Bruna Papandrea.
Australians in Film have launched Mentor LA, a new mentorship program initiated with Screen Australia support.
Mentor LA will match four early-to-mid-level practitioners who currently work in the Australian industry with dedicated mentors who work in the US, giving them the opportunity to gain international industry knowledge.
The inaugural mentors are producer Bruna Papandrea (Gone Girl, Wild); writer/director Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Collateral); Emmy award-winning production designer Deborah Riley (Game of Thrones) and the president of unscripted television at Endemol Shine USA, Eden Gaha.
The pairs will be matched for a twelve-month structured program specific to their area of work, allowing the participants to continue to develop their careers in Australia and build on their existing knowledge with their mentor.
Over the year, the mentors and mentees will meet on four occasions: three times online and once in person during a week of meetings in Los Angeles at the culmination of the program.
“AiF is in the perfect position to connect the Australian industry with the international market", said AiF's president Simonne Overend.
Screen Australia’s Head of Business and Audience Richard Harris said: “Mentor LA is a fantastic opportunity for up-and-coming talent to be guided by some of the most experienced and successful Australians in the industry."
The successful mentees will be selected based on their work experience, career trajectory in their chosen field, and their statement of purpose and goals.
Participants must reside in Australia and have professional experience in a field of endeavour that is shared with a mentor.