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Windmill Theatre Company's first foray into film, the coming of age movie Girl Asleep, was a resounding success.
On the back of the international acclaim it received two years ago, the South Australian children's theatre company has created a permanent film division.
A new arm of the company will be dedicated to developing screen projects from its live theatre works.
For artistic director, Rose Myers, the 21st century is a time of great change and possibility for the world of theatre.
"To have this opportunity, to take this bold initiative, shows what a theatre company in 2017 can look like," she said.
"The creative process of taking Girl Asleep from stage to screen has forged a new and exciting convergence model of live theatre and film for the company.
"We're excited to take on more screen projects alongside our theatre work."
Girl Asleep screened in 25 countries around the world, won several international awards and was nominated for six Australian Film Institute awards.
Screen Australia has already provided story development funding for its next movie, an adaption of School Dance, about the awkwardness of adolescence.
"It's a classic revenge of the nerds story," Myers said.
"I think it's our quirky theatrical voice that made Girl Asleep so distinctive and we definitely, I guess, have learnt so much and just want to take all of that further next time."
It's a new way of thinking for Windmill and many other theatre companies, which Myer said was helped by the new way people consume film.
"When you make a play it's kind of over when it's over, but the film kept on going," she said.
"It's just unlocked great dialogues with us, there are really great opportunities now the way that film and TV is structured with things like Netflix and Amazon that we can work in Adelaide and bring that kind of investment in here."
Pre-production of School Dance is expected to begin next year, with shooting in 2019.
There are also ambitions to make television shows in the future.
"We want to make it happen as fast as we can," Myers said.
"But it is a process so we'll do the first development and then hopefully the pre-production throughout next year and towards the beginning of the year after that."
Windmill has also launched its new original stage show, Beep.
"We still keep up our theatre and we're doing masses of touring and have new works that we've got on ready to premier," Myers said.
"I think we do have great content that does have so much traction so, yeah, lots of possibilities."
Topics: arts-and-entertainment, film-movies, theatre, community-and-society, adelaide-5000, sa
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