Encore’s Power 50 top man, Emile Sherman
Last February, Sherman became the first Australian producer to receive an Academy Award for Best Picture, alongside his See-Saw Films partner Iain Canning, and Bedlam Productions’ Gareth Unwin. It also won at the BAFTAs and the Producers Guild of America, in addition to the many other honours for its cast and crew.
While technically a UK production, the Australianness of the film is undeniable – and so is its success; with a modest U$15m budget, The King’s Speech has grossed more than $405m worldwide – one of the most successful independent films of all time.
Although See-Saw is becoming an increasingly international company, Sherman is not about to pack his things and pursue the Hollywood dream. He’s staying here, and he’s lobbying for a healthier industry; with his Oscar in hand, Sherman headed to Canberra to meet Julia Gillard at Parliament House. It wasn’t just a great photo opportunity; he pushed for the establishment of SPAA’s proposed Producer-Distributor Film Fund, telling the Prime Minister that, had the PDFF been in place when he was financing The King’s Speech, he would’ve accepted the Oscar for a film that was officially Australian as well as British.
Sherman’s other company, Fulcrum Media Finance, plays a vital role in cash-flowing the Producer Offset. Last year, it secured a $20m revolving fund through a facility with superannuation fund Media Super.
His previous critical and/or financial hits Candy, Rabbit-Proof Fence, $9.99, Disgrace and The Kings of Mykonos speak of a producer who is aware of the importance of a diverse slate.
His latest project, Oranges and Sunshine, has been critically acclaimed, and he’s not sleeping on his laurels. In the last year, Sherman produced Shame, shot in New York by director Steve McQueen, and Jane Campion’s first television series in 20 years, Top of the Lake. His next feature is Dead Europe, based on Christos Tsiolkas’ novel and directed by Tony Krawitz, scheduled to begin production in both Australia and Europe in September.
“The most overwhelming part of this journey is how much support I’ve received from the industry, friends and family, and the community at large. I feel incredibly proud of the Australianness of The King’s Speech; I believe it’s the first time an Australian film, in terms of subject matter, has won the Academy Award and that sort of lifts the game for everybody, ourselves included, that these things are possible. It’s amazing to have made a film that’s part of the national if not, international consciousness.”
“Winning the Oscar certainly gives you a glow in the eyes of the industry, so it’s about trying to use that to work with the best writers, directors and actors, and to make better movies. I want to be involved in telling Australian stories, and I also want to make great movies. I feel like I can do both. We’ve got an international reach and we travel a lot, so I think of See-Saw Films as a company that’s based in Australia and the UK. The US is losing its grip as the centre of the world and the film industry is not an exception; there are great opportunities all around the world and Australia and the UK are two great places to be based at.”
“I’ve been in the industry for 15 years now, and I’ve seen various models for funding and ways in which the funds have been administered. The Producer Offset is fantastic; it has propelled companies into being more entrepreneurial and thinking more commercially. It has enabled us to make bigger films and be more adventurous. That said, the idea that it was going to replace Screen Australia funding for the $10-30m range of films has not genuinely happened and we need to look at an enhancement to the Offset, whether in the form of SPAA’s Producer-Distributor Film Fund or any other models that can help us grow as an industry. In the end, the more money that comes into the industry the better, and if I can try to bring more money in, whether by lobbying the Government or through my own projects, I’m here to help.”
Read Encore’s complete Power 50 list
Emile Sherman…you are shining creative light, don’t stop lobbying and keep on helping.
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Thank you Emile Sherman for lifting the game and challenging us all to make great movies that travel internationally. He proves that an Aussie movie can make money…
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