
Screen Australia, ABC and NITV announce proper love up short film initative
12 December, 2024
Media releases
Thursday 12 December 2024: Screen Australia's First Nations Department, the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and National Indigenous Television (NITV) are calling for
applications from mid-career First Nations producers to apply with an emerging writer and director
team for Proper Loved Up, a new romantic comedy short film initiative.
In partnership with Screenwest, Screen Territory, Screen Queensland, Screen Tasmania, VicScreen,
the South Australian Film Corporation, Screen NSW and Screen Canberra, this initiative will support
up to eight First Nations teams, helping them bring fresh, exciting Indigenous stories to the screen.
It will also focus on building producers' business skills to develop projects for both local and global
markets.
Head of First Nations at Screen Australia, Angela Bates said, We have a proud history of
supporting Indigenous creatives to tell powerful and authentic stories that inspire and travel the
world. This program expands on the legacy of my predecessors and their work in creating the
Indigenous Producers program. It is designed to empower First Nations producers by providing them
with a practical and holistic experience of producing a short film, in addition to offering individual
seed funding to expand their project slate for local and international markets. It's bold and
ambitious, and we are thrilled to partner with the ABC, NITV and the state and territory agencies to
bring this to life.
We need to nurture and develop more First Nations producers. This is vitally important for cultural
safety and the creation of Intellectual Property in the evolving screen landscape. Our writers and
directors are in high demand with Indigenous content proving not just its cultural value but
commercial value. Developing our talent pool of experienced producers will enhance our
storytelling and broaden the reach of our creative voices.
We've had genre themed initiatives previously like Shock Treatment, which have been very
successful, so I'm excited to see what stories our mob will tell in the rom com genre space.
To be eligible, stories must be conceived by an Indigenous creative with the key roles of writer,
director and producer held by Indigenous Australians. No experience in screenwriting is required,
but applicants must demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in this field. Stories that include
the use of First Nations languages are encouraged.
ABC Head of Indigenous, Kelrick Martin said, ABC Indigenous is a proud participant of Proper
Loved Up, having partnered with Screen Australia's First Nations department to support career
pathways and creative opportunities for Indigenous screen practitioners for many years. It's a
commitment that is fundamental to the work we do every day. We love that this initiative is
focussed on the joyous, socially awkward fun of the rom-com genre, and can't wait to see what
these new producers and creative voices will deliver!
Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production at NITV, Dena Curtis said, NITV is proud to
support the Proper Loved Up initiative, a new look short film program that provides a holistic
approach to developing Indigenous producers, writers, and directors. It is vital that we help foster
talent within the industry and we are excited to continue to support emerging Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander creatives. We can't wait showcase short romantic comedy dramas that celebrate
stories about black joy and black love.
More details about eligibility and how to apply can be found here.
Proper Loved Up will be delivered in two stages:
STAGE ONE:
Up to $5,000 in development funding for each project.
Intensive training program with three in-person workshops and four online masterclasses.
Following completion of the workshops, successful applicants will deliver a third draft script and be invited to apply for up to $80,000 in production funding to produce and deliver their short film. The film will have a 12-month festival holdback before broadcast on the commissioning platforms.
A First Nations Series Producer supported by NITV and ABC will work with producers throughout development and production.
STAGE TWO:
Focuses on slate development for local and international markets.
After completing the third workshop, creatives can apply for up to $15,000 in seed funding (from Screen Australia and relevant State Agencies) to develop a slate of projects.
Includes opportunities for First Nations Travel Grants to take their slate to a local or international market such as Cannes Film Festival or Screen Forever.
INFORMATION WEBINAR Applicants are encouraged to attend the webinar hosted by Head of First Nations Angela Bates. The session will provide an overview of the initiative and the application process with insights from Head of Scripted at Blackfella Films Penny Smallacombe and acclaimed writer/director Dylan River. A short Q&A will follow.
Date: Wednesday 18 December 2024
Time: 11am-12pm AEDT
Register: Click here
Accessibility: An Auslan interpreter will be made available for the webinar. If you would like to discuss this or other accessibility requirements, please contact FirstNations@screenaustralia.gov.au or call 1800 507 901.
A recording of this webinar will be made available on the Screen Australia website soon after.
Applications close 5pm AEDT Friday 14 February 2025.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
Download PDF
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
07/07/2026
Applications are now open for the Validation Booster, a six-month acceleration programme supporting journalists, media organisations, content creators, media in...
07/07/2026
The Universal Talent Identifier (HAND) has issued HAND IDs to 50 top prospects ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft, including consensus top-ranked players Roch Cholowsk...
07/07/2026
Cisco and the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team have announced an extension of their partnership, expanding the scope from networking and communications to incl...
07/07/2026
LucidLink has announced a workflow integration with Adobe Frame.io that gives production teams unified access to Frame.io projects alongside supporting producti...
07/07/2026
Chyron has announced the appointment of Ahmed Magd as Sales Director for the Middle East. Magd joins from previous senior commercial roles at Riedel Communicati...
07/07/2026
Leader Electronics of Europe has announced that its PHABRIX Qx rasterizer and Le...
07/07/2026
eCLUTCH has announced it has acquired broadcast rights to the Esports World Cup 2026 for EMEA and MENA, covering the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, Sweden, a...
07/07/2026
Riedel Communications and ARRI supported ORF's host broadcast of the Eurovis...
07/07/2026
ARRI has announced the ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme, a camera that adds high frame rate ...
07/07/2026
LiveU will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 7.C24), showcasing the LU900Q Intelligent Production Unit, expanded Sony collaboration, and additions to its open IP-video...
07/07/2026
Telemundo's coverage is packaged with Multiview, Catch Up with Key Plays, in...
07/07/2026
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has announced a seven-year media r...
07/07/2026
Produced onsite at The Star in Frisco, TX, live coverage of the two-day event airs on ESPN platforms
The season for Football Media Days is here, and the Big 12...
07/07/2026
Rogers Communications Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire the remaining 25% ownership stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) from Kilmer Spo...
07/07/2026
End-to-end broadcast solution includes fleet of mobile units, Cloud Control, and...
07/07/2026
Sports-production-tech experts sound off on the state of the industry...
07/07/2026
New mixer aimed squarely at instrument-level sources
Heritage Audio have clearly been busy recently, as alongside their all-new Tubestrip, they've also ...
07/07/2026
New channel strip combines popular hardware designs
The latest arrival to the Heritage Audio line-up brings together a selection of their praised hardware d...
07/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
07/07/2026
New Kessler 10 data now available in Nielsen CMI gives brands a deeper view of h...
07/07/2026
New Nielsen Ad Intel and CMV data reveals rising competition in Australia's ...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Riedel Communications and ARRI played a key role in one of the most technically ambitious Eurovision Song Contest productions to date. For the first time in the...
07/07/2026
Berklee Valencia Honors Eric Whitacre at the 2026 Commencement Ceremony The Grammy-winning composer was celebrated alongside this years cohort of masters degr...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
The appointment will drive growth and innovation across the Media Business Unit
Fincons Group, a leading IT business consultancy and systems integrator company...
07/07/2026
International broadcast and streaming expert Big Blue Marble has announced a multi-month Proof of Concept (PoC) for Media over QUIC (MoQ) during a major interna...
07/07/2026
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, is proud to announce that two of its leading products, the PHABRIX Qx rasterizer and LeaderPhabrix L...
07/07/2026
Clear-Com announced that Ross Production Services (RPS), a leading provider of mobile production solutions for live events and broadcasts, has standardized on ...
07/07/2026
LiveU redefined live newsgathering with the invention of cellular bonding. At IBC2026, Stand 7.C24, the company will show how that foundation is evolving into t...
07/07/2026
LucidLink, a leader in cloud-based file services for content creators, today announced an enhanced workflow integration between LucidLink and Adobe Frame.io tha...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
New appointments to Screen Australia board 7 July 2026
The Albanese Labor Government has made new appointments to the Screen Australia board.
Dr Tania Chamber...
07/07/2026
The right team. The right time.' How The Killings at Parrish Station stuck t...
07/07/2026
Berklee College of Music Alum and Faculty Perform at Boston Public Library's...
07/07/2026
UKTV commission with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television and inspired by Deborah Cadbury's book, Chocolate Wars
The six-part series is produced by Fable P...
07/07/2026
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Record audiences tune into the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 on Sky Sports
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 was the most watche...
07/07/2026
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Official trailer released for Fightland, a revenge drama fr...
07/07/2026
Wuppertal July 7, 2026
Riedel and ARRI Bring Cinematic Live Production to the Eurovision Song ContestRiedel Communications and ARRI played a key role in one o...