FTI (Western Australia)
FTI WA Inc., formerly the Film and Television Institute and also known as the Perth Institute of Film and Television, was a screen resource centre located in Western Australia aimed at increasing the vibrancy of the screen sector, including film, television, games and interactive media. Founded in 1971, the Institute occupied the heritage-listed old Fremantle School building in Adelaide Street, Fremantle, completed in 1854, before relocating to Northbridge, an inner city suburb in Perth, in May 2014.
FTI It wound up operations on 20 June 2017, when it merged with Screenwest.
History
Until May 2014 when it moved to the State Library of Western Australia at 48 Lake Street, Northbridge, FTI occupied the heritage-listed old Fremantle Boys' School, opened in 1854-5.On 17 May 2017, amid uncertainty around future funding, FTI announced that it would be closing down and merging with ScreenWest. Support for early career filmmakers in the form of a grants program transitioned from the FTI to Screenwest from July 2017, when the FTI ceased operations.
Description
The FTI was the WA member of Screen Development Australia, along with other members Metro Screen, Open Channel, QPIX, Media Resource Centre, and Wide Angle Tasmania. It was a non-profit, membership-based organisation providing members with low-cost equipment and facilities hire, production assistance and script consultation, as well as regular production grants for low budget filmmakers.In 2014, FTI officially moved into the games and interactive space, hiring Kate Raynes-Goldie as its first Director of Interactive Programs, the first of its kind for a non-governmental Australian screen resource association.
Funding grants
FTI administered many of the major funding grants available for short film and documentary production in Western Australia. The grants program is now managed by Screenwest.Philanthropy Program
By March 2017, FTI's Philanthropy Program had raised over $300,000 for West Australian screen projects since its inception on 2015.The Philanthropy Program allows organisations and people to donate funds to programs or specific screen projects, taking advantage of FTI's not-for-profit status. It is quite different to typical grant funding models, as it allows private sector donations to make contributions to projects year-round, with a minimum of administrative interference.
Raw Nerve
While being administered by FTI, the Raw Nerve scheme is an initiative of Screen Development Australia in conjunction with Screen Australia. It provides $5,000 worth of in-kind assistance plus a $2,000 cash budget. This grant is available to all WA filmmakers, regardless of FTI membership. Recent films include:| Year | Title | Producer |
| 2010 | "Beware Drop Bears” | Casper Zielono and Cameron Thompson |
| 2010 | "Innocent Andy" | Neale Crawford |
| 2010 | "Play Lunch" | Cassandra Nguyen and Tamara Small |
| 2009 | "I will NOT be Outbid" | Tasha Stephenson and Mel Judkins |
| 2009 | "Trash Out" | Phillip Walker and Oriellie Tylor |
| 2009 | "The Washing line" | Penny Bedford and Megan Riley |
| 2009 | "Cashed Up Bogans” | Jules Duncan |
| 2009 | "Crows Feet" | Megan Palinkas |
| 2008 | "Strings" | Mark Alderson and Crystal McCallum |
| 2008 | "Shatter" | Gary Sewell and Vanessa Demaine |
| 2008 | "Contact" | Rowan Crosby and Christina Yiannakis |
| 2008 | "The Nappy Tree" | Christine Sistrunk |
| 2008 | "Victims" | Julia Ngeow and Gregg Johnson |