lecture notes week 11

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LECTURE NOTES WEEK 11

Film Policy

1) What types of policy pertain to film?

Like most forms of media, film exists at the nexus of several different
policy regimes. However, for our purposes there are two main types of
policy imperative.
On the one hand, there is the policy which pertains to the distribution
of the film product, and involves bodies like the Office of Film and
Literature Classification (OFLC).
On the other, there is the policy which pertains to the production of
films, and involves funding bodies such as the Australian Film Commission
Traditionally, Australian film policy has been at the centre of a great
amount of nationalistic fervor - probably more than any other medium
(except the ABC). This is perhaps due to the age of cinema in this country
(Our nation grew up in front of the camera - Ray Martin).
The history of Aust. film is also the history of Aust film policy -
policy has always dictated the shape of the industry.

2) A Brief History of Aust Film

Australian film has been going for a long time, with one of the first
pieces of footage coming from the 1907 Melbourne Cup. In fact, the doco
tradition is one of the nations strongest film-making characteristics.
Feature film was also strong, with what is thought to be the world's
first feature film (The Story of the Kelly Gang) being filmed in 1905.
However, by the early teens the local industry was being over-run by
American product, at least in part because of the foreign stranglehold on
distribution and exhibition. By the end of the 20s were really only two
distribution chains, and both had close ties with the US.
The problems producers had in getting films distributed prompted a royal
commission in 1927, but apart from calling for a censorship board, few
recommendations were made.
The position of Australian producers was also complicated by technology -
the coming of sound in the late 20s made film-making a more expensive
business.
Between the two world wars production was largely kept alive by
Cinesound, which was most well-known for it's newsreel production. Many of
the famous films of Charles Chauval (Jedda, 40 Thousand Horsemen) were also
made during this period.
After WW2 the industry went into serious decline, with American and
British product dominating the screens. This lasted until the 1960s, when
the industry experienced something of a revival.
Paradoxically, the coming of TV actually helped the film industry. An
inquiry into the dominance of American programming on TV called for more
support for the film industry, arguing that a strong film industry would
have flow-on effects for TV production.
Although not implemented, the inquiry's recommendations did boost public
and political support for the industry. In 1970 the Aust. Film Development
Corp. was established to support films which met the "Australianess"
requirements of its charter. (Looked at subject matter, personnel, place of
production etc.)
In 1975 the AFDC was replaced by the Aust. Film Commission (AFC) which
took a stronger interest in film development and film culture. Films funded
by the AFC included Sunday Too Far Away, Picnic At Hanging Rock, Newsfront,
Breaker Morant, and were characterised by historical themes and social issues.
The industry was further assisted by another inquiry into distribution in
1972 which found that there was vertical integration in exhibition and
distribution. The threat of divestiture prompted some companies like
Village Roadshow to take an interest in production.
In 1981 the Fraser Govt. tried a new approach to film funding. Rather
than fund films directly, the government would allow investors generous tax
deductions (150%) for putting money into films. The scheme was known as 10BA.
10BA was immediately successful, with films such as Mad Max 2, Puberty
Blues and the Man From Snowy River being produced under this scheme. These
films were also successful at the box-office.
However 10BA also changed the film industry in negative ways. Production
was now based on market forces rather than artistic expression.
By the end of the 1980's it was realised that 10BA had produced an
industry open to rorting on many levels. In an effort to counter this trend
the government re-entered the funding game with the creation of the Film
Finance Corporation. However, FFC films are also required to have a
significant level of backing from private sources.
This pattern of government-backing only with the aid of private
investment has continued through to the 1990s, and has also resulted in the
industry becoming more international. Films like Strictly Ballroom and
Priscilla did well both domestically and overseas, although they were both
eclipsed by Croc Dundee.
Co-productions have also become more common, with Jacka citing Babe as a
prime example. Babe was produced and directed by Australians and received
most of its funding from Australian sources, but its success relied heavily
on overseas technical expertise.
In this context, The Matrix serves as an interesting counterpoint - it
was financed mainly by foreign sources, but utilised a great deal of local
expertise in the creation of its effects.

3) Overall trends.

The history of Australian film indicates an uneasy relationship between
the state and the film industry.
For the first stages of its history, the government seemed content to let
market forces decide which films were made and which weren't, with the
result being a US dominated cinema.
Economic rationalists would argue that people ultimately decide the type
of film industry a country has. However people can only see the films they
know about, or can get to easily.
At various points in the industry's history the government has attempted
direct subsidy, while at other times it has employed indirect means like
tax concessions. Both measures have proven to be successful.
However, it must be remembered that each measure seems to create a very
different type of film industry.

Mark J. Finn
Associate Lecturer
School of Film, Media and Cultural Studies
Griffith University
Nathan, Qld, 4111.

Email: m.finn@mailbox.gu.edu.au
Room: 2.44, Level 2 Humanities Building
Phone: 3875 7434
Mobile: 0412 248 150