By Will Tentindo
Screenwest, Western Australia’s funding and development agency, formally transitioned into an independent not-for-profit organisation today.
“We are no longer an incorporated association within the Department of Culture and the Arts,” said Screenwest board chair Janella Marr. “As of today, we are an independent Company Limited by Guarantee, responsible for our own governance and strategic direction.”
Screenwest will continue to be supported by the Western Australian Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, and Lotterywest.
In the past year, Screenwest introduced a $16 million Western Australian Regional Film Fund, funded by Royalties for Regions, helped create the Fielder St Creative hub at the ABC building in East Perth, and developed the Western Australian Screen Industry Diversity and Inclusion Roadmap.
The Western Australian film industry had a record breaking year in 2016/17 with 59 projects and over 80 hours of content filmed or post-produced in the state. Screenwest invested almost $8 million in the projects, with production budgets totaling a record $69 million.
The projects included six feature films, 13 documentary series, five documentaries, 16 short form projects, three digital/VR projects and 16 Indigenous Community Stories archival recordings.
“It will now be easier for us to partner with the business community, Federal departments and not-for-profit and philanthropic organisations,” Marr added. “This will increase the opportunities we can provide to the Western Australian screen industry.”
Screenwest is now governed by a new constitution with similarities to the previous constitution, but with updates that reflect the change in structure, changes in technology, and the organisation’s independence with the removal of references to the Minister. The organisation’s registered business name is Screenwest (Australia) Limited.
“We look forward to working with the industry and all our partners to continue to grow the Western Australian screen industry,” Marr said.
