ADG Credit Maker is a high calibre initiative that will support 4 early mid-career women and nonbinary directors, to attain a career defining credit on a scripted production. The ADG Credit Maker program is supported by Screen Australia’s umbrella Gender Matters program in partnership with the Australian Directors’ Guild and aims to bring change in female HoD representation in the sector.
Ana Tiwary who is overseeing the initiative at the ADG said “We are excited to be launching the program and thank Screen Australia for recognising the importance of supporting mid-career women (and those from underrepresented genders) in getting their first director credit on a high-end scripted
series. We look forward to receiving applications from across Australia, including regional and remote areas.”
Louise Gough (Head of Development, Screen Australia) said, “The Gender Matters work exists to strategically address under-served areas of female representation in the screen sector. We know a lack of representation exists in HoD roles in scripted projects due to credit requirements and career
access and progression opportunities. We’re committed to working with ADG (in addition to ACS and AGSC) on this important initiative to support women and non-binary people and set them up for their next role.”
All applications will be reviewed by a panel who will shortlist 20 candidates, and then 4 finalists will be placed with series productions. The productions will be long running or high-end series (one or half hour format) or premium fiction in other formats. The length of the placement will be dependent on the given production, the availability of the supervising Director, but will be between 6 to 8 weeks.
The successful placee will ‘shadow’ and be mentored by an agreed supervising Director, and then the placee will lead, and the supervising Director ‘shadows’ them in the production setting, resulting in the placee receiving a Director credit. The supervising Director and production company will be
paid a modest fee for hosting the placee. The placee will be remunerated at the applicable rates, and fringes and superannuation will be paid.
The ADG CREDIT MAKER Guidelines and Application Form are available here.
If a Production Company or Director would like to offer a placement, they can fill out an expression of interest (EOI) form here.
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ABOUT GENDER MATTERS
Gender Matters is the umbrella name of Screen Australia’s efforts to address the underutilisation of female talent in key creative roles in the Australian screen industry.
ABOUT THE ADG
Founded in 1981, The Australian Directors’ Guild is a not-for-profit industry association representing the interests of over 1,000 Screen Director members working across film, television, streaming and digital media. It aims to improve professional standards, conditions, and remuneration for Australian Screen Directors, protect and advance the creative rights of its members and promote a cultural voice that is truly representative of Australia’s innate diversity. As a cultural organisation it also seeks to advance its understanding of the director’s role by sharing and exchanging future-focused knowledge and skills. It is the collective voice of directors and represents directors’ interests to federal & state governments, to state and screen funding agencies and regulators, to broadcasters, studios, to other industry bodies and to the media. The ADG has launched a Directory to make it easier for producers to find our members. Along with the annual ADG Awards, various initiatives and development programs such as Credit Maker are offered. Find out more on the ADG website: www.adg.org.au.
