0/5

Foxtel announces Diversity Screenwriting Scholarship recipient

AFTRS student Melissa Lee Speyer is awarded $20,000 scholarship to encourage Diversity in screenwriting.

Foxtel and AFTRS have announced the recipient of the inaugural $20,000 Foxtel Diversity Screenwriting Scholarship to AFTRS student Melissa Lee Speyer.

The scholarship, to be awarded each year for the next three years, will enable her to complete the AFTRS Master of Arts Screen: Screenwriting, and carries the opportunity to undertake a work attachment at Foxtel.

Born in the UK to Chinese-Malaysian parents, Melissa moved to Australia with her family as a child. In her application for the Scholarship, she expressed an ambition to write drama where the cultural diversity of Australia – as represented within her own family – is represented.

“I don’t just want one role model on screen for my children, I want five, I want 50, I want 500. What role will I play in shaping the world so that as women of colour, their way is a little easier, as mine was made a little easier for me?” she says.

Bruce Meagher, Foxtel’s Group Director – Corporate Affairs said: “At Foxtel we work to create a positive future for Australian media, arts and film and we invest in and empower the next generation of Australians working to enter our industry. We also strongly believe that the rich diversity of Australian society should be represented on our screen. Our long-standing relationship with AFTRS allows us to support talented screenwriters through this new annual scholarship. We look forward to building a relationship with the Melissa over the course of her Masters.”

AFTRS CEO Neil Peplow said: “Melissa is an outstanding recipient of this first Foxtel diversity scholarship. She has already shown immense talent and I look forward to seeing the work she produces and the impact she’ll have at the School and in industry.

“AFTRS values Foxtel’s commitment to nurturing exceptional new talent in our industry and we are delighted to extend our partnership with this new scholarship initiative. AFTRS and Foxtel are both committed to encouraging the development of diverse Australian stories and so a preference will be given to scholarship applicants from diverse backgrounds.”

The purpose of this scholarship is to expand and enrich AFTRS’ student community by recognising and supporting an outstanding Master of Arts Screen: Screenwriting student, selected on the basis of merit from eligible students from diverse cultural, ethnic or socio-economic backgrounds, or from otherwise underrepresented minority groups.

Disclaimer: AFTRS advertises at TV Tonight.

Leave a Reply