Screen Australia has today announced an expansion of its market and audience plans, with added support for the Australian film industry to reach audiences and fresh opportunities for distributors to increase project discoverability and engagement in the local market.
With market conditions evolving and audience behaviours changing — movie tickets are seen by many as an unnecessary expense in the ongoing cost of living crisis — this new approach from Screen Australia is built on three ‘Narrative Content Market and Audience Programs’. The key focus is on assets, audience testing and channel management for local distributors and producers, led by Screen Australia’s newly appointed Head of Market & Audience, Rakel Tansley.
Tansley will be supported by former Global Creative Director at Amplify, Michelle Melky, in a newly created Investment Manager role within the agency.
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The first program prioritises asset production, offering targeted support for the theatrical sector by providing feature film producers and distributors up to $45,000 AUD to develop marketing assets during production or in pre-release phases.
The second program aims to provide feature films with attached distributors up to $15,000 AUD for Australian audience testing. Meant to help distributors inform their creative strategy, this support will help organise domestic and global audience testing for films in pre-and post-production before picture lock (a production stage when visual editing on a film is finalised).
The third and final program offers support in channel management by way of providing producers and creatives with up to $15,000 AUD to drive platform visibility and audience impact. All too important in the attention economy, where marketing can be the stage that even major studio-made feature films live or die on.
Entries to all three programs are now open and will close on Thursday, March 26. The winning recipients will be announced on Friday, June 26.
Rakel Tansley said, “The sector has told us that connecting Australian stories to audiences locally and globally has never been more complex. These programs have been designed to address some of these challenges and are an important first step in our plans to empower producers and distributors working together.”
CEO of Australian distributor Madman Entertainment, Paul Wiegard, who consulted on the programs, said, “Screen Australia’s commitment to empowering filmmakers and distributors in connecting Australian content with audiences is critical for our industry. At Madman, we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the evolution of this support.”
“We believe that the new market and audience programs will enhance efficiency and focus, ensuring that resources are directed effectively, thereby providing filmmakers with the best possible chance to engage and expand their audiences.”