Funding

One of the most important elements for the development of an industry is the funding, basically it industry growth depends on it.

GOVERNMENT
The Australian Government is committed to maintaining a strong, active and vibrant Australian film industry for both cultural and economic reasons. It is hard to find out the exact how much they have supported the Indigenous program, but we can have a brief overview of the whole film industry.

According to the Review of Australian Government Film Funding Support Issue paper (2006), Australian Government financial support for Australian film and television production is currently provided in the following areas:

  • Production which is either culturally significant or has commercial potential or both;
  • Script, professional, industry and audience development;
  • Preservation of our film and television heritage;
  • Advanced education and training of industry practitioners;
  • Encouragement of private investment in production;
  • Promotion of Australian films and Australia as a location for filming; and
  • Encouragement for large budget productions to undertake substantial production in Australia.

And the paper (2006) also points out that direct government support is currently largely delivered through funding to the following Government agencies and the other organisations, they are:

  • Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC)
  • Australian Film Commission (AFC)
  • Film Australia Ltd (FAL)
  • Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS)
  • Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF)
  • Ausfilm

form1(Source: REVIEW OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FILM FUNDING SUPPORT, 2006)

The paper (2006) also stated that within those funding, it included direct funding and tax incentives. Direct funding and tax incentives share the same cultural objectives – to assist the creation of screen content. Direct funding assists the creation of particular selected projects for cultural purposes, while indirect measures such as tax incentives impact the structure of the whole market to address both cultural and economic objectives.

Direct government assistance should underpin and support the industry in areas not otherwise met by the market. This allows a more targeted and precise delivery of funds that can be tailored to achieve particular objectives that do not necessarily always encompass immediate economic benefits.

Indirect measures to support private investment encourage a direct link between the screen content industry and the marketplace, which in turn can assist the development of market driven screen content.

There is no direct funding as a branch for Indigenous film making directly, but just funding for those agencies and then the agency would support the Indigineous film industry.

form2

(Source: Australian Film Commission, 2006)

FUNDING AGENCIES

Screen Australia’s info guide (2015) points that All state agencies have Indigenous support, programs & funding.

  •  ScreenACT
  •  Screen NSW
  •  Screen Queensland
  •  Screen Tasmania
  •  Northern Territory Film Office
  •  ScreenWest
  •  South Australian Film Corporation

Australian Film Commission (AFC)

AFC, which also named Screen Australia, has its own funding program for Indigenous program including filmmaking, drama, documentary and so on. In 1993, an Indigenous branch was added into AFC’s corporate structure, and Indigenous Drama Initiative was established . Through this agency, a varieties of Indigenous filmmakers were able to make their own culture films.

As their website shows that they provide:

  • script development funds
  • production investment in targeted initiatives, one-off projects, or in collaboration with broadcasters or other funding entities
  • support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners to attend conferences, markets and festivals, nationally and internationally
  • Support and facilitation of internships and mentorship programs with more experienced practitioners.

and they  also:

  • work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmaking community in developing strategies for enhancing employment and professional development opportunities, and the creation of a vibrant screen sector for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers
  • provide assessment and guidance to projects with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander content that are submitted to other Screen Australia divisions
  • contribute to Screen Australia and industry strategy development.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers may apply to any Screen Australia program in addition to the funding programs of the Indigenous Department under specific conditions.

Metro Screen

Metro Screen has contributed to the development of Indigenous media since 1981. It has a variety of opportunities for Indigenous screen and content makers to write, direct and produce stories.

Records from Blacklist shows that “25% of all short films made by Indigenous filmmakers across Australia in the past four decades have been supported by Metro Screen” (2013)

Besides those agencies those have government support, there are also different kinds of organizations made up by themselves and trying to get donated from the public as well.

Cause there is no actual amount of funding we could find they have put in this industry while researching, we may thought it might not have too much cause the government and audiences might pay more attention on those commercial or featured films. As Rachel Perkins says that yet nowadays, indigenous film does speak with a different voice, which sets it apart from mainstream Australian film. Indigenous contents are still receiving less attention than the other programs, thus some agencies like AFC and NITV are calling for more directly assistance from government to indigenous contents.

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