AustLit

'One of the most profound shifts to have occurred in film consumption over the past century has been the emergence of technologies that support viewing outside movie theatres. Platforms such as television, home video, DVD/ Blu-ray and PCs brought film into our homes. More recent innovations such as iPad, laptops and smart phones allow film to travel with us, offering audiences unprecedented viewing flexibility and convenience. Collectively these non-theatrical formats have radically transformed the locational interface of film spectatorship - transporting it from something available only to consumers in a public setting to something that can be watched in a wide range of private and shared spaces. As has been noted by authors including Henry Jenkins (2006) and Ramon Lobato (2012), these developments have significantly broadened the scope and opportunities for cinematic engagement and participation.' (Author's introduction)

'There has been a renaissance in Australian genre cinema in recent years. Indeed, not since the 1980s have Australian genre movies across action, adventure, horror and science fiction among others, experienced such prominence within production, policy discourse and industry debate. Genre movies, typically associated with commercial film-making and entertainment, have been identified as a strategy to improve the box-office performance of Australian feature films and to attract larger audiences. Much of this conversation has revolved around the question of whether or not genre can deliver on these high expectations and transform the unpredictable local film industry into a popular and profitable commercial production sector. However, this debate for the most part has been disconnected from analysis of Australia's genre movie heritage in terms of their position within Australian cinema and their reception with domestic audiences, and how this correlates to contemporary trends. As this article argues, genre production is not a silver bullet that will single-handedly improve the Australian feature film industry's commercial performance. Genre movies have occupied, and continue to occupy, a difficult position within Australian cinema and face numerous challenges in terms of reception with national audiences, limited production scale and enterprise structures, and ongoing tensions between culture and commerce.' (Author's introduction)

'This article investigates the role of audience test screenings as a tool for anticipating and interpreting the audience. Of particular interest is the role of test screenings in contemporary film-making practices in Australia. The primary focus is on 'test' or 'preview screenings' - a process whereby a selected audience provides feedback to the producers of a film prior to its completion. I explore the practice of screen testing in the United States and other markets where it varies according to level of marketing budget, government support and the involvement of film-makers in marketing their works. The Australian situation is revealed principally from findings of an industry survey conducted in mid-2011. Perspectives on audience test screenings in Australia are also canvassed with distributors, the main research company in the field and the national screen-funding body, Screen Australia.' (Author's introduction)

'In the last five years, Australian films centred on Indigenous characters, such as Ten Canoes (de Heer and Djigirr, 2006), Samson and Delilah (Thornton, 2009) and The Tall Man (Krawitz, 2011) have been applauded for their sensitive engagement with traditional Aboriginal stories as well as with contemporary issues. While all three films premiered at Australian film festivals, received limited cinema releases, did the rounds of the international arthouse circuit, and have been broadcast on one of the national public service television networks, their reception, as opposed to a consideration of their textual attributes, has not received much scholarly or popular attention. This article draws on the author's experiences of attending the premiere of Samson and Delilah in Adelaide, and hosting the Q&A after the screening of The Tall Man in Brisbane to explore the Australian-based local-international film festival screening of an Indigenous film as a very specific reception framework; and the Q&A sessions, viewer voting forms and online discussions in the wake of television and/or private viewings as an important aspect of non-institutional responses to the films that are often replete with activist connotations.' (Author's abstract)