MediaWave: Tell us a bit about your background and how you arrived at ScreenLaunch.

Ross Howden: I have worked in the film and television industry for over 15 years as a film producer, sales representative and entertainment technologist. ScreenLaunch is the accumulation of this work to create an entity that will help increase the presence of Australian film content and assist filmmakers, particularly first time filmmakers, to move forward.  ScreenLaunch has become a sales, distribution and marketing company and works closely with filmmakers to get the best strategy for their films.  It may be a social networking campaign, a theatrical release, an event launch or simply putting them in touch with a key player overseas. We encourage new innovative models, as well as respecting and using traditional methods to promote Australian digital screen content.

MediaWave: What problems can ScreenLaunch help Australian screen content creators solve?

Ross Howden: The paucity of Australian sales agents and the financial drain on local distributors ‘supporting’ Australian films for many years, has created a difficult and at times stifling environment for fresh Australian screen talent, particularly feature films. ScreenLaunch takes a global view of finance and distribution. We believe that the need for traditional distributors and international sales agents, who cherry pick Australian films and take the profits overseas, is reducing.  We need to think globally. ScreenLaunch sees the audience as one audience, whether they be local or on the other side of the world. Digital technology and Internet revenue models are here already.  Filmmakers need to learn how to use them or work with companies that do – there is nothing wrong with collaboration, after all most filmmaker would probably prefer to be making films than trying to sell them. MediaWave: What was your involvement with The Tunnel? Ross Howden: ScreenLaunch is proud to be working with the producers Enzo Tedeschi and Julian Harvey, who through thinking outside the box have managed to finance and distribute a film without relying on federal government assistance.  ScreenLaunch is assisting with international sales of The Tunnel and screened the film at the Cannes Film Market in May.  We helped create buzz around the film internationally through an ‘on the ground’ Cannes campaign, obtaining traditional press and coverage on influential international blogs such as Ted Hope’s “Hope for Film”. The Tunnel opens theatrically in North America this week and the producers are currently in discussion with distributors in Europe.

MediaWave: Can you see the strategies used to monetise The Tunnel working on other projects?

Ross Howden:  Certainly, it already is! If you can create a buzz and have a film which attracts an audience then the internet can be a very successful way to finance and distribute a feature film.  Look at the way The Tunnel has moved from a great PR campaign using BitTorrent on to online DVD and iPad App sales and then scoring a North American theatrical release. But it’s not for all films, again it’s thinking about your audience first, which will then dictate the correct strategy.

MediaWave: Can you see a way to get tax-payer funded feature films out to more Australian eyeballs?

Ross Howden:  Unfortunately, the current out-dated government financial assistance for film production can involve selling our films prematurely to overseas sales agents and forcing them on to reluctant local distributors. It’s no wonder these Australian films can sometimes end up being left unloved and never seen by the Australian public who in some cases have funded over 70% of the film.   We feel that with the National Broadband initiative, there can be an Australian Channel that allows every connected Australian taxpayer to see the projects they have paid for.  Obviously this system would have to be carefully introduced so as not to disrupt local revenue opportunities – in fact, by allowing competition it could increase them.  Screen Australia’s own recently released report shows that the cinema is not the screen where most Australian’s are viewing, so why are our government funding models and tax benefits still geared towards such a small part of the population – the cinema going public?

MediaWave: What do think are the most important one or two things that people developing screen content should plan for?

Ross Howden: The key is to identify the audience. The audience will often dictate who you should be talking to and how you will finance your idea. For example, if it’s a theatrical audience then you need to start talking to the distributors who will help get you there and you can tap into government money. If it’s an audience who mainly watches online material then start thinking about distributors who deal in this space or even self distribution and maybe you can crowd finance. Or if its a film festival audience then this means you need to know the festival circuit, develop relationships with people who know the festival selectors and don’t forget Screen Australia, who may help finance and also have strong links to industry bodies overseas.

MediaWave: If you had to pick one development in 2011 that had the most significance for Australian screen content creators, what would it be?

Ross Howden:  Oddly, it was an acquisition rather than technological development.  It was the purchase of Bigpond movies by Quickflix and the subsequentSonydeal, signalling a strong move into the online space.  This is a clear sign that the internet content providers now see the value in screen content and it is becoming less and less about delivery platforms but about who has the rights.   The National Broadband initiative is changing the playing field and we need to be careful that Australian companies learn very very quickly how to play the games that our overseas colleagues have been playing for many years. It’s true that “Content is king”, but internet rights rule!