SPAA moves to make Australia more competitive in international TV commercial production

TheScreen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) announced today a moveto make Australia more attractive for international televisioncommercials production.

Geoff Brown, Executive Director ofSPAA, said that in response to feedback from international advertisingagencies and a rapidly evolving marketplace for internationalproduction, Australian producers had decided to withdraw from theSPAA/MEAA Commercials Offshore Agreement which sets out terms andconditions for contracting of Australian performers for internationalcommercials.

“This decision will enable Australian TVC production companies tonegotiate flexible terms with performers working on internationalcommercials.  We believe it will be easier to do business in Australiaand that Australia will immediately become more competitive as aproduction destination,” Mr Brown said.

Mr Brown said that Australian TVC companies pitched for but lost morethan $60m of offshore commercials work in the past 12 months.   “Thisis a highly lucrative sector. If Australia had secured just half ofthis production, it would have meant hundreds of well-paid jobs foractors, crews and production companies.

“But the reality is that despite the best intentions of all parties,the Commercials Offshore Agreement has been working as a barrier toemployment. International agencies have been telling us that, despitethe appeal of using Australia’s highly regarded performers, our worldclass crews, production facilities and diverse locations, they havebeen choosing to make commercials in competitor countries such as NewZealand, South Africa and Canada because it has been too expensive andcomplex to employ actors here.

“By signalling that Australia has responded to international marketconditions, we believe we will be better placed to bring millions ofproduction dollars to Australia annually, creating more opportunitiesfor our performers, production companies, directors and crews.”