A report of a brief but important talk I gave at MSIX2017 in November on how to fix the Australian film industry’s gender disparity. Continue…
When it comes to a diversity of films, the elephant IS the room
This article written with Bronwyn Coate looks at how films from different countries perform in the Australian market. The cinema is repeatedly held to be dead or dying. Evidence to support these claims is practically non-existent. Each year more and more films are made and released around the world. Our data however, does infer that outside the mainstream ecology of US dominated film exhibition and distribution, the increased number of films has had a “cannibalising” effect, in which intensified competition has produced a disproportionately negative impact on the success of non-US film titles, including Australian films. Published in if Magazine on April 18, 2017. Continue…
Patriarchy is a Pedestrian Issue
The City of Melbourne is introducing a small number of pedestrian light signals with female figures (rather than the default male). This is my very short 10 cents worth in support of the gesture. Broadcast on BBC World Service March 7, 2017 Continue…
Dr Helen Pankhurst and Her Suffragette Forebears
I join ABC commentator Jon Faine on The Conversation Hour to speak with feminist activists Dr Helen Pankhurst and Renee Carr on December 1, 2015 Continue…
Philosophy vs. Evidence is No Way to Orchestrate Cultural Policy
An article written with Ben Eltham and published in The Conversation on March 29, 2015. We use evidence of cultural consumption and production in Australia to refute claims claims made by Senator Brandis in his justification of severe Federal government budget cuts to the arts. Continue…
Bad Hobbits Die Hard: How to Make a Better Top 10 Movie List
Article written with Alwyn Davidson and published in The Conversation on December 11, 2014 in which we discuss the seasonal obsession with Top 10 movie lists and why the calendar year is such a poor basis for measuring movies. Continue…
Zombie Metrics: Why Australian Cinema Just Won’t Stay Dead
An article launching the Film Impact Rating (FIR) which is designed to expand how we evaluate success in the film industry. Instead of relying on domestic box office as the only factor indicating success or failure the article show how a combination of commercial and critical factors can be used to measure value. Published in The Conversation on December 3, 2014. Continue…
Rankings Fever: Melbourne Goes Over the Top – Again
As Melbourne wins yet another Liveable City Award, Brian Morris and I take a look at what these rankings really mean. Published in The Conversation on August 20, 2014. Continue…
Big Data at the Movies: The Kinomatics Project
An article published in The Conversation on August 15, 2014 that makes a case for the usefulness of big data as a new evidence base for examining global film industries. Continue…
Only at the Movies? Home Truths About Cinema Ticket Pricing
An article written with Bronwyn Coate and published in The Conversation on April 29, 2014. This article, about the cost of cinema attendance in Australia, created an enormous amount of commentary and was picked up by a number of media outlets. Continue…