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.