Crisis in Australian Film Industry

considers from down under be going, well, down and under(Humphreys S cited in Kaufman T, 2009). This es recount volition confirm at that place is a crisis is the Australian germinate application through and through exploring the economical, political and cultural factors that lead to the crisis. The on-line(prenominal) economic modality and political decisions have had a significant contact on the Australian direct manufacture, leading to lower intersection evaluate of overseas characterizations in Australia.The internal and external cultural factors will be explored to highlight the responsibility the Australian public and the pains had and how ailing to bring these responsibilities has further deepened the already unfortunate circumstances in the exertion. merely there are economical, political and cultural factors that have led to the crisis in the exertion this essay will also explore why it is called a crisis. and so exploring the loss of Jobs, the escape of Australian selects being produced, and most importantly the eroding of a sense of depicted object personal identity that Australians gain through Australian cinema.Recent successful Australian scuds Australia (Alarm B, 2008) and pitch-black Balloon (Down E, 2008) represents the laity that characterisations should be produced to execute a successful exertion this reinforces the sense of nationhood at risk of being lost. in that respect is a common misconception that the strong Australian buck benefits the economy (Boded M, 2010). provided for the Australian film industry this is non the case, the Australian sawbuck bill has come up to a 28 year high (dell S, 2011) so it is justifiable to say this has significantly contri exactlyed to the crisis in the industry. have executives believe that the industry is in a crisis and in real pain but we scant tell the al bilgewater without sending your transnational customers running (unknown cited in Boded M, 2010). Therefor e, due to the strong dollar the film industry is in a lose-lose situation further deepen the crisis it is faced with. This is because international films being produced in Australia are significantly more expensive hence Australia cannot remain competitive in the global market.Alarms McFarland from idealistic Promotions states that the last international work that was produced in Australia was the 2009, Gavin Hood film Wolverine and sooner that, Bag Lorans Film Australia (2008) (Cited in Dingle S, 2011). This three-year drought in international film production in Australia exemplifies the importance of a particular economic climate in order to attract overseas production in Australia and to lead to a successful Film Industry. The strong Australian dollar has significantly reduced the amount of international films being produced in Australia in recent years.Rising Sun Pictures co-founder Tony Clark stated that the live economic climate is cleanup position us all and finding ne w business is crucial but close too impossible at this stage (cited in Boded M, 2010). This has led to a chain of inopportune circumstances, further elevating the extent of the crisis. Due to the lack of international film production in Australia there is significant quiesce in Jobs in the film industry. The current situation in the industry can be tagged as a crisis as production companies are cutting staff to reduce costs and then the ad and television (Dingle S, 2011).Production in Australia also creates employment through the use of stunt doubles, extras and film crew. The lack of overseas production will therefore event in limited Job opportunities in the industry. Therefore the strong dollar has a negative impact on the economy through the lieu of the film industry, as there are higher unemployment rates. Ultimately the Australian film industry lacks to position themselves differently within the current economic climate and market place to gain about straighten out of benefit from the current economic climate (Hear G, Ryan M D, 2010).Economic factors impart to the crisis in the industry can arguably be eliminated by political decisions. The Australian government has failed to introduce adequate appraise incentives to attract foreign film production in Australia, which is further stabilizing the current economic climate (Hear G, Ryan M D, 2010). Australian film commissioner Tracey Iberia believed the 15% levy offset reasonable wasnt strong adequate for overseas production to stay in Australia and the tax offset should be doubled to 30% (cited in Dingle S, 2011). The Government will re visualize Subfamilys proposal but some people in the industry fear it may be too late.Central City rod Allen believes tax incentives cannot lessen the effect of the high dollar and the incentives cant compensate enough now (cited in Boded M, 2010). However, others state that the tax s not a provide its designed to deliver significant inflows of external inves tment into Australia (McFarland cited in Dingle S, 2011). Thus questioning the feasibility of introducing a tax incentive and its might to seize the crisis in the Australian Film industry. Through exploring bygone tax incentives, it is evident that tax incentives do not cause enduring proceeds to an industry.The ABA scheme was first introduced in the sasss, which led to growth in discordant companies in and associated with the film industry. However tax incentive such as these can lead to an unstable bubble in the Australian Film industry, attracting film to be produced in Australia and as the tax deflates so does the production rate of films, causing a negative slum in the industry (Burns A, Lethal B, 2010). Through investigating past tax incentives, it is assemblen that incentives fail to create stability, through this the extent of the crisis is admitd by showing that tax incentives will not cease the crisis.The success or failure of the Australian Film Industry is often ba sed on the box authority success. However statistics from Screen Australia show that the 100 Australian eater films released between 2007-2009 had a total audience experienceing off million by February 2011 and altogether 6% was viewed at the cinema (Screen Australia). This indicates that basing the success of the Australian Film Industry on box office figures is not necessarily a operable source as the Box confidence save indicates a films wampum made in cinema.Film writer Linden Barber believes the film industry needs to get away from the fixation on the box office It doesnt matter where people see films as long as they view them (2008 cited in Kaufman T, 2009). Therefore can it be Justified hat the Australian Film industry is not in crisis, but purely the disapproving economic notion, however the industry can be recognized as being in a crisis by the lack of drive for Australians to view Australian films in cinema, therefore Australians are becoming deprived of a sense of national identity achieved through Australian film (Hear G, Ryan M D, 2010).One may be led to believe that Australians strong sense of nationhood and congratulate would entice them to watch Australian films to attain a sense of imagined participation (Anderson B, 2006). However this is not the case, Australians have become a viewing population- not a viewing nation (Vernon D, 2005) weakening the sense of imagined community overlap amongst Australians. The Ages film writer, Jim Schemers argues that a lack of marketing has put the industry in this predicament (cited in Kaufman T, 2009).Where as American films understand the importance of promotion, this recognizes the aboveboard ways American films dominate Australian films in the Box Office (Kaufman T, 2009). This American style of promotion may of lead to the booming success of the film Australia (Hear G, Ryan M D, 2010), which raked in an enormous $26,91 5,773 (Screen Australia) in the box office alone. This stresses that po ssibly internal factors of the industry are the cause of the crisis. The negative spots within the industry about the industry have transcended to Australian viewers.The 2008 film bare Balloon (Down E, 2008) displays images of Australians to its viewers and creates a sense of nationhood amongst viewers, however its co-writer had a different effect on the Australian public. Jimmy Jack singled out other nominees at the Australian Film industry awards when saying F*KC you With pride judge his award followed by a roaring applause. This highlights an industry comfortable insulting others in the industry (Kaufman T, 2009). Thus encouraging and tolerating a negative attitude towards the Australian film industry that the Australian public has accepted.This ultimately drives the issues in the film industry deeper into crisis. Australian cinema (not Just films produced in Australia) fosters an Australian story, representing and preserving Australian culture, character and identity (Marche r, 1999 cited in Hear G, Ryan M D, 2010). When exploring why the Australian film industry is babbled a crisis it is evident it is because of the erosion of national identity and a sense of imagined community, which can be achieved through Australian film.Bag Allurements film Australia (2008) uses imagery of the Australian landscape to display national identity thus uniting all Australians with a sense of imagined community (Simpson C, 2010). The film also recognizes the gender and racial discourses imprinted into Australians national identity (Hogan J, 2010) in an flack to create dialogue amongst Australians to help recognize and eliminate the issues. Ultimately Australia recognizes Australias past and encourages a brighter future for all Australians- indigenous or not.The film achieves this through creating a distinct shift in the attitudes of those within the industry by creating an indigenous film that is not Box Office poison (Simpson C, 2010). The film Australia (Lurching B, 2 008) represents the power Australian films hold over a sense of imagined community and national identity. Thus representing the lack of nationhood Australians will Unlike Australia (Lurching B, 2008) Elise Downs 2008 film Black Balloon displayed a ensue of Australians in a more subtle way.The film was the second highest grossing film in the Box office in 2008 to Australia, gaining $2,265,689 in the box office alone (Screen Australia). Although this was less than a tenth of what Australia (Lurching B, 2008) grossed, Black Balloon (Down E, 2008) may have created a more sustainable sense of nationhood. severalize to Australia (Alarming B, 2008), the film was not tainted by Hollywood (Parents O, Parker R, 2009), displaying an Australian genre of film and following a less dramatic more down-to-earth story line.Dominic Knight (from the Chasers) believes that few Australian filmmakers seem interested in depicting ordinary life (cited in Kaufman T, 2009). Hence Australian films need to m aintain their cinematic identity and produce films in which audiences want to see (Humphreys S, 2008 cited in Kaufman T, 2009). Thus supporting the success of Black Balloon (Down E, 2008) in verbalise a relatable Australian story (Evergreen D, 2005). This further highlights the extent of the crisis, as a sense of imagined community is lost. Through exploring the various driving factors that contributed to the crisis in theAustralian Film Industry it is evident that soon, if nothing has been done, the industry will be labeled a tragedy. The industry is sensitive to certain factors and relies heavily on a specific economic climate to attract overseas production. These external factors are beyond the industries control but still need to be addressed. Although some people within the industry believe it is too late, or that a tax incentive would not be effective in the semipermanent the government along side the Australian Film Industry should study options before it is too late.Throu gh acknowledging that the industry is in crisis one can only anticipate that Australians will recognize the importance that the film industry has in creating a sense of national identity and imagine community and re-evaluate their attitudes towards Australian cinema. The Australian film industry cannot control the external factors that are contributing to the crisis in the industry, however the industry, government and Australian public need to recognize the issues in order to salvage the industry and eliminate the factors that labels it as in a crisis.