Skills/Business Support

Film Victoria has partnered with SBS, Screen Australia and state screen agencies across Australia to deliver the Emerging Writers’ Incubator, designed to support the development of diverse fiction writing talent in the Australian screen sector.  

As part of this initiative, Film Victoria will support one Victorian writer to undertake a 12-month paid placement within a film or television production company.

Selected writers will work across the production company’s entire fiction slate. Duties may include:

• Attending selected writers’ rooms (as participant, note taker, or observer)
• Participating in the production company’s development slate meetings
• Shadowing the production company’s development producers and/or producers, building capacity, knowledge and honing industry / craft skills (including script editing skills)
• Shadow producers in pre, physical, post production and screening stages of project
• Assisting with devising and writing pitches
• Assisting with assessing creative material (e.g. pitches)
• Assisting with creative feedback (e.g. script notes, script feedback meetings)
• Attending pitch meetings
• Drafting funding applications for script development.

This program is open to people with backgrounds and with lived experiences currently underrepresented in the sector. This includes people who are from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds, First Peoples of Australia, those who are living with a disability, those who are female, who are trans and/or gender diverse, and who identify as LGBTQIA+, and people located in regional and remote areas.

To be eligible for consideration for the Emerging Writers Incubator, emerging writers will need to have been accepted onto Film Victoria’s Key Talent Register before 31 May 2021 – Further details on the Incubator can be found on the Information Sheet provided.

To apply for the Key Talent Register please access the application form here.

If you have any concerns regarding eligibility for our Key Talent Register, please get in touch with a Film Victoria representative.

The Key Talent Placements - On a Production program supports skills development for writers and directors through offering paid placements to practitioners. 

Film Victoria’s primary focus for this program is early to mid-career writers or directors.

Successful applicants to this program are placed on Film Victoria’s Key Talent Placements Register which provides them with the chance to be put forward for placement opportunities. Funding is available to undertake paid placements on productions generally over 6-12 weeks, providing the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience.

Before applying, please read the program guidelines, which contain eligibility and assessment criteria, in conjunction with the Terms of Trade.

The Professional Attachments program aims to support the skills development of early career film and television practitioners, specifically in technical below the line roles across a range of departments such as camera, animation, wardrobe, production office. Attachments offer early career practitioners a paid attachment on a film or television production, providing significant hands-on learning opportunities by working with an experienced practitioner.

Film Victoria selects practitioners for the Professional Attachments opportunities from its Professional Attachments Register, which allows Film Victoria to match your skills and experience to productions that we have supported. Practitioners who apply for and are successfully placed on the Register will be notified 6-8 weeks after submission, and may then be considered for Attachment opportunities as they arise, depending on the production’s requirements and the practitioner’s skill set and experience. While being placed on the Register makes a practitioner eligible for consideration for an Attachment opportunity, it does not guarantee an Attachment opportunity.

Before applying, please read the Guidelines, which contains eligibility and assessment criteria, in conjunction with our Terms of Trade before submitting an application.

Please note: the Professional Attachments program is not for writers, directors or producers. Film Victoria supports the development of these roles through the Key Talent Placements - On A Production and In A Company programs.

The Key Talent Placements – In a Company program supports skills development for film and television practitioners. Funding is available for established production companies to engage early to mid-career film and television practitioners to undertake a paid placement (generally for 6-12 months), providing the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience.

Film Victoria’s primary focus for this program is producer placements.

Applications to this program are driven by the Host Company. 

Please read the program guidelines in conjunction with our Terms of Trade for more information.

The program is by invitation only. Please read the guidelines and contact the Program Manager to discuss your proposed placement.

Practitioners interested in applying for a placement should subscribe to Film Victoria’s e-news for updates on placement opportunities.

This program supports Victorian games companies to engage a local practitioner to increase the skills, professional experience and opportunities in our games industry.

As of 1 July 2020, this program is under review.

If you were intending to apply for the program, please contact Chris Barker - Talent & Skills Coordinator or call 03 9660 3258.

Our Industry Development program supports eligible screen industry organisations and guilds to deliver activities that provide networking and skills development opportunities for a diverse and inclusive range of Victorian screen industry practitioners. 

The program is by invitation only. Please contact the Program Manager to discuss your activity.

Please see here for our latest FAQs regarding COVID-19 and Industry Development.