Chaired by Klara Bruveris
This podcast is of a roundtable discussion at UNSW Australia for SSSN on 5th April 2016. The panel specifically addressed the Metro Screen research paper, “Emerging Visions: Career Pathways in the Australian Screen Production Industry“, and, more broadly, they discussed the difficulties of bridging the gap between tertiary film education and the Australian film industry. The panel was chaired by Klara Bruveris, who was joined by Katie Amos, Noni Cowan, Pat McCoy, Jessie Hildebrand and Nicole Douglas, all of whom are graduates of UNSW’s Film Studies and Media and Communications programs and are current film industry professionals.
*Please note, this recording contains explicit language.
Questions asked in the Q&A:
- Where do you all want to be in ten years?
- Regarding the idea to redistribute money, would it not work better to use the money more effectively in the tertiary sector?
- For those working in post-production, do you have any insights into the process of distribution?
- Can you talk about diversity in the industry in terms of race?
- As an aspiring filmmaker, am I being naive in exploring jobs outside Australia?
In late 2015 Metro Screen revealed the findings of its commissioned research project ‘Emerging Visions: Career Pathways in the Australian Screen Production Industry’. The study showed that screen output in Australia is mostly produced by established and mid-career practitioners, practitioners who benefitted from career development opportunities that current emerging practitioners are no longer offered. There has been an increase in enrolment in screen studies, but a decrease in support mechanisms that could help new graduates enter the industry and establish their careers. This has raised concerns about the future of the Australian screen industry. If we do not nurture emerging talent, who will make our stories in the future?
This panel continues the discussion begun by the ‘Emerging Visions’ report. Five UNSW graduates and emerging industry practitioners return to share their experiences of joining the screen industry. What support have they received as emerging practitioners? Have they experienced any discrimination? Did UNSW provide them with the skills to pursue a career in filmmaking? What does this report mean to them? We will also begin to tease out a response to the questions brought up by the findings of the report. For example: what equitable structures and pathways can we create to help young talent move forward? How can the education sector, production sector and funding bodies work together to help bridge the gap between formal study and professional practice? And who is responsible for taking the lead?
Sydney Screen Studies Network 