Industry Council encouraged by new Screen Queensland attitude
Cathy Overett, chair of the Queensland Screen Industry Council, says there is “an energy that hasn’t seen before” in the state, with greater dialogue between government and practitioners.
The producer and MD of New Holland Pictures believes that the focus of the state agency has “apparently shifted back to building a strong local industry”. That, however, does not mean that the focus on international productions has been the wrong one, even if the state doesn’t always have one of those to keep the industry going, because it has left the state with crew and facilities of international standard.
“That is a huge benefit now to local filmmakers. In the past, we were too small to access this resource, but not anymore. At the same time as the Australian dollar has made this country a hard sell for footloose international productions, we believe our local producers are ready to take up the mantle,” Overett told Encore.
According to Overett 2009 was a watershed year for the PFTC and the new organisation, Screen Queensland, comes with new leadership and a new attitude – including a genuine engagement with industry and ongoing dialogue with the guilds and the QSIC.
“They’ve taken on several but not all of our recommendations and on others we have agreed to work together.”
Overett herself is one of the four new directors appointed last month for the board of Screen Queensland, alongside chair Peter Coaldrake, writer/producer/lawyer Chris Nyst and John Menzies, from Warner Village Theme Parks.
This year, the QCIS will hold two industry forums and two focus groups, to gather and share information to help Queensland filmmakers remain competitive and finding solutions to local, national and global issues.
“We have a number of subgroups that have formed through this process. QDox has reformed, bringing together our healthy doco community and helping support the next generation. Emerging and mid-tier producers are also working together. And through Wayne Denning of Carbon Media, we are in the process of reaching out and bringing together Indigenous filmmakers across the state. There is an energy here that hasn’t been seen before.”
