Branded Content and Australian Hybrid Film Financing

Abstract

This exegesis proposes an alternative strategy for financing feature films in Australia, one centred on working to create a fictional narrative screenplay in conjunction with commercial brand partners. The studio project at the heart of this reflective practice research is the writing and development of King of Speed, a feature film script set in the realm of competitive automobile racing. I argue that the alignment of this milieu and industry with my narrative interests has provided a unique opportunity to partner with key corporations and brands without ceding creative control. I suggest that a major challenge confronted in the design of the project is the aesthetic contextualisation of commercial content. A key aim of the script development is to provide opportunities for sponsorship and the showcasing of ‘products’ that appear to be contextually naturalised and hence not to violate the integrity of the artwork. This research contributes to the field of screen producing and filmmakers who are seeking ways to finance feature films that are outside entrenched and established models. The exegesis investigates the process of script development; the financial advantages and disadvantages that can be gained from associating films with brands; the ethical and aesthetic limits of product placement; the complex issues surrounding artists’ rights; and the commercial challenges to influences on creative integrity.