SQ News

Screen Queensland and SBS celebrate diverse storytelling on screen 


Screen Queensland and SBS celebrate diverse storytelling on screen 

Queensland filmmakers from diverse backgrounds will be given the opportunity to produce unscripted short form content for SBS On Demand under a new partnership between Screen Queensland (SQ) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).

The SQ/SBS Short Form Content initiative provides funding for up to three early-to-mid career diverse filmmaking teams to produce unscripted content suitable for online audiences.

Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira is delighted to partner with the nation’s foremost multicultural broadcaster to assist groups of Queenslanders to transition their stories to the screen.

“Screen Queensland continues to seek and nurture diverse and talented storytellers from our local screen community, laying down solid foundations on which they can build successful screen careers,” said Ms Vieira.

“This new initiative will help facilitate the growth and career advancement for early and mid-career practitioners with the opportunity to have their work aired on SBS.

“SBS On Demand is Australia’s most distinctive streaming service and already home to some terrific locally-produced content, including Homecoming Queens, which was written by Queenslanders Michelle Law and Chloë Reeson and co-funded by Screen Queensland.”

SBS Director of TV and Online Content, Marshall Heald, said the stories we tell and the talent we foster at all levels of production should reflect the diversity of our communities.

“The new Short Form Content initiative further strengthens SBS’s commitment to growing diversity in the screen sector, encourages greater collaboration with screen agencies to support the local creative industry and ultimately, will influence how we tell stories on screen,” said Mr Heald.

For the purpose of the SQ and SBS Unscripted Short Form Content initiative, diversity is recognised as “differences in gender; age; Aboriginal identity; cultural and linguistic diversity (CaLD); disability; sexuality and gender identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+); location (including regional and remote regions) and socio-economic status”.

In the first round of applications for the Unscripted Short Form Content initiative, up to five (5) teams will be selected to develop their concepts in a development workshop with SQ and SBS.

Up to three (3) teams will then be commissioned to produce their pieces of unscripted short form content, which can include factual, food, factual entertainment or entertainment ideas.

Each successful filmmaking team will receive up to $30,000 to produce 5 -15 minutes of content.

Applications for the initiative close 5.00pm Monday 16 July 2018, with shortlisted applicants required to interview with SQ and SBS mid August.

To read the guidelines and to apply CLICK HERE.

Screen Queensland media contact: Angela Samut +61 7 3248 0500