As part of the South Australian Film Corporation’s five-year First Nations Screen Strategy launched on 13 November 2020, Channel 44 will mentor and provide valuable opportunities to First Nations screen creatives.
The First Nations Screen Strategy 2020-2025 follows on from the SAFC’s Aboriginal Screen Strategy 2015-2020, and sets out continued and greater support for the South Australian First Nations screen sector across four main avenues: growing investment, increasing production, creating pathways, and building industry networks.
Channel 44 will provide on-the-job training and mentorship to up to eight First Nations screen creatives, including three paid producer and crew roles at the television station. The partnership will also see SAFC supported short films made by First Nations filmmakers aired statewide on Channel 44 throughout the year.
General Manager of Channel 44 Lauren Hillman said, “Channel 44 is thrilled to be partnering with the SAFC on what will be the station’s inaugural First Nations mentorship program. This partnership will provide significant opportunities for emerging First Nations screen creatives to gain valuable hands-on experience in television production, learn new skills and create original content, and will help to establish career pathways for paid producer and crew roles.”
CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation Kate Croser said, “As an organisation with storytelling at its heart, the SAFC is committed to highlighting and supporting First Nations voices and stories on screens locally and globally. Together with South Australia’s First Nations screen industry we have achieved significant outcomes through our Aboriginal screen strategy since 2015, and we are incredibly proud of the stories that have been created for audiences to appreciate.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Channel 44 on this new First Nations mentoring initiative, which will enhance the visibility of South Australian First Nations practitioners and their work, and help to establish and formalise even more career pathways for our state’s emerging screen talents.”
To celebrate the launch of the First Nations Screen Strategy 2020-2025, the SAFC has unveiled a First Nations showreel and First Nations film poster wall at Adelaide Studios, displaying posters of SAFC supported films by emerging South Australian First Nations filmmakers.
Watch the launch of the First Nations showreel and First Nations film poster wall at Adelaide Studios on the C44 Facebook page.
The strategy, showreel and information about all SAFC First Nations initiatives and programs can be viewed on the SAFC website.
Read the full media release here.
