Confidence does trick for Ginnane

Tag : steel box spring

THE Screen Producers Association of Australia has a new presidentafter a surprisingly competitive election between three candidates.Antony Ginnane, one of the stars of the new documentary Not QuiteHollywood for his contributions to 1970s Australian cinema, beatincumbent Trish Lake and Michael Bouchier. He will take the role from September 25. Screentime executivedirector Bob Campbell was elected unopposed as SPAA vice-president.Ginnane has been based in Los Angeles for 10 years with his filmdistribution business, IFM. He will move to his Melbourne office,as he is one of many hoping to return to local film production withthe new producer offset incentive. Expect one of his films to be areworking by Not Quite Hollywood director Mark Hartley of Ginnane's1978 thriller with Richard Franklin, Patrick. It is an intriguingperiod for Australian film and his confidence may be key in someheady battles to come.
THE incoming chief executive of the new mega-agency ScreenAustralia made a debut of sorts on Radio National's Media Report.Understandably, Ruth Harley was short on substance about what mighthappen when she begins in November, although she didn't dismissformer Film Finance Corporation chief Brian Rosen's criticisms ofthe structure. She has been chief executive of the New Zealand FilmCommission for more than a decade and it is said she moved intothat job amid similar concerns about that agency, since resolved.But Harley's comments about Australian films she has seen hascaused some mirth. She highlighted Rolf de Heer's Ten Canoes as"a breathtakingly good film". The only other two shementioned were Romulus, My Father and Radiance: films by new ScreenAustralia board members Robert Connolly and Rachel Perkins. Rosen'scriticism of the new organisation being wasteful and bureaucraticis strengthened by key appointments there. Producers Tristram Mialland Glenys Rowe have been appointed interim evaluation managers inthe production support and investment division until December 31.They replace Tait Brady, who is now SA's executive director ofmarketing support and promotion, and Scott Meek, who will remain asa consultant. It's no reflection on Miall (who produced StrictlyBallroom and The Black Balloon) and Rowe (former general manager ofSBS Independent), but two jobs becoming 3 1/2 jobs is hardly theefficiency expected from the merger.
THE Dark Knight has finally been knocked off the top spot at theAustralian box office. In its sixth week of release, the Batmanfilm was trumped by new comedy Tropic Thunder, directed by andstarring Ben Stiller, as it was in North America two weeks ago.Tropic Thunder earned $3 million during the weekend, ahead of TheDark Knight's $1.3 million. Not that anyone associated with thefilm, starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, should beperturbed: it has earned $41.7 million here and is already theeighth highest grossing film in Australian history.
THE Batman film is one of the Warner Bros studio's many superherofranchises. With some candour, Warner Bros Pictures group presidentJeff Robinov told The Wall Street Journal this week of plans forits other superheroes. And in what is as close as corporate cinemagets to a mea culpa, he admitted Superman would be rebooted."(Superman Returns) didn't quite work as a film in the waythat we wanted it to," he said. "It didn't position thecharacter the way he needed to be positioned." That is a slapfor actor Brandon Routh, who played the Man of Steel, directorBryan Singer and for the prospects of the Batman v Superman movie.Robinov all but said he expects a darker version of Superman.Warner Bros is expected to announce its plans for future DC Comicsadaptations soon, including its third Batman film, the new filmreintroducing Superman, and two movies featuring other DC Comicscharacters that are likely to spring from projects in development,featuring Green Lantern, Flash, Green Arrow and Wonder Woman. Whilemany Australians who worked on Superman Returns in Sydney may bedisappointed by the slapdown, those who expected to work on GeorgeMiller's Justice League of America have more reason to worry. FromRobinov's comments, it does not appear to be part of Warner'splans.