ScreenACT Newsletter

7:30pm, Friday 31 March and Saturday 1 April, Bungendore Memorial Hall, Kings Highway (Molonglo Street), Admission: Gold Coin Donation

The Weereewa Film Festival will be held this Friday and Saturday nights as part of Weereewa: a festival of Lake George. The festival is a celebration of the region that aims to raise public awareness of the natural, historical, environmental and cultural significance of Weereewa and Lake George.

The Festival will be held at the Bungendore Memorial Hall. This venue was used by the early picture show men for the screening of films from the early 1920’s until the external projection box was demolished sometime in the late 1900’s.

The Weereewa Film Festival Screening Program can be viewed at www.menofthehour.com.

For more information, visit: www.menofthehour.com.

3 – 5pm each session, 4 Sundays: 2, 9, 23 & 30 April, Workshop Room, ACT Writers Centre. Cost: $150 concessional members, $160 members plus non-member concessions, $180 non-members.


“Writing a Low-Budget Film” is a four-part ACT Writers Centre workshop series on screenwriting. The course will look at:

• writing your low budget flick
• ideas and how to know which one is the right one
• how to lower costs
• what producers really want
• writing a script you can be proud of
• location, location, location
• character development
• how much plot can a low budget stand?

Bookings essential on 6262 9191 or on the website: www.actwriters.org.au. Payment must be made at the time of booking, by cash, credit card or cheque payable to ACT Writers Centre.

Entries for the 2006 SNOWYfest International Film Festival close on Friday 31 March. Entries are open to short films up to 30 minutes in duration and entry forms can be found at www.snowyfest.com.

SNOWYfest features the Best Capital Region Film category (1st $1000 and 2nd $500) in addition to the Best Film category (1st $2000 and 2nd $500). SNOWYfest runs from 16-18 June 2006 in Thredbo.

5:30pm, Thursday 16 March, National Film and Sound Archive, Acton

Free admission

The way the Australian outback has been interpreted on screen will be examined by renowned film historian Graham Shirley in a special free presentation to be held at the National Film and Sound Archive on Thursday, 16 March.

Shirley recently joined the National Film and Sound Archive as Senior Curator of Documents and Artifacts. In his presentation, The Outback on Screen: Physical Space/State of Mind, Graham will focus on how Australian film and TV program-makers have depicted the Australian outback over the last century. In an innovative documentary with live narration, he will present excerpts from a wide range of narrative films and documentaries.

There will be excerpts from films such as The Sentimental Bloke (1919), The Squatter’s Daughter (1933), Jedda (1955), Walkabout (1971), Gallipoli (1981), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) and Beneath Clouds (2002). All the excerpts will be linked by a live commentary.

Following the presentation, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions, followed by refreshments.

Bookings recommended on 6248 2000. For further details, visit: www.nfsa.afc.gov.au

7pm, Wednesday 29 March, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Greenway


A new local film group, FNI(A), is holding its launch later this month. Guest speaker at the launch will be Edwin Daughtry, speaking about what’s involved in getting into the industry. Edwin has 10 years experience in the industry as a short filmmaker, freelance editor and trainer in Video Productions.


For further information contact Nora Preston on (02) 6161 1596 or e-mail: fni@yahoo.com.au.

6:30pm, Wednesday 22 March, Academy of Interactive Entertainment, Block E, Canberra Technology Park, Phillip Ave, Watson

Two of Canberra’s leading interactive players have announced a competition sure to intrigue the region’s amateur and professional game programmers and artists. Seeing Machines and the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) are hosting a competition to develop ideas into working examples of how new ‘eye toy’ type technology can be used to enhance interaction in games.

The Head-Tracking Game Interface Design competition aims to encourage new game interface control methods that incorporate Seeing Machines’ 6-degree-of-freedom video-based head tracking. The games which best use head movement will be seen by major game console developers and the overall winning team will also receive an XBOX 360.

The competition will be judged during the Canberra Games Festival, also held at AIE, in mid-July. Details about the competition will be provided at a public information seminar on Wednesday, 22 March.

For further details, contact Neil Boyd at AIE on 6162 5131 or click on the competition link at http://elearn.aie.edu.au.

Entries for the 2006 SNOWYfest International Film Festival close in just over two weeks, on Friday 31 March. Entries are open to short films up to 30 minutes in duration and entry forms can be found at www.snowyfest.com.

SNOWYfest features the Best Capital Region Film category (1st $1000 and 2nd $500) in addition to the Best Film category (1st $2000 and 2nd $500). SNOWYfest runs from 16-18 June 2006 in Thredbo.

Welcome to the March 2006 edition of the ScreenACT Newsletter: a source of information from the ACT Government for the local Film, Television and Digital Media industry and enthusiasts. We welcome your feedback and news.

Article submissions are due by COB 28 March 2006.

ScreenACT welcomes news stories, upcoming events and other items of interest from subscribers for inclusion in our newsletter.

Please ensure all articles are accurate and have been proofread prior to submission. ScreenACT holds no responsibility for the publication of inaccurate information submitted to it by external parties and reserves the right to edit and/or refuse articles at its discretion.

Articles should be submitted by email to screenact@act.gov.au with "Newsletter Item" in the subject line.

ScreenACT Regional Production Liaison Officer, Robert Pickles, represented the ScreenACT office last month at the Australian International Documentary Conference. The Canberra industry was well represented, including four documentary filmmakers enjoying ScreenACT support for their attendance. As mentioned in last months' newsletter, local documentary filmmaker, Adrian Herring, was one of only five filmmakers selected to participate in the SBSi pitching competition at the conference, a tremendous effort on his part. Feedback to date from the ScreenACT-supported attendees suggests promising opportunities for our local documentary sector.

February drew to a close with Tropfest screening last weekend at Commonwealth Park and another big turnout from an appreciative Canberra audience, demonstrating the ongoing local interest and strong support for short films and filmmaking generally. Congratulations to local filmmaker, Clare Young, whose short film, When People Feel Terror, made Tropfest's Best of the Rest.

The film festival season continues in March, with local screenings including the Weereewa Short Film Competition screening on Friday 31 March in Bungendore, and a number of other upcoming festivals and competitions listed in this newsletter to mark in your calendar.

In local news, ScreenACT welcomes the appointment of a new executive of the ACT Film and Television Council, announced last month - Michael Tear (Chair), Andrew Pike (Vice Chair) and Chris Hindes (Secretary).
Still on the film and television sector, there seems to be a flurry of independent feature filmmaking in the ACT. Following on from the screening of Christian Doran's film 'Perfect' last month, the Tuggeranong Arts Centre will screen Canberra-based filmmaker, Paramita Roy's film, 'Hori Alone in Kolkata' later this month.

In our digital media sector, local firm Irrational Games was recently bought by US publisher, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. The move demonstrates the interest from overseas in the level of creative talent of our Canberra based game developers.

Finally, ScreenACT is pleased to announce the appointment of Edward Chalmers as our new Administration and Liaison Officer. With Edward's addition to the office from Monday, ScreenACT once again has a full complement of staff.

New Team Member
ScreenACT welcomes Edward Chalmers to the team as Administration and Liaison Officer. Edward has extensive administrative experience, is a passionate cinephile and has worked on a number of short film productions in Canberra and Sydney. He can be contacted on (02) 6205 0587 or alternatively e-mail Edward.

In late 2005, Popcorn Taxi invited filmmakers to send in films of up to 3 minutes in length to participate in the inaugural Popcorn Taxi Flagfall Film Festival. Sixteen films were selected from a diverse range of entries to premiere at the launch before the films 'hit the road' on interactive touch screens in Melbourne taxi cabs for five weeks (from 1 March to 5 April). Braidwood residents Billie Dean and Andrew Einspruch, of Laughing Owl Productions, had their film 'Seven Days for Seven Dogs' selected. More information can be found at: www.flagfallfilmfestival.com and www.laughingowl.com.au.

The ACT Filmmakers Network is holding a membership prize draw for 2006 members signed up by Friday, 10 March 2006. The following prizes will be given away in the draw:

• 10 DOUBLE PASSES to any Greater Union film screening at Manuka and Civic (valued at over $30 each)

• 50 'BUY ONE GET ONE FREE' PASSES to Greater Union film screenings at Manuka or Canberra City (valued at $15.00 each - not valid for 'no free list' films)

• ONE YEAR subscription to Inside Film (valued at $85)

• 1 X Cinderella Man Bag (valued at $45)

• ONE YEAR subscription to Encore Magazine - valued at $135

• 1 X Weekends Equipment Hire for the ACT Filmmakers Network (hire ANY equipment you want for an ENTIRE weekend - this prize is only available to Filmmaker/Community Group Membership)

• 3 X Equipment Hire vouchers to the ACT Filmmakers Network to the value of $25.00 each (this prize is only available to Filmmaker/Community Group Membership).

For further information contact the ACT Filmmakers Network on (02) 6162 5160 or by e-mail: admin.actfilmmakers@netspeed.com.au .

The National Acting School has enjoyed its most successful year with one student getting the lead role in American television series H20 and another student appearing in a guest role on Home and Away. It seems more and more Canberra and Sydney companies are employing NAS students, already approx one third of the school has been cast in productions.

Bobby Farquhar is pleased to announce that Soren Jensen has returned from Sydney to help with teaching and that he has already confirmed two leading casting directors will be coming to Canberra to teach master classes. The NAS is now taking enrolments for next term. For more information on classes contact: bobbyfarquhar@optusnet.com.au.

8pm, Wednesday 1, 15 & 29 March, National Film & Sound Archive, McCoy Cct, Acton

The 2006 Season of the Reel McCoy Film Group at the National Film & Sound Archive is underway. Screening this month are Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy, Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray's film Aparajito (The Unvanquished) and Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu's film Tokyo Monogatari (Tokyo Story).

For screening details, visit: www.nfsa.afc.gov.au/reelmccoy.html or contact Brian Dunne on (02) 6207 0133 (BH) or by e-mail: reelmccoyact@yahoo.com.

8pm, Thursday 2 March, Holy Grail Civic, Free admission

The March edition of Canberra Shorts sees more great short films and movie trivia at the Holy Grail in Civic. Entry is free with giveaways of INSIDE FILM magazine, double passes to Electric Shadows, and beer!

Canberra Shorts is proudly supported by SNOWYfest Thredbo, Electric Shadows & RONIN Films, ACT Filmmakers Network, INSIDE FILM magazine, the Holy Grail, and www.filmmaking.com.au.

Electric Shadows Cinemas, City Walk, Canberra

The National Film and Sound Archive Cinémathèque screenings continue in March with the highlight of the "Stellar Stanwyck" season: the newly restored Baby Face (1933), notorious as the film that finally provoked the strict enforcement of the 'Hays Code' by Hollywood studios in mid-1933.

This is followed by a celebration of French cinema, starting with the Australian premiere screening of Jean Luc-Godard's new film, Moments Choisis des Histoire(s) du Cinema. Later in the month is a rare 35mm screening of Robert Bresson's elegiac French Resistance drama A Man Escaped (imported print).

Then begins a new season which continues throughout April - "Max Ophuls: the Music of Time" - celebrating cinema's great master of European sophistication and irony.
This commences with his most bejewelled work, Madame De…

Baby Face (Unclassified 18+) screens 4 March, 2.00pm
Moments Choissis des Historie(s) du Cinema (Unclassified 18+) screens 11 March, 2.00pm
A Man Escapes (Unclassified 18+) screens 18 March, 2.00pm
Madame de… (Unclassified 18+) screens 25 March, 2.00pm

Further details are available from the NFSA at: www.nfsa.afc.gov.au, and Electric
Shadows at: www.electricshadows.com.au or by telephone on (02) 6247 5060. Unless noted, due to censorship regulations admission to all NFSA Cinémathèque films is to 18 years old + only.

Presented by the Australian Film Commission and the Electric Shadows Cinemas.

16-22 March, Electric Shadows Cinemas, City Walk, Canberra

The French Film Festival is screening at Electric Shadows for one week from 16 March, presented by the Alliance Francaise in association with Peugeot.

The festival opens with Anthony Zwimmer, a fast-paced romantic mystery thriller with Sophie Marceau. Other highlights include new films from Bertrand Blier, Patrice Leconte and Francois Ozon, a treasured Kieslowki project completed by Danis Tanovic (Oscar-winner for No Man's Land), and a rare screen appearance by Jeanne Moreau.

Note: All festival films are restricted to persons 18 years of age and over, unless otherwise specified. This relates not necessarily to the content of the films, but to the legal requirements of holding the festival, as set by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC).

Admission: all films are $15. All concessions (except for opening night) are $13. Six Tix (six films for $54) are accepted and any unused tickets may be used after the festival for normal Electric Shadows screenings. Opening night party and film:$35.

Tickets on sale from Electric Shadows 10 days in advance. Programme brochures will be available from the cinema. For more information, visit: www.electricshadows.com.au.

7pm Thurs 23-Sat 24 March & 2pm Sun 26 March, Tuggeranong Arts Centre
Admission: Adults $10 Concession $8

RPM Pictures presents 'Hori Alone in Kolkata', an independent film written, directed and co-produced by Paramita Roy. Five Australians travelled to India in January 2005 to make this film.

The film is about an eleven-year-old Muslim boy Mohammad who, like many other children, travels to the city of Calcutta to support his family back home in his village. Mohammad, in disguise of Hori (a Hindu identity), has to make many amusing and sad adjustments to fit in his new life.

The film will screen over three evenings and one matinee from 23-26 March at Tuggeranong Arts Centre.

For more information, visit: www.paramitaroy.com. For bookings, contact the Tuggeranong Arts Centre on 6293 1443. The premier night is a black tie event with wine and cheese starting at 7:00pm.

7pm, Thursday 2 March, Tuggeranong Arts Centre
Gold Coin Donation

Short::seasons will screen again in a repeat presentation. Showcasing some great short films produced by local filmmakers, highlights from this seasons program include, 'Breeding Souls' this season's project film and the drama directorial debut for Belinda Barancewicz, 'Scrunch or Fold' directed by Liam Downing, a documentary which asks the tough questions "Do you scrunch or fold your toilet paper? And what does that say about you?", and 'Lucy's Heart' starring Perpetua Kish, a follow up from Director Dan Andrew, whose previous film (Baby Doll) won the hearts of the audience at the Canberra Short Film Festival in 2003. For more information contact: 6297 0432 or visit: www.shortseasons.com.au.

Filmmaking: 3-13 March; Screening: 8pm, 17 March, National Museum of Australia
Free admission

Canberra's very own scavenger hunt film festival is on again! Filmmakers have ten days to make their films including ten items from around Canberra. Cash prizes are on offer for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Editing among others. This year's theme is 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Celebrating 80 years of Public Transport in Canberra'. Register your team at the items announcement at 6pm, 3 March at the National Museum of Australia (around the back near the pier).

The top twelve films and award presentation will take place at a free screening, with entertainment from 7.30pm, films starting at 8pm. For more information, visit: www.celebratecanberra.com/lca.asp, telephone: 6297 0432, or email: lightscanberra@iinet.au.

8.15pm, Saturdays in March, Garema Place Screen
Free admission

Urban Services is showing a series of family films in the city with March screenings of:

Saturday 11 March: Bride and Prejudice (PG)
Saturday 25 March: Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (PG)

For more information: contact 13 22 81 or visit: www.urbanservices.act.gov.au.

Coombs Lecture Theatre cnr Fellows & Garran Roads, ANU campus
Members Only: $30/semester or $50/year

All screenings are held at the Coombs Lecture Theatre, corner of Fellows and Garran Roads, ANU campus. The Coombs Theatre is fitted with advanced Dolby Digital sound technology, along with full surround-sound equipment, and screens films in both 35mm and 16mm. Movies start at 8:00pm except for Sunday matinees, which start at 3:00pm. Doors open one hour before the scheduled screening time. For more information visit: www.anufg.org.au or call 02 6247 2425.

7:30pm - 10:00pm, every 2nd, 3rd, 4th Thursday of the month, Tillies, Lyneham

The script writers group meets at Tillies, Lyneham every second, third and fourth Thursday of the month. The group is aimed at those wishing to discuss, exchange and develop opportunities to develop scripts.
There will be NO script writers meeting if Tillies has a Concert scheduled or a public holiday falls on the same day of a meeting.
For further information contact the ACT Filmmakers Network on (02) 6162 5160 or
e-mail: admin.actfilmmakers@netspeed.com.au.

22 April

Kyle Rowling from the Sydney Stage Combat School is coming to Canberra to run a workshop on stunt fighting. Kyle regularly trains and choreographs fights for NIDA, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Opera Company and Bell Shakespeare, trained Eric Bana to fight for 'Troy', was a fight double and assistant sword master for Star Wars Episode 2 and 3 and more. For more information on Kyle or SSCS see http://www.sydneystagecombat.com/.

The workshop will be held on 22 April. Cost will be approx $100-$110 (depending on numbers). To book a place (limited numbers) contact Ell on 0407 267 239 or elena_kirschbaum@hotmail.com. If you are keen but can't make that date please let Ell know and she may try to organise additional dates.

Entry deadline: 31 March 2006

SNOWYfest 2006 entries close 31 March. The festival offers $2,000 cash for Best Film and $1,000 for the winner of the Best Capital Region category. The runner up in each category takes home $500.

Entry forms and further details are available from: www.snowyfest.com .

SNOWYfest is proudly supported by Tourism Thredbo, the Thredbo Alpine Hotel, and www.filmmaking.com.au.

Two credited television script editors/supervisors are sought to participate (pay to be negotiated) in an Australian Film Commission funded initiative to commence in the second half of 2006.

The Filmmakers' Network is looking for script editors/supervisors with at least one (1) hour (preferably more) television (ABC/SBS) screen credits.

It is preferred that applicants reside in Canberra, or in its regions.

Interested parties should contact the office BEFORE Friday 3 March, 2006. Office hours are from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday. Contact:(02) 6162 5159.

Entry deadline: 17 March 2006

The Weereewa Short Film Competition is calling for entries up to a maximum of 10 minutes from filmmakers, artists and students. The theme can be on any facet of Weereewa/Lake George or using Lake George as the location. Entries can be from any genre.

Prizes for the Competition are $1,000 for the winning entry, $500 for the runner-up and $300 for third. There will be a special prize of $200 for the best film by a student. The cost of entry is $25 or $10 for students. Entries close Friday, 17 March, 2006.

Screening and final judging will take place on Friday 31 March - Saturday 1 April at Bungendore Memorial Hall on the Kings Highway in Bungendore Village in southeast NSW.

For more information, visit: www.menofthehour.com, or contact the organisers: danielsanguineti@menofthehour.com or chrismaher@menofthehour.com, or phone 02 6248 5117.

Deadline: Friday 31 March

Entries are now open for the new Conflux Fantastique Film Festival and Contest, which will take place in conjunction with Conflux 3 - one of the largest science fiction and pop culture conventions in Australia to be held from Friday 9 June to Monday 12 June 2006 at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra. The film festival and contest of science fiction, fantasy, horror and animation short films is open to both Australian and international filmmakers. Films must feature the producer's original material, and not be based on an existing franchise such as Star Wars or Doctor Who. Entries are being sought in DV format by 31 March 2006.

Films will be screened in the theatres at the National Museum of Australia. The unique four-day convention will appeal to lovers of science fiction, fantasy and horror books, films, comics and games, and also includes attractions such as communication links with science fiction's best know writers, 2001: A Space Odyssey co-writer Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury.

For an entry form, visit www.conflux.org.au. For more information email the Film Festival director at filmfestival@conflux.org.au, or phone 0421 005 511. Entry is Free.

Entry deadline: 20 May 2006

SCINEMA is calling for science films or multimedia to be part of the 2006 Festival of Science Film, screening across Australia in August 2006 in celebration of National Science Week. The festival has three categories:

National Student Short Film Competition - open to all Australian Primary, Secondary and Tertiary students - make a short film on the subject of 'sustainability'.

International Film Festival - open to Australian and international science films, documentaries, television programs, fiction films and animations - anything with a science theme. This is a competitive film festival judged by a Jury chaired by COSMOS MAGAZINE.

Multimedia - websites, CDRoms, Student Projects, Installations - multi-media is included in the 2006 program for the first time - multimedia entries will have a science education theme, preferably addressing the theme of 'sustainability'.

Visit the SCINEMA website (www.csiro.au/scinema/enter/index.html) for TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Entry deadline is May 20, 2006. For more information, email: scinema@csiro.au.

Entry deadline: 31 March 2006

SBS Independent is looking for scripts for their ground-breaking new drama series MARX AND VENUS, an innovative joint venture with ScreenWest.

Marx and Venus will be a series of short television situation dramas based around two characters developed by Geoffrey Atherden of Mother and Son and Grassroots fame. The series features flat-mates John Marx and Venus Hoy - and the trials and tribulations they face sharing their flat. Two exciting up and coming actors have been cast in the title roles - John Marx will be played by Bryce Youngman and Venus Hoy will be played by Emma Lung (Peaches, Stranded).

The programs are to be used as interstitials in SBS' schedule. They are intended to be bright and fresh and fit an M classification. Marx and Venus will be shown five nights a week in primetime, and each episode will be only five minutes long.

SBS is looking for 25 scripts. Anyone and everyone can submit a script. Although it is expected that many well-known writers will contribute, potential writers don't have to have any previous experience. The successful writers will each receive $2,000 for their script.

Once the scripts are selected the entire series will be produced by a Western Australian production company and directed by Western Australian resident directors.

Marx and Venus is scheduled to go to air early 2007. Visit www.marxandvenus.com.au for information on character profiles and how to submit your script.

Entry deadline: 31 March 2006

Cortoons is an International Short Animated Film Festival which will take place at Palladium Theatre in Rome, Italy from 26-28 April 2006.

There are five competition categories:

• Best Italian from 1 to 20 minutes
• Best Italian from 1 to 4 minutes
• Best International from 1 to 20 minutes
• Best International from 1to 4 minutes
• Best realized with Flash

All techniques of animation are accepted. Admission is free. The short films must be produced after 1 January 2003. The deadline is 31 March 2006. To download the entry form visit: www.cortoons.it. For more information, contact: info@cortoons.it.

Deadline: 17 March (shorts) & 21 April (features & documentaries)

The Melbourne International Film Festival is now taking film entries for the 2006 event, to be held 26 July - 13 August, 2006. Entry forms for features, documentaries and shorts are now available from the MIFF website - www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au.

Deadline: 10 March

Podlove, an initiative developed and funded by the AFC and SBSi, will explore the impact of digital communications on our relationships with friends, family, lovers and strangers. Five avant-garde documentaries of five minutes each will be broadcast on SBS television and be placed on an advanced interactive website. The Podlove films will use mixed media, utilising digital technologies and hybrid content to maximise the visual and aural aesthetics of the work, producing challenging and compelling stories with a strong narrative and universal appeal. Live action, animation, composite imagery, visual and aural processing, and archival as well as alternatively sourced material may be combined in the production of each documentary.

Guidelines and application forms are now available on the AFC website: www.afc.gov.au.

Upcoming AFC funding deadlines for March 2006:

3 Mar 2006 Strand S - Animation Development for Animation, Animation Series
10 Mar 2006 Strand H - Short Shorts Production for Shorts (under 15 mins)
10 Mar 2006 Writer Fellowships for Features
10 Mar 2006 Podlove for Documentary - multiplatform delivery

For further information see: http://www.afc.gov.au/funding/deadlines/.