Film Victoria is a statutory authority of the State Government of Victoria, Australia that provides strategic leadership and assistance for film, television, and digital media production in the Australian state of Victoria and worldwide. The authority invests in projects and people, and promotes Victoria as a world-class production destination nationally and internationally. It works closely with industry and government to position Victoria as a leader in the Australian knowledge and ideas economy through the growth and development of the screen industry.
History
Film Victoria was created as "a new statutory authority to be responsible for Government activities related to the production and distribution of film in Victoria including film for educational purposes" under an Act of the Victorian Parliament introduced by the Hon. Norman Lacy, Minister for the Arts, on 6 October 1981. The Act provided for Film Victoria to be established by the amalgamation of the Victorian Film Corporation, the State Film Centre and sections of the Audio Visual Resources Branch of the Education Department of Victoria. The purpose of the amalgamation was to avoid the unnecessary duplication of functions by the three organisations; to enhance the capacity of the Government to meet the present and future media needs of Victorians; to simplify access to film materials and to enlarge the benefits to be derived from the use of such materials. In 1997 the functions of Film Victoria were amalgamated with those of the State Film Centre, to form Cinemedia Corporation, under the Cinemedia Corporation Act 1997. In 2001 the Cinemedia Corporation was abolished and Film Victoria and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image were established as separate statutory authorities.
Functions
The functions of Film Victoria as set out in the Film Act 2001, are:
to provide financial and other assistance to the film, television and multimedia industry in Victoria;
to promote, whether in Victoria or elsewhere, the use of locations or services in Victoria for the production of any film, television or multimedia project;
to provide financial assistance, whether in Victoria or elsewhere, to organisations, events or activities including festivals, conferences, publications or exhibitions, where film or other screen-based programs are made, seen or discussed;
to establish and facilitate, whether in Victoria or elsewhere, relationships for the development of film, television or multimedia programs;
to provide leadership to the film, television and multimedia industry in Victoria;
to develop strategic plans for the development and improvement of the film, television and multimedia industry in Victoria;
to advise the Minister on matters relating to the film, television and multimedia industry in Victoria and
to develop relationships or enter into partnerships with other organisations, including government bodies, whether in Victoria or elsewhere, to improve the film, television and multimedia industry in Victoria.
