Flickerfest launches Film-makers Resource Site

Australia’s premiere International Short Film Festival Flickerfest is thrilled to announce the launch of a brand new online resource designed to give all Australian filmmakers a head start in the world of marketing their short to a global community.

The Flickerfest Film-maker's Resource Site: a new creation from Flickerfest and supported by Screen Australia, is now live.  With over 12 years experience in short film distribution and a catalogue of around 200 of Australia’s best shorts, Flickerfest knows a thing or two about marketing and selling short films to the world.  With the launch of the Film-makers Resource Site, Flickerfest aims to unlock a few secrets, and share the knowledge.  Aimed at film-makers with a completed short film ready to let loose on the market, or anyone thinking of making a film or in the throes of completing one, the Film-makers Resource Site will be a one-stop-shop for all those questions about marketing and distribution, festivals, legal requirements, contracting, rights and clearances.

The site will dispense information, answer often-asked questions and provide links to other sites for specific expertise.  There are downloads, links to other sources of information and to the film-making video toolkits on the Flickerfest on EXTRA site where you can listen to  experts such as Greg McLean, Jan Chapman, Fred Schepisi and many others giving you hot tips about making shorts.

For further information visit www.flickerfestfilmmakersresource.com

Ausfilm announces new CEO

The Ausfilm Board is delighted to announce the confirmed appointment of Jackie O’Sullivan as the new Ausfilm CEO, starting 10 August.  Jackie replaces Caroline Pitcher, who concludes her term as CEO on 21 August.

There were over 40 applications for the role and it was very encouraging to see that the Ausfilm CEO role attracted a number of high calibre candidates. 

Jackie has experience as a Producer, Production Development Executive, Business Affairs Executive and General Manager in both Australia and the UK.  She has an extensive knowledge of the Australian Federal Screen Production Incentives and their role in attracting international footloose production to Australia.  This breadth of experience and Jackie’s industry contacts will bring a vibrant dimension to Ausfilm.

Balibo trailer released

East Timor, 1975.  As Indonesia prepares to invade the tiny nation of East Timor, five Australian based journalists go missing.  Balibo is a political thriller that tells the true story of crimes that have been covered up for over thirty years.

The film has been chosen to open the Melbourne International Film Festival next month and Director Robert Connolly also plans to show Balibo at East Timor's Government House.

The film follows reporters Greg Shackleton and Malcolm Rennie, sound recordist Tony Stewart, and cameramen Gary Cunningham and Brian Peters who were killed by the Indonesian military while reporting on East Timor's battle for independence.

Director of Photography Tristan Milani, will be in Hobart next week to teach Screen Tasmania and Wide Angle Tasmania’s Feature Film Induction Course.

View the trailer at http://vimeo.com/5463958

The Burning Season screening at State Cinema

Following the Australian Premiere screening of The Burning Season in Hobart earlier this year, the documentary is now screening at the State Cinema in Hobart.

Director Cathy Henkel encourages as many people as possible to see this film - not only to inspire them to do something to save the forests and orangutans, but also to promote the idea that documentaries can do well in the cinema.

The film has received great reviews from Margret and David on At the Movies with both giving the film four stars.

Margaret says: "This highly informative film is not pushing an agenda. We get to hear many sides of the story.  It’s so nice to be treated like an intelligent adult by a filmmaker." 

To view Margret’s review visit www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s2603294.htm  

News from AFTRS Tasmania

AFTRS is offering two new programs of study in Hobart in 2010.  In addition to the existing short course program AFTRS Tasmania is excited to announce that there will be not one but two Graduate Certificates available in Tasmania next year.

These courses will be run over one or two semesters during the evenings and weekends and will allow for a substantial body of learning to be achieved.  Applications are not open yet, but you can get the heads-up on the details of the courses, the selection criteria and required tasks at makeit.aftrs.edu.au

The Graduate Certificates on offer in Tasmania are:

Multi Platform Content
This course provides a systematic and practical approach to multiplatform content creation in order to provide emerging producers with skills to initiate and mange these projects.

Students will learn to tailor content for emerging media platforms such as convergent television, broadband web and mobile devices and focus on alternate reality games, episodic social media and other emerging entertainment formats which utilise a combination of platforms to engage audiences.  A comprehensive overview of media technologies, platforms and formats is provided in addition to real world exercises and briefs culminating in a final project that can be used by students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Teaching Creative Practice
Designed for anyone with the responsibility of teaching creativity to students.  This course will help industry practitioners who have become teachers, teachers who need to update their approach to teaching creative subjects and those who have had creative courses added to their traditional teaching specialisations.

With the aim of developing the skills, competencies, professional knowledge and professional awareness necessary to be an effective teacher of creativity this course will also provide opportunities to develop teaching practice proficiency, curricula design and assessment practices.  Students will learn to design, develop and implement teaching & learning tools as well as methodologies for addressing the specific learning needs of a creative practitioner.

There will be an information session later in the year, but if you have any initial questions please feel free to call the AFTRS Office in Hobart on
03 6223 5983 (open Tuesday and Thursday)