Funding approvals
in the archive
Enterprise industry 2014-2015

ENTERPRISE STORIES

BOGAN ENTERTAINMENT SOLUTIONS (BES)
Bogan Entertainment is a well-regarded, mid-sized 2D animation company operating in Victoria which creates, writes, designs and produces material for the world market. The company is well connected domestically and internationally with regular output deals with the Cartoon Network.

The Animation Writers Project will mentor and train a team of four emerging writers and two external directors over two years. Since the demise of Disney and Hanna-Barbera in Australia, this level of high-end, commercial 2D training in animation is severely lacking. Participants will be teamed with proven local and international talent and taken through a structured learning and writing environment to develop an animated feature film and 3 x 26-episode animated TV series to market-ready pitch stage. BES will use their expertise and extensive international connections to create and sell original properties for the world market.

EVERY CLOUD PRODUCTIONS
Every Cloud Producers, Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox have an excellent track record of producing quality domestic and internationally sought-after drama (The Gods of Wheat Street and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries). The Parlay Program aims to intensively develop four distinctive projects with emerging writers in close consultation with broadcasters. The scheme’s main innovation is that each project will fall within four clearly defined, market-relevant genres identified by the company: international co-production; Australian family drama (Western Australian based); passion projects; and a multiplatform project (to be delivered in partnership with Northern Rivers Screenworks). The process will be constantly informed by the market (consultative selling).

FREMANTLEMEDIA AUSTRALIA
FremantleMedia Australia are partnering with Screen Australia in a matched funding arrangement to realise the Blue Sky Drama Initiative.   This initiative will target up to four high-end drama concepts for commission outside the traditional broadcast model. In a creative-led process, FremantleMedia Australia will undertake a public call for submissions. The aim of the initiative is to grow the drama broadcast pipeline beyond local commissions and target international broadcasters and VOD providers with fully developed projects. These creative assets will take away the initial barrier for international broadcasters and content distributors who have not worked with Australian producers and creatives before. FremantleMedia Australia brings to this proposal worldwide skill and scale to enable fast tracking of commissions of local productions and a new stream of production opportunities for Australian writing talent. The successful applicants will participate in the financial success of any commissioned projects

The initiative is comprised of two key components. Firstly, an intensive and dedicated development program with an international script mentor for high-concept projects with international appeal. Secondly, a high-end drama workshop with international script mentors to develop and expand the skills of Australian creatives in the international marketplace. The proposal will generate fully developed projects with proven creative vision to first draft script stage. They will be shaped for and ready to take to the international market.

OPEN CHANNEL CO-OPERATIVE
Scriptshop is an established script development program that takes 10 participants/teams through a nine-month intensive program resulting in audience-focused, market-ready TV and film scripts. The intention is to act as a bridge to industry for content creators who are early on in their career. It develops their storytelling skills by exposing them to professional industry practice. A partnership with PITCH SHOP 2015 gives a first-look opportunity for at least one project at Roadshow Films and/or Ruby Entertainment. Scriptshop alumni receive ongoing support with access to networking, mentoring and festivals.

WERNER FILM PRODUCTIONS
The Story Lab will provide the opportunity for up to 20 writers, five script editors and five creative producers to participate in a series of intensive ‘American writers’ room’ style workshop throughout 2015. Each workshop will drive development of a high-quality, audience-focused television series, which will provide a foundation for the lead writer to then further develop and produce materials to take each series to market. The program includes a Call for Concepts with treatments for original new drama series being sought via an open-call to agents and practitioners at various stages of their career. WFP intends to work closely with local drama commissioners and international buyers to assist in its selection of concepts. 

ENTERPRISE GROWTH

ARENAMEDIA
Arenamedia is a screen production and distribution company helmed by Robert Connolly whose most recent theatrical success is the family feature film Paper Planes.

The company aims to build on the Cinema Plus concept exploring different ways of distribution for content. It aims to develop a matched investment model by leveraging existing investor partnerships and grow audiences through talent development and investment in quality, audience-engaging content.

THE TRUSTEE FOR DOCUMENTARY AUSTRALIA FOUNDATION (DAF)
DAF brings philanthropists and filmmakers together to create a new source of funding for the documentary sector. Enterprise funding will enable them to develop and implement a new focused program, designed around specific issue areas. This national program will engage and unite funders and non-profit organisations around documentaries, from the development stage through to audience engagement and evaluation. The areas of particular interest to philanthropists are the environment, education/youth, Indigenous, human rights/social justice and the arts.

DAF has great credibility in the sector after 6 years developing philanthropic interest in documentary and, with Shark Island Institute, having raised over $2 million for social impact documentaries in one day at the hugely successful Good Pitch2 event.

INDEPENDENT CINEMAS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (ICAA) SERVICES
ICAA is a membership-based organisation where the members and Board are independent cinema owners. Currently, ICAA represents over 80 per cent of regional cinemas. Independent cinemas comprise 25 per cent of the 1991 cinema screens in Australia and 32 per cent of cinema sites – with ICAA representing the owners and operators of 670 cinema screens across 160 cinema locations.

ICAA will perform a two-year trial and feasibility study to grow the independent cinema audience for Australian films through the My Cinema Platform. This will enable: early awareness and aggregation of marketing activity; reach to independent exhibitors and their audience more effectively; and support for innovative distribution models that increase the theatrical exhibition of Australian films by reducing the risk to exhibitors of audience failure. ICAA will work with industry partners on proposals such as: TUGG, demand-driven programming national promotions for Australian films across the My Cinema circuit; ‘special event’ My Cinema Premiere programming for Australian films; and a feasibility study to deploy analytics and marketing software to measure success and share data.

SEE PICTURES
The proposal from See Pictures will focus on two core elements, a low-budget Ticket to Ride, feature film investment proposal and the development of mid-range budget feature movies in collaboration with key Australian and international talent. The Ticket to Ride concept has been successfully launched with the film The Little Death which attracted significant international sales and remake fees. Enterprise support will allow Ticket to Ride to be launched as a national finance initiative with a public call out. Importantly, Ticket to Ride films will not seek Screen Australia production support, potentially stimulating production levels. Furthermore, this initiative will provide Screen Australia with an opportunity to trial a digital distribution pilot scheme whereby marketing support can underpin a direct-to-digital release strategy.

See Pictures has an impressive network of collaborators and partners including key Australian creatives. It is proposed to further support these relationships to develop a slate of medium to high-budget range films.

VAN VUUREN BROS. and CHLOE RICKARD
One of the success stories of online content, Christiaan Van Vuuren, started out posting online video while sick in hospital (Fully Sick Rapper). Teaming up with his brother Connor Van Vuuren, they then progressed various partnerships to co-write and direct the very successful Bondi Hipsters and Soul Mates.

With a proven capacity to make content prolifically, this proposal supports the development and production of five projects across all platforms. The five new creative brands will be developed over two years and include Kiwi Assassins: The Musical, Bondi Hipsters: The Movie and one-off viral concepts. Also of significant benefit to the broader creative sector, the proposal will foster new talent with the Van Vuuren team mentoring online producers and distributing content on their social media channels.