Jen Peedom, director of 'Sherpa'.
Screen NSW and the Documentary Australia Foundation have partnered on a new initiative to support female documentary filmmakers based in NSW.
The progam, known as SheDoc, will be open to women at any stage in their career, and will support travel, research, mentoring, residencies, skills development, seeding and the development of impact strategies. It is not for production funding.
The program will award up to four grants a year.
“By offering funding to facilitate opportunities that are self-directed and of benefit, our aim is to positively intervene in women’s filmmaking careers,” said Documentary Australia Foundation CEO Mitzi Goldman.
Data released last week by Screen NSW showed that over the past year, only 37 per cent of documentary and factual directors attached to projects supported by the agency were women. This is up from 33 per cent in 2014-15.
Female writers increased from 39 per cent to 43 per cent over the year. Producers fared much better, with women making up 66 per cent of producers on Screen NSW-funded factual projects – up 6 per cent from 2014-15.
“The need for this intervention is clear. There is a significant gender divide in the documentary sector with the most recent Screen NSW figures reporting that less than half of key creative roles of writer and director are taken by women,” said Screen NSW CEO Courtney Gibson.
Screen NSW has made a commitment to achieve a 50 per cent participation rate by women in key creative roles across all formats by 2020.
SheDoc will be funded by private philanthropic support through the Documentary Australia Foundation, funding from Screen NSW and from corporate partner RØDE Microphones.
For more information on guidelines and application details contact lianne@documentaryaustralia.com.au