I have a feeling my career's just peaked... I'm afraid I have to warn you that I'm experiencing stirrings, somewhere in the upper abdominals, which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves.
-Oscar winners
Today's politicians are a bunch of robots who would rather chase soundbites than make policy ... My old mate Paul Keating once said to me: You have to understand, mate, politics to me is just a game, and I will say or do whatever I have to, to win Rise of the machines John Hewson
Rise of the machines Australia crowned by Oscars
A RECENT decision by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to deny producer offset funding to the Beyond series Taboo threatens to change the content of Australian documentaries, according to the Screen Producers Association of Australia.
WHETHER it's Animal Kingdom or Packed to the Rafters, there is one good reason why Australian films and TV dramas are flourishing again. In the words of a famous pop group, it comes down to money, money, money …
A review of the screen production sector to be released today by the federal Arts Minister, Simon Crean, shows film and television is being funded at record levels. A new system of production incentives has led to a tripling of government support in the past three financial years to $412 million. With further investment by the agency Screen Australia, production increased to a record $731 million last financial year.
• The King's Speech –and Many, Many Others Federal funding puts local films into action
; [ Bid for producer offset ruled out by appeals tribunal ; Australia crowned by Oscars; Provides screen cultural and industry support through a range of measures Screen Australia; Google - It's Hollywood's biggest celebration]
• · Young Australians like you know just how stupid the divisive political strategy being pursued by Scott Morrison, Cori Bernardi and others is. Social Media and a More Progressive Future ; The Minister for the Arts, Mr Simon Crean, has released the government's report of the 2010 Review of the Australian Independent Screen Production Sector. The report identifies several challenges and highlights opportunities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the screen tax offsets in some areas. Interested parties are invited to comment on the review report by Friday, 11 March 2011. Comments should be sent by email to artsfilminfo@environment.gov.au. Source: 2010 Review of the Australian Independent Screen Production Sector; BAZ LUHRMANN'S Sydney production of The Great Gatsby has been dragged into a spat between producers and the federal funding body Screen Australia about what makes a movie Australian and when taxpayers should subsidise it Gatsby gets caught in row on film funding
• · · Screen Australia and filmmaker George Miller are coordinating the ‘Map My Summer’ project. ; FEDERAL agency Screen Australia will dip its toes into online distribution in a new initiative with YouTube.; The president of the Screen Producers Association of Australia, Antony Ginnane, says the industry body is “pleased” with the review of the independent screen production sector, but they don’t expect any additional direct financing in the upcoming budget. We’re pleased to see that, on many issues, the review doesn’t take a position one way or another. It gives us an opportunity now to engage on an ongoing basis with the Department, but given the state of the world, Australia and the budget, it would be unrealistic for the industry to expect any significant additional direct financing in the upcoming budget Encore
• · · · Oscars 2011: In quotes; There is no blogger here. There are women who tweet or use Facebook, and though using social media is good, it’s not blogging Real blogger at the meet-up
• · · · · John Ibrahim's $150,000 proceeds of crime payout to the NSW Crime Commission NSW court kept deal secret for years ; Police leaks to Ibrahim
• · · · · · Expectations of a change of government in New South Wales on March 26 are almost universal. But the swing the Coalition needs to achieve is historically high. Coalition needs tsunami of votes - and it's on cards ; The polls indicate an electoral wipeout for the NSW government. On current predictions the Coalition will have 19 members in the Upper House after March 26. This is two short of an outright majority. After the President is elected, it will need only three extra votes, which will come from the Shooters and Fishers Party and Reverend Fred Nile. Beware a lack of Upper House Greens