Leah Purcell and Bain Stewart.
Up to five Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers will get the opportunity to participate in a workshop with all-rounder Leah Purcell and producing partner Bain Stewart, thanks to Screen Queensland’s First Peoples: First Draft initiative.
The initiative is part of SQ’s $3.3 million support package to help sustain the local screen industry through COVID-19.
Selected participants will develop the first draft of their feature film or broadcast series with Purcell and Stewart, of Oombarra Productions.
“I love to give back, share my knowledge, and unpack my whole kit bag of acting, writing, producing and directing experience, for the next mob to learn from. I have a long history of creating my own Queensland Murri stories and I can’t wait to help shape and grow the next stories coming through,” said Purcell.
Stewart said they were excited by the momentum of Indigenous screen creators in Australia. “We have seen the screen industry change over the last 20 years and we know that there is a market and international audience for Indigenous stories so we’d love to help get more into production.”
Screen Queensland CEO Kylie Munnich said: “This year’s Reconciliation Week theme of ‘In this Together’ has greater resonance now due to COVID-19, but it also speaks to our focus of collaborating, partnering, and working with our state’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers.”
Screen Queensland VP of Indigenous stories and talent Douglas Watkin said: “At Screen Queensland we are very much in this together with our SQ Mob, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander screen creatives in Queensland. We want to unearth and bring out the ‘black voice’ for all our Mobs in the industry.”
Applicants must submit a video pitch, one-page story outline, bio and samples of previous work by July 6. Apply here.