Screen Forever 2024: “How are you going to make me broke?”
What's the difference between American and Australian producers? Writer / Performer Nina Oyama explains.
- Published by David Knox
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When it comes to backing projects by emerging talent are Australian producers and networks too risk averse?
It was a topic recently discussed at the Screen Forever conference.
Writer / Performer Nina Oyama (Latecomers, You’re Skitting Me, Squinters, Love Me, Tonightly, The Weekly) told Screen Forever she had encountered different approaches on opposite sides of the Pacific ocean.
“I’ve done some work in America and the difference between America and Australia is, Americans will approach a young creative who’s getting experience and go, ‘How will you make me rich? Like, your idea is so singular and so original and no one’s ever heard it, how are you going to blow the doors and make me the richest guy ever?'” she said.
“But Australian people are like ‘How will you make me broke?’ Which is like, ‘(Do I take) a risk on this person? How are you going to blow my money and take my career?’
“I think that’s why a lot of companies here are risk averse.”
5 Responses
This explains why Australian TV is so stagnant compared to the States.
Well, there are also other factors, such as the absolute money in the US system vs Australia.
100%. In the US, producers don’t pay for development. The studio does. And even if the producer is working with a writer to get the project ready to take to a studio, they still don’t pay for it. There’s an understanding between writer and producer that if the studio picks it up, that’s when everyone gets paid. In Australia, the producer is the studio. Most shows don’t get up. And the development process costs the producer a lot of money. So, of course, there’s fear there because the writer, with their fancy idea, is likely to lose the producer a lot of money.
Agreed, development (aka “development hell”) is a long and expensive process. Often a quick “no” offers clarity.
Yes, nothing worse than the slow no.