A note-taking training program for First Nations screenwriters.

What’s the opportunity?

Seeding Storytellers is a note-taking training program for emerging First Nations Screenwriters, supported by Screenrights Cultural Fund, and delivered by Screenworks in partnership with the Australian Writers’ Guild.

Designed to provide the appropriate professional development required for the role of a note-taker, Seeding Storytellers will help set up emerging First Nations Screenwriters for the best chance of success in their careers. 

A writer’s journey into the industry is far from linear and the variety of roles a writer takes on in their early career, with the appropriate training, benefits their creativity. Note-taking is a fundamental entry point in a writer’s creative pathway and a key skill in the professional development of early career writers. Awareness of the procedures and etiquette in writers’ rooms are an important part in understanding the administrative aspects of building a story for screen.

Tell me more!

Following the close of applications on February 28 2025, Seeding Storytellers will be delivered to selected participants as a series of three day-long online workshops on the 3rd, 10th and 17th of May 2025. These will be run and delivered by highly-experienced, working writers Sara Khan, Catherine Kelleher and Terence McCarthy. Covering note-taking, script coordinating and the basics of a writers’ room, participants will learn in a culturally safe, supported environment and come away with the skills required to find work as a note-taker in the film and television industry.

Program Manager Sara Khan, a proud Wailwan, Gomeroi and Pakistani woman and writer on HEARTBREAK HIGH, says, “For First Nations People, our stories and perspectives are invaluable to the writers room. How we utilise and share these for creative purposes requires protections. Providing First Nations writers with the essential skills for note-taking will seed the growth for more visibility and representation of First Nations People in writers’ rooms.”

Catherine Kelleher, an experienced writer-director and recently the Scripted Development Executive at SBS, will be responsible for the note-taker training workshop and resources. While at SBS, Catherine advised on how to facilitate culturally appropriate working environments. 

Terence McCarthy, a writer, development executive, script department manager and script editor with fifteen years’ experience in the Australian and US film and television industries, will be responsible for script coordinator training.

At the conclusion of the program, participants will be supported by Screenworks to seek work as note-takers. They will also be showcased to the screen industry via the AWG Pathways website. The Pathways First Break tab is a permanent resource for industry looking for talented new writers who have valuable skills to offer in writers’ rooms.

Who can apply?

Applications for Seeding Storytellers are open to emerging and early-career First Nations Screenwriters until February 28, 2025.

To apply, applicants will need to complete the application form below, including a current CV and a sample of their work.

For any questions, or help submitting your application, please get in touch with us:

What do I need to apply?

Please complete the Application Form to apply.

As part of your application, you are required to submit your current CV and a sample of your work.

Your CV should be no more than four pages and include all relevant education and work-related experiences, including any screen industry experience you may have.

Your writing sample or screenplay extract should be no more than five pages. You can alternatively submit an original one page treatment. Whichever you choose to submit must be original and entirely your work. Additionally, make sure your screenplay is formatted to industry standards, which you can find here: Suggested Screenplay Formatting

Click here to apply now!

Program terms & conditions, including regionality definitions:

By submitting my application for Seeding Storytellers (also referred to as the program), I agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions:

  1. I have grown up with a continuous First Nations experience.
  2. I understand that submitting my application does not guarantee selection for the Seeding Storytellers program.
  3. If selected for Seeding Storytellers, I confirm to be available – or will make myself available – to participate in the program’s scheduled workshops, delivered online on the 3rd, 10th and 17th of May, 2025. 
  4. If selected, I agree to be interviewed, photographed and/or recorded during any part of the program. Any interview, photograph and/or recording may be used across any media format for promotion and/or reporting purpose.
  5. I agree to tag Screenworks and the program partners in any social media posts I may create and share.
  6. If selected and once my participation in the program concludes, I agree to complete and submit a program report on my experiences.
  7. I warrant and confirm that the information that I give in this application is true and correct and I understand that it will be used to determine my suitability for inclusion in Seeding Storytellers.
  8. I acknowledge that Northern Rivers Screenworks Inc. has the right to withdraw any offer to participate in Seeding Storytellers if it is discovered that any statement made by me in this application is incorrect, incomplete or misleading, in a way that may have affected the application assessment process. 

Please note: The program assessment committee, including representatives from Screenworks and from the Australian Writers Guild, will assess all eligible applications against a set of guidelines and assessment criteria. The assessment committee is under no obligation to read all content provided. The assessment committee will not redress errors in applications. If an application is deemed ineligible, it will not be assessed. The assessment committee will make the ultimate decision regarding the successful applicants. This decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Preference will be given to applicants from regional areas, as defined below.

ACT, NT and TAS: All areas.

NSW: All areas outside of metropolitan and Western Sydney, including the Blue Mountains.

VIC: All areas not listed as metro on VicScreen’s regionality map.

QLD: All areas outside of a 100 kilometre radius of the Brisbane and Gold Coast Central Business Districts (CBDs).

SA: All areas outside of a 50 kilometre radius of the Adelaide CBD.

WA: All areas listed as regional on Screenwest’s regionality map.

Seeding Storytellers is supported by Screenrights Cultural Fund, delivered by Screenworks in partnership with the Australian Writers’ Guild.