There could be blood on the cutting room floor over the performance of the NT Film Office (NTFO ) which distributes about $250,000 to the film/television/multimedia industry. Complaints have been made to senior bureaucrats , the Chief Minister and no less than three Arts Ministers about alleged shortcomings in the NTFO model . On the face of the criticism , a terrifying re-enactment of the shower scene from Psycho could be in the offing.
A recent large bone of contention was the way a Visioning Project (VP) to define the way forward for NTFO was drawn up , and the failure to let the industry know its outcome. In a scene from Yes, Minister, this report is being tweaked by public servants before going to the latest Arts Minister, Gerry McCarthy.
The Visioning Project was conducted by Doug McNamara , a Canadian based international consultant, selected by the NTFO executive officer, Penelope McDonald. The terms of reference were drawn up without input by the NT industry. Despite reservations, the industry association, which goes under the Hitchcock- like horror movie acronym, FATANT , has not been given a copy of the report upon which to comment.
Indeed, a claimed lack of consultation by the NTFO was a major criticism voiced in the VP exercise. FATANT members say that criticism apparently fell on deaf ears ,or ,like that Hollywood epic, has Gone With the Wind. Not once, the VP was told, since the NTFO’s inception , five years ago, had the FATANT committee been able to sit down with the executive officer, based in Alice Springs, to discuss the industry or the NTFO direction for industry development . The idea of consultation seemed to be a variation of Breakfast at Tiffany’s- “ a quick cup of coffee or a phone call ” with individuals , “chats” rarely of a specific nature .
On September 16, a Screen Grants Funding Program was launched by the NTFO in Alice Springs. A release said the launch would give the screen industry the opportunity to hear first hand what funding would be available in 2009/10 and include the announcement of some “ exciting ” initiatives resulting from the Visioning Project . The Alice launch went ahead despite protests by FATANT to senior bureaucrats and Arts Minister Gerry McCarthy that there had been no consultation on the outcomes of the VP. As it turned out , there had been little change from the NTFO activities of previous years. The industry, however, was pleased that travel grants were re-introduced, made available to successful applicants to attend industry events deemed worthy by the NTFO. One of the worthy events to attract NTFO funding is the Asia Australia Media Executive Leadership Program , Singapore , in November. NTFO is offering two Territory producers or executives $10,000 each to attend the Singapore program run by Doug McNamara who conducted the VP for NTFO.
In a strange decision, a grant was made prior to the September 16 announcement in Alice to an event not listed as worthy by NTFO. Some weeks earlier, another industry participant inquired about travel grants and was told they were not yet available .The inference being they would have to wait until the program launch. Two FATANT applications for NTFO funding this year were rejected .
A recent large bone of contention was the way a Visioning Project (VP) to define the way forward for NTFO was drawn up , and the failure to let the industry know its outcome. In a scene from Yes, Minister, this report is being tweaked by public servants before going to the latest Arts Minister, Gerry McCarthy.
The Visioning Project was conducted by Doug McNamara , a Canadian based international consultant, selected by the NTFO executive officer, Penelope McDonald. The terms of reference were drawn up without input by the NT industry. Despite reservations, the industry association, which goes under the Hitchcock- like horror movie acronym, FATANT , has not been given a copy of the report upon which to comment.
Indeed, a claimed lack of consultation by the NTFO was a major criticism voiced in the VP exercise. FATANT members say that criticism apparently fell on deaf ears ,or ,like that Hollywood epic, has Gone With the Wind. Not once, the VP was told, since the NTFO’s inception , five years ago, had the FATANT committee been able to sit down with the executive officer, based in Alice Springs, to discuss the industry or the NTFO direction for industry development . The idea of consultation seemed to be a variation of Breakfast at Tiffany’s- “ a quick cup of coffee or a phone call ” with individuals , “chats” rarely of a specific nature .
On September 16, a Screen Grants Funding Program was launched by the NTFO in Alice Springs. A release said the launch would give the screen industry the opportunity to hear first hand what funding would be available in 2009/10 and include the announcement of some “ exciting ” initiatives resulting from the Visioning Project . The Alice launch went ahead despite protests by FATANT to senior bureaucrats and Arts Minister Gerry McCarthy that there had been no consultation on the outcomes of the VP. As it turned out , there had been little change from the NTFO activities of previous years. The industry, however, was pleased that travel grants were re-introduced, made available to successful applicants to attend industry events deemed worthy by the NTFO. One of the worthy events to attract NTFO funding is the Asia Australia Media Executive Leadership Program , Singapore , in November. NTFO is offering two Territory producers or executives $10,000 each to attend the Singapore program run by Doug McNamara who conducted the VP for NTFO.
In a strange decision, a grant was made prior to the September 16 announcement in Alice to an event not listed as worthy by NTFO. Some weeks earlier, another industry participant inquired about travel grants and was told they were not yet available .The inference being they would have to wait until the program launch. Two FATANT applications for NTFO funding this year were rejected .
