australian culture so australian it no longer has any resonance with overseas watchers, hence the film gains no audience anywhere except New Zealand where they probably won't watch it because it's Australian. Some film makers make australian culture universal enough to strike chords in overseas audiences without making the film american or british The Dish The Castle and Strictly Ballroom come to mind as does "The Man Who Sued God" which was really popular in the UK (Billy Connolly)and incidently must be inside your ten year limit.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

16/05/2007 - 14:40 Rory Mac (not verified) I do so like our

Of course it's hard to

Author: Na
Date: 16/05/2007 - 16:18

Of course it's hard to do... this comes back to the funding. There is less Aussie film/TV being made. There has also been a decline in quality. You can't blame the filmmakers for producing less; most people want to produce more (and with better quality), but can't afford to. This is why there is an influx of short films, films produced on mobile phones, etc.

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OK I think

Author: Logos
Date: 16/05/2007 - 16:22

I am getting a handle on where you are coming from. First of all in defence of "The Man Who Sued God" which I really like it may not have been a blockbuster but it did OK once again better overseas then here but it featured an all australian cast other than Billy Connolly and was a very Australian film in many ways. Beyond that I do tend to agree with you I think. The Australian Film industry makes very bad films on the whole. That's largely because of, in my humble opinion, bad writing.
I still don't feel that if a film made in this country is not about Australia you can say it is not an australian film unless like some of those fifties Hollywood films made here the entire cast crew and production team are imported. After all if India makes (as they have) films about other countries they are still considered Bollywood and the US make huge numbers of films set in other countries and using nationals of other countrys in them and they are still Hollywood movies.
No I can't name an iconic Australian Movie made in the last ten years that was successful. In fact if I'm not allowed to include Baz Luhrman the only Aus film made in the last ten years that I have seen and enjoyed was the road trip movie with Steady Eddy in it and I can't remember what it was called.
Oh and "He died with a Felafell in his hand" which proves one of my points because overseas audiences simply won't understand it.
Oh and my wife just read this thread and said "Jindabyne" which is recent and seems to have been very successful and very Australian.
(Later edit: I have just realised that Jindabyne almost certainly fails your test as an aussie film as it stars Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney.)
If this offends I am sorry but your definition of successful seems to include "If I saw it and liked it."

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

I've been thinking

Author: Logos
Date: 17/05/2007 - 10:06

For some reason this thread has got under my skin. I'm not sure why but overnight I was thinking what about the Great Australian Cultural Cringe. We don't (we being the man in the street) support Australian art unless it is made overseas. Australian films (with some very honourable exceptions) tend to go well overseas if they can get a distribution deal (next problem) while not doing well here until overseas critics have told us it's all right to like it because it's quite good really. Or am I being unfair. I have to admit I go to the cinema very rarely and then only to see big blockbuster comedies on the whole. I am a simple soul really.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

I don't think you're being

Author: Na
Date: 17/05/2007 - 10:48

I don't think you're being unfair. I think this is the general feeling about Aussie film products at the moment. I think because the standard has decreased over a period of time, most people in the back of their minds are now looking at Aussie produced stuff in a bad light. And then when it becomes a hit overseas, we're surprised.

Or perhaps we have simply gotten into a rut comparing old classics or Aussie blockbusters, with what's being produced now, which is in quite a different style.

We have to also remember (and you point it out without realising it) that more and more people are staying home with their DVD players, and that movie tix sales are becoming less important as movie more and more recoup their costs at the local video store. (Hey, Futurama was brought back to TV because of their DVD sales)

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17/05/2007 - 11:09 Rory Mac (not verified) Hmm. Interesting Points.

Big fish, little fish

Author: Na
Date: 17/05/2007 - 11:32

You seem to forget that we also outsource our technical people too - Beyond Productions for example used to (and still do) make programs in Australia about 'the products of the future'. And yet they hit international gold by creating and producing Mythbusters.

Many of the big name Aussie actors you list above lament the situation in Australia, and some big names have been known to take huge pay cuts (or offer their services for pay/play) in order to return to Australia and perform in indie films. They want to support the industry here, but know that to further their careers they have to go overseas.

By the way, Cate is the AD at STC. If you didn't know. So you certainly can't lump her in.

You almost hit on something else many of us forget. Why does Australian talent 'need' to develop here? I know a great performer who went over to America to study. And then she came back and spent years working as a producer (and still does on occasion). I know another actress who came here (yes, she came to Melbourne!) to study acting... and she's from the US! We're not just exporting people, but there are heaps of others coming here to learn.

The learning experience, whether it is overseas or in your own country, helps you create a better, stronger industry in the long run. Why should we assume that to make our industry stronger, Aussies must stay here to do it?

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Federal Budget Bad for Film Business

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