The Mercury, South Australia’s dedicated screen industry development organisation, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Christopher Annicchiarico and Sasha Close to its Board of Directors as the organisation marks its 50th anniversary. This milestone coincides with an exciting period of growth and innovation for The Mercury, fuelled by a unique subscription model and series of initiatives designed to support and empower emerging South Australian screen practitioners.
The Mercury is expanding its capacity to support local filmmakers with the appointment of Michelle Hardy as new Head of Industry Programs. Michelle brings extensive local and international industry experience across film and television development and production, as well as substantial knowledge in the creation and delivery of a broad suite of industry programs for several industry bodies including Screen Producers Australia (SPA). Michelle is also the co-founder of Hardy White Pictures and runs a slate of long-form scripted TV projects with business partner, creator/writer/director, Erin White.
“We are delighted to welcome Christopher and Sasha to the Board, and Michelle to our team,” said General Manager Sarah Lancaster.
“Their collective expertise and passion for the screen industry will be invaluable as we continue to develop and deliver vital resources and opportunities for our subscribers and the broader community. This is a pivotal moment in The Mercury’s history, and we are excited to embark on this next chapter with renewed energy and commitment.”
The Mercury offers a unique subscription-based model that provides access to Adelaide screen programming, industry workshops, film production funding, on-site filmmaking facilities, and equipment hire. These key appointments will further solidify The Mercury’s position as a vital hub for the South Australian screen industry.
The organisation also recently relaunched the beloved South Australian Screen Awards, celebrating the best and brightest new talent within the state. This successful relaunch continues The Mercury’s commitment to fostering a thriving and supportive screen community.
In addition, The Mercury has presented a series of high-profile “An Evening With” events featuring renowned industry figures such as Warwick Thornton, the RackaRacka brothers Michael and Danny Philipou, and Erik Thomson. These events offered valuable opportunities for networking, as well as inspiration for aspiring and established filmmakers alike. More sessions are planned for later in the year.
The Mercury is gearing up to roll-out a comprehensive suite of industry programs, featuring a new series of Launch Lab workshops on above and below-the-line topics, an expanded one-on-one Script Consultations with Australian Writers Guild mentors from across the nation, and the continuation of our popular Script Club. We are also excited to announce applications for the Hanlon Larson Screen Fellowship and Quicksilver Production Funding will open soon.
The Mercury will also deliver a host of activities and events to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Media Resource Centre (MRC) which first opened in 1974 with a gathering of alumni, photo exhibition, retrospective screening program and more planned later for the coming months.