Metro Magazine : Articles by MATTHEW HANCOCK

	SERIES: THE BIG PICTURE SERIES EDITION: SIX TOPIC: BEYOND THE BOX OFFICE: WHY AUSTRALIA'S DVD RETAIL MARKET CONTINUES TO GROW IN THE FACE OF GLOBAL DECLINE ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 158 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2008 LENGTH: 2,000 WORDS EXTRACT: This series continues to build a bigger picture of filmed entertainment in the home, looking at economic indicators of retail DVD sales in Australia, the rise over the last decade and how Australia compares internationally. How might these trends change in a retailer environment that will inevitably accommodate both download-to-own and physical distribution methods? Revenues from user-pays transactions for filmed entertainment have recorded phenomenal growth over the last three decades. This global trend is largely due to the introduction of subscription television from the 1970s, video rental in the 1980s and video retail since the mid 1990s. Although the origins of filmed entertainment stem from the user-pays tradition of cinema exhibition, a tidal shift occurred with broadcast television, which took its lead from the ad-supported business model of radio. Despite television’s continued success in providing ‘free’ content, viewers have edged towards the greater variety and flexibility offered by subscription and video alternatives. Consider video retail, a relatively new revenue stream. Worldwide spending on video software was US$50.8 billion in 2006, of which US$34.6 billion was generated from retail sales. While the range of titles included in these sales go beyond movies alone, it is interesting to compare these figures against worldwide theatrical box office, which took just us$25.5 billion in the same year, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. As ‘home’ access to filmed entertainment increasingly migrates to an online delivery system, many pundits predict the revitalization of ad-supported business models. Much of this speculation draws on the internet’s enhanced audience measurement to better target advertising, thus leading to less obtrusive program interruptions – or at least, less viewer resistance to these interruptions.
	SERIES: THE BIG PICTURE SERIES EDITION: FIVE TOPIC: BEYOND THE BOX OFFICE: THE CHANGING FACE OF CHILDREN'S MEDIA CONSUMPTION ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 157 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2008 LENGTH: 2,000 WORDS EXTRACT: Over the last year ‘the Big Picture’ series has focused on what Australians are watching in cinemas and how they do it. Matthew hancock moves beyond the box office to the family home to see how children are spending their spare time, taking a look at a recent report published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. In this series, we’ve looked at cinema trends ranging from Australia’s domestic share and international comparisons to the growth of multiplexes and digital screens, audience demographics, attendance rates and the dominance of blockbusters in the cinematic food chain. but to truly look at the big picture, what we need is time to step out of the theatres and explore the changing way in which Australians are consuming filmed entertainment. You can speculate from personal experience and the observations of others, but getting your hands on statistical data that providesa lateral view of media consumption is easier said than done. there are plenty of figures that quantify cinema attendance, television ratings and internet penetration, but single platform measures such as these don’t offer insights into the daily balancing act in our consumption of communication, information and, of course, entertainment.
	SERIES: THE BIG PICTURE SERIES EDITION: FOUR TOPIC: THE BLOCKBUSTERS THAT WERE 2007 ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 156 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2008 LENGTH: 2,000 WORDS EXTRACT: Both the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia and the Australian Film Commission again spent the opening days of January tallying the performance of films at Australian cinemas in 2007. With the release of their annual analysis, we can now push the reviews to one side, momentarily forget the accolades and awards, and examine the most desirable performance measure of all: box office revenue. If you are a regular reader of statistical reports you will probably have experienced at one time or another a feeling I refer to as 'numbers fatigue'. Similar to writer's block, you find yourself staring blankly at a chart or table, scratching your head, searching for trends, trying to piece together a story told by the figures. Sometimes this story can take a lot of coaxing, but in the case of box office revenues, the statistics can be like watching the same film over and over again. Sure, there are variations to the narrative, there are sub-plots and underlying themes, but the premise is generally the same: 'blockbusters' drive ticket sales.
	SERIES: THE BIG PICTURE SERIES EDITION: THREE TOPIC: AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 155 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2007 LENGTH: 2,000 WORDS EXTRACT: The first of ‘The Big Picture’ series focused on content, highlighting box office performance of films screening in 2006. The second turned attention to production levels, exploring recent trends in the domestic share of international film producing communities. It’s fitting to complete the trifecta by addressing cinema exhibition in Australia. How many cinemas and cinema-goers are there, who and where are they, and how does cinema stack up against other types of cultural attendance? Arguably, the movie industry hasn’t changed all that much over the last 100 years. Like many, I lap up speculation of new and improved delivery platforms and buy into discourse of emerging distribution methods, but change is slow. Regardless of your perspective on areas of growth, it is still accepted that the industry is driven by ‘bums on seats’, and it is still true to say that financially the most valuable seats are not yet those in front of your computer or television, but those in dark rooms lit only by a flickering projector, occupied by people eating overpriced popcorn and sipping oversized soft drinks. These days the seats may be a little more comfortable, the audio may be violently loud and the picture dazzlingly large, but in essence it is the same experience in 2007 as it was in 1907.
	SERIES: THE BIG PICTURE SERIES EDITION: TWO TOPIC: AUSTRALIAN & INTERNATIONAL DOMESTIC SHARES ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 154 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2007 LENGTH: 2,000 WORDS EXTRACT: While the box office revenue share of Australian films is on the increase, it only takes one or two ‘big films’ to make a difference. So before the backslapping starts, let’s take this opportunity to look historically at Australia’s theatrical domestic share, see how it compares internationally and, finally, use the video retail market as a point of comparison. After several years in decline, the annual share of box office revenue generated by Australian films has grown steadily in the last two calendar years. Expectations are high for a further rise in 2007 thanks, in part, to Happy Feet (George Miller, 2006) which added around $20 million this year to the $11 million it earned in 2006. While Happy Feet is just one film, data from the last couple of decades has shown that a single performance of this magnitude can radically influence the domestic share. Specifically, in years where the percentage of earnings by local titles at the Australian box office has nudged or surpassed double figures it has been largely due to the popularity of one or two films. Domestic performance is always relative to international competition and 2007 has been a strong year thus far for blockbusters. Along with Australia’s Happy Feet a further seven films have earnings in excess of $20 million as of September. Of these, three franchise films, Shrek the Third (Chris Miller, 2007), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (David Yates, 2007) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Gore Verbinski, 2007), have surpassed the $30 million mark. Compare this to the 2006 box office where at the end of the year only five films earned over $20 million, and only one of those five took over $30 million. While it is expected that Happy Feet will again contribute the largest proportion of domestic takings in 2007, as it did in 2006, there will need to be a strong contingent of supporting local titles to counter the impressive earnings of these foreign titles.
	SERIES: THE BIG PICTURE SERIES EDITION: ONE TOPIC: ANALYSIS OF BOX OFFICE RESULTS IN 2006 & WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2007 ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 153 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2007 LENGTH: 2,000 WORDS EXTRACT: So here we are, just past the year’s halfway point – the perfect place to reflect on the year that was 2006 and how the race for 2007 is shaping up. A crude metaphor, possibly, but while the success or failure of a film is inherently more subjective than an athletic sprint, the realities of commerce dictate a leaderboard, quantified by dollars. With each ticket stub, the audience holds the filmmakers’ creative vision to ransom as distributors calculate their risk. Inevitably the balance between art and entertainment is influenced by marketing and hype as the audience makes its choices, guided by pontificating pundits and pervasive advertising. Yet within this minefield of mixed messages, there are always surprises, disappointments and rewarding moments reflected in box office takings. Accumulative box office takings in 2006 showed positive recovery signs for the exhibition industry in Australia. After a fall in 2005, the first in five years, both ticket sales and box office value increased in 2006. In all, there were 86.3 million admissions totalling $866.6 million in revenue, up six per cent from $817.5 million the previous year.

	SERIES: SOUNDSCAPE SERIES EDITION: FIVE CONVERSATION: MARK WARD, HEAD OF SOUND AT THE AUSTRALIAN FILM, TELEVISION AND RADIO SCHOOL SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: JINDABYNE; KENNY ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 152 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2006 LENGTH: 4,000 WORDS EXTRACT: Throughout this series of Soundscape articles there has been fleeting reference to the importance of sound effects and dialogue design as vital supports to the emotive flourishes of a musical score. In this issue, we address the often-overlooked craft of sound design with Mark Ward, Head of Sound at the national film school, AFTRS. When I recall the seemingly endless hours I spent as a prepubescent boy in the early 1980s watching Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977), it is not the famous special effects, nor John Williams’ thunderous music, that I first think of. Rather, I immediately conjure up the punctuation of blaster shots and lightsaber sizzles. Of course, this may not be the film’s defining characteristic, but from the highly affected voice of Darth Vader to the gush of the Millennium Falcon in hyperdrive, it was impossible to ignore the dramatic impact of designer Ben Burtt’s ‘organic’ sounds amidst the operatic score. An extreme example perhaps, and these days I find subtleties of more interest, such as the emotive pull of atmospheric layers as they envelop melody and occasionally collide with it. It is fascinating to consider the ways in which music and ‘incidental’ or ambient sounds work together in a film. To ignore the percussive beat of incidental noise and dialogue is to ignore one of the key elements of the soundtrack. Often misunderstood and neglected, those toiling in the sound department face a unique set of challenges. Mark Ward is an ideal guide as we try to define the roles and responsibilities of filmmakers tackling these subtleties. Beyond his academic post, Ward’s varied career ranges from effects editing work on numerous feature films, including In The Cut (Jane Campion, 2003), Danny Deckchair (Jeff Balsmeyer, 2002), Swimming Upstream (Russel Mulcahy, 2002) and Lantana (Ray Lawrence, 2001), to television programs like Love My Way and House Gang and experimental and installation work.
	SERIES: SOUNDSCAPE SERIES EDITION: FOUR CONVERSATION: DAVID BRIDIE, COMPOSER SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: MUSIC FOR MINORITIES; DRIFT ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 150 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2006 LENGTH: 4,000 WORDS EXTRACT: For those who read last issue’s Soundscape review of SBS miniseries Remote Area Nurse (David Caesar & Catriona McKenzie, 2006) it will come as little surprise that this time round we’re digging deeper into the work of prolific and provocative composer and musician David Bridie, songwriter with Not Drowning, Waving and My Friend the Chocolate Cake and composer of a long list of remarkable soundtracks.
	SERIES: SOUNDSCAPE SERIES EDITION: THREE CONVERSATION: GARY SEEGER, MUSHROOM MUSIC PUBLISHING; JAMES RODEN, IVY LEAGUE MUSIC PUBLISHING; MICHELLE O’DONNELL, AUSTRALIAN PERFORMING RIGHTS ASSOCIATION; REBEKAH CAMPBELL, ARTIST MANAGEMENT. SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: REMOTE AREA NURES; LITTLE OBERON ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 149 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2006 LENGTH: 4,000 WORDS EXTRACT: This issue, Soundscape explores the business side of music publishing and the myriad ways songs impact on film, television and new media. As I write this, the song Forever Young is the highest-selling single on the ARIA charts. Yet it isn’t the 1984 original by German group Alphaville; instead it is a substantially reworked recording by Sydney-based musicians Youth Group. Commercially, this achievement marks a breakthrough for the band after eight years of limited radio play and little chart success. Some may think that their rise is thanks to the nostalgia of cover versions, but while this is probably a contributing factor, it would be naïve to look past the refined sound evident on last year’s ‘Shadowland’, their second album. On the back of its worldwide release Youth Group garnered some deserved international recognition, a groundswell that ultimately brought them to the attention of the latest television teen-soap juggernaut, The O.C., whose producers requested the use of the nonalbum track ‘Forever Young’ for the show. It can be argued that this move was the catalyst for the song finally reaching its lofty heights this week. Capitalizing on the program’s use of the song and appearance on the album soundtrack, local broadcaster Channel Ten raised their profile further by featuring the track when advertising the returning series. In what seems to be an increasing trend by the network the name of artist and song were displayed on screen promoting not just the show but also the musical act. This suggests more than just good intentions, possibly a calculated move by Channel Ten to reduce the cost of gaining the rights to use a piece of music in return for increased exposure. It is not a bad argument when speculating on the assistance it gave in bringing Youth Group to wider audience. Hitting number one in the charts is a milestone that will result in many rewards for the band but their earning potential from Forever Young is limited as they are not the songwriters. It is this earning potential that is the focus of this issue’s article – every song has a price tag. Youth Group are not alone: Channel Ten has previously drawn on emerging talent like Missy Higgins and Evermore for similar promos for not only The O.C. but other shows and even the station identity inserts. But the success of these bands is only one example of the role film and television can play in contributing to album and single sales and the flow-on effect to performance fees, merchandise, etc. However, for the songwriter understanding economic benefits of when their work is sourced for public broadcast is imperative to their long-term future, many artists will earn more from publishing than CD sales in their career. This is where management and publishing companies come in, to secure a fair price that weighs up the priorities of profile and licensing income.
	SERIES: SOUNDSCAPE SERIES EDITION: TWO CONVERSATION: NARRELLE GEE, RAGE; JESS KEELEY, RAGE; KYLIE BURKE, ABC TV; SARAH BLASKO, MUSICIAN; ROBERT CRANNY, MUSICIAN; GEORGE ASH, UNIVERSAL MUSIC; TOM LARNACH-JONES, TRIFEKTA RECORDS; KAREN BORGER, FILMMAKER. SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: THE PIANO; THE PROPOSITION ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 148 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2005 LENGTH: 4,000 WORDS EXTRACT: I was recently given a copy of The Right Spectacle (2005), a DVD compilation of Elvis Costello’s music clips from 1978 to 1994. Resisting the temptation to skip straight to my favourites, I put aside a couple of hours to watch all twenty-seven tracks in chronological order. Now, those of you familiar with Costello’s catalogue would probably expect this journey to highlight his chameleon-like musical development, yet it wasn’t music at the forefront of my thoughts – it was images. The progression in video production techniques is apparent in this selection of Costello’s work, a steady ascendancy from the shambolic, cheap and nasty to the excessive and elaborate. However, far from this development being directly related to a growing fan base or new innovations in technology, it can more likely be attributed to the increasing popularity of music television. Leading this charge was of course MTV, first hitting US television sets at midnight on 1 August 1981 with its screening of ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ (Russell Mulcahy, 1979) by British group The Buggles. This marked not only the introduction of MTV as significant marketing force, it also cemented a small place in history for Australian filmmaker Russell Mulcahy. Years later, another couple of Melbourne music clip directors would also become part of MTV history by winning the award for Best Male Video with Elvis Costello’s ‘Veronica’ (Paul Goldman & John Hillcoat, 1990). However, despite this success, it seems these days Costello is quite circumspect about the role of music clips; it’s unclear if his jibes are an artistic appraisal of his own contributions or a general opinion on video’s overstated importance. Whatever his reasons, the irony isn’t lost on me. I discovered Elvis Costello during a self-imposed exile in regional NSW, an area of the country not noted for bucking the mainstream. Not that I consider Costello to be alternative, and certainly not underground, but you could say by 1994 he was passé, a relic of the post-punk newwave movement. I too would have forgotten him were it not for late nights in front of ABC TV stalwart Rage. Where else at that time and place could a teenager get access to those missed greats and emerging artists? Remember, these were the days before Triple J as a national broadcaster, and discourse regarding an internet explosion was still a matter of conjecture. Ten years later I would find myself exploring clip direction first hand, but it was watching the unexpected being thrown up each weekend on Rage that built my appreciation of this unique mish-mash of image and song. With minimal change to its form and content for almost twenty years, the program has seemingly been everything to everyone, no matter how frustrating the bleary-eyed waiting game. Considering this legacy, it’s fitting to use Rage as the foundation of this issue’s discussion as we look at the role of television’s contribution to artists’ personae.
	SERIES: SOUNDSCAPE SERIES EDITION: ONE CONVERSATION: ROWAN WOODS, DIRECTOR; VINCENT SHEEHAN, PRODUCER; ANDREW LANCASTER, ARRANGER; NATHAN LARSON, COMPOSER SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: LITTLE FISH; CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY; HATING ALISON ASHLEY ISSUE: METRO MAGAZINE 147 PUBLICATION YEAR: 2005 LENGTH: 4,000 WORDS EXTRACT: Little Fish (Rowan Woods, 2005) hit the cinemas earlier this year with what seemed to be the collective weight of Australia’s film industry hopes behind it. One wonders if any single release could withstand such pressure, or the scrutiny that comes with these expectations. However, the reviewers have reviewed, the players have been featured, and as the dust settles on the barren landscape that is our country’s feature film output, the only weight buckling the scales on this occasion is box office coin and platitudes for all involved. Not bad returns for a film that challenges its audience to identify with characters and locations often seen in the media but rarely heard. Nevertheless, I’m going to leave any talk of a national screen renaissance to other quarters. As opposed to filling another article with a search for the mythical inland sea of filmmaking, I’m going to take the discussion beyond admiration, plot and performance to explore the film’s musical subtext: its motivation, application and interpretation. Specifically, we are going to address the film’s treatment of original score and popular music – in particular Cold Chisel’s iconic Flame Trees – as a tool of character development and ultimately a connecting force between audience and protagonist. Big issues, I agree. But, luckily for those who’d rather not hear my grandiose hypothesizing, I’ve utilized the wonders of modern telecommunications to converse with several creative forces responsible for the film. Enlisted in this discussion are director Rowan Woods, producer Vincent Sheehan and arranger Andrew Lancaster, who join me from this hemisphere, while composer Nathan Larson drops in from the north – Sweden, in fact.