Screenrights has revealed that five projects will be supported by its 2022 Cultural Fund, with initiatives from Arts & Cultural Exchange, Goolarri Media Enterprises, Pacific Kids’ Learning, POW Studios, and Channel 44 to share in $213,083.
Now in its fifth year, the fund carried a focus on ‘New Opportunities’ for 2022 as it passed $1 million overall in grants provided.
For Arts & Cultural Exchange, $49,983 will be put towards Screen Trades, a training scheme addressing shortages in the areas of VFX, production accounting, and assistant camera roles for First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse practitioners
Up to 60 participants will engage in craft training as part of the program, which also offers nine paid professional placements with professional production companies and/or broadcasters.
It is being delivered in partnership with TAFE NSW, and industry partners Moneypenny Production Accounting Services, Panavision, NITV, EQ Media Group, and Lingo Pictures.
Arts & Cultural Exchange screen cultures producer Barry Gamba told IF the Screenrights grant would go towards resourcing the three strands of the initiative.
“Some of the costs are covered by our education partners and others we have to cover through this funding,” he said.
“We are also covering professional fees for placements at the end of these courses.
“We’re looking at starting next month, although there will be Bookkeeping for Filmmakers one-day primer course for early career producers in late August.”
Screenrights board director and cultural fund working group chair Geoffrey Atherden said Screen Trades was one of “many fantastic applications” assessed by a panel of professionals with both local and international expertise in screen, media, and education.
“The five funded initiatives showcase a diverse range of project aims and will benefit a variety of participants,” he said.
“We’re excited to see the outcomes of these initiatives, and know that they will help break down barriers for under-represented storytellers to the benefit of our screen industry and audiences.”
The successful projects for this year are:
Screen Trades
Activity: Screen Trades aims to address shortages in the areas of VFX, Production Accounting, and Assistant Camera roles for diverse practitioners, by providing a training scheme with industry-focused craft development and professional employment pathways for early career screen practitioners from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities. Up to 60 participants will engage in craft training, and up to 9 participants will engage in paid professional placements with professional production companies and/or broadcasters. The program is a partnership between Arts & Cultural Exchange, TAFE NSW, and leading industry partners Moneypenny Production Accounting Services, Panavision, NITV, EQ Media Group and Lingo Pictures.
Location: Parramatta, NSW, Australia
Amount Funded: A$49,983
Goolarri Writers Program
Activity: The Goolarri Writers Program is a series of tutorials, masterclasses, and mentoring opportunities that supports emerging Indigenous performance writers in the Kimberley to gain the professional skills to create their own stories for film, stage and online platforms. Goolarri will continue its support of eight writers as well as nurture a new cohort of six writers in developing the craft required to create new professional stories for regional, national and international audiences.
Location: Broome, WA, Australia
Amount Funded: A$50,000
Young Pasifika Animators
Activity: Young Pasifika Animators will provide two separate two-day stop motion workshops for 40 year six Pasifika primary school students. The workshops will show students all the steps involved in making their own stop motion animation video, from the beginning of the story development process right through to narration, sound effects, and video editing. The fun and engaging sessions delivered by creative industry experts are designed to teach practical skills that will open up young minds to the possibilities of animation or screen industry careers.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Amount Funded: A$50,000
See Them: Be Them
Activity: See Them: Be Them is a series of three workshops for 14-18 year-olds designed to demystify the world of post-production for marginalised young people in Aotearoa. Predominantly Pasifika, Māori, and Asian mentors will visit schools to share their craft, workshop tips, and tricks. The sessions will also be available to remote learners across the country virtually. The workshops aim to not only demonstrate the steps involved in the technical aspects of post-production but also broaden young people’s understanding of the creativity found in these vital roles.
Location: Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, New Zealand
Amount Funded: A$29,100
TV Pilot Initiative
Activity: The TV Pilot Initiative is a First Nations-led program delivered by Channel 44 in partnership with the SAFC and with support from Screen Australia that will support emerging South Australian First Nations participant filmmakers to develop and grow their skills. Some of Australia’s most experienced First Nations TV practitioners will provide mentoring and masterclasses on developing collaborative and long format projects as a ‘hired gun’. The initiative will be delivered to 20-30 filmmakers, with the aim of creating sustainable careers.
Location: SA, Australia
Amount Funded: A$34,000