Cirrus@Austlit

'Although box office receipts for the theatrical release of movies have remained consistently high over the past decade, this tends to mask a slow erosion in the frequency of movie-going among the Australia population. Australians, it appears, are gradually losing the habit of going to the movies. This decline sits in marked contrast to increasing numbers of audiences preferring to engage with cinematic content through VOD and other digital platforms. Our engagement with industry stakeholders highlights the concerns of the Australian distribution and exhibition sectors of the industry about competition from a range of competing leisure and entertainment opportunities for Australian consumers. In this paper we argue that it is vital for the local industry to revise its current model of movie-going audiences, in order to better understand what consumers think about the ‘cinematic experience’ and how they value this experience in relation to the variety of competition from other leisure and entertainment experiences. We outline the opportunities to draw from insights across multiple disciplinary fields, in particular to explore the implications of applying ‘the customer journey’ to understanding the variety of social and material factors which may be in play in informing the decision-making of movie-going audiences.' (Publication abstract)

'This article examines the role of Queensland's film festival network, focusing on how regional festivals are central to the development of the screen industry beyond the metropolitan centres. The research is based on a mapping project of film festivals in Queensland undertaken in 2018, which included interviews with festival organisers and industry professionals. 68 active festivals were identified across Queensland, of which 45% took place in Brisbane. This article investigates both the value of film festivals and the challenges for their economic sustainability in Queensland's screen culture and industry.' (Publication abstract)

'Public focus on screen business in Australia has been shaped by the information needs of the regulatory and content investment agencies that monitor and support screen content made under the creative control of Australians. This has meant that available data has concentrated on the types of content that have been deemed to require regulatory support – feature films, documentaries and television drama, with more recent interest in short-form content intended for streaming and online platforms and games. The expansion of the notion of screen business has led to a series of Screen Australia reports that focused the debate on value frameworks that included cultural, economic and audience values. These reports informed the 2017 Federal Government inquiry into the Australian Film and Television Industry – they do not, however, provide insights into how screen business is incorporated into localised regional economies and they tend to downplay the cultural contributions from the television and advertising sectors. By looking at screen business in four regional Australia cities we demonstrate how four modes of screen production, which include commercial and corporate content, is being made sustainably in the regions and that regional screen content production activities are an important part of the national screen production ecosystem.' (Publication abstract)

'Screen production is risky business. Significant sums of money are invested in a process that is subject to myriad precarious variables. Effective completion of a screen project is achieved through the instigation and monitoring of strict parameters which bound its creative process. However, filmmaker David Lynch states that ‘any restriction is a sadness and can kill creativity’ (Stratton 2015. David Lynch in Conversation.  The tension between flow and constraint in creative practice negotiates a delicate balance between efficiency and futility. At its most productive, limitations can provide a catalyst for innovation, whereas restrictions that are not sympathetic to the project’s creative intention can cause unproductive conflict and power struggles. Examination of this inherent tension deepens our understanding of the screen production process and offers broader insight into the nature of practice in the creative arts. Anecdotal evidence is drawn from interviews with screen practitioners and the author’s own experience working in various Australian film and television productions between 1994 and 2018. Findings are then examined alongside theories of creative work.'  (Publication abstract)

'This paper presents demonstrable insights from the creation of a microbudget feature-length narrative drama film with high production values. As a case study, I am using a feature film I have written and directed titled “Don't Read This on a Plane”, which was filmed in 10 countries, produced on a budget of A$125,000 including all post-production, fees, and deliverables, and has been acquired for international distribution. I argue that by practicing pragmatism and bricolage, and by utilising a small professional crew who handle multiple roles, a microbudget filmmaker is able to transcend financial limitations. To support my argument, I detail my lived experience as a filmmaker from the project's conception in 2016 to its completion in 2020. In additional to describing my roles as the film's writer, co-financer, co-producer, director, editor, composer, and sound mixer, I also outline the involvement of key crew members. “Don't Read This on a Plane” embodies my tacit understanding of pragmatism and bricolage, and this paper shares my demonstrable approach to microbudget filmmaking.' (Publication abstract)