ITV Studios Australia has teamed up with Screen Carriers to launch a long-term paid training program for its crews. The film will be filmed in the UK in Kitagawa later this year.
The six-month program designed to meet location offset eligibility through a structured workforce development program will feature four crew members at the newly established ITV Studios Australia Crew Academy.
In addition to hands-on experience, participants will receive personalized industry training provided by screen carriers within the company. Each will earn a minimum of three production credits and will also participate in cultural safety and welfare initiatives and skills workshops.
Under the government’s revised location offset guidelines, long-term training programs should span at least two productions, providing structuring that primarily provides field training to crew members. The aim is to promote sustainable career development and workforce capabilities.
The Academy targets high demand roles in post-production, production finance and production offices, providing leadership and management training to crews and supervisors throughout offset production.
“We are committed to creating an inclusive, skilled, future-ready crew. This partnership is a powerful way to do that,” says David Mott, managing director at ITV Studios.
“The Crew Academy not only trains people to step into the roles of crew members with confidence, but also helps to build leadership skills and team culture that keeps them there. It’s a model we believe in and a model we want to grow.”
This is the first long-term training programme managed by a screen carrier, and the aim is to become a model for future long-term industry partnerships that will boost crew training across Australia. The organization is already working on many location offset productions, providing crew training and recruitment services, and managing the documents required by the production company to ensure they are eligible for rebates.
“This is exactly what offset was designed to be, and it builds permanent features in the Australian screen workforce,” says Ester Coleman Hawkins, CEO of Screen Carrier.
“We are proud to partner with ITV Studios Australia to offer an ambitious program that offers opportunities to prepare you for a real sustainable career beyond short-term attachments. This is training that works to deliver concrete results (credits!) that are embedded in production and appreciated by our industry.”
Currently, three trainee roles are open to the application. Two editorial assistant positions and an opportunity for intermediate career development for production coordinators. The fourth role recruitment, production subsidized accountant, is already underway. All roles are expected to start next month.
Additionally, three attachments (camera assistant, lighting assistant and sound assistant) also provide training and uplifting in the UK, where I am a celebrity.