Robert Connolly thinks so. In his white paper Embracing Innovation: a new methodology for feature film production in Australia, Robert offers a 10-step plan for reducing production costs. Proposed measures include:

- a first dollar share for filmmakers
- fair returns for cast and crew
- more realistic budget models
- simplified reporting obligations

Many of these measures will be controversial. All of them are worth debating.

• Monologue to dialogue
• Audience as creators
• Building audiences
• Multiple revenue streams
• A new business model
• Abundance of broadband
• It’s all about the story

• What is transmedia?
• Interactivity and talking back
• Engaging the audience
• Authorship will be many-stranded
• Content plus context
• User-generated content
• Generation C
• Brands as clues
• Social influencers
• Find Filter Forward
• Virtual currencies
• Multiple revenue streams
• Funding transmedia
• Crowdfunding
• A different mind think
• Creativity makes everything work
• Fail fast

• The power of a distributor
• The value of a distributor
• The money trail
• Minimising the downside
• It’s not a business for the fait hearted
• Instinct plus rationale
• Windows are collapsing
• Increase in online distribution
• Always a place for exhibition
• You need a passion for the industry
• A crazy sexy business

• Serving the audience
• Financing screen content
• Committees stifle innovation
• More effective government support
• Putting the money on the screen
• Failure is essential
• An exciting new world

Yet for many in the film and television industries, the digital world remains a scary and difficult place. Business models are unclear, the audience is fragmented and the distribution models are too complex, too open or both. Additionally, the digital world has its own unique terms, unfamiliar or even puzzling to film and TV producers.

Education is the key to resolving these uncertainties. In particular, producers need to understand three key concepts:

1. how to distribute content in the digital space,
2. how to create an audience for this content and
3. how to generate a return from it.

Written by digital media expert Jennifer Wilson, this helpful guide is designed to assist both new and established screen content producers in getting to grips with online distribution, audience dynamics and monetisation.

This paper has been jointly supported by Screenrights and AFTRS, and is a companion piece to Jennifer’s paper The digital deadlock: How clearance and copyright issues are keeping Australian content offline.

• Driving factors in distribution
• Reaching audiences
• Greater accessibility
• The experience of cinema
• The x-factor
• Advice for emerging filmmakers

• An industry of ideas
• Cinema is the business of the Director
• 100% instinct
• Curating content
• Reaching audiences
• Independents are the talent base
• The biggest bonfire on the hill
• Independents will always survive
• Live a rich life

• Conviction is key
• Don’t do it on your own
• Lightning in a bottle
• Failure makes us stronger
• Sustainable filmmaking
• Competing with Hollywood
• Directors are brand
• The savvy audience
• Concepts and story
• Story is everything