Fraser Film Release and Photographic Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production, Film distribution |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Founder | Archie Fraser, Colin Fraser |
| Defunct | 1922 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy and liquidation |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Key people | Giuseppe Borsalino (investor), Franklyn Barrett (director), Raymond Longford (director), Alfred Rolfe (director) |
| Products | Feature films, short films, documentaries |
Fraser Film Release and Photographic Company was an Australian motion picture enterprise established in 1912 by siblings Archie and Colin Fraser. The company functioned both as a film distributor, bringing international films into Australia, and as a production studio responsible for creating shorts, feature films, and documentaries.
Initial financial support originated from Italian entrepreneur Giuseppe Borsalino, who invested in Italian cinema and utilized Fraser Films to handle distribution within the Australian market. Prominent directors connected with the firm included Franklyn Barrett, Raymond Longford, and Alfred Rolfe.
Although the company experienced early accomplishments, Fraser Film Release encountered considerable difficulties due to the dominance of the "combine" formed by Australasian Films and interruptions in European film production caused by World War I, which affected their imported offerings. These challenges culminated in a bankruptcy proceeding in 1918. The business ceased operations in 1922 and underwent formal liquidation by 1938.
Select credits
- Whale Hunting in Jarvis Bay (1913) – documentary
- A Blue Gum Romance (1913) – feature film
- The Life of a Jackeroo (1913) – feature film
- The Silence of Dean Maitland (1914) – feature film
- We'll Take Her Children in Amongst Our Own (1915) – short film
- The Day (1914) – feature film
- Ma Hogan's New Boarder (1915) – short film
- The Unknown (1915)
- The Sunny South or The Whirlwind of Fate (1915) – feature film
- Murphy of Anzac (1916) – feature film
- Film adaptation of Eugene Aram