The Knowledge - Natalie Miller
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.
Natalie Miller - biography
A pioneer of Australian arthouse cinema, Natalie Miller is best known for being the first independent woman distributor in Australia, and as the successful co-founder of the iconic Cinema Nova. Her distribution successes have included The Tree of Wooden Clogs, An Angel at My Table, The Dinner Game, Love Is The Devil and Repulsion.
At the Cinema Nova, Miller and her management team are also known for their innovative and risk-taking programming. Their initiatives include the ‘Cry Baby’ sessions for parents with young children; ‘Script Alive’ sessions, performances and discussions of unproduced screenplays in development by local filmmakers; extensive short film programs and their renowned Q&A sessions with local and international feature filmmakers.
Since 1975, Natalie has been active behind the scenes through membership of boards and committees of Government and independent film organisations. Natalie is a passionate supporter of independent films and filmmakers, and of women’s involvement in the industry
Chapter 1 - The early years - 10 minutes
- Starting distribution (1967) with Exterminating Angel
- Motivated by frustration
- Borrowed money from brother
- Expanding into exhibition with Longford
- Brought up in business world of parents (retail)
- Balanced career with family
- Took opportunity to expand exhibition interstate
Video downloads
Chapter 2 - Assessing films, working with filmmakers - 9 minutes
- Australian films assessed on same basis as foreign films
- Read a lot of scripts, esp. on the Board of Film Victoria
- Early adopter of digital cinema
- Also was early adopter of designer cinema
- Like to have filmmaker close to audience
- Limited involvement for the producer with marketing campaign
Video downloads
Chapter 3 - Changes in the business - 14 minutes
- Recent years, change in distribution for arthouse
- Risk on challenging arthouse has increased
- Not much formal exit polling, but personal observation
- Timing always critical
- Marketing costs (anecdote on rating a foreign language film)
- Distribution not a good business
- Exhibition no better
- Competing with home entertainment via ‘pure’ programming
- Must carefully watch the bottom line
Video downloads
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