By Travis Johnson
AFTRS has commenced its new She Shoots program with a two week camera and sound workshop. Eight applicants were chosen from a field of 57 to participate in the initiative, which aims to help correct the gender differential in commercial unscripted TV camera and sound departments.
Screen NSW, AFTRS, Women NSW, Foxtel, VA Digital Hire and the Executive Women’s Television Group have come together for She Shoots. Foxtel will provide two six-week attachments on its programs, while AFTRS is allowing access to its facilities and VA Digital Hire is supplying camera gear. Expert mentors and instructors include senior producer Alenka Henry (My Kitchen Rules, Gogglebox and Recipe 2 Riches 2), sound recordist Jeremy Ireland (Audio Director/Supervisor on Survivor CBS), director of photography Tim Hawkins (seven seasons of My Kitchen Rules, The Bachelor S4, Sixty Minutes, Sunday Night and House Rules S2), and director Kate Douglas-Walker (Celebrity Apprentice, Strictly Come Dancing UK).
Josie Mason-Campbell, Foxtel’s Head of Production and Development, observed, “Foxtel is thrilled to part of a gender equality initiative in the television production sector. We work with a range of industry bodies to support programs which sustain actors, directors, writers, producers and the next generation of students. Finding the best talent to work on our Australian productions is a priority for us, and nurturing that up and coming talent to learn more and be creatively inspired through this AFTRS program is very exciting for the future of our industry.”
