I think this is a good enough topic to generate some interesting discussion. The point of discussion is purely your thoughts on it's current status and what you think should, if anything, be done about it.

Personally, I think it's terrible, and the Aussie films produced of late have been very average. I just think we need some talent scouting for damn good Aussie writers, and produce some good low budget films for a while, and get cash flow up, and work our way up from there. Over-simplified, I know, but that's the general idea of what needs to be done.

General thoughts?

I think there are a lot of good australian films. Obviously they don't have the budgets to compare with international films, but I think they make up for that.

I guess though that all my favourite australian films were made before I was born. Actually that's not true but they were defintily made before I was 10 -1994.

For the record my favourite Aussie films are

Cars that ate paris
Bliss
Mad Max trilogy

Personally, I think Australian films are easily some of the best in the world. Chopper, The Castle, Shine, Bad Boy Bubby, Two Hands, Romper Stomper, Priscilla, Strictly Ballroom... excellent films. But yeah, they're all films that have been around awhile. More recently there's been Japanese Story and Gettin Square, but I haven't actually seen them (sadly).

Of course, as an aspiring screenwriter, I intend to set the world alight with my scripts! Well, no, I don't really, the sort of stuff I write is extremely low key and would be suited to a low budget independent production. But how to make it happen? Anyone reading this with oodles of cash and the desire to finance hot young talent*, get in touch!

*Warning: may not be hot or talented.

I think it's quite bad, and I believe it's due to budgets, not talent wise as there's great actors and actresses abroad now. I mean who could've thought that Eric "Poida" Banner would make it big in Hollywood?

Maybe we should call him the Incredible Poida now...heh.

If any of you watch the movie show on SBS, recently they were interviewing the director of Fast'n'Furious and XXX. He was praising the benenfits of making his next film here, particularly the professionalism and modesty of Australian crews (the technicians etc). I'm sure the Australian film industry's future is only going to get brighter with injectoins of cash from these big budget hollywood films.

I really think it depends on what kind of films you are into. I much prefer a movie with a good plot, a strong touch of humanity and some kind of point - to a hollywood blockbuster.

If I were to write my top 30 films out, I doubt there would be any big budget movies in there. Perhaps the Matrix series in the mid 20s - and that was filmed in Australia (but is hardly an australian film).

I don't watch films for escapism - I watch them for an insite into somebody elses thoughts and ideas.

There's definitely not enough money being pumped into the industry to push it forward. One thing has helped though, and that's the recent blockbusters being filmed down under. Take the Matrix for example. We got a fair bit of reckognition for that, and New Zealand is now well known world wide thanks to the success of the LOTR films. It would also help if we weren't so far away, as there are definitely tallented young actors/directors/screenwriters that won't get anywhere mainly because they don't know people in the industry who can give them a break.

I think the 'Ozcars' a few years ago gave the Aussie industry too much confidence. Consequently, money was poured into a plethora of Aussie films, and it ended up in a shambles. Ah well.

The Castle is my favourite Aussie film, with The Dish coming a close second.

Sirens was unbelievable eye-sex too. :D