Funding of Digital Media projects in Victoria2

Digital media content and projects are unique in the sense that the delivery of the content is developed for and across a diverse range of media. Unlike a production developed for a traditional broadcast medium (such as television or film), digital projects have multiple platforms of delivery and also may range from mediums such as online (websites, social networking software), games (Wii, ps3 and Nintendo), mobile phone as well television. Growing consumer interest in digital media technology has mirrored interest in new media from a production perspective and advancements in technology. To the extent that most film bodies in the country now have digital media funding programs.

The process of funding digital media projects in Victoria is a two tiered process (see Funding of Digital Media projects: An Overview) which involves scoping (investigating, developing and researching a project) and prototyping. (developing the project and gaining support from distributors and publishers) The Digital Media funding program has been in place at Film Victoria for a number of years and reflects the growing number of new and digital media projects being developed by Victorian producers.

Recently they have made changes to their policy by redefining how the fund projects by assessing changes to the market. They moved away from a focus on digital animation and began to consider projects which had online, mobile, wireless, console or pc modes of delivery. In our interview with the Digital Media Manager, Amelia King relayed the importance of supporting the development of ideas in Digital media projects across all platforms, explaining, "‘what we are hoping to do is to get some idea that we haven’t thought of because we are really not on the coal face in that way in terms of creating and developing ideas and we are hoping people will pick up an i-phone and see its got movement and ask, ‘what can I do that is amazing and really different,’ “" (see Transcript of Interview with Amelia King)

In the interview, King stated that approximately one in every three of the digital media projects that Film Victoria invests in achieves commercial success. (see Transcript of Interview with Amelia King) The success of a digital media project is based on a combination of content, ability to deliver across a range of platforms, it’s business plan and an in depth understanding of both the local and the international market place.

When asked about the importance of content and narrative in a decision to fund a digital media project by Film Victoria, King explained that while content was important, it was not always necessary. ‘we have invested in a social networking website so its not so much about the narrative as it’s about those modules and components that…come together to make that social networking site a success.’ However, King also reinforced growing role that content and narrative will have in the, ‘next generation of console games because they are so powerful and cinematic.’ (see Transcript of Interview with Amelia King) “Animalia,” based on the illustrated book written by Graeme Base was a project that was funded by Film Victoria. King suggested that while there had been a number of recent Children’s TV and online-related digital media projects that the amount of content for children has dwindled in the past 3 years. King explains, ‘a lot of websites tend to be focussed on children. We had a number of Children’s projects a few years ago but not so much at the moment…. And I think this is because there has been a transference of focus onto more of the social networking.’ However King has recognised the strength of children’s games coming through the new Wii consoles and more interactive-based games.

The growing popularity of interactive video games for children (on consoles like Wii) are reflected in programs also run by the ACMI. We spoke to a volunteer at the ACMI who explained that central to most of the new media projects for kids was an emphasis on interactive video gaming and storytelling. (see Case Study 2: ACMI) The introduction of the Wii console into the Australian market has had a role in reshaping how kids participate in the content itself. This is again reflected in the type of projects for children being submitted to Film Victoria for funding.

In Victoria, $500,000 is the maximum amount of money a producer can expect to receive from the Digital Media funding program. King explains that, ‘$500,000 is the largest investmen6t we make and that’s very specifically targeted to the next generation, which is your Wii, ps3 and xbox 360.’ (see Transcript of Interview with Amelia King). CEO of Jonathan M Shiff productions, Jonathan Shiff made reference in an interview (link to interview) to the incredible cost of producing large-scale multimedia productions. He was quoted as saying, ‘insert quote here’ during a vodcasted interview. However in our separate interviews with Amelia King and Jonathan Shiff respectively, both mentioned how, while high-end CGI type production could be very expensive, that the content doesn’t necessarily have to be high-end. King explains, ‘I think another thing is it’s much cheaper to develop and produce in the digital media so you should see a lot more niche targeted produced so it doesn’t have to be necessarily high-end.’ Jonathan Shiff (insert stuff here)…..

However both do agree that to produce large scale digital media productions a relatively significant amount of funding and financial backing is required. King explains, ‘If you are working on next generation (platforms) it is almost impossible (to fund digital media projects) because most of the demos we develop range from $500 to close to a $1 million. The sustainability the digital media industry in Victoria and Australia is still relatively unproven because of the youth of the industry. However King believes that is had the potential to eventually become sustainable. She places emphasis on the digital media industry developing a strong business and network with both local and international markets. King also differentiates between the types of digital media projects enjoying success on the local and international markets. King identifies video games as the focus of international investors and suggests that digital productions with delivery across many different platforms (i.e mobile phone, online, voting elements etc etc) as being more successfully placed within the local Australian market.

LINKS

 * (see Transcript of Interview with Amelia King)
 * (see Film Victoria website [])
 * (back Funding of Digital Media projects in Victoria)