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Screenrights has revealed the seven projects that will share in $250,000 as part of the 2021 Cultural Fund.

Sweetshop & Green, Diversity Arts Australia, Back to Back Theatre, Co-Curious, Media Farm, Midnight Feast, and For Film’s Sake are the recipients of this year’s grants, which were awarded under the theme of New Teams.

For Co-Curious, $45,500 will go towards Stories From Another Australia, a talent and career development program that aims to address issues around the lack of cultural diversity in the screen industry by bringing together emerging CaLD screenwriters and experienced industry practitioners.

The program, which is yet to launch, has already received funding from the Ian Potter Foundation and is planned to take place across three years in Nsw, Victoria, and South Australia.

Co-Curious will be hoping the up-and-coming talent that is selected can enjoy similar success to those from its Behind Closed Doors initiative, which was a...

Screenrights is inviting applications for its 2021 Cultural Fund, which this year has the theme of ‘New Teams’.

Designed to foster the creation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand, the Fund awards up to $50,000 per initiative, with a total funding pool of $250,000 available this year.

Screenrights awarded three projects in 2018, four projects in 2019, and a record seven projects in 2020.

Screenrights board director and chair of the cultural fund working group Geoffrey Atherden says the fourth iteration of the initiative is about bringing together people and organisations that have not previously worked together.

“Ours is an industry that thrives on collaboration, and we’re all finding new ways of working together in the time of Covid,” he says.

“The 2021 Cultural Fund focus aims to support projects that bring together new teams.

“We are particularly interested in innovative projects that unearth new and emerging talent to partner with practitioners who bring experience and expertise.

Screenrights Cultural Fund recipients.

Screenrights has announced the seven initiatives it will support via its 2020 Cultural Fund, which this year had the theme of ‘New Voices’.

The fund is designed to support innovative projects that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. While the support typically totals $250,000, in its third year Screenrights has been able to offer $295,000 using additional funding from the balance of previous funding rounds.

Five recipients will each receive $45,000:

Bus Stop Films, to support the expansion of their Accessible Film Studies Program to Queensland, Victoria and South Australia; Tai Huri Films, for a training and skill development workshop for rangatahi Māori aged 15-25 to explore cultural narratives using the art of cinematic storytelling; Screenworks, who will partner with Princess Pictures and Hoodlum Entertainment to run a program to train undiscovered, diverse and talented screenwriters living in regional Australia with...

Mac Gudgeon and Jan Sardi.

Shaun Grant, Tony McNamara, Jacquelin Perske, Andrew Knight, Kate Mulvany, Jan Sardi and Mac Gudgeon were among the recipients of the 52nd annual Awgie Awards presented in Sydney on Thursday night.

Grant won the feature film adaptation prize for True History of the Kelly Gang while McNamara and Deborah Davis shared best original feature screenplay for The Favourite.

Sardi and Gudgeon accepted the award on Grant’s behalf; he is in La and will head to Toronto for the world premiere of Justin Kurzel’s bushranger tale which stars George Mackay, Russell Crowe, Nicholas Hoult, Essie Davis and Harry Greenwood.

That was Shaun’s fourth Awgie following Snowtown, Jasper Jones and Deadline Gallipoli.

Perske’s The Cry was named best telemovie or miniseries of four hours or less and Knight’s first episode of the second season of Jack Irish was judged best series or miniseries of four hours plus.

‘Away.’

Grant Dodwell and his partners in Australian National Theatre Live are building a business by screening films of live performances of plays in cinemas across the country.

Dodwell, fellow actor Raj Sidhu and former journalist, ABC and Nine Network executive producer Peter Hiscock launched the company in 2016 after receiving a federal government catalyst grant.

Their first production, Liberty Equality Fraternity by Mother & Son’s Geoffrey Atherden screened in cinemas in 2016.

That was followed by David Williamson’s Emerald City, the 15th anniversary edition of the Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf Revue, Rumpelstiltskin, a kids’ musical by Rosemary Myers and Julianne O′Brien, and The Dapto Chaser, a comedy about a greyhound racing family by Mary Rachel Brown.

For the first time they are partnering this month with Dendy Cinemas and the Independent Cinemas Association to show the Stc/Malthouse Theatre revival of Michael Gow’s Away.

ANTLive filmed the 1960s-set play,...

Geoffrey Atherden..

Writer and former president of both the Australian Writers. Guild and Australian Writers. Foundation, Geoffrey Atherden, has been appointed a director of Screenrights.

Atherden (Mother and Son, BabaKiueria, Grass Roots) has also served two terms on the board of Screen Nsw and is a member of the Order of Australia..

His appointment was announced at the Screenrights. Agm last week and he joins re-elected members Ben Grant, MD of Goalpost Pictures; Chris Oliver-Taylor, MD of Matchbox Pictures; and Dean Ormston, head of membership services group Apra Amcos and deputy chair of Australian Copyright Council..

Screenrights Chairman Jill Bryant said the board was delighted to welcome Atherden.

.Geoffrey is a passionate advocate for the creators of Australian culture. He has wide-ranging experience within the industry and that will add to the wealth of industry knowledge already on the Board. I am also pleased that the membership chose to return...

Griffin's production of Emerald City (photo credit: Brett Boardman).

Australian National Theatre Live, a new venture that will produce filmed versions of popular Australian theatrical productions for distribution in cinemas, will launch in April.

Off the back of the success of the UK.s National Theatre Live in local cinemas, Australian National Theatre Live will launch with the Griffin Theatre Company.s production of David Williamson.s Emerald City.

The production from 2014 will receive its cinema premiere in Sydney and Melbourne, followed by screenings across the country.

Later this year, Ant Live will screen productions of Mary Rachel Brown.s multi-award winning The Dapto Chaser, Sydney Theatre Company.s Wharf Revue: Celebrating 15 Years and Geoffrey Atherden.s Liberty Equality Fraternity.

.Australia produces world-class theatre and Australian National Theatre Live will give audiences across Australia the opportunity to experience some of the best productions available — good theatre will no longer just...

Dave Eastgate, Lawrence Leung and Stephanie Son in Maximum Choppage.

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Head of ABC TV comedy Rick Kalowski has commissioned a stand-alone pilot, a prototype he intends to test for further pilots, and he.s developing a sitcom to be filmed in front of a studio audience.

In a further break from the traditional approach to comedy, Kalowski is developing several shows that are each built around an established performer-writer. All that is in addition to eight series which are either in production or post.

The stand-alone pilot deals with an unusual subject- mental illness. Details of that sitcom are under wraps but Kowalski tells If he.s looking for other projects that are suitable material for pilots.

The studio-based comedy could be the ABC.s first since Mother and Son, the Geoffrey Atherden-created classic which ran until 1994. The show is being developed with writer . producer Marieke Hardy and would...

Viewers who enjoyed Darren Gilshenan.s performance as the hopeless romantic and buffoonish Uncle Terry in ABC-tv.s The Moodys can look forward to watching the actor playing an array of characters, mostly villains.

Gilshenan gets to show the dark side of his acting repertoire in Foxtel.s miniseries Devil.s Playground, the ABC series Old School, the Seven Network.s The Killing Field and ABC2 comedy Maximum Choppage.

.I find it easy to slip into the skin of characters,. Gilshenan told If from the set of Matchbox Pictures. Maximum Choppage, in which he plays a former game show host who is the corrupt mayor of Cabramatta, whom he likens to a cross between Sir Les Patterson and Baby John Burgess. .Some villains are like a child who didn.t get any toys..

Gilshenan has worked steadily in theatre, TV and film since he graduated from Nida in 1988 but he...

Two music-themed films and a love story from The Rocket director Kim Mordaunt are among the 15 features to secure new development money from Screen Australia.

The Musician, produced by Brian Rosen and Su Armstrong, is about how Richard Goldner, a violinist who arrived in Australia from Vienna as a refugee, set up Musica Viva, one of the largest presenters of chamber music in the world.

Clara, which is being developed by producer Sue Maslin and writer/director Jocelyn Moorhouse, tells of the deep bonds between Clara Schumann, one of the foremost classical pianists of the Romantic era, her husband, the composer Richard Schumann, and their protégé Johannes Brahams – and that included a love triangle.

“Jocelyn has wanted to tell this story for years,” Maslin told ScreenDaily, adding that the film is set in Austria and Germany.

“It is a very international film, with great music and a story that’s little known.”

Maslin and Moorhouse...

One of Australia’s top TV production executives has been appointed to the board of the Nsw Film & Television Office.

Bob Campbell, MD of Screentime, producers of the Underbelly franchise and the forthcoming Batavia, will replace Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight, producer of The Sapphires to the body that guides Screen Nsw.

Blight’s term finishes on December 31 and Campbell will begin on January 1.

Minister for the Arts George Souris said: “The newly appointed Board members will bring substantial experience and expertise in business and the screen industry to their roles, ensuring that Nsw’s screen industry continues to flourish.

“I want to thank Rosemary for her commitment to the Board. As a producer, Rosemary has made vital contributions to the industry. She has also maintained a rigorous approach to production funding assessment and decision making by the Board.”

Alongside Campbell’s appointment, Helen Wright, current chairperson and board member Ken Reid were reappointed.

Screentime co-founder Bob Campbell has been apointed to the board of Screen Nsw, replacing producer Rosemary Blight.

Screen Nsw chairperson Helen Wright and director Ken Reid have also been re-appointed with all three set to serve three-year terms beginning on January 1, 2013.

Nsw minister for the arts George Souris said the newly-appointed board members "will bring substantial experience and expertise in business and the screen industry to their roles, ensuring that Nsw.s screen industry continues to flourish.. He also thanked Blight, whose term expires on December 31, 2012.

"As a producer, Rosemary has made vital contributions to the industry. She has also maintained a rigorous approach to production funding assessment and decision making by the board..

Campbell is currently chairman of advertising company Adcorp Australia and a director of Afl club Sydney Swans. He was previously a Network Ten executive and managing director of the Seven Network from 1987-1995, as well as...

A musical from Red Dog director Kriv Stenders, a feature about the choir of hard knocks directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and an untitled project from Joel and Nash Edgerton are three of 16 features that have received a share of $400,000 in development support from Screen Australia. Of these 16 projects, ten are new additions to the development slate, while the remaining six have been receiving ongoing assistance. Screen Australia.s head of development Martha Coleman said in a statement that the calibre of features was outstanding. .There.s a general acknowledgement from the marketplace that our filmmakers have raised the bar and I think the next wave of films in the coming years will be really interesting..

Synchronicity, which is written by Marissa Goodhill,. produced by Leesa Kahn and Catriona Hughes and has Kriv Stenders attached as director, is a musical set to the songs of Kylie Minogue. It follows 17-year-old Kylie...

Some of Australia’s biggest names in film-making have received funding for new projects in the latest round of Screen Australia’s single-project feature development.

The funding round for script development has supported 16 projects totalling $400,000, ten new projects and six which receive continued support.

Martha Coleman, Screen Australia’s head of development said: “The calibre of feature projects coming to the Development Department is outstanding. There’s a general acknowledgement from the marketplace that our film-makers have raised the bar and I think the next wave of films in the coming years will be really interesting.”

Film-makers include Julia Leigh, the Edgerton brothers, Abe Forsythe and Kriv Stenders.

Julia Leigh is to direct her second film, Disquiet following on from Sleeping Beauty, which won best direction in a feature film at the Australian Director’s Guild Awards on Friday night. The psychological horror will be adapted by Leigh from her book of the same name.

Producers Sue Murray and Darren Dale have been appointed to the Board of Screen Nsw, while Geoffrey Atherden has been reappointed.

“Sue Murray commands tremendous respect in the film industry for her expertise in marketing, distribution and production. Darren Dale brings a wealth of production experience in the drama and factual, film and television sectors. Geoffrey Atherden will continue to contribute his expertise as a writer and advocate for the creative sector,” said Minister for the Arts Virginia Judge.Murray is the executive director of Fandango Australia (Ten Canoes); Darren Dale is a company director of Blackfella Films (First Australians, Redfern Now) and Geoffrey Atherden is the creator of Mother and Son.

The appointments will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013, and follow the recent appointment of Helen Wright as chairperson.

SYDNEY -- ScreenWest CEO Tania Chambers is crossing the country to become the new CEO of the nation's largest state-based film agency, the NSW Film and Television Office.

Chambers is one of several new appointments at the organization following the retirement of current CEO Jane Smith, who is stepping down after nearly a decade at the end of the month.

FTO chair Neal Blewett announced Chambers' appointment Wednesday, citing her "strong record of achievement in growing the Western Australian screen industry and securing new funding and strategic partnership opportunities."

"Ms. Chambers' business development capabilities will be much appreciated in New South Wales," Blewett said.

At the same time, Blewett announced that producer Rosemary Blight and writer Geoffrey Atherden will join the board of the FTO and that Linda Tizard has been appointed to the position of head of development and investment. Tizard has been acting in the role in recent months.

During her six years as CEO of the West Australian agency, Chambers helped increase the number of hours of productions funded by the agency to 72 hours (from 32) with total production budgets increasing to AUS$40 million ($30.8 million) from AUS$14 million ($10.8 million).