FTI (Western Australia)
FTI WA Inc. (formally the Film and Television Institute) was a screen resource centre located in Perth, Western Australia aimed at increasing the vibrancy of the screen sector, including film, television, games and interactive. Before relocating to Perth in May 2014, FTI occupied the heritage-listed old Fremantle Boys School completed in 1855. It was the WA member of Screen Development Australia (SDA), along with other members Metro Screen (NSW), Open Channel (Vic), QPIX (Qld), Media Resource Centre (SA), and Wide Angle Tasmania (Tas).
 Facade of FTI's old building in Fremantle | |
| Formation | 1971 (49 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Extinction | 2017 |
| Coordinates | 32.050837°S 115.749266°E |
FTI was a non-profit, membership based organisation providing members with low-cost equipment and facilities hire, production assistance and script consultation, as well as regular production grants for low budget filmmakers.
In 2014, FTI officially moved into the games and interactive space, hiring Kate Raynes-Goldie as its first Director of Interactive Programs, the first of its kind for a non-governmental Australian screen resource association.[1][2]
In May 2017 amid uncertainty around future funding, FTI announced that it would be closing down and merging with ScreenWest.[3]
Building
Until May 2014 when it moved to the State Library of Western Australia, FTI occupied the heritage-listed old Fremantle Boys School completed in 1855.[4][5] The building was designed by William Sanford in the Victorian Tudor Style constructed using convict labour the walls are limestone the roof has Dutch gables with shingle covering. Additions were carried out in 1910 by the Public Works Department. The building was placed on the Register of National Estates in March 1972, was given an interim listing on the State register in 1992.[6] It was given permanent listing on the State register as part of the Princess May Reserve in 2001.[7]
FTI WA Inc. has recently moved from the State Library of Western Australia and now occupies 48 Lake Street, Northbridge in a character building.
Funding grants
FTI administered many of the major funding grants available for short film and documentary production in Western Australia.
Philanthropy Program
FTI's Philanthropy Program has raised over $300,000 for West Australian screen projects since its inception on 2015.[8]
The Philanthropy Program allows organisations and people to donate funds to programs or specific screen projects, taking advantage of FTI's not-for-profit status. It is quite different to typical grant funding models, as it allows private sector donations to make contributions to projects year-round, with a minimum of administrative interference.
Raw Nerve
While being administered by FTI, the Raw Nerve scheme is an initiative of Screen Development Australia (SDA) in conjunction with Screen Australia.[9] It provides $5,000 worth of in-kind assistance (equipment and facilities rental) plus a $2,000 cash budget. This grant is available to all WA filmmakers, regardless of FTI membership. Recent films include:
| Year | Title | Producer |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Beware Drop Bears” | Casper Zielono and Cameron Thompson |
| 2010 | "Innocent Andy" | Neale Crawford |
| 2010 | "Play Lunch" | Cassandra Nguyen and Tamara Small |
| 2009 | "I will NOT be Outbid" | Tasha Stephenson and Mel Judkins |
| 2009 | "Trash Out" | Phillip Walker and Oriellie Tylor |
| 2009 | "The Washing line" | Penny Bedford and Megan Riley |
| 2009 | "Cashed Up Bogans” | Jules Duncan |
| 2009 | "Crows Feet" | Megan Palinkas |
| 2008 | "Strings" | Mark Alderson and Crystal McCallum |
| 2008 | "Shatter" | Gary Sewell and Vanessa Demaine |
| 2008 | "Contact" | Rowan Crosby and Christina Yiannakis |
| 2008 | "The Nappy Tree" | Christine Sistrunk |
| 2008 | "Victims" | Julia Ngeow and Gregg Johnson |
OOMPF
OOMPF stands for "One Off Members Production Fund". Similarly to Raw Nerve, it provides a $5,000 in-kind budget, but also $5,000 cash, up from Raw Nerve's $2,000.[10] As the name suggests, you must be a paid-up member of FTI to apply for the grant, and you can only receive it once. As of 2015, OOMPF also became available to game developers, thus providing WA's only game production funding.
Link
Link provides up to $30,000 cash, provided by ScreenWest, for WA filmmakers to create either a documentary, drama or animation project.[11] The concept behind the grant is that it provides the 'link' for early career filmmakers to move up to professional standards.
Hyperlink
Hyperlink is the next step up from Link, providing up to $70,000 for the creation of a film of 15 minutes or less duration.[12] Filmmakers are only eligible to apply for Hyperlink if they have already completed a Link funded or equivalently funded film
Notes
- . IF.com.au http://if.com.au/2014/02/07/article/FTI-Appoint-new-Director-of-Interactive-Programs/BNAVSSBPUE.html. Retrieved 27 March 2014. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - Crispen, Shanna (17 February 2014). "Film institute to support gamers". Business News. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- "FTI to consolidate with Screenwest - Screenwest". Screenwest. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- McKinnon, Alec G (1966), Fremantle Boys' School, 1854-1955, retrieved 20 November 2012
- "Interim Entry". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- "Film and Television Institute". State Register. State Heritage Office. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- "Princess May Reserve". State Register. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- "FTI Philanthropy Program". FTI WA Inc. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017.
- "Raw Nerve". Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 December 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- http://www.fti.asn.au/make/fund/link
- http://www.fti.asn.au/make/fund/hyperlink