Screen Australia announces Indigenous interns to work on Top End Wedding

19 04 2018 - Media release Screen Australia announces Indigenous interns to work on Top End Wedding

Interns Sean Bahr-Kelly and Elliana Lawford

Screen Australia has today announced the five recipients of the Top End Wedding Internship program. The paid internships will give Indigenous screen practitioners the opportunity to hone their skills on the set of the feature film Top End Wedding produced by Goalpost Pictures, directed by Wayne Blair and co-written by Miranda Tapsell and Joshua Tyler.

The five recipients of the internship are Heath Baxter (Darwin), Sean Bahr-Kelly (Tennant Creek), Rachael Chisholm (Darwin), John Hodgson (Alice Springs), and Elliana Lawford (Darwin).

Practical and hands-on experiences like this are invaluable for emerging creatives as they begin to forge their careers in the industry, said Penny Smallacombe, Head of Indigenous Department at Screen Australia. The chance to work on a feature film of this scale in and around the beautiful Top End with the likes of Miranda Tapsell and Wayne Blair at the helm is a remarkable and rare opportunity. Being from Darwin myself, I am especially proud that we can support local talent and I congratulate this group of interns and look forward to watching their career progress throughout the years ahead.

The internships will be funded by Screen Australia, with support from Goalpost Pictures and Screen Territory. They range in length from one to eight weeks.

We are very proud to, again, be working alongside incredible Indigenous creative talent to bring this story to the screen, said founding partner and producer at Goalpost Pictures, Rosemary Blight. Goalpost Pictures are committed to creating professional development opportunities for emerging Indigenous talent including this internship program on Top End Wedding as well as on our internationally successful TV series Cleverman."

The film is a heart-warming comedy that tells the story of successful Sydney lawyer, Lauren (Miranda Tapsell), and her fianc Ned (Gwilym Lee). Engaged and in love, they have just 10 days to find Lauren s mother (Ursula Yovich) who has gone AWOL somewhere in the Northern Territory, reunite her parents and pull off their dream Top End Wedding.

Production will commence this month and will shoot in Adelaide, the Tiwi Islands as well as Kakadu, Katherine and Darwin from 16 April 31 May.

Top End Wedding is a Goalpost Pictures feature in association with Tapsell, Tyler & Condie and Kojo Entertainment, with principal production investment from Screen Australia in association with Tourism NT, with support from the South Australian Film Corporation. Local distribution by eOne with international sales by Films Boutique.

Biographies Sean Bahr-Kelly Camera Department Intern Sean Bahr-Kelly is a Warumungu man and passionate Tennant Creek resident and screen practitioner. He works permanently for Barkley Regional Arts Media Mob program and has received recognition through the Heywire program, NITV and the Remote Indigenous Media Festival. Sean will assist the DOP and Camera Department.

Heath Baxter Art Department Intern Heath Baxter is a Darwin based freelancer with experience in producing for Indigenous Community Television (ICTV), NITV, SBS and ABC. In 2015 he won the ICTV People's Choice Award at the National Remote Indigenous Media Festival for his short film Road Safety. Heath will assist the Art Department with on set duties.

Rachael Chisholm Production/Assistant Director Intern Rachael Chisholm is a Darwin based actor and production trainee at Aboriginal Broadcasting Australia. Rachel has studied acting at NIDA and Aboriginal Theatre at WAAPA. Rachael will assist the production team with coordination and running.

John Hodgson Grip and Electrics Departments John Hodgson is an Alice Springs based screen practitioner at Indigenous Community Television. Prior to working in television he worked as a youth worker for Anglicare and Bush Mob.

Elliana Lawford Production Intern Ellania Lawford is a proud Wiradjuri and Anaiwan woman, a passionate story teller and content creator. She currently works as a multiplatform news reporter and Northern Territory Correspondent for NITV and SBS News. She has also worked for ABC in Darwin and Newcastle and was the Young Journalist of the Year 2017. Elliana will work in the production office, and support the producers.

Media enquiries Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist

61 2 8113 5833 | 61 428 767 836 | jessica.parry@screenaustralia.gov.au

Clio Anne Ellis | Publicist & Events

61 2 8113 1091 | 61 405 492 745 | clio.ellis@screenaustralia.gov.au

All other general/non-media enquiries Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | info@screenaustralia.gov.au

LINK:	https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2018/04-19-ind...
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