Creative Plus Business has announced the 19 screen practitioners and organisations who will participate in its inaugural Social Enterprise for Screen program.
Supported by the Screenrights Cultural Fund, the masterclass program is designed to empower under-represented filmmakers who want to use the power of screen to make the world a better place.
Throughout the program, participants will develop a social enterprise strategic plan to guide the next stage of their project or business, including systems of measuring their social impact, and how they plan to use their screen enterprise to showcase compelling stories that contribute to diversity and social change, both on screen and off.
Among the initiatives participants wish to pursue are a collaborative screen hub on the Gold Coast focused on virtual screen production technology; the next-stage development of a Western Sydney film ecology enterprise; the expansion of a leading peak body for female filmmakers; establishment of a regionally-based LatinX screen production company; and new projects from Māori, Pasifika, and First Nations storytellers.
Of the selected participants, 55 per cent identify as female, 15 per cent are First Nations screen practitioners, 45 per cent are people of colour, and 35 per cent represent the LGBTQIA+ community. More than half are culturally and linguistically diverse filmmakers, one-quarter are regional or remote, and 35 per cent are living with disability and/or neurodiversity.
The 19 participants include:
● Clarice Would like a Word (SA)
● Dingo Drama (SA)
● Eva Justine Torkkola (VIC)
● Generate Crew (NSW)
● Gold Coast Screen Hub/Chrysaor (QLD)
● GuniBina (NSW)
● Henry Simmons and Geneva Gilmour (NSW)
● Joy House Productions (NSW)
● Liquid Heart – Kevin Luk (VIC)
● Made in the West Creative (NSW)
● Mount Lofty Studios – Yogi Devgan (SA)
● Mana Film Productions (QLD)
● Nastasha Henry (NSW)
● Rebecca Kirwan (NSW)
● The Great Aboriginal People (QLD)
● Tuldi Media (SA)
● Two Dog Films (NSW)
● Ver Mas Media (QLD)
● Warrior Tribe Films (VIC)
Over 13 weeks, they will undertake an online program designed to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to build a sustainable screen organisation using the organisational model of social entrepreneurship.
They will be guided by Creative Plus Business director and program designer Monica Davidson, who brings over 30 years of screen industry and business education experience to the program. Participants will also have the opportunity to be personally mentored by the organisations mentor and advisor network, and to learn from industry leaders including Tracey Corbin-Matchett (Bus Stop Films), Pauline Clague (Winda Film Festival), Kate Croser (Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network), Ben Steel (Screen Well), Georgina Cohen (Social Traders), Felicity Blake (The Dove Media), Georgia Moore (Culture Counts), and Rosie Lourde (Gender Matters Taskforce).
“We were delighted by the incredible responses to this program, and the large number of applicants really shows that there is a growing need for new and innovative approaches to our screen sector. We are looking forward to working with the final 19 selected participant groups, and we can’t wait to see what amazing and impactful projects and businesses they create,” said Davidson.
At the conclusion of the program in August, a screening of the participants’ project pitches will be held online and shared with the public via the Creative Plus Business website and a dedicated Vimeo Channel.