Outgoing Screenworks CEO Ken Crouch is set to join Screen Australia in the newly-created role of training and industry development manager.
Crouch, who announced he would be leaving the regional organisation last month after eight years in the top job, will develop and implement national programs to support capacity building and skills development screen sector as part of the role, reporting to head of content Grainne Brunsdon.
The appointment comes more than a year after the formation of a working group comprising Ausfilm, Office of the Arts, Screen Australia, the state screen agencies, AFTRS, and NIDA, to build a national strategic framework supporting industry capacity and skills development.
It followed an Ausfilm-commissioned Australian production infrastructure and capacity from Olsberg SPI, which found the country is facing capacity constraints in key roles such as line producers, 1st assistant directors, unit production managers and location managers, as well as positions across post-production, visual effects and animation, particularly VFX producers and supervisors, animators and technicians.
During his time at Screenworks, Crouch oversaw more than 280 training and industry development initiatives, collaborating with the various state agencies, as well as industry partners, such as Australians In Film, AACTA, Australian International Screen Forum, and the Australian International Documentary Conference, among others.
Brunsdon said Screen Australia was delighted with the new hire.
“Ken brings a wealth of industry experience to this role having spearheaded development and training opportunities for regionally based creatives and crew through his role at Screenworks,” she said.
“I look forward to working with him on this critical work in strengthening our screen sector.”
In a post on social media, Crouch said he was “looking forward to joining the Screen Australia team in February, and to working with state government agencies, educational institutions, industry partners, industry guilds, broadcasters and streamers, local production companies, inbound productions and all levels of government to grow the capacity of the Australian screen production sector, especially BTL crew roles”.
Crouch will start at Screen Australia in February.