Territory screen practitioners can share more of their Territory stories after receiving a much needed boost to the sector through Round 2 of the 2019/20 Screen Territory Grants Program.
The Territory Labor Government recognises the importance of our screen sector and is committed to creating and supporting jobs across the Territory to ensure the industry can rebound from the impacts of COVID-19.
Four projects will share in $235 000 of Production Finance funding, generating $971 000 of external investment into the Territory. One of these projects, Cook Nga Pouwhenua, is a special First Nations initiative developed in collaboration with Screen Australia and the New Zealand Film Commission.
It will feature eight short films - four from New Zealand Maori creatives and four from Indigenous Australian creatives, three of which will be filmed in the Northern Territory. The project features three Indigenous Northern Territory directors, two Indigenous Northern Territory writers and two Darwin-based animators.
The Industry Partnerships program helps to create skills training and development opportunities for Northern Territory screen practitioners.
Indigenous Community Television received $15 000 for the Festival of Remote Australian Indigenous Moving Image (FRAIM), which targets the needs of Indigenous screen practitioners in geographically isolated areas and provides them with opportunities that are not ordinarily available to them.
The Darwin Film Society received $15 000 for the 3rd Capricornia Film Awards and returning for its 11th year in 2020, The Darwin International Film Festival received $20 000 in Audience Development funding.
Six projects received a total of $52 500 in Story Development funding, which helps screen practitioners demonstrate their talent and build capacity by supporting the development of distinctive Territory screen stories that are capable of reaching and engaging audiences.
This included:
Zero-Point – Jonathon Saunders
Motor Car Wiru – Andre Sawenko
Blackout – Leslie Colin Simpson
OUTPOST – Phil Denson
Give us Green, Darling! – Alexandra Edmondson
Dark Highway – Weave Films
For more information visit screenterritory.nt.gov.au
Quotes from Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, Lauren Moss:
“The Territory Labor Government has invested $9 million into our screen sector over four years, recognising its importance in sharing Territory stories with the world and its economic benefits, including employment for the Territory particularly after the impacts of COVID-19.
“This strategic investment has resulted in a significant up-turn in locally produced content, as well as the growth of local screen businesses, which in turn generates more investment into the Territory economy.
“There is growing demand across the global market for content, and by investing in the Northern Territory screen industry the Territory Labor Government is supporting a resilient and digitally innovative sector who play a crucial role in shaping perceptions of the Territory to a worldwide audience.”
Media contact: Lisa Sennett 0436 929 858