Funding cuts jeopardising livelihoods in the arts

Film development agency MetroScreen will close its doors in December after having its $250,000 grant from Screen Australia axed.

Equity director Zoe Angus said the mentorship programs and funds administered by Metro Screen have been a vital lifeline for much emerging talent in the screen industry.

“The deep cuts we witnessed in two consecutive budgets continue to have a direct impact on training and career opportunities for those in the arts sector.  Metro Screen’s closure at the end of the year will be another blow to the screen industry as a result of these cuts and the impact will felt for many years to come.”

At a #ValeMetro farewell party last week the agency released a final report – Emerging Visions: Career Pathways in the Australian Screen Production Industry – which warned of the resource gap for emerging filmmakers as they transition from “earning to learning”.

In the Guardian, MEAA member Van Badham wrote that the cancellation of Tropfest 2015 and demise of MetroScreen show once again that governments have a role to play in nurturing the local film industry.

“Emerging filmmakers rely on only a handful of opportunities to make movies if they aren’t lucky enough to have the personal wealth or privilege to capitalise their projects through private networks. This is not how you build an industry.” she wrote.

Metro Screen will close on December 23 with the loss of 15 staff and 60 contractors. Hobart-based Wide Angle Tasmania will close next June and QPIX shut last year.

Message to MetroScreen

The Australian screen industries guilds and associations would like to thank and honour Metro Screen.

Set up in 1981, Metro Screen has played an essential and much valued role in the Australian screen industry and has formed that important – and essential - bridge between training and working in the screen industry.

So many of those working in the screen industry today have a debt to Metro Screen, whether it be from taking a course, using their resources or benefiting from one of the many mentorship or funding programs administered by Metro Screen.

Thank you for being there for the past 34 years and for all you have done for so many of our members.

Vale Metro Screen

Australian Cinematographers Society
Australian Directors Guild
Australian Guild of Screen Composers
Australian Production Design Guild
Australian Screen Editors
Australian Screen Sound Guild
Australian Writers’ Guild
Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance
Screen Producers Australia
Women in Film & Television