Presented by AFTRS, Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG), Screen Australia and all eight state and territory screen agencies, Talent Camp is a national workshop program to provide skills development opportunities for emerging storytellers and screen content creatives from diverse backgrounds across the country.
In 2017, responding to audience demand for rich and engaging stories and the industry’s concern about the lack of diversity in the Australian screen sector, Talent Camp was launched, providing emerging talent with access to writing and producing skills in a week intensive, followed by mentoring and other industry-based experiences.
In 2019, Talent Camp returns in search of new talent, new perspectives and new voices that reflect the richness and depth of contemporary Australian society.
The 2019 Talent Camp focuses on episodic narrative, both short and long form, with pathways for emerging talent to develop their own web series, and find employment in television series. The week long workshops will focus on story development, understanding episodic narrative, producing considerations and career pathways. Workshops will begin in Perth, and continue to Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, Hobart, Brisbane and Sydney, with twelve to fifteen participants selected for each state workshop.
Neil Peplow, CEO AFTRS said “Talent Camp was incredibly successful in its first year, with a number of participants going onto to find paid work in industry, receiving funding from screen agencies and further opportunities to study and develop their skills. It’s been a massive boost for increasing diversity in the screen sector. Through consultation and experience we have fine-tuned this edition of Talent Camp to focus on episodic tv and web content development in order to offer more opportunities for the next wave of diverse emerging talent that are aligned to industry.”
AWG is a key project partner through the Scripted Ink program. Scripted Ink incubates and accelerates quality Australian writers and their screenplays through direct development funding; showcasing them to production companies, broadcasters and investors and assisting in brokering commercially and creatively successful partnerships.
Talent Camp is seeking applications from creatives from under-represented communities in screen culture with reference to cultural background, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic and/ or socio-economic circumstance. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives are strongly encouraged to apply. The workshops are free, and regional participants will receive financial support for travel and accommodation.
Applications are open to participants who are passionate about storytelling, with previous work produced across any creative platform, including screen, theatre, spoken word, podcasting, photography, and YouTube.
The state based Talent Camps will culminate in a National Talent Camp in March 2020, with Screen Australia a key partner in delivering the national workshop.
Talent Camp is a multi-partner screen industry initiative managed by AFTRS, made possible with the support of AWG, Screen Australia and all state and territory screen agencies: Screen Queensland, Create NSW, Screen Canberra, Film Victoria, Screen Tasmania, South Australian Film Corporation, Screenwest and Screen Territory.
Talent Camp is now open for submissions, to apply go to aftrs.edu.au/talent-camp
Workshops will run between September and November in each capital city – workshop dates below:
WORKSHOP DATES
Western Australia
Workshop dates: Monday 16 – Friday 20 September, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Perth
South Australia
Workshop dates: Monday 23 – Friday 27 September, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Adelaide
Northern Territory
Workshop dates: Monday 14 – Friday 18 October, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Alice Springs
Victoria
Workshop dates: Monday 21 – Friday 25 October, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Melbourne
Tasmania
Workshop dates: Monday 28 October – Friday 01 November, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Hobart
Queensland
Workshop dates: Monday 1 – Friday15 November, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Brisbane
New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory
Workshop dates: Monday 18 – Friday 22 November, 9.30am – 5pm
Workshop location: Sydney