Oz film funder plans to reslice pie
Producers accusing FFC board of mismanagement
Last July and September, the board greenlit 11 movies, spending the organization's A$35 million ($26 million) film allocation for the entire financial year. Since then, another five titles have been financed, the latest three using a 10% forward commitment on next year's money. Now the agency, which partially funds about 90% of Australian movies, is effectively closed, and producers are accusing the FFC board of mismanagement.
Jonathan Shteinman, producer of upcoming Toni Collette thriller "Like Minds," is urging the FFC board to commit more funds from next year's allocation. He says producers and allied professions are sitting idle. Crews and facilities that were swamped by the surge of production last year are also struggling to make ends meet until funding begins again in July. Shteinman admits he'll be queuing for funds in July after one of his films failed to receive financing at the board's December meeting.
Lawyer and executive producer Bryce Menzies last week received funding for Rolf de Heer's silent black-and-white period film, "Dr. Plonk," but says: "You can't expect Toni Collette to wait around for six months until a board meeting at which your project may or may not be funded. Part of the problem is they don't have enough money."
FFC chairman Graham Bradley refutes these accusations, saying management of film funding has actually improved. "When I came on two years ago, all the money was committed in July. Producers have far less reason for concern now," he says.
It is established policy for the board to forward-commit no more than 10%. The board now intends to divide the film allocation into four portions for meetings in July, September, December and March. Television drama investment is already allocated this way.
Historically, the board has met roughly 10 times a year, and as funds have run low, the following year's allocation has been forward-committed in an attempt to generate production regularity. "It's no magic pudding, but it will make for more considered and ordered decision making," Bradley says. FFC CEO Brian Rosen will embark on a national roadshow to sell and consider feedback on the scheme before July.
"The industry is obviously concerned about the money running out," he says. "Six months without money doesn't work."
Rosen says demand for finance has increased since the FFC introduced an evaluation process that enables producers to apply for funding without having prior commitments from distributors and additional financing.
Bradley admits producers seeking to finance films at the meeting in July will face stiff competition. The new system will mean the better projects get a better shot at funding, he says, as distinct from the first in, first funded system of the past.
The FFC is also planning to stipulate separate funding for specific genres to avoid an oversupply of a single genre such as the many comedies of recent years and the deluge of dramas queuing for release this year.
