EXCLUSIVE MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMERGING ANIMATORS AND GAMES DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONERS FROM FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND.
Screen Queensland has partnered with Screenworks to deliver the FNQ Screen Industry Bootcamp comprised of two mentorships designed to support and ignite the careers of an emerging animator and a games development practitioner, from the Far North Queensland region.
Applications are now open to early-career practitioners living in FNQ for this unique opportunity for participants to showcase their talent, build upon their experience and connect with key international players in the Animation and Gaming industries including Brisbane-based Ludo Studio and global games development company Gameloft.
Applications for the FNQ Screen Industry Bootcamp are now open at screenworks.com.au and will close at 1700 (AEST) Friday 19 June 2020 with the mentorships currently planned to commence at the beginning of July 2020.
The notable professional mentors who will be choosing their mentee for each discipline in the program will be Liz Ballantyne, Art Lead at game development company Gameloft, and Chris Bennett, an Animator at the multi-Emmy® award-winning production company Ludo Studio.
The selected participants will each receive bespoke, industry-real briefs and targeted feedback from their mentor over the six-week ‘bootcamp’ period. This will be capped off with an opportunity to travel to Brisbane where they will shadow their mentor in their professional environments.
“The FNQ Screen Industry Bootcamp will provide an extraordinary opportunity for early-career regional practitioners from FNQ to connect with and learn from highly accomplished industry professionals”, explains Screenworks CEO, Ken Crouch. “We are excited to give the FNQ screen practitioners the exposure and unique access to experiences which will enhance their skills and impact their careers”.
Kylie Munnich, Screen Queensland CEO added: “This is the first of many programs to be rolled out as a part of the Far North Queensland Screen Production Strategic Plan. Mentorships can be transformative experiences and we know that the participants in this bootcamp are in good hands with the regional expertise of Screenworks and industry heavy weights Ludo Studio and Gameloft, guiding the way. It’s all about providing a real-world experience that will give participants practical skills, industry contacts and above all confidence to create their own screen projects and build their careers in the industry.”
To apply and for more info, visit screenworks.com.au
If you have further questions, please contact Louise Hodgson Screenworks Projects Coordinator on 02 6681 1188 or [email protected]
MENTOR BIOS:
Chris Bennett, Animator, Ludo Studio
Chris has worked in the Animation Industry since 2013 when he created the popular web series Alfred & Poe in affiliation with YouTube pioneers Smosh. From there he went on to work with Smosh full time until 2017 when he joined Ludo Studio as an Animator for the Emmy award winning series Bluey. He also served as a Writer for episode ‘Fancy Restaurant’. Chris and his wife, Cassandra have two young boys together and love living in Brisbane. Chris’s website
Liz Ballantyne, Art Lead, Gameloft Australia
Liz is the Lead Artist at Gameloft Australia and Women in Games Ambassador. She has been creating video games for over 15 years and has worked with international brands including, Disney, Star Wars, Microsoft and Warner Brothers.
Liz is responsible for leading art teams in the creation and delivery for original IP’s and licenced games. Liz has expertise in user experience and interaction design, graphic design and brand strategy.
The FNQ Screen Industry Bootcamp presents targeted mentorship programs for FNQ screen practitioners and is delivered by Screenworks in partnership with Screen Queensland:
About Screenworks:
Screenworks is a registered charity that provides support, leadership and vision for the regional screen industries in Australia. The principal objective of Screenworks is to promote and advance the screen industry in regional, rural and remote Australia, with a focus on the industry cluster in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. Our principal activities provide screen-related development and networking opportunities, programs and initiatives specifically designed to support people living in regional, rural and remote Australia. We are a home-grown not-for-profit, membership-based association managed by a board of volunteer directors that provide industry, management and screen industry knowledge and experience.
About Screen Queensland:
Screen Queensland is a Queensland Government-owned company that invests in talent and production to grow a creative, innovative and successful screen industry with a focus on stories and audience, secures production and post, digital and visual effects to Queensland, and delivers an active screen culture through festivals and events funding across the state. Screen Queensland invests in stories and talent through a range of mechanisms including development, production investment, initiatives, sqhub and mentorships. Screen Queensland is deeply committed to increasing diversity in the screen industry to reflect the Australian community. For more information visit screenqld.com.au.
Diversity Commitment:
We are strongly committed to increasing diversity across all sectors of the screen industry. We encourage all talented filmmakers to apply to our programs regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability status. We also ask that applicants consider inclusiveness, accessibility and diversity when forming their filmmaking teams for any initiative.
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