While the film industry and assorted luvvies are crying, and people are staying away from the movies regardless of the film or the actors, and box office revenues are down 11-12% in the first half of the year, there have been cries for the Federal Government to do more to help.

Reasons for the decline in interest are numerous: DVDs, poor films, high ticket and food prices and general exhaustion with the product. Good times in the community don’t help either, given that movies have traditionally flourished during difficult financial times as people seek escapist fare. And the internet, DVDs, broadband delivery, iPods etc are all competing for the consumer dollar and films are just one feature in the pack of products clamouring for attention.

But instead of calling on the government to pony up $15 million in a mini-me sort of future fund for the film industry are a bit twee. the $15 mill, which would be a few minutes’ cash flow at Parliament House, what has the Howard Government done? Why, appointed two new directors to the Board of the Film Finance Corporation – two chaps without much in the way of film experience, although one is an entertainment industry veteran.

A statement issued this week announced the appointments of Alastair Walton and Paul Dainty as new directors of the Board of the Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC). They “bring with them a wealth of industry experience and knowledge,” said Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp. “Since 2003, Mr Walton has served as vice chairman and managing director of a leading financial services organisation, having joined Goldman Sachs Australia in 2001 as co-chairman and managing director. Prior to that, he spent 14 years with the finance and investment company, Credit Suisse First Boston, working in major cities throughout the world.”

“Mr Walton’s extensive experience as an investment banker in Australia and overseas will be invaluable to the FFC,” Senator Kemp said. ”Mr Walton also has experience as a director of high-level philanthropy-based organisations, such as the Great Barrier Reef Research Foundation and the Goldman Sachs JB Were Foundation.”

”Paul Dainty, chairman of Dainty Consolidated Entertainment, has many years of experience producing and promoting large and successful entertainment events. Mr Dainty was formerly a director of Ticketek and owner of Australian radio broadcaster 3XY and a founding shareholder and director of EON FM (now Triple M Melbourne) and he brings important entrepreneurial and media industry expertise to the FFC Board,” Senator Kemp said.

”The FFC is the Australian Government’s principal production investment agency for the Australian film industry.”

A lovely release, but you notice there’s no evidence that either man has had any dealings with financing, promoting or producing (or making) movies. Paul Dainty has some experience given his music promotion and touring history. And at least he might know something about ticket prices, being a former director of Ticketek. He’s close to Park Street and the Packer empire, which I suppose might also stand him in good stead in some quarters.

But as for knowledge of the financing and promotion of movies – and especially what makes a good movie these days – zilch! Meanwhile, money is not the major worry for the film industry: it’s the lack of creative talent and risk taking, good script writing and producing skills, that seems to be the real problem.

Amid all the moans, groans and calls for the Government to “do something,” the industry is short on decent self analysis and an understanding of the problems. It would have been nice for the government to recognise the deficiencies and appoint people to the FFC board with some hard-headed movie making skills: experienced producers with a creative and financial bent.