Jump to content

South Australian Film Corporation

From Alfawiki
South Australian Film Corporation
Company typeStatutory entity
IndustryFilm production and development
Founded1972
Headquarters
Adelaide
,
Australia
Area served
South Australia
Key people
Kate Croser (CEO)
ProductsFilm and television production, industry support, funding programs
OwnerGovernment of South Australia
Websitewww.safilm.com.au

South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a statutory entity established by the South Australian Government in 1972, dedicated to film production and fostering the regional film industry. Headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, SAFC oversees the Adelaide Studios, which serve as a resource for South Australia's filmmaking community.

1972–2000

Created through the South Australian Film Corporation Act under the Dunstan administration, SAFC’s mission was to “stimulate and encourage the formation and continued development of the South Australian film and television industry.” At a period when the national film sector was experiencing decline, SAFC was pivotal in revitalising it, with Premier Don Dunstan playing a crucial role in its establishment and early projects.

In its early years, SAFC partnered with various government departments to produce short documentaries and educational content, collaborating with entities such as the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Marine & Harbors, Education Department, Office of Fair Trading, and Department of Housing.

During the 1980s, the corporation shifted its emphasis toward television production, relocating to a former Philips manufacturing facility in Hendon, located in Adelaide’s northwest suburbs. Drama production was overseen by Jock Bair during this period.

By 1994, SAFC discontinued direct film production and transitioned into serving as the state government’s primary agency supporting independent filmmakers. Its final production was the television mini-series The Battlers. As Australia's inaugural state film corporation, SAFC’s success inspired other states to create comparable organisations aimed at advancing film production and industry development.

From that point forward, SAFC has focused on providing funding and support for film and television projects within South Australia while offering access to professional production and post-production facilities.

21st century

SAFC played a supporting role in the production of the Nine Network series McLeod's Daughters (2001–2009), which was filmed on location in rural areas of South Australia.

2008: relocation

In 2008, South Australian Premier and Arts Minister Mike Rann obtained cabinet approval for a government-funded relocation of SAFC at an investment of A$43 million. The initiative included constructing new sound stages, mixing suites, and refurbishing a historic 19th-century building into a modern film production centre. SAFC shifted its operations to Glenside, occupying the former administrative building of Glenside Hospital alongside production company Closer Productions. The upgraded Adelaide Studios were officially inaugurated by Rann on 20 October 2011.

2009–2012: FilmLab

FilmLab was introduced in 2008 as a low-budget feature film program with an allocated budget of A$4.2 million aimed at producing eight films over four years, encompassing all stages from development to marketing. In May 2009, four teams were chosen from a shortlist of fourteen: Sophie Hyde, Bryan Mason, and Matt Cormack (Closer Productions); Hugh Nguyen and Eddie White (People's Republic of Animation); Julie Ryan (Cyan Films) alongside Matthew Bate (Plexus Films); and Ashlee Page with Sonya Humphrey (Sacred Cow Films). Operating until 2012, FilmLab launched careers for over a dozen filmmakers and delivered notable works including Shut Up Little Man, 52 Tuesdays, and The Infinite Man. This initiative was later revived in 2021 under Film Lab: New Voices.

2017–present

In 2017, the Corporation revealed the TV series Soccer Swap, a collaborative production involving Australia's 57 Films and China's Qingdao TV.

That same year saw the inauguration of the Heysen Hicks Set Construction Studio, named to honor filmmakers Scott Hicks and Kerry Heysen AM.

The reboot of the Mortal Kombat video game series by James Wan represented the largest film project ever undertaken in South Australia. Announced in May 2019, this film proceeded into pre-production and was filmed locally before its release in April 2021.

In August 2019, after a tenure of 15 months, CEO Courtney Gibson stepped down and relocated back to Sydney. Shortly afterward, South Australian producer Kate Croser, who possesses substantial experience within Australian film and television industries, was appointed as the new CEO.

Amanda Duthie, appointed Head of Production, Development, Attraction and Studios in late 2018 and serving as acting CEO after Gibson’s exit, resigned in November 2019 to return to Sydney.

Governance and funding

Initially, the Corporation reported to the state Minister for the Arts until March 2018. From then until July 2018, oversight transferred to Premier Steven Marshall, after which responsibility shifted to the Department of Innovation and Skills. Since 1996, funding had been channeled through Arts SA (later Arts South Australia) until its dissolution by the Marshall administration in late 2018.

In June 2019, the South Australian government notably boosted film industry funding by granting a one-off contribution to SAFC’s Screen Production Investment Fund, with Mortal Kombat identified as a key recipient.

First Nations Screen Strategy 2020–2025

Introduced in November 2020 alongside Channel 44 (Adelaide), the First Nations Screen Strategy 2020–2025 outlines SAFC’s dedication to Indigenous storytelling. The First Nations Advisory Committee features prominent industry members including Elaine Crombie, Natasha Wanganeen, and Major Moogy Sumner.

Film Lab: New Voices

Launched in 2021 through a partnership between SAFC and the Adelaide Film Festival (AFF), with collaboration from Mercury CX and backing from Screen Australia, "Film Lab: New Voices" supports emerging filmmakers via a year-long low-budget feature film initiative. Each creative team is required to include participants from under-represented sectors such as women, First Nations, CALD communities, Deaf and disabled individuals, LGBTQIA+, or regional backgrounds.

During its first cycle, from 49 teams submitting 63 projects, three were chosen for further development. The selected team received funding to produce Monolith, which premiered at the 2022 AFF. The other two projects—In The Mati and In The Storm—remain in development seeking completion financing.

The second cycle commenced in August 2021, with seven projects shortlisted by February 2022. To comply with the First Nations Screen Strategy goals, one selected team was required to include at least two Indigenous members. The winning team created the animated sci-fi comedy Lesbian Space Princess, which debuted at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2024. The two runners-up were each awarded $20,000 grants for script development on For the Record and The Forgotten.

Impact on Australian Cinema

The Corporation significantly contributed to the resurgence of Australia's film sector, motivating other states to create comparable organizations. During the 1970s, its productions garnered both critical acclaim and box office success, helping to launch the careers of prominent figures such as Peter Weir, Jack Thompson, Scott Hicks, Rolf de Heer, Mario Andreacchio, Bryan Brown, Geoffrey Rush, and Bruce Beresford.

Adelaide Studios has provided production support for feature films including The Babadook, Hotel Mumbai, Storm Boy, I Am Mother, and Mortal Kombat, as well as a variety of television programs.

Screen Creatives Hub

As of January 2024, Adelaide Studios serves as a base for numerous film-related enterprises such as the Adelaide Film Festival, Body Image Movement, Closer Productions, Highview Productions, and Triptych Pictures.

Highview Productions, established in 2019 by producer Lisa Scott, has delivered acclaimed works including the feature film A Sunburnt Christmas and TV series like The Tourist, along with Janet King and The Hunting. Hailing from New South Wales, Scott trained at AFTRS and gained experience at ABC Television before moving into independent production. Highview was chosen to host the SBS Emerging Writers' Incubator, backed by SBS, Screen Australia, and SAFC. In 2024, Scott participated in the Global Producers Exchange and joined an Adelaide Film Festival delegation at the Marché du Film in Cannes. She is currently collaborating with Rebecca Summerton of Closer Productions on a television adaptation of Adelaide author Pip Williams' best-selling novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words. Actor and writer Elena Carapetis contributes as a story consultant for Highview.

Triptych Pictures, co-led by Kristian Moliere (formerly with Smoking Gun Productions) and Julie Byrne, has produced feature films such as The Babadook, Lucky Country, and The Survival of Kindness (2022); the TV miniseries Wake in Fright; along with YouTube content created for Danny and Michael Philippou.

Notable Productions

The following titles appear on the SAFC "Made in SA Showcase" webpage.

SAFC Production Credits

SAFC's Role as a Production Facilitator

See also

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=South_Australian_Film_Corporation&oldid=49302"