Australian Academy New ‘Stamp of Success’ For Screen Leaders

August 24, 2011 13:36

International interest in Australia’s best film and television productions and practitioners is expected to increase, following the launch of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA).

Launched by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), AACTA is a dynamic new peak peer assembly for leading Australian screen practitioners. AACTA’s primary role is to recognise, encourage, award and celebrate screen excellence in Australia, in particular through the Academy’s annual awards.

Geoffrey Rush has been named as AACTA’s Founding President, a move which is expected to add international weight to the organisation and its awards from an industry and public perspective.

Geoffrey Rush said:

"I am honoured to represent our industry as President of the newly-formed Australian
Academy. Over half a century ago the AFI was founded and since that time our film and television industries have developed beyond our wildest imaginings. Through the timely creation of AACTA we have a unique opportunity to galvanise the craft and talent this country endlessly produces.

"Now is the time to celebrate at home and abroad the brilliance and originality of our seasoned screen professionals, and establish AACTA as a stamp of success - a measure which is recognised around the world as the mark of excellence it represents."

Also unveiled by Geoffrey Rush at the Academy launch was the new gold-cast AACTA Award statuette, which will make its debut at the inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards presented in
Sydney in January 2012.

The inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards will be held in Sydney in January 2012 at the Sydney
Opera House – an internationally iconic landmark, which will assist in positioning the Awards ceremony as the global event it deserves to be. The gala red carpet Awards night will be televised on the Nine Network for the 7th consecutive year.

With the AFI Awards having been held in Melbourne for the last 10 years, the move to
Sydney follows a landmark three-year commitment from the NSW Government that further demonstrates its commitment to film and television and the staging of major Australian events.

The inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards will see a fresh new production for television as well as the establishment of Sydney offices to deliver a new benchmark for awards in Australia.

The inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards will take place in January, therefore integrating with the international awards season, which will also assist in positioning the Awards ceremony as a global event.

According to Damian Trewhella, AFI/AACTA CEO, the establishment of the Academy came following a 12-month organisational review, which included consultation with key individuals and organisations. During this time, an industry-wide survey showed support for an Academy model, which included key changes such as new memberships, a new Feature Film voting model and a new governance structure.

"Through our industry consultations, we identified a role which we can play in uniting the screen industry. AACTA provides the perfect platform for this. Key industry sectors and practitioners come together under 15 chapters based on their crafts and expertise - from actors to screenwriters, and from distributors and exhibitors, to television networks and screen culture organisations.

"Chapters are overseen by the President and an appointed Honorary Council, a group of individuals recognised as leaders and luminaries within their fields, who lead the Academy’s pursuit of excellence and assist with policy directions which augment this."

Honorary Councillors appointed to date include Jack Thompson, Abbie Cornish, Fred Schepisi, Jan Chapman AO, Claudia Karvan, Adam Elliot, Emile Sherman, Peter James ACS ASC, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Hobbs, Jan Sardi, Stuart Beattie, Rolf de Heer, Cappi Ireland, Tony Murtagh, David Hirschfelder, Aphrodite Kondos, Antony Partos, Elizabeth Drake, Ian Gracie, Jonathan Chissick and Andrew Mason.

Screen guild and professional association nominees include Tony Ginnane (former President of SPAA), Jacqueline Woodman (Executive Director, Australian Writers Guild), Ray Argall (President, Australian Directors Guild), Simon Whipp (Director, Equity Section, Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance), Ron Johanson ACS (President, Australian Cinematographers Guild), Jason Ballantine ASE (President, Australian Screen Editors), Trevor Harrison (President, Australian Screen Sound Guild), George Liddle (Secretary, Australian Production Design Guild), and Jo Smith (Executive Director, Australian Guild of Screen Composers).

Industry figureheads so far appointed include Mike Baard (Managing Director Universal
Pictures Australia, also AFI Director), Mike Selwyn (Managing Director and Vice President
Australia/New Zealand, Paramount Pictures), David Seargeant (Managing Director,
Amalgamated Holdings Ltd), Christoper Mapp (Managing Director, Omnilab Media), Bob Campbell (Executive Director, Screentime), Greg Coote (Chairman, Latitude Entertainment), Natalie Miller (Cinema Nova/Sharmill Films), Chris Puplick (Chair, NFSA), Tony Forrest (Chief Executive Officer, Movie Network Channels) and Stuart O’Brien (CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Sydney).

The Academy also draws on international best practice voting models, and will adopt a two-step voting model for Feature Films, which sees AACTA members short list nominees based on their area of specialisation, with the short list then voted on by the wider AACTA membership.

For further information, please see the new AACTA website: www.aacta.org

Contact details:

Location: (Nationwide)

Contact: Australian Film Institute

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