Mia Bays.
Emerging female directors, producers and screen practitioners are being invited to apply to take part in the feature development and training scheme Filmonomics.
The five-day workshop will be the first staged in Australia by Birds’ Eye View (BEV), a 15-year-old UK film charity dedicated to bringing larger audiences to films by women through advocacy, audience engagement and career development.
For Film’s Sake and the Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) are collaborating with BEV on the initiative, which will be held in Brisbane from October 6 until BIFF opens on October 11.
Developed in conjunction with the British Council, Filmonomics offers emerging female directors, producers and screen practitioners who have a minimum of 1-2 feature film credits and/or a body of short-form work from commercial, branded or moving image sectors a hothouse environment in which to deepen their market understanding on developed or developing projects in the domestic and international feature sector.
The scheme offers a distinct lab-based approach, combining skills and experience of local and international filmmakers, financiers, distributors and sales representatives. People with two or more credits and those returning to the sector after a leave of absence are also invited to apply.
BEV director-at-large and Filmonomics mentor is Mia Bays, a UK producer with 13 feature film credits including Six Shooter, Shifty, Lilting and music doc Scott Walker: 30 Century Man.
Bays said: “I’m thrilled to be back in Australia. Last time it was to share thoughts on the UK micro-budget feature boom. This time it’s Birds’ Eye View spreading our wings to connect with allies around the female perspective in film, building allegiances and bridges that enable female filmmakers a greater reach.
“It’s essential for us to share experiences, spark to new ideas and new faces and help build a larger network to keep on amplifying our essential voices.”
BEV has supported more than 30 films including Suffragette (2015), Toni Erdmann (2016) and Step (2017) with promotions and events.
The workshop is presented as part of BIFF, supported by Screen Australia, Screen Queensland and the festival in conjunction with QAGOMA.
Submissions are now open. Application is free and partial travel bursaries may be available for successful applicants based out of state. Full details including application form are available at www.forfilmssake.org.
Applications close at midnight on Friday September 24. Successful applicants will be notified the following week.