Screenrights has announced six projects will be supported by the 2024 round of its annual Cultural Fund, to total $288,654 in funding for this year’s focus of Big Issues: Creative Solutions.
Pilbara and Kimberley Aboriginal Media (PAKAM) will utilise new WiFi Mesh systems that are being rolled out in remote Indigenous communities by the West Australian Government and Australian Private Networks as a pioneering distribution platform for culturally relevant audiovisual content, with their project ‘Remote Indigenous Media Content on local WiFi Mesh Servers’ receiving a grant of $49,750. New Zealand’s Pacific Islands Screen Artists (PISA) will receive $50,000 for their ‘Pacific Islands Cultural Guidance for Screen Productions’ initiative, which will create a service to evaluate productions’ cultural needs, connect them with suitable individuals and communities, and ensure cultural authenticity and inclusivity in screen productions. Maselli Films’ ‘Women in Water: Creating Pathways for Female Surf and Underwater Cinematographers’ will receive $50,000 for a 16-week training program for emerging female cinematographers with a background in surfing, life saving, or strong swimming skills and whose work focuses on water videography.
A ‘Western Sydney Animation Talent Incubator’ aims to unearth diverse talent from Western Sydney and develop a new wave of animation practitioners through placements with Cheeky Little Media in the three key animation disciplines of design, storyboarding and editing, and will be supported by a $49,984 grant. ‘Social Enterprise for Screen’ will see Creative Plus Business Group deliver an educational program designed to empower filmmakers from under-represented sectors in the screen industry to build sustainable production enterprises that focus on social change both on and off-screen, with $38,920 in funding from the Screenrights Cultural Fund. And Screenworks will receive $50,000 for their ‘First Nations Pathways into the Writers Room’ initiative, addressing under-representation of First Nations screenwriters in partnership with the Australian Writers’ Guild by providing training in note-taking and script coordination, proven pathways to screenwriting careers.
“With so many tremendous applications to the Cultural Fund – the largest number yet – I don’t envy the assessment panel’s task, but am delighted to be announcing this year’s selected projects,” says Screenrights Board Director and Cultural Fund Working Group Chair Rachel Antony. “It’s thanks to Screenrights members that we’re able to offer this support to creative communities in Australia and Aotearoa-New Zealand and these projects are sure to make an impact.”
The Screenrights Cultural Fund makes a difference by supporting people with exciting and innovative new initiatives that foster the creation and appreciation of screen content in Australia and New Zealand. For its seventh year Screenrights increased the total available funding pool by $50,000, with $300,000 available in 2024.
Screenrights provides an applicant support process whereby those less experienced with grant applications can meet with a Screenrights-funded consultant to talk through their proposed project and look at ways to optimise their submission for the Fund’s aims. Indicative of the success of this approach, four out of the six successful grant recipients had engaged with this process. Applications were assessed by a panel of professionals with both local and international expertise in screen, media and education.
Photo caption Ocean is She, Maselli Films (grant recipient for ‘Women in Water: Creating Pathways for Female Surf and Underwater Cinematographers’)
ABOUT THE SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
Remote Indigenous Media Content on local WiFi Mesh Servers
Activity: Pilbara and Kimberley Aboriginal Media (PAKAM) will utilise new WiFi Mesh systems that are being rolled out in remote Indigenous communities by the West Australian Government and Australian Private Networks as a pioneering distribution platform for culturally relevant audiovisual content. They will install servers in each community holding a diverse collection of Indigenous produced video and audio content from the PAKAM community archive, including language and cultural stories, music and documentaries. They will also design a user interface and content management system that allows residents free and unlimited access to navigate and contribute to the management of the local service. This initiative aims to empower residents, bridge digital divides, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Australia’s Indigenous communities.
Location: remote Indigenous communities in WA
Amount Funded: $49,750
Recipient Quote: “Pilbara and Kimberley Aboriginal Media are very grateful to the Screenrights Cultural Fund for their offer of funding for our Remote Community Local Servers project. This will give remote Indigenous community residents free online access to our Community archive of over 1,000 videos and recorded music files and provide a vital resource for maintenance of Indigenous culture and language in the region.” – Neil Turner, Pilbara and Kimberley Aboriginal Media (PAKAM)
Pacific Islands Cultural Guidance for Screen Productions
Activity: Pacific Islands Screen Artists (PISA) will create a service focusing on Pacific Islands cultural guidance for screen productions in New Zealand. This initiative evaluates productions’ cultural needs, connecting them with suitable individuals and communities. This includes advising on collaboration and facilitating discussions to address queries effectively. Through collaboration and transparency, the service aims to preserve the mana of Pacific Islands cultures and promote the importance of integrity in the industry, ensuring cultural authenticity and inclusivity in screen productions.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Amount Funded: A$50,000
Recipient Quote: “PISA is humbled and thankful to receive funding for our Pacific Islands Cultural Guidance for Screen Productions. Humility, service and respect are at the core of the very many cultures that make up the Pacific Islands. We at PISA are looking forward to bringing these strands of our culture to weave a knowledge basket for our screen industry, that focuses on collaboration and transparency as a starting point for cultural safety with the goal of maintaining the integrity of Pacific Islands cultural elements, people and stories.” – Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa, General Manager, Pacific Islands Screen Artists
Women in Water: Creating Pathways for Female Surf and Underwater Cinematographers
Activity: A 16-week training program for emerging female cinematographers with a background in surfing, life saving, or strong swimming skills and whose work focuses on water videography. Maselli Films will select 6 emerging female water cinematographers to participate in a course for up-skilling and confidence building in this male-dominated field. They will provide online mentorship, face to face camera and directing workshops, scene exploration with professional actors, and practical training in the water and surf, resulting in a showcase of the work for an industry screening event and career opportunities.
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Amount Funded: A$50,000
Recipient Quote: “Maselli Films is honoured to receive support from the Screenrights Cultural Fund for Women in Water. Female water cinematographers often struggle to advance from emerging practitioners to established careers and influential roles, leading to a significant under-representation in the field. Their unique perspective, creativity, and connection to characters and stories are essential for a more inclusive and culturally diverse cinema. Thanks to Screenrights we are excited to launch a program aimed at developing skills, providing practical training, and creating career pathways for female water and surf cinematographers in an industry where they are currently underrepresented.” – Gabriella McGrail, Maselli Films
Western Sydney Animation Talent Incubator
Activity: A bespoke talent incubator to unearth talent from Western Sydney and develop a new wave of animation practitioners, Cheeky Little Media’s next production will offer a unique opportunity for diverse placements in the three key animation disciplines of design, storyboarding and editing. In the short term the incubator will unearth new talent, while the longer term outcome will be to put Western Sydney talent on the map for future animated projects.
Location: Western Sydney, NSW, Australia
Amount Funded: A$49,984
Recipient Quote: “The Cheeky Little team are thrilled to have the support of Screenrights in establishing a Western Sydney animation incubator. We know this funding will go a long way in kickstarting the careers of many emerging screen practitioners in the region.” – Patrick Egerton, Cheeky Little Media
Social Enterprise for Screen
Activity: An educational program designed to empower filmmakers from under-represented sectors in the screen industry to build sustainable production enterprises that focus on social change both on and off-screen. Facilitated by Creative Plus Business, SES will educate filmmakers about the social enterprise business model, and equip them to build sustainable screen organisations that will create impactful content that supports positive social change. As part of the program, participants will also work together in a structured peer support ”buddy” program, and have two mentoring sessions with an expert advisor. They will meet and learn from experts, understand how to evaluate social impact, and build a network of like-minded individuals. Their outcome will be a completed social enterprise strategic plan and presentation.
Location: online across Australia
Amount Funded: A$38,920
Recipient Quote: “Creative Plus Business is delighted to be a part of the Screenrights Cultural Fund! We’re passionate about supporting screen practitioners from diverse backgrounds as they develop their professional capacity, and the Social Enterprise for Screen program will take a deep dive into how screen professionals can use those skills to support others and build their wider impact as filmmakers.” Monica Davidson, Creative Plus Business
First Nations Pathways into the Writers Room
Activity: Addressing under representation of First Nations screenwriters by providing training in note-taking and script coordination, proven pathways to screenwriting careers. Delivered by Screenworks in partnership with the Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG), this program will train under-represented, aspiring First Nations regional screenwriters in practical note-taking and script-coordinating skills – recognised entry points and pathways toward a career as a screenwriter.
Location: online across Australia
Amount Funded: A$50,000
Recipient Quote: “Thank you Screenrights. Screenworks are delighted to now be able to support early career First Nations writers to build notetaking skills and seek relevant roles in Writers Rooms. We look forward to partnering with the Australian Writers Guild and to increasing opportunities for First Nations early career writers.” – Lisa O’Meara, CEO, Screenworks
