Film Industry to Games Industry; 'œStop whinging'

Mike Bantick
Monday, 08 September 2008 17:18

Opinion and Analysis

So what of this film industry insiders comment?

“I'm a big fan of Australian films, and absolutely believe that our film industry should be supported by the Australian Government. It's important to understand, though, that without that support, the industry would not exist in anything like the form that it exists today. To that end, it's a bit rich for the film industry to say that games should go it alone. The fact is, we have gone it alone since day 1, receiving no federal support whatsoever. In spite of this, we have been able to become far more viable commercially than our friends in film. The bottom line here is that screen culture in all its forms
should be treated equally.”

Crago continues;”Funding programs that are available for film should also be available to games. The film industry should actually be embracing this opportunity. It's unfortunate that some in film feel such a need to protect their patch so zealously. It demonstrates a very blinkered approach to the ever-changing entertainment landscape, and also a fundamental lack of commercial acumen, which of course has been a blight on sections of the film industry since the very beginning. It's sad because we're missing out on opportunities to work together”

In a little over a year’s time, the GDAA expects that employment in this burgeoning industry will employee 18,000 people.  It is a industry that still struggles against the stereotypes despite its success.

It is also a very creative industry, full of talented people that will need to pull together to succeed, as the world gets smaller and the challenges of doing business in the digital age get every complex.

Without compromising their art, game developers will have constant opportunities to show their wares to a global audience, government assistance can ensure that much of this audience can indeed taste the local wares for a long time to come.