The Apprentice - A short film financed by Screen Australia and Film Victoria in conjunction with US based Mothership Films, Greenstreet and Relativity Media has wrapped and is in post production.

Starring US actor Anton Yelchin (Star Trek), Shane Jacobson from Kenny and Colin Lane (Lano and Woodley).

Directed by Damon Escott and Steve Baker, the film will be part of of a compilation of funny shorts produced by Charlie Wessler and Peter Farrelly - (Something About Mary, Shallow Hall).

Produced by Leanne Tonkes and Steve Kearney from Mini Studios.The Age

Amberwood Animation from Canada and One Animation based in Singapore have formed a a co production to bring the Melbourne created project to the small screen. Mini Studios brought the project to Amberwood several years ago, but after having no luck in selling the show to a local broadcaster as an Australian Canadian co production the project unfortunately went offshore. Ironically, this scenario is the original business model conceived by Mini Studios to bring Australian ideas and concepts to the world and bypass the underfunded Australian Networks. This model has recently been replicated at MIPCOM 09 by a yet to be announced project.

Please Explain director Anna Broinowski has been chosen along with 11 other select Australian directors to take part in the Soderbergh Master Classes to be held in Sydney presented by the ADG and ANIMAL LOGIC in late November. Soderbergh is best known for his groundbreaking Sex Lies and Videotape as well as more commercial fare such as the Oceans 11 series.

Film Victoria has given funding to Mini Studios to push ahead with a new draft of the script to be written by the films director Anna Broinowski. The funds allow for scheduling and budget. Anna Broinowski will be meeting potential investors, local distributers and international sales agents at SPAA 09 in Sydney in November.

Second draft funding has been approved for the psychological horror / teen revenge pic “Howework” to be written and directed by Fin Edquist.

Fin has just returned from Palm Springs Film Festival “ShortFest” wher he screened “Mendel’s Tree”.

When Mendel’s orthodox parents announce an unexpected visit, their impending arrival cause Mendel’s illicit and secretive love of Christmas to come crashing around him. Director Fin Edquist & producer Mish Armstrong attended.

Please Explain, the Pauline Hanson Bio pick has been chosen as the lead project Mini Studios will bring to the 37 South Film market as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival.

Mini Studios attended Cannes for the first time after an intensive 4 and a half year development process. This yielded an unprecedented interest from International Sales Agents in a wide variety of projects. Supported by Screen Australia with a travel grant and of course the on the ground at Cannes assistance of the dedicated Screen Australia team. Film Victoria’s Sandra Sdraulig was also instrumental in assisting Mini with valuable introductions, continuing the chain of support from the very beginning when Film Victoria brought Tonkes and Kearney together at a “Speed Dating Event” in June 2004.

Film Victoria has supported Mini Studios to attend the Arista Genre workshops in March 2009. Mini studios thanks the Film Vic team for the support of this project.

Producer Steve Kearney will be taking a slate of films to Cannes Film Festival 2009 supported by Screen Australia.

The Pauline Hanson bio pick has received 4th draft funding from Screen Australia. This draft will be joined by award winning director Anna Broinowski ( Forbidden Lie$) to steer the doc towards a shooting script and again Stephen Sewell will scribe. Duncan Thompson, head of The Australian Film School will script edit.