David Minear, chairman of the Young & Rubicam Adelaide advertising agency, has been appointed chairman of the board of the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), which recently announced a new strategy aimed at making the state a centre for independent film-making.

Film-maker Rolf de Heer has an office at the SAFC and Paul Cox regularly posts his films there. Its recent investments include Rabbit-Proof Fence, the first film directed by Phillip Noyce in Australia for about 10 years, and de Heer's next film, The Tracker, which goes into production in March or April.

Minear, replaces Teri Whiting, has had extensive media experience both nationally and in the region. Australian arts minister Diana Laidlaw also announced that producers Helen Leake and Brian Morris are joining the SAFC board for three-year terms, and that existing members, Pamela Martin, Kevin McLean and Michael Mason have been re-appointed. Those retiring from the board include film-maker Mario Andreacchio and exhibitor Barry Loane.

Over the last four years, South Australia has hosted only 1%-4% of the nation's annual drama production, but the film agency is the only one in Australia that has its own studio.