All Network members are being offered a $200 discount on the Final Cut Pro 7 course listed below. To be eligible you must give DV Australia your membership number and let the Network know. If you know any non-members who wish to do this course advise them to join the Network first and receive the discount.

ACT Film Investment Fund:

The ACT’s creative industries, including film, television and digital media productions, are set to benefit from a new three-year, $1.8 million fund that will provide finance for local productions with funding from the 2010-11 ACT Budget.

Chief Minister and Minister for the Arts, Jon Stanhope, said the new ACT Film Investment Fund would be managed by ScreenACT – a Government-funded organisation which supports the ACT’s creative industries and promotes the ACT and region as a location for filming and production.

He said the Fund would boost the capacity of ScreenACT to attract and retain business in the creative sector. 

“Canberra has a growing digital media, film and TV production industry, with significant potential for further development,” Mr Stanhope said. “Our creative industries already account for 9 per cent of all jobs in the ACT, compared to the national average of 5.3 per cent.

"To help our creative industries to grow, the Government is investing $1.8 million over three years to create a new fund that will provide finance for local film, television and digital media productions. It will complement ScreenACT’s charter to promote the ACT and surrounding region as an attractive location for filming and production

“The Fund is expected to support up to six significant feature films and a number of smaller documentary, television and animation projects over three years.

“This targeted investment will also allow local businesses to leverage the potential economic and tourism benefits that result from local productions,” Mr Stanhope said.

The ACT Film Investment Fund will be open to applicants with confirmed finance partners or who can demonstrate a level of marketplace interest in their production.

Funding will be provided for ACT‑based productions under contract as an equity investment and recouped by the Government where a profit is made. All profits will be reinvested into the Fund.

The Fund will be managed by ScreenACT in collaboration with the Chief Minister’s Department and an external advisory body which will recommend projects for support.

Up to $400,000 will be available in 2010-11, $600,000 in 2011-12 and $800,000 in 2012-13.

The ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, will open the new offices of the ACT Filmmakers’ Network at Belconnen Arts Centre.

Where: Belconnen Arts centre, 118 Emu Bank Belconnen ACT
When: 4:45pm Wednesday 28 April 2010

All Network members are invited to attend this event but will need to RSVP by close of business this Friday 23^rd April, (otherwise we risk running out of food and wine!).

Special thanks to our local wineries and sponsors Clonakilla Winery, Doonkuna Winery and Affleck Vineyard.

New Location, New Vision, New Direction

The ACT Filmmakers’ Network has recently been provided with an increased budget by the ACT Government to assist it in further growing the organisation. The extra funding has led to the recruitment of a new professional Development Manager to help guide the Network into an expanded role supporting the ACT screen industry.

The move to Belconnen Arts Centre will allow it to form part of an ‘arts hub’ where strategic links and networking with other practitioners from a wide variety of other art forms can take place.

CALL FOR COMMENT: The Australian Government announces 2010 Review of the Australian Independent Screen Production Sector. This Review of the Australian Independent Screen Production Sector will examine the viability of the sector, and assess the extent to which the Government’s support measures assist the sector to achieve the stated screen cultural objectives

The Australian Government is calling for contributions to the submission and has published a discussion paper and terms of reference for the Review. Screen industry practitioners are invited to forward submissions, consistent with the terms of reference.
Submissions close on 29 April 2010.

For more information please visit the DEWHA website at www.arts.gov.au/public_consultation

ScreenACT and Screen Australia have announced the launch of the Project Pod.

Project Pod is a six-month long professional and project development initiative for ACT/Capital Region film, TV and digital media practitioners.

This initiative will cover narrative and story, introduction to development practice, pitching and presentation skills, and introduction to producing. The programme will also offer networking opportunities with interstate industry professionals and Screen Australia representatives and one-on-one professional development.

The Project Pod will be run in four phases. Initially 24 practitioners will be chosen to attend workshops over a two-week period (participants must be available to attend all workshops). Following this, 10 participants will receive one-on-one development with a professional script consultant and be invited to attend additional workshops. In the third phase participants will receive feedback from industry professionals, and finally up to four projects will receive additional funding for further development.

To apply to participate in this initiative please see Project Pod at the ScreenACT web site 

Applications close this coming Monday,  29 February 2010.