AFTRS, Gentle Giant Media Group and the Onbass Fund today announced a new scholarship to support students to study at AFTRS.
The Onbass Giant Steps Scholarship has been established by Gentle Giant Media Group and the Onbass Fund for students who show great merit and who also require financial assistance to study at AFTRS. The scholarship is valued at $22,500 for each recipient and will first be awarded to a student commencing the Bachelor of Arts: Screen Production in 2020 and thereafter on an annual basis.
Founder and CEO of the Gentle Giant Media Group and a director of the Onbass Fund, Greg Basser, said: “My wife, Kiera O’Neill, and I have had a long standing commitment to building and supporting creative talent from the grassroots. This new scholarship allows gifted storytellers who may not be able to afford to study full time in Sydney the opportunity to do so. We are thrilled to be working with AFTRS, the nation’s premiere screen and broadcast school, to find and nurture new Australian storytellers.”
AFTRS Acting CEO, Georgie McClean said “AFTRS is the nation’s screen and broadcast school and we’re committed to finding students from around the country, from different backgrounds and socio-economic circumstances, to ensure Australian screen stories are representative of the great diversity of our community. We want to give the most talented Australians the opportunity to shine regardless of their circumstances. We are very grateful to Greg, Kiera and to the Gentle Giant Media Group and Onbass Fund for their generosity in helping AFTRS achieve this ambition.”
Gentle Giant Media Group, founded by screen industry veteran, Greg Basser, is an independent producer of Hollywood films and China-Australia co-productions which promotes film and television production in Australia. Gentle Giant partners with major studios and independent producers, matching projects with creative and technical talent in Australia and co–producing for both film and TV. The establishment of Gentle Giant Media Group reflects Greg’s commitment to supporting the next generation of Australian filmmakers as well as the Australian film industry more generally through his professional and philanthropic activities and active promotion of cross border co–productions in Australia.
Onbass Fund represents the philanthropic activities of the Onbass Family Trust established by Greg Basser and Kiera O’Neill over 30 years ago. In that time Onbass, along with Kiera and Greg, has supported numerous education and youth focused not for profit entities and programs in both Australia and the United States, including the formation and establishment for 15 years of the Active Minds program for disadvantaged school children at the Melbourne Museum, education programs providing access to minorities and underprivileged students at the Center Theatre Company in Los Angeles, support for youth programs at the Los Angeles LGBT Center aimed at addressing bullying and homeless youth, career development and education programs at Australians in Film and, in partnership with Screen Australia, the establishment of the Screen Australia Onbass Fellowship for Australian graduates attending the American Film Institute’s AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles.
Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) is the nation’s premier screen arts and broadcast school. AFTRS empowers Australian talent to shape and share their stories with the world by delivering the most future-focused education, research and training. The highly regarded AFTRS Masters program is open to both Australian and international students. Since its inception, in 1973, AFTRS has launched the careers of over two thousand film, television, radio and new media professionals many of whom are working at the highest levels in the world. Over the past 40 years, AFTRS graduates have received critical acclaim and won or been nominated for a slate of prestigious gongs. Our screen practitioners have a haul of Academy Awards, AACTAs, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Emmys and hundreds of guild prizes. Notable alumni include Jane Campion, Gillian Armstrong, Chris Noonan, Rachel Perkins, Cate Shortland, Warwick Thornton, Andrew Lesnie, Dion Beebe, David White, Jacquelin Perske, Larissa Behrendt, Margaret Sixel, Nick Meyers, Annie Beauchamp, Tony McNamara, Anthony Partos, Chloe Rickard, Patrick Clair and Sejong Park.
Media enquiries:
Tracey Mair, TM Publicity
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