Screen Australia and YouTube map the Australian summer with Dr George Miller

Let's show the world what summer in Tasmania means to us! Screen Australia has announced its collaboration with YouTube on the national online initiative, YouTube Map My Summer, which aims to engage the nation in sharing the collective Australian summer experience.

This nationwide initiative gives Tasmanian filmmakers the chance to have their work watched across the country, so let's get as many locally made short films uploaded as we can to show just how strong the Tasmanian screen industry is.

Legendary filmmaker Dr George Miller (Mad Max, Babe, Happy Feet) and the Sydney Film Festival have come on board with Screen Australia to lend support to the initiative.

YouTube Map My Summer aims to capture the essence of this pivotal time of year, as experienced by Australians through their own eyes.  Australians have been invited to pick up their cameras and upload their videos to the YouTube Map My Summer portal. This could be anything from a snippet of spontaneous mobile phone footage to a short film. The only requirement is that it must have been shot after 1 December 2010 and is an expression of summer.

Screen Australia joins the initiative with the launch of three short films directed by upcoming local filmmakers Ariel Kleiman, Luke Doolan and Amy Gebhardt and produced by Louise Smith. The filmmakers were asked by YouTube and Screen Australia to create their own personal testament to the Australian summer, to inspire the nation to upload content to the Map My Summer portal. Their films are revealed today for the first time on Screen Australia’s new YouTube channel: youtube.com/screenaustralia.

Dr George Miller will select and mentor one of these talented filmmakers to create a final short film funded by Screen Australia using the uploaded footage from the YouTube Map My Summer portal. This film will then have its premiere at a gala event at the Sydney Film Festival in June 2011. A video-log by Dr George Miller about the project and call to action can be viewed here: youtube.com/watch?v=-bLHkHzs7ZU

“The Australian summer has a special place in our cultural identity and experience. It may be a time of simple pleasures and regeneration, or as we’ve seen, one of extreme natural disasters, bringing grief and loss to many. Sharing our stories through this initiative provides a chance to create a reflection of our collective experience, marking a moment in time in Australian history,” said Kathleen Drumm, Screen Australia’s Head of Marketing.

Five Australians whose footage is included in the final film, will be invited to attend the premiere screening at the Sydney Film Festival, with return flights to Sydney and accommodation provided.

“Screen Australia is thrilled to be working with YouTube on this initiative. It will provide a unique opportunity to profile upcoming filmmakers in the online space to a broad audience,” said Ms Drumm.

“In developing this project with YouTube, we have taken inspiration from Kevin Macdonald and Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking filmmaking experiment Life in a Day, which premiered at Sundance last week,” she said.

Ernesto Soriano, YouTube’s Product Marketing Manager said, “YouTube Map My Summer will capture the diversity of the legendary Australian summer and share it with the world. We’re delighted that Screen Australia is drawing inspiration from this project to take your videos to the big screen. Whether you’re in Broome, Bourke, Darwin or the Dandenongs, grab a video camera and share the story of your summer down under.”

YouTube Map My Summer is the first step in encouraging Australians to get involved in sharing their stories with the nation. Screen Australia’s new YouTube channel, also launching today, aims to encourage audiences to connect with the local screen content industry.

“Screen Australia aims to grow and expand audiences for Australian content. Working with local distributors, we are able to complement their Australian release strategies by providing a new platform designed to communicate directly with audiences,” said Ms Drumm.

The Screen Australia YouTube channel will be made up of several different components. The Vault will highlight archival footage celebrating our cultural heritage, while Behind the Scenes will take audiences into the real world of film and television production. Red Carpet will follow Australian filmmakers as they travel the world celebrating their achievements at key international events, such as the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance or the Oscars®. New Australian trailers will also go online to get a sneak peak of upcoming premieres and events.

“I want to congratulate the CEO of Screen Australia Dr Ruth Harley and the team at Screen Australia on this initiative with their partners at YouTube,” said Simon Crean, Minister for the Arts.

“It is vital for the future of the screen content industry that our leading film and television institution, Screen Australia, shows the way forward when it comes to engaging talented Australians and developing their creative voice.”

“This project will help build new audiences for our productions through this enormously powerful medium,” concluded Mr Crean.

Submissions to YouTube Map My Summer are being accepted online until
31 March at: youtube.com/mapmysummer Go to www.screenaustralia.gov.au/mapmysummer to find out more.

For more information on Life in a Day visit: youtube.com/lifeinaday
Screen Australia media enquiries
Victoria Buchan, The Lantern Group T: 02 9383 4033; M: 0408 114 864, victoria@lanterngroup.com.au