Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Screenrights
“This year’s New Opportunities focus inspired many fantastic applications, which made a tough job for our assessors. The five funded initiatives showcase a diverse range of project aims and will benefit a variety of participants,” said Screenrights Board Director and Cultural Fund Working Group Chair Geoffrey Atherden. “We’re excited to see the outcomes of these initiatives, and know that they will help break down barriers for under-represented storytellers to the benefit of our screen industry and audiences.”
For the first time, in 2022 Screenrights provided an Expression of Interest process to assist less experienced applicants who might benefit from extra support during the application stage. Indicative of the success of this approach, two out of the five successful grant recipients had engaged with this process.
The two New Zealand initiatives are among the projects funded by the 2022 Screenrights Cultural Fund are:
Pacific Kids’ Learning will receive $50K for two-day stop motion workshops provided to 40 year six Pasifika primary school students through the ‘Young Pasifika Animators’ program, which is designed to teach practical skills that will open up young minds to the possibilities of animation and screen industry careers.
The Pacific Kids’ Learning team said: “We are humbled to receive this funding from Screenrights, which will support young Pasifika creatives to learn about telling their stories using stop motion animation. In addition to seeing how their culture can be an integral part of their success in the workplace, Pasifika youth can see how their innate love of drawing and art can be turned into a career in digital screen production and animation. We have seen from a business perspective how hard it is to find qualified Pasifika animators in our industry, and we want to inspire the next generation of Pasifika to see the screen industry as a viable career path that is within their reach.”
‘See Them: Be Them’ is a series of three workshops from POW Studios. Aimed at 14-18 year olds, the recipients will receive $29,100 for the project which aims to demystify the world of post production for marginalised young people in Aotearoa.
Marie Silberstein, POW Studios Head Of Development & Production said: “Building inclusive content begins with the team creating it. I think it’s vital for our young people to see themselves reflected in post-production roles. Thanks to Screenrights for supporting this vision, it’s a real privilege.
The team from Pacific Kids’ Learning.
Marie Silberstein, Head of Production & Development, POW Studios
POW Studios Collaborator Kyle Awa
Other initiatives funded in this year’s Cultural Fund include:
Arts & Cultural Exchange which will receive $49,983 for ‘Screen Trades’, a training scheme addressing shortages in the areas of VFX, Production Accounting and Assistant Camera roles for diverse practitioners by providing industry-focused craft development and professional employment pathways for early career screen practitioners from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities. Goolarri Media Enterprises will receive $50K for the ‘Goolarri Writers Program’ series of tutorials, masterclasses and mentoring opportunities that supports emerging Indigenous performance writers in the Kimberley; and ‘TV Pilot Initiative’ is an Indigenous-led program delivered by Channel 44 in partnership with SAFC First Nations that will receive $34,000 in funding to help move South Australian First Nations participant filmmakers out of the emerging sector where many have found themselves languishing for over a decade.
Applications were assessed by a panel of professionals with both local and international expertise in screen, media and education.
https://www.screenrights.org/cultural-fund
ABOUT THE SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
Young Pasifika Animators
Activity: Young Pasifika Animators will provide two separate two-day stop motion workshops for 40 year six Pasifika primary school students. The workshops will show students all the steps involved in making their own stop motion animation video, from the beginning of the story development process right through to narration, sound effects and video editing. The fun and engaging sessions delivered by creative industry experts are designed to teach practical skills that will open up young minds to the possibilities of animation or screen industry careers.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Amount Funded: A$50,000
See Them: Be Them
Activity: See Them: Be Them is a series of three workshops for 14-18 year olds designed to demystify the world of post production for marginalised young people in Aotearoa. Predominantly Pasifika, Māori and Asian mentors will visit schools to share their craft, workshop tips and tricks and answer questions. The sessions will also be available to remote learners across the country virtually. The workshops will aim not only to demonstrate the steps involved in the technical aspects of post production but also broaden young people’s understanding of the creativity found in these vital roles.
Location: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, New Zealand
Amount Funded: A$29,100
Screen Trades
Activity: Screen Trades aims to address shortages in the areas of VFX, Production Accounting and Assistant Camera roles for diverse practitioners, by providing a training scheme with industry-focused craft development and professional employment pathways for early career screen practitioners from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities. Up to 60 participants will engage in craft training, and up to 9 participants will engage in paid professional placements with professional production companies and/or broadcasters. The program is a partnership between Arts & Cultural Exchange, TAFE NSW, and leading industry partners Moneypenny Production Accounting Services, Panavision, NITV, EQ Media Group and Lingo Pictures.
Location: Parramatta, NSW, Australia
Amount Funded: A$49,983
Goolarri Writers Program
Activity: The Goolarri Writers Program is a series of tutorials, masterclasses and mentoring opportunities that supports emerging Indigenous performance writers in the Kimberley to gain the professional skills to create their own stories for film, stage and online platforms. Goolarri will continue their support of 8 writers as well as nurture a new cohort of 6 writers in developing the craft required to create new professional stories for regional, national and international audiences, and to build a more sustainable local industry by enabling artists to grow the skills integral to making outstanding artistic products while staying in their communities.
Location: Broome, WA, Australia
Amount Funded: A$50,000
TV Pilot Initiative
Activity: The TV Pilot Initiative is an Indigenous-led program delivered by Channel 44 in partnership with SAFC First Nations that will move South Australian First Nations participant filmmakers out of the emerging sector where many have found themselves languishing for over a decade. Some of Australia’s most experienced Indigenous TV practitioners will provide mentoring and masterclasses on developing collaborative and long format projects as a “hired gun”. The initiative will be delivered to 20-30 filmmakers, with the aim of creating sustainable careers.
Location: SA, Australia
Amount Funded: A$34,000
ABOUT SCREENRIGHTS
Screenrights is a non-profit organisation that provides rights and royalty management services to the screen industry, and facilitates access to screen content for licensees. We license Australian and NZ educators, and Australian government and pay TV retransmitters, to copy and communicate broadcast content. From the licence fees we collect, Screenrights distributes royalty payments to rightsholder members for the programs being used. Screenrights also provides services to the screen industry such as worldwide royalty collection, film and television disbursements, performer residuals management, and an annual Cultural Fund.
