13 02 2020 - Media release

Screen Australia announces over $480,000 in Enterprise funding

Maria Angelico, Lydia Rui Huang, Sarinah Masukor

Screen Australia has announced funding for 15 Enterprise People talent opportunities and one Enterprise Business & Ideas project which will share in over $480,000.

Screen Australia’s Head of Development, Nerida Moore, said “We’re excited to support a wide range of bespoke career development opportunities through Enterprise People, including a number of substantial international opportunities. As the screen industry becomes increasingly global, we were pleased that creatives are exploring ways to make connections in the Australian, European and North American markets, building industry knowledge with the ultimate goal of taking Australian stories to the world.”

Writer Maria Angelico received support to undertake an attachment on new Comedy Central series Awkwafina is Nora from Queens in New York, working under Lucia Aniello whose credits include Broad City. Angelico said, “Because of Screen Australia's Enterprise People funding, I was able to take full advantage of an incredible opportunity that provided me invaluable tools and experiences to advance and grow in my career.”

The recipients below include some opportunities that took place in 2019 as well as some occurring in 2020.

Enterprise Business & Ideas recipient – business plan

• Media Stockade, the production company behind TV and feature documentaries including China Love and Frozen Lies, will develop a business plan and engage a mentor and consultant. They aim to expand their production of social impact formats for Australian audiences and international markets.

Enterprise People recipients – targeted placements

• Animator Amara Gantz and puppeteer / fabricator Jhess Knight will each undertake a six-month placement with Wooden Boy Productions in Portland, USA training on Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion feature Pinocchio. In an opportunity brokered by Australian producer Melanie Coombs, the Production Supervisor, they will train under the Animation Supervisor Brian Hansen and the Puppet Creative Supervisor Georgina Hayns respectively, to gain professional experience.

Enterprise People recipients – local and international career placements

• Actor and writer Maria Angelico (Movement) was mentored in directing by writer, director and producer Lucia Aniello on television series Awkwafina is Nora from Queens for two weeks in New York.
• Writer/director Annika Glac (Belladonna, Bunny) undertook a mentorship with Oscar-nominated director Agnieszka Holland (The Secret Garden) in Poland.
• Producer Taylor Litton-Strain (Jade of Death) will take on a six-week attachment on Blumhouse Productions' upcoming feature film The Craft, mentored by executive producer Bea Sequeira.
• Producer Katia Nizic (Homecoming Queens, Paper Trails) will undertake a two-year placement with Carver Films (Relic, Sunshine) where she will work across development and production as well as gain insight into the operations of the business.
• Producer Molly O’Connor (Running 62) will take on an 18-month placement with Felix Media (Jirga) as associate producer, supporting producers John Maynard and Bridget Ikin.
• Writer, director and producer Rebecca Greensill (Home and Away) will do a six-month placement as development producer with Subtext Pictures (Dead Lucky), mentored by Ellie Beaumont and Drew Proffitt.

Enterprise People recipients – professional development opportunities

• Producer and cinematographer Claire Bishop (The Big Nothing) attended the American Society of Cinematographers Masterclass in Los Angeles. Bishop’s creative partner, screenwriter and director Lucy Campbell (The Big Nothing) also travelled to Los Angeles to complete the inaugural Bird In Hand Nest Residency, an eight-week professional development program with Australians in Film. Together they also developed and pitched their slate while in the US.
• Documentary director Alexandra Gaulupeau (Life at a Snail’s Pace) attended the IDFAcademy in Amsterdam, an intensive four-day training program for documentary filmmakers, made up of master classes with experienced directors and sessions on outreach and distribution.
• Writer and filmmaker Sarinah Masukor (Polychromatic) attended the three-week Union Docs Summer Documentary Development Lab in New York. The program allows early career filmmakers to receive guidance from experienced documentary artists and industry experts, to hone their pitches and clarify the creative direction for their projects.
• Max Minkoff, who has worked across customer relations and programming at Melbourne International Film Festival and Sydney Film Festival, will attend the Next Wave program at the German Academy of Film and Television in Berlin to expand his knowledge of film distribution, exhibition and curatorship.
• Writer/director Lydia Rui Huang (This Perfect Day, videographer on Beyoncé’s Mrs Carter tour) is receiving support to travel to London to undertake professional development at the National Film & Television School. Rui Huang is one of only eight candidates selected from an international pool, and is the only Australian director.
• Multidisciplinary artist Jessica Surendorff (who worked in the Art Department on Needle) will undertake Film Design International’s Art Direction Course for Film & Television at Pinewood Studios in London, led by Terry Ackland-Snow (The Dark Crystal) to improve her skills in production design drafting.

ABOUT ENTERPRISE

In February 2019 Screen Australia relaunched the Enterprise program, with funding available in two paths:

• Enterprise Business & Ideas allows an Australian entity to apply for funding to develop and deliver an innovative screen business proposal, hire a company placement and/or access business-building services. 
• Enterprise People allows both emerging and experienced creatives to apply for funding for a domestic or international career placement, and/or other professional development opportunities.

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