South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972. Former State Premier Don Dunstan played an instrumental role in the foundation of the Corporation and its early film production activities.
The Corporation was the first State film corporation established in Australia, and the success of its business model led other State Governments also to establish similar bodies charged with the promotion of film production and fostering industry development.
At the time of the Corporation's establishment, the Australian film industry was in the doldrums, and the Corporation played a significant role in the revival of Australian film making.
Until 1994, the Corporation was involved in the production of films and television programs.
Since then, it has focussed on supporting the production of films and television in South Australia, including providing funding and support, as well as making available production and post-production facilities.
The Corporation has studio facilities situated at Hendon in suburban Adelaide.
Major productions
The Corporation produced several significant and successful films and television productions, including:
- The Fourth Wish
- Storm Boy
- Sunday Too Far Away
- Picnic at Hanging Rock
- The Club
- The Last Wave
- The Shiralee (TV)
- Napoleon (1995 film)
- Breaker Morant
- Sara Dane
- Playing Beatie Bow
- Money Movers (1978)
- Blue Fin
- The Irishman
- Hammers Over the Anvil
- McLeod's Daughters
- The Plumber (1978)
- Under Capricorn (TV)
- Robbery Under Arms (TV)
Influence on Australian film making
The Corporation's activities helped rebuild Australia's dormant film industry.
Besides its successful productions, which had critical and commercial success, the Corporation's productions helped to launch successful careers for many artists, including Peter Weir, Jack Thompson, Scott Hicks, Rolf de Heer, Mario Andreacchio, Geoffrey Rush and Bruce Beresford.
As with most production companies, not every Corporation production so far has been a critical or financial success, but each has helped to give artists opportunities to hone their craft, and move on to achieve success and professional recognition.
Current activities
Since 1994, the role of the Corporation has changed to that of facilitating productions, rather than engaging in production itself.
Its most conspicuous success in recent years has been the facilitation of the production of the popular Nine Network program McLeod's Daughters since 2001, which is filmed on location in rural South Australian settings.
The Corporation has high quality post-production facilities which have been used in connection with a broad range of productions.