She Shoots launches in NSW.
AFTRS, Screen NSW, Women NSW and screen industry executives have launched a program to adress the gender imbalance in commercial unscripted television camera and sound departments.
She Shoots is an initiative of AFTRS, Screen NSW, Women NSW and Executive Women’s Television Group, a group of NSW-based senior women from production companies and broadcasters, who have come together to tackle gender bias in the screen industry.
The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics from 2011 reported that more than 90 per cent of all sound technicians, camera operators and directors of photography were male.
Matchbox director of unscripted content and founder of the Executive Women's Television Group, Kylie Washington, said:
“We have not identified a single female camera operator or sound recordist working in the reality and unscripted genres within Australian TV," she said.
"We want to support women coming into these roles and provide new opportunities in the industry.”
She Shoots will be multi-faceted program.
AFTRS will facilitate a free short course (2 weeks) to train female screen industry practitioners in sound and camera skills.
In addition to practical instruction and classroom teaching, set visits to reality TV productions will give participants exposure to the inner working of this genre.
Industry partners including Matchbox Pictures and Foxtel will then facilitate 4 – 6 week paid attachments in camera and sound roles for the participants on leading Australian commercial reality programs with VA Digital Hire sponsoring equipment hire.
As part of the course, Women NSW will offer support to graduates, through its partnership with the support network SALT – Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen.
The project aligns closely to the work of Women NSW, especially to the agency’s women in trades strategy.
The course, which commences Monday June 20, will be open to NSW-based women only.
Women living in Regional NSW and Greater Western Sydney are encouraged to apply.
Screen NSW chief executive, Courtney Gibson, said Screen NSW, together with Women NSW, was committed to achieving equity for women in all aspects of the screen industry in NSW.
"This bespoke project displays the joint resolve of the State and Federal Governments to work with the private sector to open doors and create opportunities in workplaces that effectively remain closed to women,” she said.
AFTRS chief executive, Neil Peplow, said AFTRS was excited to be part of this industry initiative to address the lack of women in key production roles.
"By linking training with actual production jobs in factual TV we intend to kickstart careers, demonstrate the value of diversity and shift the existing paradigm,” he said.