The Knowledge - Alan Finney
CSB has been working for months on an exciting project with film journalist Andrew Urban of Urbancinefile. We’re interviewing film and television practitioners about their business experiences.
Our aim is to develop a deeper understanding about the history of business decision-making in film and television and to share with our audience the wisdom from the accumulated mistakes, experiments and achievements of the contributors.
Alan Finney - biography
While studying law at the University of Melbourne during the 1960s, Finney became heavily involved in the University of Melbourne Film Society, film festival and film making activity. He also co-founded the La Mama Company, a performing group responsible for innovative Australian theatre of this period. He completed his law degree in 1969.
In 1971 he joined Roadshow Film Distributors working in advertising and promotion, which led to the formation of Hexagon Productions, the first ongoing joint venture between production and distribution entities in Australia, with Finney serving as executive director of the company and associate producer on movies such as Alvin Purple.
Between 1980 and 1987, Finney was in charge of national marketing and sales for Roadshow Film Distributors and, in 1988, was appointed general manager of distribution and marketing. In December 1989, Finney was appointed executive director of Roadshow Film Distributors and then in 1991, managing director. In 1996, Finney became the managing director of Australian production and director of new business development.
Buena Vista International sought Finney’s expertise in 1998 to launch and head up their Australian and New Zealand operations as vice president and managing director of Buena Vista International (Australia and New Zealand).
Finney was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2002 for services to the Australian film industry. He is also served on the board of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) until mid 2006 and is presently on the board of the Australian Film Institute (AFI).
Audio download
Chapter 1 - Background - 11 minutes
- Optimism in the film industry - and the media
- Developing a taste for film and entering the business
- Interest shifting from American to local film
- Writing study guides
- Start of Hexagon Films– unique business
Video downloads
Chapter 2 - Business in the 1970s and 1980s - 12 minutes
- Important period in Australian cinema
- Anything was possible in the early 70s
- Shared knowledge in the film business
- The business of Australian films in the 80s
- Marketing issues for films – the variables
- Business unpredictable
- Successful marketing is led by the film – developed in partnership between producers and distributors
Video downloads
Chapter 3 - Distribution - 12 minutes
- Producers and distributors working together
- Let the distributor do his job - and the filmmaker his
- Distributor risks around half a million dollars
- Business culture between Roadshow and BVI
- Theatrical release films must be characterised as ‘different’
Video downloads
Chapter 4 - Marketing - 11 minutes
- Not a good track record at picking scripts – I invest in the filmmakers
- Film as art and business
- Challenge: to take 100 minute film and turn out a poster
- Target audience
- Word of mouth the most powerful promotion
- Test screenings for Australian films
- Creating the right expectations
- Changes in advertising
Video downloads
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