SAFC partners with Channel 44 for First Nations mentoring

The South Australian Film Corporation marks NAIDOC Week with the launch of its next five-year strategic plan to boost First Nations screen creatives in South Australia, including a new First Nations mentoring partnership with Adelaide community television broadcaster Channel 44.

Community broadcaster 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.

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.

“Looking forward over the next five years, through our new First Nations strategy the SAFC commits to growing the level of investment into South Australian First Nations screen production, creating new market partnerships, and strengthening the capacity, creativity and connectedness of the South Australian First Nations screen sector.

“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.”

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 on to producer and crew roles.”

To be officially launched this afternoon by Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni, 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.

Included in the strategy are aims to grow the number of First Nations grant applicants by 2% per year; developing regional First Nations content and talent through support of the Port Augusta Regional Program “Local Stories Told Our Way”; working with Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) communities to produce screen content outcomes relevant to their community; establishing an Emerging First Nations Screen Development Program; and continuing to deliver the Centralised initiative in partnership with Screen Territory, Screen Australia Indigenous Department, AFTRS Indigenous, ABC, NITV and DAF.

SAFC First Nations Screen Strategy Executive Lee-Ann Tjunypa Buckskin said “The SAFC’s First Nations Screen Strategy 2020-2025 is built on a tradition of 75,000 years of storytellers across South Australia, from the desert to the sea, and builds on the work we have achieved over the past five years. Our commitment is to continue to grow and invest in developing ambitious and unique projects for First Nations practitioners on screen and on digital platforms. Integral to our work is that we value working with our First Nations Advisory Committee whose passion for First Nations stories brings a wealth of experience and cultural authority that continues to guide, encourage, and provide us with direction.”

Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said, “The SAFC has a long and distinguished history of screen culture within Australia, and I commend and congratulate the SA Film Corporation for its continued work in boosting the voices and stories of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I’m confident that this Strategy will play an important part in preserving culture and helping Indigenous practitioners to build successful careers and take their stories to the world.”

The SAFC’s new First Nations film poster wall is an exhibition of 12 cinema posters of the SA First Nations short films produced through SAFC initiatives since 2015, and will stay on permanent display in the agency’s main building at Glenside.

The SAFC’s new First Nations showreel, a special video showcase of SAFC supported SA First Nations productions highlighting the depth and breadth of talent in the sector, can be viewed on the SAFC’s website.

The First Nations Screen Strategy 2020-2025 booklet was designed by local First Nations designers Dreamtime Creative.

The strategy, showreel and information about all SAFC First Nations initiatives and programs can be viewed on the SAFC website at safilm.com.au/first-nations-screen-strategy

Today’s launch event will be livestreamed on the SAFC Facebook page at 3.00pm ACDT at facebook.com/safilmcorporation/live