The Sun-Herald

David,
Love your work. Loved "Beneath Hill 60."Your readers comments on the failings of the Australian Film industry are generally pretty accurate but we have to look a little deeper to see why the industry has the problems it has. I have been trying for many years to get a film made on the subject of my published book and have therefore worked with various writers and directors as well as having numerous discussions with those in the industry including the various fuding bodies. Based on my experience it is very clear that many of the problems in the industry can be attributed to the way the industry is funded and therefore the way it operates at its core. Virtually the entire focus of those in the industry is to keep themselves employed, in the industry. They therefore work on projects which they know can get funding from the funding bodies etc. The funding bodies like to fund small budget films so they can share the funding around. (Sadly there can at times be a degree of nepotism and cronyism involved here too.Happy to provide you with specific examples off line.) The film makers therefore focus on small films with small casts, minimal sets, no special effects etc. The result then is so often what one of your readers called "niche films" that are very narrow in their appeal and often quite boring. An excellent example of this is "Samson and Delilah". That film was held up as an wonderful example of Australian film making and this is where our film critics such as David and Margaret have to take some responsibility. They raved about it, giving it 4 and 5 stars but let's face the truth about that film and the truth is that it was mind numbingly boring.
If you were an average film viewer and went to see that film based on the rave reviews, it would be a long time before you went to see another Australian Film. David and Margaret, then only gave "Beneath Hill 60" 3 and 3 and a half stars, so would you be rushing out to see it if the experts are telling you its not as good as Samson and Delilah?
Part of the flow on from the small budget issue then is that they don't then have the marketing budget to promote the films effectively. Having said that though, if the product is bad even a big marketing budget will only be of marginal assistance.
The solution ultimately lies with the Federal government . They must see an understand the problems with the industry and iyts funding model and adjust funding, legislation and tax laws accordingly.
The huge problem with my film is despite the fact it is an amazing and extremely gripping story (it is historically factual, so I'm not being boastful) is that because it is; a period piece, has a huge cast (over 60 characters) and is quite long it will require a big budget ($15mil+). It is therefore extremely unlikely to ever see the light of day.

• by Peter on May 30, 2010 at 12:03 PM

The Australian film industry is dominated by white-anglos making films for the white-anglo chattering classes. They purport to speak on behalf of Aborigines and multicultural Australia but they come off as simply patronising. The average Aboriginal kid is lining up for Wog Boy 2.

• by canoli on May 30, 2010 at 06:24 PM

I worked on a government document analysing the state of the film industry in Australia. The summations were not pretty.
I think there's alot of docudrama eltist crap in our cinema and on TV, I can think of very few locally made film/TV that I've even been slightly interested in.
I think alot of the material preaches morals, it evokes a way we're supposed to think and live. Well they can shove it. Take me interests as they are or bugger off. You'll not suck me in to your lies and misconceptions.
Elitist crap. Disconnected. Out of touch. Self interested. Mutual Appreciation society. This is what I see when I look at our media.

• by yobbo on May 31, 2010 at 01:45 PM

Don, is it racist if it is made by Greeks and Italians though, who are taking the micky out of themselves? I think it's more a case of perpetuating ethnic stereotypes rather than being racist. This sort of movie is not my cup of tea but at least I can laugh at it. It's something I'd rather watch than heavy ones like the depressing druggie movies Candy or Little Fish.

• by Antigoni on June 01, 2010 at 09:04 AM

Don, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or serious about the Wog Boy 2 being racist and taht Aiustralia being proven to be racist by a visiting Americian last year. But if you are, what's next? Will we determine that the 'The Castle' is classist because it makes fun of bogans?

• by Bloke from the Sticks on June 04, 2010 at 09:15 AM

Aren't most Australian movies just pretentious, elitist rubbish? When somebody makes a movie that isn't pretentious, elitist rubbish, then people actually go to see it. But then the critics and snobs will turn around and rubbish it.

• by Warrigul on June 04, 2010 at 02:26 PM

What it really comes down to is that most Australian films are just not entertaining enough to attract a massive audience. There are so many movies made with a message about a certain subject or a niche audience in mind. Also, we don't make enough movies. If you have a look at the number of American movies that get released every year, some of them don't make it to Australian cinema screens, but some of them go straight to DVD and then again some of them never get released anywhere. It's true that we get swamped by American product but we end up getting the best of that. Then we compare the best of America with a about 15 movies that Australians make every year and wonder what went wrong. In comparison to what America produces, we should have one hit Australian movie a year, a couple of average movies and the rest underperforming at the box office, which is exactly what is happening. Australia needs to produce more movies to get a better chance of a hit movie.

• by Fail Whale on June 06, 2010 at 12:35 AM