Screen Australia and Australians in Film (AiF) have announced the return of the Talent Gateway program and the Global Producers Exchange, two joint initiatives for established Australian creatives to expand on their skills and connect with key US decision makers, as well as help position Australian projects for success in an increasingly global market.
Supporting Partners for these industry development programs are Screen NSW, VicScreen, South Australian Film Corporation and Scripted Ink. Industry Partners are Australian Directors' Guild, Australian Writers' Guild, Screen Producers Australia, Screen Canberra, Screen Queensland, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory, Screenwest and Screenworks.
Screen Australia's CEO Graeme Mason said, "With last year's programs still underway, we're already seeing those participants gaining great exposure in the US market, honing their skills and fostering important relationships. With thanks to additional support from the Federal Government, we're delighted to partner again with AiF to offer these invaluable opportunities for another crop of talented creatives this year. The US is the key territory for screen sector finance, distribution and careers, and these initiatives allow filmmakers to build networks and find pathways to tell distinctive Australian stories on a world stage and create career opportunities for themselves and our sector as a whole."
Australians in Film Executive Director Peter Ritchie said, "What AiF does best is support and open doors for Australian producers, writers and directors. To that end, we help them establish meaningful partnerships and create strategic pathways to investment, development and casting here in LA. Working with highly-respected and connected industry leaders such as Rebecca Yeldham, Sheila Hanahan Taylor and Jennifer Kushner, and with the incredible support of Screen Australia and all our partners, we have been able to deliver exceptional access to the key creatives and decision makers in the US."
Matthew Greenfield (President of Searchlight Pictures), William Horberg (Founder and Producer Wonderful Films - The Queen's Gambit), Lynette Howell Taylor (Founder and Producer 51 Entertainment – A Star is Born), Alan Khamoui (Senior Film Executive Amazon Studios), David Levine (Chief Creative Officer Anonymous Content – True Detective), Ben Lusthaus (Manager Original Films Netflix), Bruna Papandrea (Founder and Producer Made Up Stories - Pieces of Her), Quan Phung (Senior Vice President Original Series Topic Studios), Emile Sherman (Co-Founder and Producer See-Saw Films - The Power of the Dog), Brad Simpson (Partner and Producer Color Force – Crazy Rich Asians), Bec Smith (Partner at UTA), Geoff Stier (Senior Vice President of Original Programming SHOWTIME) and Carolyn Strauss (Executive Producer Sister – Game of Thrones) were just some of the leading guest speakers who attended last round of Exchange and Gateway programs.
Vanessa Alexander, participant of the 2021 Talent Gateway program said, "The program was really well crafted to the needs of creatives looking to the US and international market. I appreciated the opportunity to grow my work and my thinking around my work with the support of top speakers and consultants. I was terrified of pitching because it's quite different from how we do it in Australia but this program got me over it."
Erin Bretherton and Darren Dale of Blackfella Films, 2021 participants of the Global Producers Exchange said, "The Global Producers Exchange delivers unparalleled insights and access to some of the world's best content makers and drivers. It's been a game-changer for us as we expand our international footprint and position our projects in the global content marketplace."
