Times are becoming increasingly more difficult when it comes to the funding of arts documentaries. Gone are the days of generous investment from television; for now one must look further afield to the areas of private business and governments according to the acclaimed British film director Paul Grabsky who took the time to chat from his home in Brighton where he is currently editing a film on Henri Matisse. Elucidating on this point, he goes on to say that even “Australia’s own SBS network will pay only $180 per minute! Gone are the days of government funding of the arts and one must search for funding wherever one can.”

 

In spite of these difficulties, Grabsky continues to make films and to seek financial support for them. His ongoing series of “In search of …” films on important composers, have proved to be very popular here in Australia where the first in the series, In Search of Beethoven has become listed amongst the hundred most successful documentaries to be screened in local Australian cinemas. Yet according to Grabsky, he “didn’t set out to make an ongoing series of films on composers. Others felt that I should...