SAFC establishes Industry Development unit

The South Australian Film Corporation has established an Industry Development, Partnerships and Engagement department, to be headed by arts and strategic management specialist Satu Teppo.

Teppo has held senior positions at the Finnish National Gallery, global technology and exchange company NASDAQ, Renewal SA and most recently at Arts South Australia where she was the Manager, Arts Industry before being appointed Executive Officer. She will now oversee industry and audience development in partnership with screen organisations, the arts, business and government sectors.

SAFC CEO Courtney Gibson said, “In order to pursue an industry development agenda to best effect, while continuing to develop and co-finance the very best local and attracted productions, we have realigned staff and reporting lines to create a new unit dedicated to building industry skills and talent, driving partnerships with the business, tertiary, arts and philanthropic sectors, and delivering innovative approaches to screen culture and audience development.

“We are thrilled to have secured Satu Teppo for this new role; Satu’s extensive background in business and skills building, and strategic partnerships development within a creative and arts context, position her perfectly to implement our industry and audience development agenda, to further build and diversify the SA production sector to deliver more jobs now and for the future, via existing and evolving forms of screen entertainment.”

Teppo said “I am excited to take on this newly-created role at the Film Corporation, an organisation with an international reputation for innovation and leadership. I look forward to working together with the rest of the team to deliver on SAFC’s strategic priorities, develop our partnerships and to be part of the next chapter of screen successes in South Australia.”

SAFC has also appointed Nara Wilson as Associate Executive, Production, Development, Attraction and Studios, responsible for supporting project development and production by local practitioners, as well as attracting production to SA.