2022/23 Industry and Audience Development Funding recipients ($1,092,040 total figure)

Industry and Audience Development Funding, 11 recipients ($1,000,040)

1. Accessible Arts, Screen Access and Inclusion Masterclass Program (Single Year funding $28,380) — Accessible Arts will develop an industry-specific Masterclass program comprising a course designed for screen practitioners with disability or who are d/Deaf and a course designed for industry. The course for screen practitioners with disability is designed to boost confidence through acquiring practical knowledge about navigating the screen industry, understanding practitioner rights and responsibilities and effectively communicating access requirements.

The course for industry is designed to upskill employers in better understanding and responding to access requirements through providing practical knowledge and building disability confidence.

2. Antenna Documentary Institute Limited, Australian International Documentary Conference (Multi-year funding 22/23—$40,000, 23/24—$40,000, 24/25— $40,000) — Antenna Documentary Forum is Antenna Documentary Film Festival's industry program. ­A curated program of discussions, masterclasses, awards and networking events offering an independent and inspiring meeting place for documentary professionals to network, learn and develop their film making practices and industry knowledge on local and international levels.

3. Arts & Cultural Exchange Inc., 2023 Screen Cultures Program (Single Year funding $140,000) — The 2023 Screen Cultures Program engages screen practitioners from under-represented communities, education and industry partners to support pathways for vocational opportunities.

The Trade Pathways to Industry strand engages with education and industry partners to co-design bespoke training opportunities and paid work placements in below-the-line skills shortages, including VFX, Production Accounting, Camera Assistant, Edit Assist, Location Scouting and Management, and note-taking.

The Creative Pathways to Industry strand supports craft skills development and brokers opportunities for next generation storytellers to develop careers and engage with the professional screen industry.

4. Australian International Documentary Conference Limited, Australian International Documentary Conference (Multi-year funding 22/23—$22,000, 23/24—$23,000, 24/25—$24,000) — The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) is the premier event for nonfiction screen content in the Southern Hemisphere. Established in 1987, AIDC is a not-for-profit organisation committed to supporting and elevating nonfiction storytelling through creative and business opportunities across all forms. AIDC is an innovative and industry-leading event welcoming industry representatives from across the globe to drive collaboration, development and production and to inspire innovation and ignite change.

Each year, AIDC organises a marketplace for documentary and factual content, facilitates networking forums, showcases and celebrates the work of Australian and international producers, and creates a world-class program to discuss craft, business, technology and future directions.

5. Australian Writers' Guild, Broadening Horizons (Single Year funding $10,200) — Broadening Horizons is a program addressing two under-served areas of the screen industry. Firstly, the AWG/ACE Note-takers Workshop will give talented, aspiring screenwriters from underrepresented communities the opportunity to gain in-demand and practical skills, develop their understanding of the industry, and build industry connections. The second workshop in its program is the AWG Narrative Design Games Writing Workshop that will provide attendees with training in an accessible and collaborative approach to writing and narrative design for interactive and non-interactive story.

6. Curious Works, Testing Grounds (Multi-year funding 22/23—$15,000, 23/24—$15,000) — Testing Grounds will select three social impact story concepts for creative development over 8 months. The program will develop artistic, producing and leadership skills of a select group of emerging screenwriters, filmmakers and creative producers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds in Western Sydney.

Participants in this program will have existing skills in their areas of expertise and are ready to take their concepts to the next stage of development. CuriousWorks will offer tailored mentorship focusing on artistic, story and concept development. Participants will also be equipped with grant-writing and fundraising skills specific to their projects to navigate the industry. The program will link committed participants to industry professionals and mentors within and outside the company, at different points of their development culminating in a works in progress industry showing.

7. Regal Cinema Building Ltd, Newcastle International Film Festival Workshops (Single Year funding $10,000) — The inaugural Newcastle International Film Festival (NIFF) will be held in 2023. As part of NIFF it is proposed three days of master classes, panels and workshops for screen industry participants and regional filmmakers will be held.

The workshops are being held in association with Screen Producers Australia (SPA), Australian Society of Cinematographers, Australian Screen Editors, Australian Writers Guild, Australian Screen Sound Guild and Media Entertainment Arts Alliance. All have confirmed their support and speakers include the iconic Australian director, Bruce Beresford.

8. Campbelltown Arts Centre, Screen Craft Intensive Program (Single Year funding $28,000) — Campbelltown Arts Centre (C-A-C) will work with Filmotion and established Western Sydney filmmakers to deliver a series of intensive craft skills workshops focussing on camera, production management and design skills while equipping participants to build their profile, connect to industry professionals and support entry-level avenues to pursue their career in the screen industry. 

Screen Craft Intensive will target emerging screen creatives from Western Sydney who are looking to enter the industry, who do not yet have the industry experience, on-the-job skills and networks to secure opportunities.

9. Screen Illawarra, Feasibility Study Stage 2 (Single Year funding $16,000) —Screen Illawarra has recently been funded by Wollongong City Council to produce a feasibility study into future film production needs in the area to grow the screen industry particularly in Port Kembla.

Screen Illawarra will use this funding to further develop this and to look further into industry needs, produce a 5-year business plan and work with developments occurring at Port Kembla through the Bluescope development, and capitalise on the regional development support currently occurring as well as continued networking and training opportunities and public events for our members

10. Screenworks, Screenworks' Capacity Builder, Career Pathways and Regional Growth Programs 2022-2025 (Multi-year funding 22/23—$180,000, 23/24—$180,000, 24/25—$180,000) — Over three years, Screenworks will deliver at least 22 events and workshops each year in regional NSW and online as part of its Capacity Builder Program supported by Screen NSW. These programs will complement all its programs, including the Regional Screen In LA Program (in partnership with Hollywood-based Australians In Film), AACTA Pitch Regional Landscapes and the Regional Crew Development Program (being delivered in regional NSW in collaboration with Netflix).

These events and workshops will feature across its Industry Development and Talent Development programs. Each program will focus on skills development and industry connections in regional NSW and will feature our pinnacle conference - the annual Regional to Global Screen Forum.

Screenworks will also continue its three Career Pathways programs and its successful Regional Growth initiative, through the New Kids On The Block program.

11. Women In Film and Television Australia, NSW Industry Building Events (Single Year funding $8,460) — Women In Film and Television Australia will hold monthly events that will train, mentor, upskill, inform and build relationships between industry professionals. These events will target female and underrepresented groups. NSW Industry Building Events provides inclusive and accessible environment for professional development, promotional and upskill opportunities for female and non-binary practitioners in the screen industry through workshops, panels, presentations and networking opportunities.

Audience Development Funding Recipients, 8 recipients ($92,000)

1. Bangalow Film Festival, BFF - Connecting Community Through Film and The Arts (Single Year funding $10,000) — Returning for its third year to Bangalow in the Byron Hinterland, the Bangalow Film Festival will once again showcase an incredible array of local and international films and special event screenings as well as film industry professionals talks, art installations and a new extended kids’ program.

2. Cinewest, Women Media Arts and Film Festival (Single Year funding $10,000) — Women Media Arts and Film Festival is an international screen culture event that represents media arts and short, feature film works by women in primary and co-position roles as writers, directors and producers from around the world. The Festival will be held simultaneously in multiple venues at Sydney Olympic Park, Blacktown Arts Centre and Macquarie University to reach more audience and access to quality screen culture programming.

3. Film Festivals Australia, Perfect Light Film Festival (Single Year funding $7,000) — The Perfect Light Film Festival (PLFF) is a free, annual film festival held in Broken Hill. PLFF earmarks Broken Hill as a film and arts destination. The Festival is an entirely free program and starts with a launch, followed by an outdoor short film festival. The launch will be free to attend and is held at Broken Hill's iconic Silver City Cinema.  

4. Irish Screen Projects Incorporated, 2022 Irish Film Festival (Single Year funding $10,000) — The eighth annual Irish Film Festival (IFF) will showcase the best contemporary Irish cinema to Australian audiences. The festival will include 16 feature films, including 13 Australian premieres, which will explore the complex and diverse fabric of Irish life. In 2022 the Festival will also screen online, allowing those of varying abilities and in geographically remote regional NSW to attend.

5. Persian International Film Festival, Persian International Film Festival (Single Year funding $10,000) — The Persian International Film Festival (PFF) is an independent, community-based cultural event showcasing the best in contemporary screen culture from Persian-speaking communities, its diaspora and Persian-Australian filmmakers. It seeks to be a leader in shifting cultural misconceptions, serving as a forum for dialogue between Persian and Australian communities.

PFF program includes screenings, special events, local and International filmmaker guests, retrospectives and academic program and an Awards Program.

6. Queer Screen Limited, Mardi Gras Film Festival 2023 (Single Year funding $30,000) — The Mardi Gras Film Festival is Sydney’s LGBTIQ film festival and part of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and in 2023 will also feature as part of the World Pride 2023 schedule of events.

The film Festival is owned and operated by Queer Screen Limited a community organisation. The Festival will showcase a range of films, short stories and documentaries that resonate with gay, lesbian, queer, gender diverse and transgender audiences.

7. SF3-SmartFone Flick Fest, The 8th Annual SF3 Live Screenings and Masterclasses (Single Year funding $10,000) — SF3's mission is to inspire anyone with a smartphone to tell their story through film. SF3 engage and inspire artists across all levels to create and celebrate storytelling using smartphones. SF3 is a platform and channel-to-market for international exposure and Australian creative screen content. It's an accessible way for artists and enthusiasts to engage in the screen industry, without the need for big budgets.

SF3 annual film festival, showcasing emerging, student, children and professional filmmakers across our award categories. The Festival will be held both live in Sydney's CBD and online. A series of live and online masterclasses and panel discussions teaching all aspects of smartphone filmmaking will be part of the Festival.

8. Timequake Media, Polish Film Festival Sydney 2022/23 (Single Year funding $5,000) — Polish Film Festival Sydney will present a broad range of contemporary works produced or coproduced by Polish filmmakers, focusing on arthouse and award-winning films as well as box office hits from renowned and up-and-coming film directors.

The Festival aims to bring to the Sydney audience films that can be of interest to a multicultural Australian audience, including films selected by and awarded at major international film festivals, recognised by film critics and audiences, and titles that otherwise would never be shown on the big screen in Australia.