advance australian film (a documentary)

While Australia has produced an array of highly acclaimed features over the years, interest in Australian Cinema has been experiencing a steady decline. It’s been over 20 years since Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom (1992) reached number one at the Australian Box Office, and no other Australian film has reached these heights in audience engagement since.

As an independent filmmaker, I hope to get people talking about my documentary film project, Advance Australian Film (AAF) with the release of a 2.30 minute trailer on the film’s website  (www.advanceausfilm.com) – right in time for Australia Day. I want the public and the industry to start engaging with the subject on the forum, Facebook page (www.facebook.com/advanceaustralianfilm) and Twitter (@advanceausfilm, #advanceausfilm) by openly expressing their own opinions and suggesting some solutions.

Funds will be needed to create the full-length film and and I’m hoping that people who believe in the subject will donate to the Pozible Campaign (http://advanceausfilm.pozible.com) – gifts will be rewarded for contributions, and every dollar counts! Metro Screen are supporting the film through their Jump Start scheme which provides some equipment use, but funds are still needed for crew and other important expenses such as archival footage and music licensing.

According to Screen Australia, feature films under Australian or shared creative control earned only 4.5% of the total Australian box office in 2010.

After undertaking a few preliminary interviews for the trailer with both industry professionals and the Australian cinema-going public, it is clear that people are passionate about making a change.

It seems that for decades Australian films have been struggling to connect with audiences to achieve financial success – so what needs to be done to save the future of our industry? Advance Australian Film will investigate the changing relationship audiences have with Australian films, and will seek answers to one of the most pressing questions within our industry today – why has it been 20 years since an Australian film has reached number one at our box office, and what can we do to make a change for the better?

What do you think? Visit www.advanceausfilm.com now.

Watch the trailer here and share with your friends! Thanks!