Pictured – Screenworks Board L-R top row: Screenworks Chairperson Tracey Mair, Vice Chair Rodney Cambridge, Secretary Kris Kotwicki, Treasurer Neil Lollback, L- R bottom row: Kaylene Butler, Rosemary Blight, Brooke Satchwell and Chris Oliver-Taylor
Screenworks members have a lot to celebrate at Screenworks’ End of Year Networking Event which will be held at the North Byron Hotel in Byron Bay on Dec 14th. Members and industry partners will come together to celebrate the successes they have achieved through Screenworks programs and support over the last 12 months as well as to welcome new Board Members, new Board roles and to farewell our departing Board Members.
At Screenworks’ recent Annual General Meeting, Screenworks Chairperson of six years, Actor and Producer Dustin Clare, retired from his role having served his allotted term.
Dustin steered Screenworks through a time of significant growth and through the challenges of the pandemic and said: “I am grateful to have played a small part in the success of Screenworks. The organisation has deep talent within the board and staff to continue to grow and succeed at all that it does. It has been a privilege to be able to lend my time to an organisation I feel very passionately about. As a young man growing up in regional NSW there were little to no opportunities in the screen arts. Screenworks has changed that and created genuine opportunities for those people from regional Australia and given them access to a platform to launch a career.”
Other board members who are leaving at the end of their term are the Secretary Richard Keenan and John Welch. Screenworks and their members have greatly benefited from the commitment and skills of these volunteer board members.
Tracey Mair, one of Australia’s leading film and television communications specialists, has been appointed Chairperson for Screenworks, Project Director Rodney Cambridge has been appointed Vice Chair, Entertainment Lawyer Kris Kotwicki has been appointed Secretary and Producer Kaylene Butler has also joined the Board. They join ongoing Board members, Treasurer Neil Lollback, Producer Rosemary Blight, Media Executive Chris Oliver Taylor and Actress Brooke Satchwell.
Tracey Mair said, “I’d like to thank Dustin for his dedication and vision over the past six years, Richard for his diligence and wisdom and John for the business acumen he has brought to the Screenworks Board and to welcome new board members Kaylene Butler, Rodney Cambridge and Kris Kotwicki. Like Dustin, I grew up in country Australia and, in adult life, returned to the regions to work and raise my family. I too am passionate about providing training and career opportunities for screen creatives in regional areas and am immensely proud of the work Screenworks will continue to do to ensure genuine outcomes for our community.”
Celebrations are in order for the Screenworks members who have benefited from participating in Screenworks programs and initiatives this past year including the three trainees who have been in continuous employment in crew roles on major TV series and feature films through the Netflix sponsored Regional Crew Development Program; and Screenworks career pathway participants who have released films, won awards, and secured mentorships, attachments and jobs including Mullumbimby-based Producer Jahvis Loveday for his attachment on the Netflix series Heartbreak High Season 2, Byron Bay based Producer Ela Furdas who has secured work as Development Producer for ABC’s Catalyst, Hunter-based Director Clare Pasvolsky who was mentored by Jocelyn Moorhouse and has been nominated for an ADG Award for Best Direction in an Independent feature Film for her film Three Chords and the Truth just to name a few. More details of Screenworks members’ success stories will be shared at Screenworks’ End of Year event.
Another reason to celebrate is that from 1st December 2023, Screenworks is restructuring membership to make it simpler and more affordable. An annual Screenworks membership is now only $29 for regional practitioners and offers a wide range of benefits including priority access and discounted tickets to all Screenworks events, discounted equipment, instruments and liability insurance with Galvaniize, up to 20% discount on AFTRS online short courses, 20% discount to streaming services Shelter and DocPlay, reciprocal membership benefits with Australians in Film, just to name a few.
Screenworks warmly welcomes members and friends to their End of Year Networking event in Byron Bay from 6pm on December 14, for tickets and more details visit screenworks.com.au
