Education Representatitve Liz Keogh Palmer gives an overview of exciting developments in Education and Training initiatives that the guild actively works to achieve and promote including awarding outstanding students with APDG membership, an update on the Costume Supervisor Pathway Program and news on the Screen Australia commissioned PICA study.
APDG is pleased to announce that Huxley is our first makeup school to nominate deserving students for APDG certificate awards. These students were presented with their awards by Lesley Vanderwalt APDG and Jason Baird APDG during their graduation celebration in August this year. Congratulations to Marlie Clarke, Sydney Annetts and Harley Cash. We encourage more makeup and hair colleges to recognize their students’ achievements by nominating them for an APDG student certificate this year. This certificate provides students with a year of free membership, valued at $75.00, along with all the benefits that come with being a member.
I have recently been in conversations with Belinda Mravicic, the newly appointed Senior Project Lead for the ‘Below the Line’ Program at Screen NSW. Belinda is focused on gaining insights from various experienced screen practitioners in New South Wales to better understand the training needs in areas experiencing crew shortages. She is passionate about developing a program that offers participants the best possible training, ensuring they are employable in the industry upon completion.
The program will fund several entry-level positions for a duration of twelve weeks. Recipients must reside in New South Wales and will be selected through education institutions in the state that prepare individuals for careers in the industry, such as TAFE, NIDA, and AFTRS. It is encouraging to see that Screen NSW is committed to quality training initiatives for our future screen workforce. More information about this program will be shared in the near future.
CSPP
In April 2024, the Australian Production Design Guild (APDG) launched the Costume Supervisor Pathway Program (CSPP) to address the concerning decline in experienced costume supervisors capable of managing larger productions. This initiative was made possible by a successful Skills Development Fund grant from Screen Australia, which provided partial funding for three recipients in fully paid training placements. These placements aim to assist costume supervisors as they learn from highly experienced senior supervisors. The CSPP is recognized as an effective training method that empowers mid-career costume practitioners to advance their careers and bridges the gap between local and offshore productions.
I am excited to announce that we have completed the CSPP, and all three recipients have been successfully placed across three states. Barbara Pinn from Queensland was placed on “The Bluff” under the mentorship of Rachel Nott. Emily Cameron from New South Wales joined “Street Fighter” with US senior costume supervisor Ariel Gold. Lastly, Alistair Johns from Victoria was placed on “Insidious 6,” also working with Rachel Nott.
I extend my gratitude to both Rachel and Ariel for their invaluable mentorship, which is essential for the continued growth of costume supervisors who support designers in realizing their visions.
Unfortunately, this means that some of our successful CSPP recipients will not have further placements under the Costume Supervisor Pathway Program. However, I remain committed to my passion for training and supporting costume supervisors, and I will continue to encourage producers to recognize this role as essential in the costume department, ultimately aiming for it to become a permanent position.
SCREEN AUSTRALIA STUDY
Screen Australia commissioned international creative industries consultancy, Olsberg•SPI (“SPI”) to undertake a production infrastructure and capacity analysis (PICA) for Australia’s screen production sector. This timely study aims to update and expand on the 2021 PICA Study completed by SPI for Ausfilm. In doing so, it will create a comprehensive dataset and evidence base on the current capacity and provision of Australia’s screen production sector, including film, television, animation, digital games, VFX, post-production and online. This will support the development of new and existing initiatives to enable the sustained growth of the sector.
As part of this study, SPI held a series of consultations and focus groups with stakeholders, government officials and industry professionals to gain an in-depth understanding of the current levels of production and workforce capacity in Australia, and to discuss what is required to grow current capacity. Several other screen Guilds, along with the APDG, participated in these focus groups. I had a one-on-one conversation with the organizer, Kayleigh Hughes, via Zoom to discuss key issues such as crew shortages in our fields, the Location Offset Rebate training initiatives, and other factors contributing to crew members leaving the industry.
– Liz Keogh Palmer APDG, Education Representative
Image: Michael Huxley, Lesley Vanderwalt APDG and Jason Baird APDG at the Huxley School of Make-up Graduation in August.
Image: Tilly Lees, recipient of APDG Emerging Membership, for winning the ‘Inspired Students’ Category at Screen It International Film Festival for her work on short film ‘There’s No Blue in that Painting’.