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Talent Camp

Talent Camp is a skills development program for creatives from diverse backgrounds, designed to provide opportunities for emerging storytellers to create new content and be employment ready for the screen sector.

Talent Camp happens in two stages. First the state camps, a five day workshop in each capital city, with 10-12 participants, which focuses on story development, producing considerations and career pathways. A national workshop takes place several months later, bringing together a few emerging creatives from each state. Read about the 2018 National Talent Camp participants and facilitators.

This program is right for you if you have produced creative works, are passionate about storytelling and are interested in exploring a career in screen media.

Talent Camp is a diversity and inclusion program. We encourage applicants with specific reference to cultural background, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic disadvantage and socio-economic status. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives are strongly encouraged to apply.

There is no workshop fee for participants. Funds will be made available to contribute to flight and accommodation costs for participants from rural or regional locations. Other access costs will be met on a needs basis.

Please note: Talent Camp is currently closed for submissions.

For questions contact talentcamp@aftrs.edu.au or 1300 065 281

Eligibility criteria

You are encouraged to apply to Talent Camp if you:

  • Are passionate about storytelling and have something to say
  • Have produced creative works. This can be any type of creative work including screen, theatre, spoken word, podcasting, photography, YouTube, etc.
  • Are interested in exploring a career in screen media
  • Can clearly articulate how you will contribute to a more diverse and inclusive screen industry with reference to your cultural background, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic disadvantage and/or socio-economic status
  • Can commit to attending all five days of the workshop as scheduled
  • Are 18+ years and a permanent resident
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives are strongly encouraged to apply

Focus and outcomes

The workshops have been designed to include:

  • Two days on story development
  • Two days on producing considerations
  • One day on career pathways in the screen industry

On completion of Talent Camp participants will:

  • Have identified their strengths, weaknesses and next steps in their career pathway
  • Have the basic understanding and knowledge required to develop a story idea into a concept or beyond
  • Have a basic understanding of how to identify audience, potential finance, distribution and production pathways for specific projects
  • Be considered, on a case by case basis, for further talent development opportunities

Selection criteria

A selection panel of three (an established filmmaker from a diverse background and a representative from both the state screen agency and AFTRS) will assess applications based on the following criteria:

  • The applicant generates excitement about their creative potential; and
  • The submitted story idea/s have the potential to generate fresh on-screen experiences for audiences

This is a competitive process so applications that best demonstrate these criteria will be supported.

How to apply

Create a video pitch (up to 3 minutes) or document (up to 3 pages) discussing:

  • Your screen story idea/s which can be in any format (drama, documentary, online, short, feature etc)
  • Why you are passionate about telling these kinds of stories or helping others to do so and your interest/goals in exploring a career in screen media
  • Your background and/or experiences that contribute to more diverse and inclusive storytelling on screen with reference to your cultural background, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic disadvantage and/or socio-economic status
  • Please allocate roughly equal time/length to each of the above three areas (1 page/minute each)

Submit your current CV that includes weblinks to past creative works

This can be any type of creative work including screen, theatre, spoken word, podcasting, photography, YouTube, etc.

To provide examples of your creative work, please embed weblinks in your CV, or upload examples into one file (10 pages max). Files types accepted are PDF, DOC, MP4, JPG, WAV, MP3.

Complete the Travel and Access Assistance Form

If you are requesting travel or access assistance please complete Travel and Access Assistance Form and upload with your application.

Applicants will be notified at least four weeks prior to the commencement of the workshop.