A new mentoring program being launched this week by the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) and Channel 44 will help South Australian First Nations screen creatives forge new careers in television production.
Announced last year as part of the SAFC’s First Nations Screen Strategy 2020-2025, the mentorship program is part of a wider partnership between the SAFC and Channel 44 to provide opportunities to South Australian First Nations screen practitioners.
This week four talented First Nations screen creatives will officially start work at Channel 44 in Collinswood: Kiara Milera, Keith Gilbey-Warrior, Rick Hutcheson and Anil Samy.
Working alongside Channel 44 staff, the group will gain valuable hands-on experience in television production, learning new skills and creating original content for broadcast. The interns are already working on new productions, including a documentary scheduled to premiere in Reconciliation Week and a series on First Nations artists premiering shows in the 2021 Adelaide Fringe.
Documentary The Art of Reconciliation – Telling Our Stories is being produced by Channel 44 with an all First Nations crew in partnership with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and City of Charles Sturt. Thedocumentary will follow six local First Nations people as they are each paired with an artist to tell their stories and experiences of reconciliation through the creation of portraits to be exhibited, along with the documentary, during Reconciliation Week 2021.
General Manager of Channel 44 Lauren Hillman said: “Channel 44 is thrilled to have appointed four First Nations interns, who will all commence roles on new local productions in their first week, starting with documentary series First Nations Fringe, exploring the stories behind this year’s recipients of the First Nations Fringe collaboration grants. This partnership highlights the importance of the opportunities and pathways that community TV continues to provide and we are very excited to see what the new First Nations team achieves over the next 12 months.”
CEO of the SAFC Kate Croser said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Channel 44 on this new mentoring program which will enhance the visibility of South Australian First Nations practitioners and their work, and help to establish and formalise even more career pathways for First Nations screen talent. I congratulate all the successful applicants and look forward to watching their screen careers develop.”
Find out more about the SAFC’s First Nations Screen Strategy at safilm.com.au/first-nations-screen-strategy
