The Family Law.
The Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS), Screen Australia and the state screen agencies have united to put on a skills development program for emerging practitioners from diverse backgrounds.
According to a joint statement, the national program is in part a response to industry concern about the lack of diversity in the screen sector.
Known as Talent Camp, workshops will focus on story development, screen producing and career pathways.
The program will run between September and November across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, and Darwin, with 12-15 participants to be selected for each workshop.
The call out is for stories from creatives from communities under-represented in screen culture, with reference to cultural background, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic and/ or socio-economic circumstances. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives are strongly encouraged to apply.
AFTRS CEO Neil Peplow said all partners were committed to providing opportunities for storytellers from a diversity of backgrounds who provide new perspectives and have a new screen story to tell.
“We welcome creative people who are passionate about storytelling in whatever artform and are interested in exploring a career in screen media. To bring this important initiative to life, I’m delighted for AFTRS to be playing a central role in a screen sector-wide collaboration,” he said.
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said the agency’s Seeing Ourselves study into diversity in TV drama highlighted the work that needed to be done to ensure all Australians are represented on screen and behind the camera.
“Screen Australia is thrilled to see the screen sector come together for Talent Camp, and we have high hopes that this opportunity coupled with other initiatives like Developing the Developers and of course continued funding for new works that are inclusive, such as The Family Law, Starting From Now, Ronny Chieng: International Student, Safe Harbour, The Warriors, Cleverman, Grace Beside Me, Sunshine and Slam, will start to deliver real change,” said Mason.
Applications are already open for participants from Western Australia, with the deadline 9am AEST July 10.
For more information, including dates and how apply go to aftrs.edu.au/talentcamp