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Applications open for Seeing Ourselves: Developing the Developer

In August, Screen Australia’s report on diversity in TV drama, Seeing Ourselves, revealed characters of non-Anglo Celtic backgrounds, those with a disability or identified as LGBTQI were all underrepresented on screen.

The report included an industry survey which identified a range of barriers that hinder all Australians being able to see themselves on screen. These barriers included perceived and actual complexities around casting acting talent from diverse cultural backgrounds, a lack a research resources available for TV writers, and the high cost of television production making executives hesitant to support projects deemed as risky.

Because Screen Australia is often involved in the development of these projects, there is an opportunity for the agency to identify and support a number of emerging screen development professionals.

Screen Australia will host a three-day practice-led workshop Seeing Ourselves: Developing the Developers, aimed at improving access for practitioners from diverse backgrounds, to create a pool of story developers more broadly reflective of Australian society. The aim is to address the report’s finding that “a diversity of backgrounds among decision-makers as well as producers, directors and writers,” is key to what characters and stories end up on screen.

Developing the Developers is the first in a range of opportunities that Screen Australia will make available to creatives that come from diverse backgrounds.

How to APPLY

Seeing Ourselves: Developing the Developers will take on 10 to 12 successful applicants for the workshop in Sydney on Friday 31 March, Saturday 1 April and Sunday 2 April 2017.

The program will focus on development philosophies, methodologies and tools across fiction story platforms, as well as market context, with participants required to prepare work ahead of and during the workshop. Screen Australia will meet with participants after the workshop to discuss goals and help unlock opportunities in the story development field.

Applications are now open to currently practicing fiction developers working in screen or in other sister art-forms, including live performance, literary, and non-fiction narrative forms. Applicants must demonstrate some track record in story or new work development, from any genre, platform or narrative art-form.

Applicants can discuss their background in their Personal Objectives Statement as part of the application.

Seeing Ourselves: Developing the Developer will be offered at no cost to the successful applicants, including travel and accommodation for applicants who don’t live within Greater Sydney.

Applications, including all relevant supporting material, must be submitted online by 2 February 2017.