15 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs Liz Keogh Palmer (Australian Production Design Guild Costume Designer and Skills Development Officer), BTL recipient Jacob Gibson and Kylie Washington (GM and Creative Director, BBC Studios Production ANZ)
Screen Australia has announced the latest recipients for the Skills Development Fund and BTL: Next Step initiative, who will share in over $560,000 of Industry Development funding.
Since launching in April 2023, Screen Australia's Industry Development initiatives have provided over $3.4 million specifically for training and skills development for more than 430 people.
These initiatives were introduced to help address the skills shortages for below-the-line roles and grow the capacity of the Australian screen workforce. The Skills Development Fund is designed to support screen businesses and games development studios to provide work-based learning, while BTL: Next Step supports mid-career practitioners to upskill from their current area of expertise.
Screen Australia's Head of Industry Development, Ken Crouch said, Screen Australia is committed to supporting the skills and talent required for the future success of the Australian screen industry. The Skills Development Fund and BTL Next Step initiatives provide unique opportunities for professional crew and gamemakers to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to advance their careers. We look forward to seeing how this latest cohort will benefit by being encouraged, challenged and supported to take their career in new and exciting directions.
The host companies and placees' supported through BTL: Next Step are:
Jacob Gibson (Folklore Sound): An aspiring sound designer from Gubbi Gubbi Country on the Sunshine Coast, Gibson obtained a bachelor s degree in audio engineering from JMC while working as an assistant at post production house, 3P Studio. His credits include diverse freelance projects in game design, short films and music production and has also served as a boom swinger on projects ranging from corporate training videos to the Mater Hospital Charity Fun Run. Gibson specialises in crafting immersive soundscapes and elevating storytelling through meticulous sound design with a focus on creating impactful audio experiences that resonate with audiences. Gibson will undertake a sound designer placement with award-winning studio Folklore Sound, who deliver content for a variety of global companies, including Disney, Lucasfilm, Netflix and Warner Bros, and recently announced a new partnership with Spectrum Films.
Daria Latter (Helium Pictures): Graduating from a Bachelor of Film and Television Production at JMC Academy in 2014, Latter worked as a coordinator for the BBC World Service in London and triple j in Sydney before joining Animal Logic in 2018. While at Animal Logic, she gained a strong understanding of the VFX and animation process and was introduced to the world of Post Production. Since working at Animal Logic, Latter has spent the past three years working in post-production and VFX coordination for international and local content, working with companies including Warner Bros, Marvel, Netflix and Matchbox Pictures. Latter will be undertaking a post-production supervisor placement on Last King of the Cross Season 2 with Helium Pictures, a Sydney-based production label, founded by Mark Fennessy former CEO of EndemolShine Australia and Head of MTV Australia.
Stephanie Tiltman (Hoodlum Entertainment): Tiltman has eight years of experience in film and television production across Australia and Canada. While working in management at the New York Film Academy in Sydney, her TV career kicked off as a production runner and third AD on ABC s Wham Bam Thank You Ma am. In 2018, she gained international experience as a post-production coordinator in Canada, handling shows including Jade Fever (Discovery Channel Canada) and Wild Bear Rescue (Discovery ). At Deluxe Entertainment in Vancouver, Tiltman worked as a Digital Intermediate producer and project manager, overseeing post-production for a variety of shows, including Riverdale (CW Network), Snoopy in Space (Apple TV) and Snowpiercer (Netflix). Moving back to Australia in 2020, she served as post-production coordinator for Warner Bros Elvis and transitioned to post-production supervising, working on the projects In Our Blood (Hoodlum/ABC) and the Hoodlum/Highland Group feature film Land of Bad. Tiltman will be undertaking a line producer placement with Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning production company, Hoodlum Entertainment.
The team from Chaos Theory Games
The programs/projects supported through the Skills Development Fund are:
Costume Supervisor Pathway Program - Australian Production Design Guild (APDG): Established in 2009, the APDG represents designers and their associates in screen, live performance, events and digital production across Australia. Through this funding, APDG will receive support for their Costume Supervisor Pathway Program - a comprehensive training initiative to address the need for costume supervisors with the expertise to oversee large-scale productions. This will be achieved by upskilling three mid-career costume department practitioners in a new assistant costume supervisor position through a focused mentorship within a production, guided by a highly experienced costume supervisor. This dedicated position offers a specialised training opportunity, creating a pathway for potential costume supervisors, bridging the gap between existing roles and meeting the industry s increasing demand for local supervisors on large-scale, high-budget, and international productions.
Return to Paradise - BBC Studios Productions Australia: BBC Studios Productions Australia aims to grow and support ongoing and fit-for-purpose skills developme
