The inaugural Australian Film Festival begins on the 24th February, running til the 7th March, with the iconic Randwick Ritz Cinema playing host. Mixing classic Australian movies and new, unseen films, with educational programs, Q&As and other events this is a festival both celebrating Australian film and encouraging innovation in our film industry.
Festival Director, Barry Watterson took some time out to answer some questions about the development of the AFF, the Australian film industry and its future…
Festival Director, Barry Watterson took some time out to answer some questions about the development of the AFF, the Australian film industry and its future…
This is the inaugural AFF after last year’s Australian Film Week. How many people and how much time has been spent planning and organising this festival?
The screening of features during the Australian Film Week last year was dipping a toe into the water. As soon as it finished, planning began on the inaugural Australian Film Festival and we’ve been working on it since. There’s only a few of us in the office, but we reached out to industry professionals (to whom I’m very grateful) to guide us in building the structure of the festival and providing the technical expertise to get it up and running.
How do you go about choosing films to screen, what guidelines do you impose?
The guidelines were very flexible. The main purpose of the AFF is to provide a platform for Australian film content to be seen, so we accepted films of all genres, lengths and mediums (even online or downloadable). Essentially, we provided screen space for films that we thought were worth a cinema release or with a broad range of audience appeal until we ran out.
Why have you chosen to screen well-known and loved Australian films, as well as newer, perhaps unseen films?
We chose to create ‘events’ around our well known Australian films (opening night Mad Max with cast and crew, Bad Boy Bubby with a Q & A featuring Nicholas Hope and Happy Feet as a free screening event on Clovelly Beach) to draw attention to the festival and to the rest of our program of unreleased films, workshops and competitions. We feel that if we can get audiences connected to films they know, they will hopefully come to see newer Australian film works.
AFF will involve more than film screenings, with Q&As and educational programs. Is this indicative that this is not simply a festival for film-goers, but also for potential filmmakers?
Absolutely. The AFF is not simply a screening festival. It is mainly focused on the long term development of audience for Australian film content and providing the opportunity for future filmmakers to hone their craft on the way to making their masterpieces!
You have said that the festival is taking ‘a modern and global view of what film is’, can you elaborate on how you see this modern and global view?
For a number of reasons, Australian filmmakers are a few years behind the rest of the world. ‘Film’ is not just feature film; it is also short film, television, mobidocs (content made specifically for mobile ‘phones), mogies (actors integrated into gaming platforms), online downloads, gaming and much more. Filmmakers should be considering the best form for their film content and how best to deliver it to modern audiences.
There has been an enormous amount of debate regarding Australian audiences and their attendance of Australian films - Do Australians want to watch Australian made films?
I think (and hope) that they’re willing. I don’t believe that audiences should go to see a film just because it is Australian, and filmmakers should be more aware of the audience they want to see their film. It does seem, though, that Australian audiences are less forgiving to their home product (going to the movies is an adventure, people!). As well, Australian films have the problem of access. Consider that:
1. Australia is an English speaking country, the same as the biggest film markets in the world.
2. A well funded Australian film (including marketing) can be made for $3m. Avatar had a marketing budget alone that could have made 55 such Australian films. New strategies have to evolve to combat overseas release marketing budgets.
3. Australian films have often been screened in independent cinemas. There are not many left, Australian films screen for about a week and people have to travel long distances if they want to see them.
You have stated that your purpose for AFF involves long-term goals for Australian films both in terms of content and building audiences. Again the issue of content has also been a subject of much debate, with suggestions that Australian films are too high-brow and bleak - do you share these concerns?
Filmmaking goes through cycles. Avatar does well, now everyone wants to film in 3D. For the past few years our major filmmakers have been making very fine films with tough content. There is always a place for those sort of films, but a film ‘industry’ should have a wide audience appeal. Australians are some of the funniest people I know, but it’s not reflected in the filmmaking of the past few years. That will change, especially as filmmakers begin adapting new filmmaking techniques to deliver their stories to our audiences.
There is always the argument as to whether to view film as an industry or an art form. With Government subsidies being criticised for creating a weak Australian film industry, where do you fall in this debate?
We wouldn’t have a film industry without Government subsidies. We’re too small a market. Government subsidies in Australia are set up in a way so that filmmakers have to do a lot of work before they’re given funding. I do believe, however, that more of the funding should go to development of projects (from the script stage) with a focus on how the film is delivered once it is finished.
The Australian Film Festival will be the country’s most comprehensive presentation of Australian film content; are there plans to expand the festival to other part of Australia, outside of Sydney?
Yes. If we'd had a bit more time we would have delivered events in both Melbourne and Brisbane this year. We also have plans to provide access to regional and possibly international viewers.
As Festival Director, with the festival fast approaching, which are you feeling more; stressed or exhilarated?
I'm not sure how to tell the difference at this stage. There's still a lot of work to do, but it's exciting to work with Australian filmmakers in helping them realise their dream of giving their film a cinematic release. Now all they need is an audience.
Yes. If we'd had a bit more time we would have delivered events in both Melbourne and Brisbane this year. We also have plans to provide access to regional and possibly international viewers.
As Festival Director, with the festival fast approaching, which are you feeling more; stressed or exhilarated?
I'm not sure how to tell the difference at this stage. There's still a lot of work to do, but it's exciting to work with Australian filmmakers in helping them realise their dream of giving their film a cinematic release. Now all they need is an audience.
Interview published on Trespass 16/02/10
