Screen Australia and Australians in Film announce recipients of Talent Gateway and Global Producers Exchange initiatives

Screen Australia and Australians in Film (AiF) are pleased to announce the recipients for Talent Gateway and the Global Producers Exchange 2022. The two joint initiatives aim to support established Australian creatives in an increasingly global market by connecting them with key US decision makers and expanding their skills.

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 CEO Graeme Mason said, "A huge congratulations to this group of creatives. In such a global market we're passionate about cultivating a strong pipeline of Australian screen projects and talent to gain exposure in the US, and leverage opportunities to reach international audiences and create strategic international alliances."

"We're pleased to partner with AiF to support another crop of talented Australians who are working across film, television, animation, children's content and online, to build their networks in North America and gain opportunities to advance their projects and careers. This program also creates an important pathway for Australian IP to be developed with internationally based collaborators who can help give ideas a global outlook."

Australians in Film Executive Director Peter Ritchie said, "The development of our talent and stories, and the execution of our content needs to be world class more than ever to attract finance and to find an audience, both at home and abroad. AiF share a passion with Screen Australia for our stories to travel internationally, and cannot wait to start working with these incredibly talented Australian content creators and matching them with our respected and highly connected US partners."

Talent Gateway provides Australian screenwriters and directors, who have had some success either internationally or in Australia, with the skills, knowledge, access, and relationships necessary to succeed further in the global market. The program aims to attract US support, investment and partnerships for Australian content and careers. The Talent Gateway recipients are:

• Jub Clerc: Jub is a Nyul Nyul/Yawuru woman from the Kimberley. A WAAPA graduate, Jub has worked on shows such as The Circuit 1 & 2, Mad Bastards, Satellite Boy, Jandamarra's War and Mystery Road Season 1. Jub has written and/or directed Storytime, Music Men, Min Min Light, The Turning, Struggling Songlines, The Heights and Turn Up the Volume. Jub's debut play The Fever and the Fret won the 2017 Kate Challis Award. Jub's 2022 directorial debut feature film Sweet As won the Blackmagic Design Innovation Award at Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) and the NETPAC Award at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
• Gemma Bird Matheson: Gemma Bird Matheson is a screenwriter, actor and producer. Her original series 50 Shades of Black (girl) received Screen Australia Development funding, was selected for the SBS and Screen Australia Digital Originals initiative and is now being developed as a long form series with a streamer. Gemma's writing credits include both Series 1 and 2 of The PM's Daughter (ABC), Mikki Vs The World (ABC) and The Housemate (ABC iview). Most recently, Gemma co-created/wrote/produced the Screen Australia and Wear It Purple funded web series Me & Her(pes). She is currently writing on an upcoming streamer series, developing a play with APT and La Boite Theatre Company and developing a long form series under her joint production company with Alexandra Keddie, Chips & Gravy Films.
• Brendan Fletcher: Brendan is co-creator, writer and director of AMC's new vampire-hunter show Firebite alongside iconic First Nations film-maker Warwick Thornton. He also co-wrote the feature documentary We Don't Need a Map with Thornton, which opened the 2017 Sydney Film Festival. Brendan's debut feature drama, Mad Bastards, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Best Film and Best Original Screenplay at the AACTAs and an ADG for Best Direction. Following decades of award-winning work in documentary, animation and television he is currently directing a major series for a US streamer and has projects in development with Australian and international partners.
• Julie Kalceff: Julie Kalceff is an Emmy Award winning writer and director. Her film and TV credits include First Day (Seasons 1 and 2), which she created, wrote, directed and co-produced, winning an International Emmy Award, a Rose d'Or, and a GLAAD Media Award; feature film Here Out West, which opened the Sydney Film Festival in 2021, The PM's Daughter Season 2, and Starting From Now, the global hit digital drama series she created, wrote, directed and produced. Julie is currently in development on a slate of projects as well as working as a director on episodic television.
• Danny and Michael Philippou: Filmmaking twins Danny and Michael Philippou are also known as RackaRacka, online purveyors of comic action. Between Facebook and YouTube, RackaRacka has over 2 billion views and over 6 million subscribers. Named one of Variety's FameChangers, and ranked fifth on the Australian Financial Review's Cultural Power List, the brothers have won numerous awards, including the Best International Channel Streamy Award, Best Overall at the Online Video Awards and the AACTA Award for the Best Web Show. Danny and Michael have just finished directing their debut feature film Talk to Me produced by Causeway Films.
• Monica Zanetti: Monica Zanetti is an award-winning screenwriter and director. Monica wrote and directed Ellie And Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) which won the 2021 AACTA award for Best Independent Film and has been released internationally after screening at Melbourne International Film Festival and opening the Mardi Gras Film Festival. She most recently directed the series Iggy & Ace for SBS on Demand which was supported through Screen Australia and SBS's Digital Originals initiative and premiered at Series Mania. Her earlier work includes writing on the Channel 10 series' Sisters and My Life is Murder. She was also a writer/producer on the ABC nightly comedy series Tonightly with Tom Ballard. Monica currently has several works in development including projects with both Amazon Studios and SBS and is a co-creator of upcoming dramedy While the Men Are Away for SBS.

Lois Randall, Ivy Mak, Michelle Melky

Global Producers Exchange provides Australia's leading scripted producers the skills, knowledge, access and relationships necessary to succeed in the global market and to attract foreign investment and marketplace partnerships for Australian scripted content. The exchange aims to give Australian IP and cultural stories the opportunity to be developed with internationally based collaborators who possess a global outlook and a proven track record of success with international audiences, and to help position projects for success in the global market. The Global Producers Exchange recipients are:

• Amplify - Michelle Melky and Tom Maynard: Amplify is redefining youth content in the Asia-Pacific by working with some of the most followed creators in Australia and Asia. Founded by Tom Maynard and Alex Reid, Amplify connects brands like Spotify, Samsung, Tinder and NBC Universal with millions of engaged young people through podcasts and original online formats. Creative Director Michelle Melky produced Love Songs, the world's first scripted drama on TikTok. Other recent credits include UNDSCVRD, the world's largest scale production made for TikTok, The Greatest Gamer, a gaming reality show commissioned by TikTok Indonesia and TikTok Road Trip, a live stream content series commissioned by the platform.
• Easy Tiger – Ian Collie and Rob Gibson: Easy Tiger is an award-winning Australian production company led by Ian Collie and Rob Gibson. Easy Tiger's credits include The Twelve starring Sam Neill (Foxtel), the ABC dramedy Rake starring Richard Roxburgh (five seasons and a US format), and Jack Irish starring Guy Pearce (three seasons and three telemovies). In addition, Easy Tiger produced Nine's top-rating dramedy Doctor Doctor (5 seasons), two 4-part SBS dramas Sunshine, and The Principal and the ABC telemovie The Broken Shore. Forthcoming productions include Colin From Accounts (Binge) and The Hunt for the Family Court Killer (Channel 10).
• Epic Films – Kirsty Stark: Epic Films creates entertaining stories with real world impact and high audience appeal. The company has a long history of breaking new ground with its work, from Wastelander Panda - the first ever drama commission for ABC iview - to First Day - the first Australian show to feature a transgender actor in a leading role. Now in its second season, First Day is an Emmy recipient, alongside multiple other international awards including a Rose d'Or, GLAAD Media Award and Kidscreen Award. With a focus on authentic storytelling and supporting creators to produce iconic screen stories, producer Kirsty Stark has also collaborated with Matchbox Pictures on Stateless (Co-producer) and Madman Production Company on A Month of Sundays.
• Ludo Studio – Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson: Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson are co-founders and directors of Ludo Studio, a multi-Emmy, Logie, AACTA, Rose d'Or, Prix Jeunesse and Asian Academy Award winning studio and Screen Producers Australia Business of the Year. Ludo makes its original stories from script to screen under one roof in Brisbane, Australia, employing over 50 creatives and producers on their original shows. These include Robbie Hood (SBS), The Strange Chores (ABC) and the Emmy nominated vertical series Content (ABC) and Bluey. Bluey is now the most popular show in ABC iview history and Nielsen ratings recently reported Bluey as the 7th most streamed show in the US on Disney +.
• Magpie Pictures – Lois Randall and Ivy Mak: Founded by award winning producer Lois Randall, Magpie Pictures develops and produces content for Australian and International audiences, with a passion for stories with heart and an authentic voice. Building on the success of acclaimed children's series Grace Beside Me (NITV/ABC/Disney) with an ambitious scripted slate, Magpie is now financing the drama series Swift Street (SBS), created by Tig Terera, to be produced by Randall with Ivy Mak. Mak joined Magpie in 2021 supported through Screen Australia's Enterprise Initiative. Randall also provides producing services through Magpie, most recently on the Goalpost Pictures mystery series Black Snow (Stan/Sundance Now).
• Princess Pictures - Laura Waters and Mike Cowap: Princess Pictures creates shows that are uniquely Australian with a sense of humour, fresh perspective and desire to reach new audiences. Founder Laura Waters is currently producing the drama Last Days of the Space Age for Disney+ Star/Hulu and a special on happiness for Amazon. Senior Producer Mike Cowap has built a globally successful slate of adult animation including Yolo: Crystal Fantasy and Smiling Friends, both for Adult Swim and HBO Max, and the upcoming primate time animation series Koala Man for Disney/Hulu. Last year Princess partnered with Bento Box to build an animation studio in Melbourne, and is currently developing a broad slate of ambitious projects.

The news comes after Screen Australia and AiF recently announced the participants of the 2022 UNTAPPED development lab which you can read about here.

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