FEARLESS FILMS: Season 2 is a collaboration between Screenworks and Feros Care that will challenge traditional views around the lives of people with disability, elaborating upon the themes of FEARLESS FILMS: Season 1

We are searching for regional Australian filmmakers to make short documentaries from our slate of FEARLESS stories to share across our screens.

We are excited to amplify the voices of people with disability and make sure there is more broad representation of disability in our culture.

INTRODUCTION:

FEARLESS FILMS: Season 2 will deliver short films that showcase the bold lives of Australians living with disability. Each film will be 3-5mins long and will be made by an emerging regional filmmaker.

We launched a callout for stories from people with disability who want to be profiled in the FEARLESS FILMS. We now have an impressive story slate and have funding available for innovative regional filmmakers who are passionate about bringing these stories to life on our screens.

Filmmakers with disability are strongly encouraged to apply for this project and all teams selected for this program will be strongly encouraged to connect with and to include emerging filmmakers with disability from their respective region as part of their teams.

HOW TO APPLY:

To access the FEARLESS FILMS story slate and receive the pitching templates required to complete your application, all interested filmmakers must complete the FEARLESS FILMS Filmmaker Registration Form.

As part of the registration process, Filmmakers will be asked to provide contact details, confirm a confidentiality clause and upload their current resume along with links to their broadcast credits.
All questions in the form must be completed.
Upon receipt of registrations, Screenworks will send out the details of the FEARLESS FILMS story slate and the templates required to complete the pitching process. These will include:
- A storyplan template
- A budget template (When considering the budget, each filmmaker must include information about accessibility components eg: closed captioning)
- A distribution strategy template
- Filmmakers are encouraged to submit a director’s treatment or any other materials they’d like to supplement their pitch.
The Deadline for all pitch documents will be 0800 Monday 2^nd December 2019.
Filmmakers can submit or be attached to multiple applications; however, we’d advise you to put your most competitive project forward
A review panel will select the successful filmmakers and pre-production will commence on the films in January 2020.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Screenworks Project Coordinator, Louise Hodgson on (02) 6681 1188 or [email protected]

ELIGIBILITY:

Each filmmaker must, at a minimum, have one professionally produced short-form credit (i.e. music videos, TVCs, corporate films commissioned and paid for by a third party).
Applications are open to filmmakers living and working in regional NSW, QLD, South Australia and the ACT* (refer to defintitions below)
Applicants need to be aged 18 and over
Applicants must be a Screenworks member.
Filmmakers must be available and able to produce the documentary between December 2019 and April 2020

SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS:

Each successful filmmaker will be allocated a budget of $4,000 (ex GST) to produce their FEARLESS film up to a maximum length of 5 minutes.
Screenworks will enter into an agreement with each filmmaker for deliverables, distribution rights etc.
Screenworks and Feros Care will work collaboratively with the filmmakers to refine and build upon their submitted distribution strategies which could include:
- FEARLESS FILMS launch events around the country,
- Targeting opportunities to tour content at non-film related arts-based festivals, disability expos and festivals,
- Approaching alternative broadcasters eg: inflight entertainment and online platforms.
- NB: Any entry fees to domestic or international film festivals will be the responsibility of the filmmaker.
Filmmakers will be expected to support and co-operate with Screenworks and Feros Care in their promotion of FEARLESS Season 2. We will work with each filmmaking team and subject to capture the PR opportunities of the stories throughout the process.
Each successful filmmaker will receive advice from Jenni Wilks, an independent producer to assist them to engage with their subject and to finalise their storyplans before commencing production.

JENNI WILKS

Jenni is currently the Supervising Producer at Northern Pictures on Love on the Spectrum a 4 part series to be broadcast on ABC TV in November 2019 which follows stories of people with autism looking at dating and relationships.

She was Series Producer of the first (AACTA Award Winner – Best Documentary or Factual Program 2018) and second series of Employable Me which was about people with autism and people with disabilities looking for meaningful employment.

Jenni has unique experience in the realm of social issue and medical based documentaries, her interest and enjoyment lies in working collaboratively with people to tell to tell personal stories that shine a light on issues, start conversations and promote awareness and understanding.

She was Series Producer on both the first and second series of Changing Minds: The Inside Story where cameras were granted access to acute mental health units in Australia for the first time. The series was the programming focus of the ABC awareness campaign around mental health called Mental As and was acknowledged with many significant awards.

A former Registered Nurse, Jenni was the Supervising Producer on the successful hospital-based observational medical series RPA for over 10 years, as well as Miracle Hospital for National Geographic and Keeping Australia Safe for ABC TV.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Funding will be provided as a grant. If you are successful, Screenworks will enter into a written agreement specifying the terms of the funding and what you will need to deliver in order to receive payments.
Screenworks reserves the right to approve budgets prior to contracting.
All projects selected for production will be subject to editorial guidelines and must comply with editorial feedback provided by Screenworks, Feros Care and an independent Supervising Producer.
Each selected filmmaker will be required to submit a final storyplan to the project partners for approval before commencing pre-production and principal photography.
Each key deliverable stage e.g.: script, edit, fine cut will require the approval of the project partners before progressing to the next stage.
The successful filmmakers will be required to credit Screenworks and Feros Care in their projects.
The project partners intend to promote this project through multiple channels including promotion via press releases and on social media channels. Each selected participant will be expected to support and co-operate with this to ensure that it is able to achieve the project promotion objectives set out above.
The intellectual property in the short films will be owned by Feros Care. A perpetual non-exclusive world-wide unencumbered licence will be given to the featured person with disability in each film, the filmmakers and Screenworks.

ELIGIBLE REGIONAL AREAS:

In NSW – regional areas are defined on the State Council map on the Screen NSW website, and includes all areas outside metropolitan Sydney and the ACT.(http://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/page/maps/nsw-state-council-map)
In Queensland – regional areas are defined as a resident outside of South East Queensland, being defined as a 100 kilometre radius of the Brisbane or Gold Coast central business district.
In South Australia– regional areas are defined as a resident living outside of Adelaide, being more than a 50 kilometre radius from the Adelaide GPO.
In the ACT – all areas in the ACT.

FAQS:

Is there assistance on hand? Yes, throughout the production process, Screenworks will provide mentorship and guidance to the filmmakers, we have also engaged an experienced Supervising Producer to ensure the best quality films are produced.

When do I need to be available? FEARLESS FILMS: Season 2 is happening between December 2019 and April 2020

Will I own the copyright of my finished FEARLESS film? Intellectual property in the short films will be owned by Feros Care. A perpetual non-exclusive world-wide unencumbered licence will be given to the featured person with disability in each film, the filmmakers and Screenworks. All crediting and branding obligations will be clearly set out in the contracting process.

Where will the films be seen? All of the five films will be uploaded to www.feroscare.com.au/fearlessfilms in addition to online spaces and distributed to the widest possible audience. Upon completion of all productions – an individual film launch event will be planned by Feros Care to screen each of the films within their respective states/community at red carpet events.

When will the films be seen? Depending on the nature of each film, Feros Care and Screenworks will decide if each film should be released separately over a period of time (to increase reach and maximise viewership) or be released collectively. Ideally the release period will start in early April 2020.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT:

Screenworks and Feros Care are strongly committed to increasing diversity across all sectors of the screen industry. We encourage anyone to apply to FEARLESS regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability status.

STORY APPLICATIONS FOR FEARLESS FILMS: SEASON TWO ARE NOW CLOSED.

UPDATE: OCTOBER 2019

WE HAVE FINALISED OUR FEARLESS STORY SLATE ARE NOW SEEKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FROM FILMMAKERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PITCH FOR FUNDING TO PRODUCE ONE OF THE STORIES FOR OUR SCREENS.

We are searching for five fearless Australians living with disability to connect with five regional filmmakers so that their stories can be shared across our screens.

Our mission is to provide Australians of all ages and abilities the opportunity to tell their story or to challenge themselves to embark upon a long-held dream. In doing so, we are excited to amplify the voices of people with disability and make sure there is more broad representation of disability in our culture.

INTRODUCTION:

FEARLESS FILMS: Season 2 will deliver five short films that showcase the bold lives of five Australians living with disability. Each film will be 3-5mins long and will be made by an emerging regional filmmaker.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for people with disability who want their story told or who are determined to pursue a personal challenge. You will become the story of the film.

We are also looking for five emerging and innovative filmmakers who are passionate and honest about bringing these stories to life on our screens

“Disability does not make you exceptional but questioning what you think you know about it does”

Stella Young, Comedian, TEDxSydney 2014

STAGE ONE: FINDING YOUR STORIES

Applications are now open for people living with a disability to submit their stories or personal challenges to us. If you dream big, plan big and live big and boldly, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us what makes you fearless!

Story applications are now open to all those who are under 65 years old and living with a disability in NSW, Queensland, South Australia or the ACT
Online application form is available here.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to upload a short video of themselves with their application form. This can be filmed with a mobile phone, we don’t require a high quality footage, but we love high quality ideas.
Deadline for story applications is Midnight September 18, 2019
Following this deadline, a review panel from Feros/Screenworks will select a showcase of potential stories to be included in Season 2.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Screenworks Project Coordinator, Louise Hodgson on (02) 6681 1188 or [email protected]

STAGE 2: FINDING THE FILMMAKERS:

After shortlisting the most captivating stories and challenges, Screenworks will open up applications from emerging regional filmmakers who live in the same region as the people with selected stories live.

The online application form will be made live and available here in September 2019
As part of the application process, Filmmakers will be asked to provide a treatment of the story they would like to produce, a proposed budget and broad distribution strategy.
Screenworks reserves the right to approve production budgets prior to contracting and all projects selected for production will be subject to editorial guidelines.
Deadline for Filmmaker applications is yet to be announced.
Following this deadline, a review panel from Feros/Screenworks will select the five successful filmmakers and pre-production will commence on the films.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Screenworks Project Coordinator, Louise Hodgson on (02) 6681 1188 or [email protected]

SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS:

Story Subjects: If you or your story are chosen to be a part of FEARLESS FILMS we will introduce you to a regional filmmaker who will create the film about you.
Filmmakers: Screenworks will enlist a story producer to help you to develop your subject matter and skills to create a finished film in early 2020. Screenworks will enter into an agreement with each filmmaker for deliverables, distribution rights etc. Assigned to each short film will be a small production budget for the filmmaker’s costs.
Filmmakers and subjects will be expected to support and co-operate with Screenworks and Feros Care in their promotion of FEARLESS FILMS: Season 2. We will work with each filmmaker to capture the PR opportunities of each individual story throughout the process.
Screenworks and Feros Care intend to promote this project through traditional and social media networks.

FAQs:

Story Subjects: What kind of challenges or subject matters can be submitted?

Anything at all. If you feel your story meets the brief of challenging, fearless, daring and bold then we’d love to hear about it. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Screenworks Project Coordinator, Louise Hodgson on (02) 6681 1188 or [email protected]

Filmmakers: What kind of filming experience is required?

Each filmmaker must, at a minimum, have one professionally produced short-film credit (i.e. music videos, television commercials or corporate films commissioned and paid for by a third party).

Is there professional assistance on hand?

Yes, throughout the production process, Screenworks will provide mentorship and guidance to the filmmakers. Screenworks will also engage a consultant/story producer to assist with script/story development to ensure the best quality films are produced. Screenworks and Feros Care will also work collaboratively with the filmmakers to plan strategies for:

Film distribution for festivals, events around the country with distribution, marketing, promotion and programs through Feros Care and Screenworks.
Target opportunities to tour content at non-film related arts-based festivals, disability expos and trade shows, festivals, etc.
Media releases to local and national press publications.
Approaches to alternative broadcasters eg: inflight entertainment, online platforms
Social media campaigns and digital community interaction.
PR and promotion.

When do I need to be available?

FEARLESS FILMS: Season 2 is happening between September 2019 and March 2020

Will I own the copyright of my finished FEARLESS film?

Intellectual property in the short films will be owned by Feros Care. A perpetual non-exclusive world-wide unencumbered licence will be given to the featured person with disability in each film, the filmmakers and Screenworks. All crediting and branding obligations will be clearly set out in the contracting process.

Where will the films be seen?

All of the five films will be uploaded to www.feroscare.com.au/fearlessfilms in addition to online spaces and distributed to the widest possible audience. Upon completion of all productions – an individual film launch event will be planned by Feros Care to screen each of the films within their respective states/community at red carpet events.

When will the films be seen?

Depending on the nature of each film, Feros Care and Screenworks will decide if each film should be released separately over a period of time (to increase reach and maximise viewership) or be released collectively. Ideally the release period will start in early April 2020.

Diversity Commitment:

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