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‘Cleverman’ takes on five Indigenous interns for second season

Mia Boe at work in 'Cleverman''s art department.

Five emerging Indigenous screen practitioners have gained paid internships on the second season of ABC/SundanceTV's Cleverman, currently shooting in Sydney.

Screen Australia’s Indigenous department, Screen NSW and Goalpost Pictures and Pukeko Pictures (the producers of Cleverman) have supported the five placements.

The interns are:

  • Daniel Collins, originally from the Tiwi Islands and now based in NSW, who is working alongside Cleverman's producers;
  • Mia Boe, from NSW (Newtown), who is working in the Art Department under acclaimed Indigenous Production Designer Jacob Nash (Bangarra Dance Theatre);
  • Ebony Jessup from NSW (Yamba), who is working within the make up team headed by Kath Brown (I, Frankenstein, The Hobbit);
  • Joel Brown, from South Australia (Huntfield Heights), is working as a 1st AD attachment to John Martin (Redfern Now, Rake); 
  • Petris Torres, from Western Australia (Broome), will be working out of Peter Jackson’s post-production house Park Road Post during post-production in New Zealand early next year.

“I'm thrilled with the number of Aboriginal interns we have on the show this year," said Ryan Griffen, Cleverman's producer and concept creator. "It’s just as important to have Aboriginal practitioners behind the camera as it is in front of the camera. Seeing more Aboriginal people join the crew makes every day feel like you're working on something really special."

Goldpost Pictures' Rosemary Blight said the team wanted to offer as broad a range of opportunities as possible to young Indigenous creatives.

"I am especially grateful to both Screen Australia and Screen NSW for their commitment to our endeavours and making this a reality,” she said.

Mia Boe described the internship as invaluable. “My experience as the art department intern has been a gateway behind the scenes to all things I love; film, design, and art. It has opened my eyes to the amazing hard work and initiative a career within design entails, and provided me with skills that will stay with me forever."

"Few emerging screen practitioners have the opportunity to work with such outstanding talent on a show as groundbreaking as Cleverman," said Screen Australia's Head of Indigenous, Penny Smallacombe. "Ryan Griffen's own career began with a Screen Australia-supported internship at Goalpost Pictures, so we know this program works and are proud to be championing this new generation of Indigenous screen creatives."

Screen NSW CEO Courtney Gibson congratulated the interns and applauded Blight and Griffen for making it happen: "The more Indigenous practitioners working in all kinds of roles in our sector, the better,” she said.