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  • 13/03/2024 12:36 PM | Anonymous

    Dear ADG Members,

    The Australian Directors’ Guild is governed by an elected board that includes some of Australia’s most celebrated Directors. Four Board members are now nearing the end of their three-year terms, and the Australian Electoral Commission is working with the ADG to hold an election. I would sincerely like to acknowledge the work and commitment of all of our current Board members – but more on them and their work soon.

    Here’s what you need to know today:

    Close of Electoral Roll: Next Monday 18 March 2024. 

    Full Emerging and Full Established financial members are eligible to vote, and to stand for election. 

    The Roll of Voters includes all financial full members as of 18 March 2024. 

    Current board members may stand again. 

    Ensure your membership is active by next Monday 18 March to enable you to vote and/or stand.

    The positions: 

    · Vice President - New Media

    · Vice President - Documentary

    · Secretary

    · Treasurer

    Note: ADG recognises that ‘New Media’ is dated terminology. Position titles are dictated by the ADG constitution and this title is expected to be changed after a revision of the constitution in the next year or so.

    Nomination Period: Opens 25 March 2024, Closes 10 April 2024.

    Important Details for Members:

    The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will publish the Election Notice and Nomination forms on their website, as well as email them to all ADG members at the start of the nomination period. These documents will also be available on the ADG website.

    Voting Process: Absentee voting applications (as required) close on 23 April 2024. Postal voting opens on 24 April 2024 and concludes on 22 May 2024. Election results will be announced within 14 days post-ballot closure.

    Your Role: This election offers the opportunity to contribute to the ADG’s direction and leadership. We particularly encourage members from underrepresented groups and/or underrepresented parts of the country to consider running for a Board position.

    Get in touch with me or President Rowan Woods if you’re thinking of nominating yourself or a fellow ADG member and would like to talk it through.

    Warm regards,

    Sophie Harper

    Executive Director

    sophie.harper@adg.org.au


  • 07/03/2024 5:21 PM | Anonymous


    It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Michael Jenkins, whose work has left an indelible mark on Australian television and cinema.

    STATEMENT FROM ADG PRESIDENT 

    ROWAN WOODS

    I didn’t know Michael Jenkins personally. But like many Australian directors and writers breaking through in the 90’s and 2000’s, Michael’s work on Australian TV was world changing. His creativity reared up and shouted to an Australian TV audience that had been held captive by a producer-centric model and network influence that employed filmmakers as functionaries. 

    Even the movie spirit of Kennedy Miller could not crack fast shooting TV schedules to any great cinematic effect. Australian TV Drama was visually and sonically constipated and light years behind the best of US and UK TV. 

    Then along came Michael Jenkins. His TV was faster and more visceral. Blue Murder says it all about where Jenkins came from and where he wanted to go as a creative force. He and his teams of actors, writers, drama coaches, brave 1st ADs and amazingly skilled TV cinematographers found ways to shoot fast and beatifically, exciting us viscerally and psychologically. Streamed episodic series have long since moved on from Michael’s vision. 

    As a filmic form, the best streaming series now arguably go deeper than cinema into character and story. But no doubt, Michael Jenkins’ creative cannon was a seminal Australian TV milestone of the 80s and 90s.

    Rowan Woods

    ADG President


    STATEMENT FROM DIRECTOR IAN BARRY

    I was honoured when Mike’s long time partner Amanda asked me to write something about Mike, as I’d only interfaced with him sporadically throughout our lives; when he first appeared maybe just aged 20 at the ABC as a PA in late ‘66 or early ‘67, when I cut for him five years or so later on “Certain Women,” then editing his episodes of the 1976 series “Rush” and then when I directed episodes on “Young Lions,” one of the many series that he created… then sadly, the other day on the Northern beaches.

    Launched into this world in 1946, Mike grew up in beachside Collaroy, Sydney. His grandfather introduced Mike to sailing on Narrabeen Lake and subsequently triggered a life long love of all things nautical, culminating in a 10-year boat-building project resulting in

    ‘Echo’ – a 42’ trawler-style boat. Horticulture was Mike’s other passion; he’d garden and landscape wherever he resided.Mike left Shore School in North Sydney at seventeen and after uni, where he majored in philosophy – doing his honours thesis on Plato, Mike worked for a couple of years as a cadet journalist with the ABC, living in Canberra and working in the press gallery.

    In ’66 Mike transferred to the ABC studios at Gore Hill and worked on Alan Searle’s Gardening program before becoming production assistant in the drama division. ‘The Cottage’ housed drama preproduction and post where I worked as a sound editor and that was where I first sighted Mike – both he and Mike Carson, fresh faced, bursting with a zeal that portended careers of significance. Melbourne based “Bellbird,” the legendary ABC soap, was where Mike cut his directorial drama teeth. “CERTAIN WOMEN” and “RUSH” back in Sydney was where I again worked with Mike as his film editor.He met the actress Jenny Lee on the set of “Certain Women” and they later had two boys – Daniel Jack Jenkins in 1976 and Jack Raymond Jenkins in 1980 and now granddaughters, Sydney (12) and Vera (9). 

    Mike began his Writer/Director phase around ’73 with “Serpent in the Rainbow.” In 1980 as Writer/Director, he made “SPRING AND FALL” and reunited with Michael Carson who worked as his producer.Later that year Mike won a Writer’s Guild Award and the prize was a scholarship to UCLA. Mike completed a gruelling course in screenplay writing and structuring in the American idiom - One course demand was to turn out a production-ready feature film script, usually based on a front-page story from a newspaper, every 6 weeks. On his return he’d admit it was absolutely punishing, but he learnt skills that led to a huge slate of written/director projects.

    In’83 he wrote the highly acclaimed feature, “Careful, he Might Hear You,” directed by Carl Schultz and for which Mike won the then AFI awards ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ category.“Robbery Under Arms” and “Rebel” followed – and on the set of the latter, Mike met assistant editor, Amanda Robson and they began their forty-year love affair. Amanda and Mike subsequently had a son and daughter, Tom and Matilda. Concurrently, Mike began the highly productive auteur phase of his career. In 1983 the landmark series “Scales of Justice,” hit home screens. As one critique put it; “one of the most controversial mini-series ever produced.” “Scales” examined corruption in all levels of law enforcement…” Then, as testament to Mike’s versatility he directed “The Leaving of Liverpool,” the moving story of children being shipped post WW2 from the Star of the Sea orphanage in the U.K. to far flung Commonwealth destinations

    There followed the auteur feature “The Heartbreak Kid,” later spawning the internationally successful multi season series “Heartbreak High.” The hard-hitting “Blue Murder,” pulled no punches, likewise the gritty “Wildside” and “Young Lions” - it was a momentous decade for Mike. Another review at the time paid high praise to Mike - “Jenkins is one of the most highly regarded Australian directors of the 1990s, known for his distinctive, gritty style, particularly his use of multiple hand held cameras, and semi-improvised dialogue.” Themes of justice and humanity underlie pretty much every project Mike has been drawn to. Whether it traces back to influences from his QC father or his Plato based studies in philosophy, the notions of fairness and empathy remain consistent.

    In an interview he gave in regard to “Blue Murder,” he talked about not judging characters, “no matter how corrupt or evil they outwardly appear.” When he set about making “The Wrong Girl,” a tough, based on fact project about a pack rape in the early 2000s, he collided with power figures and narrower minds.

    Speaking with the press, Michael said of the victim, "The journey of this young girl is a heroic journey. It's an enduring and determined fight for personal justice." He said The Wrong Girl would treat victims with sensitivity while looking at why such horrific crimeswere committed. The film's writer, Nicholas Hammond had spoken extensively with one gang rape victim. "She was the first one to say, 'This movie is the only good thing I've had in my life in the last four years when I've been going through these trials.”

    The planned film had been inspired by Mike seeing one girl give evidence. The title came from her answer when asked how she had coped with the court case. She replied: "They picked the wrong girl to rape" alluding to her determination and tenacity to speak out. The then State Premier found the subject matter too hot to handle and sadly, on this occasion, Mike’s mission to speak justice and dignity for a young victim was shut down.Misfortune also struck his ‘Bali bombing project’ shortly after it went into production for the ABC. In 2005 writer Peter Schreck conceived a two-parter about the terrorist attack in Kuta in October 2002 in which 202 people, including 88 Australians, were killed.

    The first part Mike wanted to make from the point of view of the Australian victims and covering the police operation. The second part, though, took the position of the bombers. It was to be filmed entirely in Indonesian, and screened with subtitles. The show was about four days into production

    when it fell apart – two more terrorist bombs were detonated in Kuta, killing 20. "They blew up a restaurant, and we heard the explosion, it was so close to us," Mike recounted. "And then the whole country went into panic mode. We had about 30-odd permissions [to film] and they were progressively withdrawn." The Balinese feared that the production would foster further extremism and so the Indonesian military finally shut the show down. "So we just had to abandon that project," Mike said on his return. "It was a fantastic idea but we had very bad luck." Mike and Amanda left Sydney around 2006 to take up retirement in Tasmania.

    They bonded with the people and extensively toured the state. It was a bucolic existence just outside Hobart where they gardened, landscaped and Mike sailed, ultimately leading to several years creating his own 42’ vessel – “Echo.”

    But his highly awarded “Blue Murder” of the mid nineties hadn’t finished with Mike. When Roger Rogerson was arrested for the murder of Jamie Gow in May 2014, the Seven network contacted Mike. It seemed an obvious opportunity for a follow-up series given the notoriety of Rogerson and the success of the original show. “Killer Cop” was shot in 2016, and aired the following year with audiences, ratings and press all white hot for “Jenkins’ knife edge directing.”

    Early signs of movement problems started the same year. By 2020 they were significant and Mike received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. During 2021 & 2022 Mike had some dreadful falls resulting in multiple breaks and hospital stays. It became obvious Mike and Amanda couldn’t easily manage the property, and the distance from family in Sydney necessitated their move back. Mike passed away in the late afternoon of the 4th (March 2024) with his long time partner Amanda and close family by his side. The industry will always remember him as a master Film maker, but beyond the passionate and driven personality, Mike will always be remembered as a warm, fair and empathetic friend and of course a tender and loving husband and father. 

    Unequivocally, Mike has been a prodigious creator of excellent and groundbreaking film and television spanning five decades. “Creator, writer, director” is a tag that appears over and over in Mike’s lengthy filmography…”Scales,” “Heartbreak High,” “Blue Murder,” “Wildside,” “Young Lions,” and more – Time and time again the industry recognised Mike’s work in awards; AFI ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ for “Careful…” along with the Premier’s Literary Award. ‘Best writer and director’ for “Scales,” ‘Best Screenplay and Director’ for “The Heartbreak Kid,” an AFI and Logie for ‘Best Mini-Series’ for “The Leaving of Liverpool,” again ‘Best Mini-Series and Director for “Blue Murder,” little wonder he’s been written of as one of “the most important and innovative film makers of the 80’s and 90”s.”

    I’d long marvelled at Mike’s talent as a film maker and his ability for capturing truth in performance and to achieve startlingly realistic visual styles and I clearly remember one day in preproduction when we were having a coffee rave about movies we admired and the process of maintaining a truthful and distinctive style and Mike said, “when I first arrive on a location, I decide upon the hardest place to shoot the scene from and that’s where I put the camera.” And though I got the wisdom of it and was maybe drawn to applying it to my own shooting, conventions of symmetry and the perfect frame would always be there to seduce me. But that was the innovative tenacity and the magic of director Mike.


    Ian Barry

    Director



  • 13/12/2023 4:31 PM | Anonymous
     

    When it came to shooting Late Night With the Devil, Australian writer-directors Colin and Cameron Cairnes weighed up a number of locations.

    The brothers looked at converted warehouses and spaces around Melbourne but soon set their sights on the Gravity Media Production Centre Melbourne located in Stage 5 at Docklands Studios.

    It may be an obvious choice for a story based around a live TV talk show, but it needed a stroke of timing luck to happen.

    That’s where DSM’s Client Services Manager Rosey Cullinan reached out to Gravity Media’s Account Executive, Media Services & Facilities, Marcus Doherty to accommodate Late Night’s June 2022 shooting schedule along with pre-production, costume and storage.

    Late Night stars David Dastmalchian as talk show host Jack Delroy filming a Halloween special to boost flagging ratings. Things soon grow horribly wrong under a demonic presence.

    The choice of filming location gave the production a head start given the space was equipped with standard television infrastructure such as a shiny floor, lighting rig and audience seating.

    Production Designer Otello Stolfo masterfully completed the retro feel, with a 1970s talk show set that included a brown and orange backdrop and vintage television cameras.

    As Colin Cairnes puts it: “Everyday it felt like walking into a time capsule. It felt like we actually were in TV studio in downtown Manhattan in 1977. It really helped bring the film to life.

    “For cast and crew to have a sense of what it would have been like, to get that extra layer of verisimilitude if I can use that word, was fantastic.

    “It was also the fact that we had all those facilities there for the art department, for hair and make-up, for wardrobe, the star rooms. All those facilities were first class and I know that our cast loved working there. The fact we were all in the same building and we were all a one minute walk from each other, it just made our lives that much easier.”

    The central city location kept everyone happy too, says Cairnes. “You’ve got so much accommodation nearby and the city too, it just makes it so hassle-free to get people to and from the set on time. For cast and crew coming in from overseas that central location also means access to all the wonderful things the city of Melbourne has to offer.”

    Meanwhile the critical and audience reception for Late Night With the Devil goes from strength to strength.

    It was an instant hit on debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas in March with master-of-horror Stephen King tweeting that the film was “absolutely brilliant”.

    It later screened at both the Sydney and Melbourne International Film Festivals and at the world’s biggest horror/fantasy film festival Sitges in Spain where it won the best screenplay award.

    AGC International has recently snapped up international rights for a wider release.

    Production companies: Future Pictures, Spooky Pictures, and Image Nation

    Producers: Mat Govoni, Adam White, John Molloy, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee and Derek Dauchy

    Main cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri, Josh Quong Tart and Georgina Haig.

    Colin and Cameron Cairnes received Highly Commended for Best Direction, Feature Film (over $1m) for Late Night With the Devil, which was filmed at Docklands Studios Melbourne. Docklands is a Gold Sponsor of the ADG Awards 2023.

  • 16/05/2023 3:29 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    In 2022, the ADG, ACS and WIFT Australia joined forces to run a webinar in Solidarity with Ukrainian Filmmakers. 

    Here is a recording of the webinar.

    UKRAINE SOLIDARITY WEBINAR.mp4 on Vimeo


    Please watch and follow the many ways you can support Ukrainian filmmakers listed below.

    Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/786679627

    Password: sunflower

    Ways to support Ukrainian Filmmakers: 

    Hire and work with Ukrainian filmmakers. Many filmmakers are still open for business despite the war.

    Ask Ukrainians to pitch for your projects. 

    Post jobs in the Filmmakers for Ukraine Facebook page. 

    Seek co-production with Ukraine filmmakers and production companies

    Support Ukrainian filmmakers – seek them, follow their work and socials, share them.

    • Ukrainian Female Film Industry
    • Babylon 13 is an independent collective of Ukrainian filmmakers
    • Docu Days UA providing Ukrainian filmmakers with the most necessary filming equipment so they can continue filming and working  
    • Organise residencies for Ukrainian writers so they can work in calm and safe places.
    • Create a special fund for Ukrainian filmmakers who are currently serving in the army so they are supported upon return.

    Watch Ukrainian films  

    Program and support film screenings of Ukrainian films at festivals to ensure that Ukrainian filmmakers voices are not forgotten.

    Donate and share

    Follow the panelists

    • Mitya Shmurak is a Ukrainian director working on commercials, music videos, TV and film. He directed Ed Sheeran and Antytila’s 2Step music video about the war. He is the owner of Manifest Production and Motanka Animation Studios.
    • Nikita Kuzmenko is a Ukrainian cinematographer. He was the DOP on Harry Styles 'As it Was' music video. He works closely with director Tara Muino creating music videos for some of the world’s top artists.
    • Elizaweta Mowshyna is a Ukrainian producer in peacetime, but is now co-owner of PORYAD a charity project in the Ukraine. 
    • Kyryl Staselovych is a Ukrainian director and editor of advertising and travel shows. Before the war he edited the popular reality show “Heads and Tails”. He is now working on a documentary about the war. 
    • Alice Ronkovich is a Ukrainian photographer and emerging cinematographer who moved to Melbourne after the first month of the war. 
    • Karina Rezhevska is a Ukrainian sound designer and foley expert currently based in South Australia
    Talk to other people about this webinar – it is recorded and is available to share.


  • 22/12/2022 3:06 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED FOR SCREENWORKS’ 2023 CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAMS

    Career Pathways

    Screenworks has announced the thirteen regional directors, producers and screenwriters from NSW and Queensland that have been selected for Screenworks’ 2023 Career Pathways Programs. As part of the three programs — Inside The Writers RoomDirector Pathways Program and Regional Producer Elevator Program — the selected participants will receive invaluable support and guidance over the next 12 months from some of Australia’s most respected writers, directors and producers.

    Thanks to the support of the multiple production companies, mentors, industry guilds and state funding agencies, the Career Pathways Programs have now become one of our most important annual pinnacle programs,” said Screenworks CEO Ken Crouch. “All participants selected for these programs are talented and demonstrate great potential. Some of the past alumni have made their marks within the national and international industry, and I’m excited to see what the 2023 cohort will achieve in the future.

    Expanded to include regional Queensland for the first time, this year’s Career Pathways Programs are funded by Screen Queensland and Screen NSW with support from Fremantle Media. Inside the Writers Room opportunities are being provided by Goalpost Pictures, Fremantle Media, EQ Media, Tony Ayres Productions and Wooden Horse. The Director Pathways Program is supported by the Australian Directors’ Guild, with Screen Producers Australia supporting the Regional Producer Elevator Program.

    Jahvis Loveday and Ela Furdas from the Northern Rivers region will be joined by Townsville-based Robert Crispe and Ashleigh Lawrence from Cairns as the four regional producers selected for Screenworks’ Regional Producer Elevator Program. They will each receive $3,500 to support their professional development, as well as attendance at the Screenworks Regional to Global Screen Forum in March 2023 and the 37th Screen Forever to be held on the Gold Coast in May 2023.

    For Screenworks’ Director Pathways Program, Bellingen-based Matty Hannon and Newcastle-based Claire Pasvolsky have been selected from regional NSW, as well as Angela Heathcote from Cairns and Aaron Lendon from Coes Creek in regional Queensland. Each selected participant will receive $3,500 to implement their unique career development programs and be supported by the Australian Directors’ Guild with guidance, advice and industry introductions.

    Five regional NSW and Queensland screenwriters have been selected for Inside The Writers Room, with Kimberley Wells from Central Coast selected for EQ Media, Shane Salvador from Tamworth selected for Fremantle Media, Emma Myers from Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley selected for Goalpost Pictures, Ben Southwell from Townsville selected for Wooden Horse and Shideh Faramand from Toowoomba selected for Tony Ayres Productions. Each selected participant will observe a professional writing team working on a television drama production.

    The selection panels for the three Career Pathways Programs were made up of representatives from program partners, industry bodies, guilds, and independent assessors.

    For more information contact Louise Hodgson, Industry Development Manager

    02 6681 1188     louise@screenworks .com.au

    Read the full press release and participant bios here

  • 06/09/2022 11:53 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY - ADG SUBMISSION


    Our government is developing a National Cultural Policy for the decade ahead. To expedite this process, it used the Creative Australia policy developed by the Julia Gillard government in 2013 as its foundation.

    The consultation process required respondents to reflect on 5 pillars or goals from the 2013 Creative Australia policy distilled as follows:

    • First Nations
    • A Place for Every Story
    • The Centrality of the Artist
    • Strong Institutions
    • Reaching the Audience

    Our joint submission with ASDACS included calls for;

    • Greater funding and support for First Nations and Torres Straight Island screen stories and practitioners as well as more robust practices for Cultural Safety and protection of First Nation’s IP.
    • Removal of cultural barriers and improved support to enable practitioners from marginalised communities to create and prosper in fulfilling screen industry careers including more diverse leadership within our screen institutions and public broadcasters.
    • Better recognition of the creative contributions of screen directors including recognition that the principal director of a screen work is an author and has an unassignable right to remuneration as is the case in many European territories.
    • Improved conditions for screen directors to ensure that they operate within a sustainable employment framework that enables them to create and prosper over their entire careers within the sector.
    • Enhanced government broadcast regulation to ensure more Australian stories reach Australian audiences; including improved funding of our Public Broadcasters, restoring Australian content quotas for commercial FTA networks, new content quotas for Streamers and increased local content on Subscription TV.

    You can download and read our full submission here.


  • 11/08/2022 10:36 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Make it Australian campaign launches new TVC

    Today sees of the launch of another poignant Make It Australian campaign TVC, 'Serenity', inspired by the classic 1997 Australian comedy The Castle. 

    'Serenity' is the second of four specially made TVCs we had commissioned to support our campaign for more Australian stories on Australian screens, with others to be released in the coming months.  

    Please like and share the TVC via the link below and show your support for the campaign using #MakeItAustralian

    To find out more and join the campaign head here: Home — Make It Australian 

    Link to Serenity TVC: https://vimeo.com/736374820 



  • 12/07/2022 2:02 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The Australian Director’s Guild (ADG) will hold a one-day conference in Sydney next month for directors and industry members.


    Carrying the theme of Cutting Through The Noise, Director’s Cut will feature panels exploring the director’s role in a changed streaming landscape and how emerging directors can bridge the gap to paid work.

    Delegates will also hear from internationally successful directors about opportunities outside Australia and have the opportunity to discuss the value of impact strategies for both unscripted and scripted productions, while also getting updates on their rights and representation.

    Read the full Inside Film article here

  • 07/06/2022 10:26 AM | Anonymous

    MONTHLY WRAP - JUNE 2022

    With a small break, we are back for another Monthly Wrap!!! This month we dive into the ocean with Barons (dir. Shawn Seet & Fadia Abboud), grab a ride with Dykes on Bikes (dir. Kate Cornish, Steph Jowett & Tilly Robba) and prioritise our mental health with Holding Out for Help (dir. Lucy Knox). 


    DYKES ON BIKES

    Directed by Kate Cornish, Steph Jowett & Tilly Robba

    Documentary Short

    Dykes on Bikes is a motorcycle club with chapters all over the world. These days in Sydney it's about having a good time with friends and giving back to the community, but things weren't so recreational in the beginning. Dykes On Bikes emerged in response to gay hate crimes in the 1980s. They use to meet on weekend evenings and patrol the streets of Sydney and break up homophobic attacks that were happening. 

    From protectors of the streets to an Australian Mardi Gra Icon, we dive into present-day member’s accounts of their history, why they ride today and continuing on the legacy for future generations. A hybrid of a documentary and visual poem, this is a love letter to the Dykes on Bikes.

    Watch on Youtube here

    Check out Kate's work here and Studio Antic (Steph Jowett & Tilly Robba) here


    BARONS

    Directed by Shawn Seet & Fadia Abboud

    TV Series

    Seduced by the power of nature. Corrupted by the nature of power. As a group of surfers chase their sun-soaked dreams, they discover that even in paradise there is rivalry, greed and ambition. Set at a time of sexual liberation, protest, war and social change, Barons captures a unique moment of upheaval and opportunity as a new surfing counterculture and the spirit of enterprise collide. Two best friends, inspired by their love for the Australian beach, create what will become iconic rival surf brands. Little do they know that their success will tear them, and their world, apart.

    Watch on ABC iView here.

    Check out Shawn's work and Fadia's work.

    AUSTRALIANS FOR MENTAL HEALTH: HOLDING OUT FOR HELP

    Directed by Lucy Knox

    Advertisement

    In collaboration with grassroots advocacy organisation Australians for Mental Health (AfMH), the campaign, ‘Holding out for Help’, uses hold music to shine a light on the long wait times Australians face when waiting for mental health treatment.

    Help millions of Aussies end mental health wait times, by signing the petition at: holdingoutfothelp.com.au. 

    Watch on here.

    Check out Lucy's work here.

  • 03/05/2022 1:24 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Members of the Australian Screen Industry Group Submission to the Streaming Services Reporting and Investment Scheme Discussion Paper

    The Government is seeking views on its proposed Streaming Services Reporting and Investment Scheme which it released in February. The release of its discussion paper followed ‘extensive consultation’ with industry stakeholders through its Media Reform Green Paper.

    The ADG along with 13 other preeminent screen industry guilds and associations, representing the interests of thousands of Australian screen industry practitioners in front of and behind the camera, hold significant concerns with the Scheme’s design:

    • We are concerned that the Governments proposal includes an alarming degree of Ministerial discretion which brings with it untenable risk of inadequate and inconsistent regulatory action.
    • We oppose the Scheme’s proposed 5% threshold which will not deliver on well-established cultural public policy objectives. ASIG members remain united in their call for a swift introduction of a 20% Australian commissioned content expenditure requirement on global technology streaming businesses in line with other forward- thinking international jurisdictions.
    • The scheme does not include specific protections for critical genres of drama, documentary, First Nations, and children’s content. We believe this to be a substantial oversight which, in consideration of the Government’s deregulation of Australia’s Commercial Free-To-Air Networks last year, now urgently needs to be addressed
    • We oppose the proposed halving of the subscription television Australian drama obligation. The proposed cut will substantially harm subscription television audiences, who will lose access to high quality Australian narrative content. The proposal is without reasonable policy justification. 
    • We believe that the scheme proposed in this Discussion Paper is weak, lengthy and one that creates an uncertain pathway to regulation. The policy conversation regarding these issues has been in train for a decade, the need for meaningful regulatory action has been clear for many years. We are concerned that further delay in regulation at this late stage is damaging to the industry, exacerbated by the weakness of the scheme proposed.

    ASIG Members joined forces in a government submission filed today which addresses these commonly-held concerns. You’ll find the ASIG submission here.


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