By Simon de Bruyn
The Screen Producers Association of Australia president ballot has been counted and the results are in, with Australian ex-pat producer/director/distributor Antony I. Ginnane elected by members as the SPAA president for 2008/09.
Antony is expected to bring a range of skills and broad experience to the role, having worked extensively in film and television production, starting off in the Australian film industry in the 1970s and 1980s producing a string of films under 10BA, and other financing mechanisms.
Some of his early projects such as cult hits Patrick, Thirst, Fantasm and The Survivor have recently been profiled in the Ozploitation doco, Not Quite Hollywood, which opens in cinemas this week.
Antony (Tony) has since built up a very successful career in not only production, but also distribution and financing for over 30 years and is one of only a few Australians to have successfully established a film business (IFM) out of LA.
Antony will take over the mantle from incumbent Trish Lake following the SPAA AGM on 25 September 2008. It is understood he will return to Melbourne for the duration of the role, where his IFM business has run an office for years.
Current SPAA president Trish Lake has served as SPAA President for the last three years, presiding over the period of adjustment from 10BA to the Producer Offset and the formation of the new federal agency Screen Australia.
Screentime Executive Director, Bob Campbell has been elected unopposed to the position of SPAA Vice President for 2008/09. SPAA Council elections will be held over the coming weeks.