SPAA signs alliance with China
The Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) has formed the SPAA Australia-China Screen Alliance to facilitate co-productions between the two countries, providing advisory and introductory service to producers.
“In Xi’an alone they have over 300 film production companies, many of which are wanting to do co-production with Australia now. This is typical of the potential in the film-making industry that exists in provinces and regions around China,” said producer Mario Andreacchio, chair of the Alliance.
The Alliance will also assist Australian producers to navigate through the Chinese bureaucratic and cultural processes.
It was inspired by Andreacchio, whose co-production The Last Dragon will be released next year.
Andreacchio will join SPAA executive director Geoff Braown and Ausfilm chair/Deluxe Australia managing director Alaric McAusland in the first Australia-China Film Industry Forum from December 8 to 12.
The forum is an initiative of the Australian Embassy in Beijing as part of Imagine Australia, the year of Australian culture in China. The Embassy is working with Screen Australia, the China Film Bureau, the China Film Co-Production Corporation and the Beijing Film Academy.
Geoff Brown said Australia is one of the first countries to seek co-productions with China, giving the country a head start, a three-year window before it becomes a competitive field.
se
(Revised)
SPAA-‐ACSA
NEW
AUSTRALIAN
ALLIANCE
TO
MAKE
FILMS
WITH
CHINA
The
Screen
Producers
Association
of
Australia
(SPAA)
has
formed
the
SPAA
Australia-‐
China
Screen
Alliance
to
facilitate
co-‐productions
of
film
and
television
programs
with
producers
in
the
People’s
Republic
of
China.
The
Alliance
is
the
inspiration
of
South
Australian
film
producer
Mario
Andreacchio
who
recently
produced
the
feature
The
Last
Dragon
in
China
to
be
released
internationally
including
China
in
2011.
Mario
Andreacchio
will
also
be
the
Chairman
of
the
Alliance,
which
will
have
a
strong
and
open
web
presence.
The
Alliance
is
sending
Andreacchio,
SPAA
Executive
Director
Geoff
Brown
and
has
invited
AusFilm
Chair
and
Managing
Director
of
Deluxe
Australia
to
Beijing
to
attend
the
first
Australia-‐China
Film
Industry
Forum
from
December
8
to
12.
The
forum
is
an
initiative
of
the
Australian
Embassy
in
Beijing
as
part
of
Imagine
Australia,
the
Year
of
Australian
Culture
in
China.
The
Embassy
is
working
cooperatively
with
Screen
Australia
and
China
Film
Bureau
as
the
official
government
partners,
with
China
Film
Co-‐Production
Corporation
as
the
forum
co-‐host
and
Beijing
Film
Academy
as
the
academic
program
partner.
The
new
Screen
Alliance
will
provide
an
advisory
and
introductory
service
to
producers
wishing
to
co-‐produce
with
Chinese
based
producers,
providing
resources,
direct
consultations
as
well
as
a
forum
base
for
dialogue
and
exchange
of
information.
Drawing
on
the
experience
of
Andreacchio
and
other
SPAA
members
who
have
worked
in
China,
the
Alliance
will
assist
producers
to
navigate
through
the
Chinese
bureaucratic
and
cultural
processes.
Andreacchio
encountered
enthusiasm
for
the
Alliance
on
a
recent
trip
to
China.
Inspired
by
the
idea
of
a
Screen
Alliance,
the
Xi’an
Qujiang
Film
and
TV
Investment
Group
executed
an
MOU
to
establish
their
own
Screen
Alliance.
Encouraged
by
this,
SPAA
intends
for
the
Australia-‐based
Alliance
to
eventually
partner
with
other
China-‐
based
alliances
to
work
together
and
act
as
conduits
for
producers
in
both
countries.
“In
Xi’an
alone
they
have
over
300
film
production
companies,
many
of
which
are
wanting
to
do
co-‐production
with
Australia
now.
This
is
typical
of
the
potential
in
the
film-‐making
industry
that
exists
in
provinces
and
regions
around
China,”
Andreacchio
said.
SPAA
Executive
Director
Brown
said
that
the
Chinese
appetite
for
international
co-‐
production
is
growing
rapidly
along
with
the
economy.
“The
box
office
for
this
year
has
increased
61%,
and
there
is
still
2
months
to
go.
This
year’s
box
office
gross
may
close
at
US
$1.6
billion,
and
is
expected
to
get
to
$4.5
billion
in
the
next
5
years.
We
are
one
of
the
first
countries
to
be
making
such
a
serious
effort
on
co-‐productions
with
China,
which
means
we
have
a
head
start.
I
believe
we
have
about
a
3
year
window
before
it
becomes
a
massively
competitive
field
with
other
countries,”
said
Brown.
Contact:
Geoff
Brown
(02)
9360
8988
(Revised)
SPAA-‐ACSA
NEW
AUSTRALIAN
ALLIANCE
TO
MAKE
FILMS
WITH
CHINA
The
Screen
Producers
Association
of
Australia
(SPAA)
has
formed
the
SPAA
Australia-‐
China
Screen
Alliance
to
facilitate
co-‐productions
of
film
and
television
programs
with
producers
in
the
People’s
Republic
of
China.
The
Alliance
is
the
inspiration
of
South
Australian
film
producer
Mario
Andreacchio
who
recently
produced
the
feature
The
Last
Dragon
in
China
to
be
released
internationally
including
China
in
2011.
Mario
Andreacchio
will
also
be
the
Chairman
of
the
Alliance,
which
will
have
a
strong
and
open
web
presence.
The
Alliance
is
sending
Andreacchio,
SPAA
Executive
Director
Geoff
Brown
and
has
invited
AusFilm
Chair
and
Managing
Director
of
Deluxe
Australia
to
Beijing
to
attend
the
first
Australia-‐China
Film
Industry
Forum
from
December
8
to
12.
The
forum
is
an
initiative
of
the
Australian
Embassy
in
Beijing
as
part
of
Imagine
Australia,
the
Year
of
Australian
Culture
in
China.
The
Embassy
is
working
cooperatively
with
Screen
Australia
and
China
Film
Bureau
as
the
official
government
partners,
with
China
Film
Co-‐Production
Corporation
as
the
forum
co-‐host
and
Beijing
Film
Academy
as
the
academic
program
partner.
The
new
Screen
Alliance
will
provide
an
advisory
and
introductory
service
to
producers
wishing
to
co-‐produce
with
Chinese
based
producers,
providing
resources,
direct
consultations
as
well
as
a
forum
base
for
dialogue
and
exchange
of
information.
Drawing
on
the
experience
of
Andreacchio
and
other
SPAA
members
who
have
worked
in
China,
the
Alliance
will
assist
producers
to
navigate
through
the
Chinese
bureaucratic
and
cultural
processes.
Andreacchio
encountered
enthusiasm
for
the
Alliance
on
a
recent
trip
to
China.
Inspired
by
the
idea
of
a
Screen
Alliance,
the
Xi’an
Qujiang
Film
and
TV
Investment
Group
executed
an
MOU
to
establish
their
own
Screen
Alliance.
Encouraged
by
this,
SPAA
intends
for
the
Australia-‐based
Alliance
to
eventually
partner
with
other
China-‐
based
alliances
to
work
together
and
act
as
conduits
for
producers
in
both
countries.
“In
Xi’an
alone
they
have
over
300
film
production
companies,
many
of
which
are
wanting
to
do
co-‐production
with
Australia
now.
This
is
typical
of
the
potential
in
the
film-‐making
industry
that
exists
in
provinces
and
regions
around
China,”
Andreacchio
said.
SPAA
Executive
Director
Brown
said
that
the
Chinese
appetite
for
international
co-‐
production
is
growing
rapidly
along
with
the
economy.
“The
box
office
for
this
year
has
increased
61%,
and
there
is
still
2
months
to
go.
This
year’s
box
office
gross
may
close
at
US
$1.6
billion,
and
is
expected
to
get
to
$4.5
billion
in
the
next
5
years.
We
are
one
of
the
first
countries
to
be
making
such
a
serious
effort
on
co-‐productions
with
China,
which
means
we
have
a
head
start.
I
believe
we
have
about
a
3
year
window
before
it
becomes
a
massively
competitive
field
with
other
countries,”
said
Brown.
Contact:
Geoff
Brown
(02)
9360
8988
