Screen Australia has announced the latest recipients for the Skills Development Fund and BTL: Next Step initiative, who will share in over $900,000 of Industry Development funding – bridging skill shortages and boosting the capabilities of the Australian screen workforce.
Since launching in April 2023, Screen Australia’s Industry Development initiatives have provided over $5 million for training and skills development for more than 500 industry professionals.
These initiatives were introduced to help address the skills shortages for below-the-line roles and grow the capacity of the Australian screen workforce. The Skills Development Fund is designed to support production companies, game development studios and screen businesses to provide work-based learning, while BTL: Next Step supports mid-career practitioners to upskill from their current areas of expertise.
The host companies and individuals supported through BTL: Next Step are:
Boom Tracks Pty Ltd – Sound Designer placement (VIC): Andrew Richards (Water for Birds, 112 Days) from VIC
Cosmic Dino Studio – Line Producer placement (QLD): Michael Olive (Teletubbies – Let’s Go!, In Limbo) from QLD
Cutting Edge Post Pty Ltd – Post Supervisor / Post Producer placement (QLD): Ashlee Smale (My Kitchen Rules, Dream Homes season 1) from NSW
Jungle Entertainment – Production Manager placement (NSW): Belinda Dean (Cloudy River, The Way, My Way) from NSW
Lingo Pictures Pty Ltd – Location Manager placement (NSW): Estee Chang (Play Dirty, Prosper) from NSW
Princess Bento Pty Ltd – Special Effects Supervisor placement (VIC): Lily Ford (Young Woman and the Sea, Class of ‘07) from NSW
SAM Content – Line Producer placement (NSW): Penny Jope (Memory Lane season 4 and 5, Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles) from NSW
Sweet Shop Green Pty Ltd – Post Production Supervisor placement (VIC): Nick Venn (VFX & Post Producer) from VIC
Walking Fish Productions Pty Ltd – Post Production Supervisor placement (VIC): Amy Browne (Welcome to Yiddishland, A Will for the Woods) from VIC
The programs/projects supported through the Skills Development Fund are:
Kangaroo Beach Digital Team – Cheeky Little Media Pty Ltd: This funding will support Cheeky Little, an Australian producer of kids’ animated content, to develop an in-house digital arm dedicated to producing and distributing content for YouTube. The skills development plan will focus on skills and capacity in digital distribution and channel building with support from experienced mentors and specialised industry training. In doing so, Cheeky Little aims to establish a team of digital specialists in the children’s entertainment space to address a notable gap in the industry.
Pasture Skills Development Plan – Salty Games Pty Ltd: Salty Games is a games development studio looking to establish a lasting gaming industry in the Northern Territory, through harnessing local talent and creating an environment that reflects the rich cultural tapestry of the NT. With this funding, Salty Games aims to enhance the abilities of the team by providing targeted training and mentorship in key areas of game production, management and technical expertise – addressing skills shortages across the territory.
PROCLIVITAS Skills Development – LMF Production No1 Pty Ltd: PROCLIVITAS is the debut feature film from writer/director Miley Tunnecliffe and producer Kate Separovich filming in Western Australia. Through this funding, production company Lake Martin Films will train a costume supervisor and special effects technician, and work on the skills growth of a 1st AD, DOP and production manager through a combination of structured mentorship and on-the-job training to help accommodate the production growth in Western Australia.
Screen Warriors below-the-line on-the-job training – Veterans Film Foundation Limited: Screen Warriors is a training and careers development initiative, creating film and TV industry pathways for Australian Defence Force (ADF) Veterans. This below-the-line on-the-job training project will provide opportunities for three Screen Warrior Program graduates to work as assistant accounting staff for production accounting platform, Moneypenny. Here, the participants will receive considerable mentorship and training on real productions in addition to a credit-enhancing careers.
Bump Season 5 Career Acceleration Plan – RPRD #10 Pty Ltd: Bump is a popular drama series for Stan produced by Roadshow Rough Diamond, one of Australia’s esteemed production companies. For season 5 of Bump, Roadshow Rough Diamond will use this funding to facilitate three roles over the course of the production that provide career accelerating opportunities: a line producer, assistant locations manager and assistant editor.
Spreadsheet Champions Skills Development Plan – GoodThing Productions Company Pty Ltd: Through feature documentary Spreadsheet Champions, GoodThing Productions looks to use this funding to roll out a comprehensive and holistic set of skills developments for multiple stages of post-production and delivery through three key roles: VFX artist, post production deliverables editor and access coordinator. With this Skills Development Plan, the company hopes to foster strong and ongoing relationships with emerging creatives, provide career elevation opportunities and continue to collaborate on future projects.
For more information, contact [email protected].
