For many years, the Australian screen industry has voiced a need to address attitudinal barriers and enhance diversity and inclusion. Our brand new, disability-led Screen Access and Inclusion Masterclass program has been developed in consultation with screen professionals with lived experience of disability in order to address these barriers and boost accessibility confidence through the provision of practical guides, achievable solutions and shareable resources.

This industry-specific Masterclass program comprises two dedicated workshops for industry professionals both with and without disability:

Masterclass for Industry (General Industry and Employers)

This disability-led training has been expertly designed to upskill employers in better understanding and responding to access requirements through providing practical knowledge and building disability confidence. Learn about the social model of disability (including guidance on appropriate language and etiquette), the language of disability, creating an inclusive workplace and where and how to access advice.

This course will be presented in person and live-streamed as part of the  Regional to Global Screen Forum in Lennox Head from 30 March – 1 April 2023.

Fri 31 March
This session will be presented as part of the Regional to Global Screen Forum.

Wed 7 June
10.30am – 12pm (Online)

Masterclass for Screen Practitioners with Disability or who are d/Deaf:

This course has been expertly designed to boost confidence through acquiring practical knowledge about navigating the screen industry, understanding your rights and responsibilities and effectively communicating access requirements. The course will include:

• The social model of disability (including guidance on appropriate language and etiquette)
• When should you disclose?
• Identifying and implementing your reasonable adjustments
• How to write and submit an access rider
• How to confidently and effectively communicate access requirements on-set
• Getting started in the screen industry
• Where and how to access support if needed

Bookings Essential

This training is free however places are limited and bookings are essential.

Wednesday 5 April
10.30am – 12pm
Accessible Arts Training Room, The Rocks Sydney

Thursday 27 April
10.30am – 12pm
Arts and Cultural Exchange

Wednesday 24 May
10.30am – 12pm (Online)

Access

 

Closed captioning and Auslan interpreting are available for these Masterclasses upon request. You can request these services during the booking process. Please note that we require at least 4 working days’ notice.

All in-person sessions are wheelchair accessible.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your access requirements, please email training@aarts.net.au or call (02) 9251 6499.

About the Course Facilitator

Bridie McKim

Bridie graduated from NIDA in 2018 and at the same time became the first disabled actor to play a lead role on Australian television as Sabine in the drama “The Heights“ produced by Matchbox Pictures for the ABC.  In 2019, Bridie starred in Fat Salmon Production’s short film “Cinderella”, for which she won Best Australian Actor at the Focus On Ability Short Film Festival. Bridie has also made guest appearances in the Stan original series ‘Bump’, as well as ‘Dive Club’, which aired on Netflix, and Hulu’s ‘Joe Vs. Carole’. Bridie is also set to appear in Peacock and Netflix’s new show “Irreverent”. In 2020, Bridie hosted the television special “Reframe” for the ABC. The program was developed to celebrate International Day of People with Disability by showcasing films created by filmmakers with disability. Bridie has also worked as a facilitator and host of Q&As and forums for both Accessible Arts and NIDA’s In-Conversation series. This work required her to research, profile, and interview professional practitioners within the industry. Throughout 2022, Bridie has also been working as an associate and consultant with Get Skilled Access to help remove the barriers between organisations and people with disability.

About the Screen Access Advisory Group

Sofya Gollan

Sofya Gollan is an award-winning filmmaker who is Deaf. A graduate from both NIDA and AFTRS, her career spans a number of disciplines. As an actor she is best known for being a presenter on Play School for over 30 years, normalising Disability onscreen years before it was recognised as essential representation. As a filmmaker she has been nominated for 4 AFI/ACCTA Awards (Best Screenplay & Best Director) for PRESERVATION and GIMPSEY, with a range of other short films that have been Tropfest finalists, screened at Clermont Frerrand among many other international festivals. As a writer, director and developer her work is deeply informed by the experience of the outsider, seeking to normalise and include these characters in the fabric of contemporary storytelling. She leverages 20+ years experience to advocate for diversity inclusion, implementing cultural change and representation of diverse content on screen. For Screen NSW, Sofya has worked across all genres managing development and production finance for more than 300 projects since 2016, as well as managing initiatives focussed on
escalating the careers of emerging creatives in partnership with broadcasters, agencies and festivals. As such she is a leader in design and delivery of disability-led screen programs and works in leadership roles across the screen, arts and disability sector.

Emily Dash

Emily Dash is an accomplished filmmaker and theatre-maker as well as a dedicated industry advocate for arts practitioners and audiences with disability or who are d/Deaf. Emily has written, produced, directed and/or performed in many screen and stage productions in Sydney and has worked with the ABC and Sydney Opera House. Ms Dash has participated in several Accessible Arts professional development programs and is a member of Accessible Arts’ Advisory Panel. Her short film “I Am Not A Work of Art” was part of the 2015 Screenability program and was exhibited at the 2015 Adelaide Film Festival. Her short film, “The Cards I’m Dealt” was shortlisted for Tropfest Short Film Festival 2016, and short film “The Milky Pop Kid” which she co-wrote and starred in was Highly Commended for Writing at the Sydney Film Festival 2017. Her film “Groundhog Night” premiered at Sydney Film Festival 2020 and screened in Flickerfest 2021, CinefestOZ and the Travelling Film Festival 2020. It is currently being developed for TV and has had national and International success. Emily is an Accessible Arts board member committed to equity and excellence for arts practitioners and audiences with disability. She is also a board member of Bus Stop Films.

Anthea Williams

Anthea is a writer, director and script consultant. Her work has been screened at the Sydney Film Festival and shortlisted for best short at Whānau Mārama, The New Zealand International Film Festival. She is currently working on a feature in development through Screen NSW. She was Associate Director – New Work at Belvoir Street Theatre for seven years. Prior to this she was Associate Director at London’s Bush Theatre. Anthea is a Churchill Fellow and for her fellowship she researched script and writer development in the USA, UK and Canada. Anthea worked in development at Causeway Films through Screen Australia’s Talent + program and has worked with Screen Australia, Screen Canberra, Screen Tasmania and Screen Queensland. Anthea regularly writes about disability and representation for The Guardian Australia.

This initiative has been made possible by Screen NSW with support from Screenworks, Arts and Cultural Exchange, Showcast, Queer Screen, AFTRS, Sydney Film Festival, Screen Producers Australia and the Australian Writers’ Guild.

ENDS

Image description: A photo of Bridie McKim is on the left. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a black singlet. On the right, white text on a black background reads: ‘Screen Access and Inclusion Masterclass’ beside an image of a film reel.