FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: CREW AND ABOVE THE LINE
In partnership with Ausfilm Members and the Australian screen government agencies, Ausfilm would like to be part of the change to support, celebrate and advance the understanding of First Nations peoples.
This segment will feature First Nations crew and ATL figures working in our industry and will share their stories, experiences and visions for the future.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: CINEMATOGRAPHER, ERIC MURRAY LUI FROM THE KULKULGAL NATION, QUEENSLAND
Meet Eric Murray Lui, an esteemed cinematographer hailing from Australia’s Kulkulgal nation, North Queensland. Discover his remarkable journey, his contributions to the film industry, and his commitment to authentic Indigenous storytelling.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: DANIELLE MACLEAN, SCREENWRITER & PRODUCER FROM LURITJA & WARUMUNGU COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
Meet the remarkable Danielle Maclean, a screenwriter and producer from the Luritja and Warumungu communities in the Northern Territory. Her unique content is elevating First Nations voices and captivating audiences worldwide.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: PAKANA WRITER ADAM THOMPSON, LEADING FIRST NATIONS VOICES IN TASMANIA
Adam Thompson is a rising First Nations Pakana creative talent in Tasmania’s film industry. He co-established the first Tasmanian Aboriginal production company, Kutikina with Screen Tasmania’s admiring support. Adam discusses his transition to screenwriting and how Kutikina aims to tell First Nations stories authentically.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: VICTORIAN WRITER/DIRECTOR /PRODUCER BECK COLE
Beck Cole is a Warumungu and Luritja woman and a writer, director, and producer from Victoria, Australia. Cole discusses the joy of working with filmmakers from other Indigenous nations and the reaction of audiences around the world to her projects. She hopes that her eight-part anthology of shorts from First Nations filmmakers, We Are Still Here will be screened all across Australia and beyond.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: LILLA BERRY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S
YANKUNYTJATJARA LAND
Lilla Berry is a Yankunytjatjara artist and award-nominated film producer living on Kaurna Country in South Australia. In this great First Nations Spotlight take a look at Lilla’s career, including thoughts on storytelling, working on Black Empire and working with her sister, filmmaker Pearl Berry.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: NEW SOUTH WALES WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER DARLENE JOHNSON
Darlene Johnson, of the east-coast Dunghutti people in New South Wales, is an Award-winning Writer, Director and Producer. Her screen credits include Stolen Generations, Stranger in my Skin, Following the Rabbit-Proof Fence, Gulpilil – One Red Blood, Home and Away, The Heights and Neighbours. Get to know Darlene in this month’s great First Nations Spotlight.
FIRST NATIONS SPOTLIGHT:
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN WRITER/DIRECTOR, JUB CLERC
Jub Clerc is a multiple award-winning Nyul Nyul/Yawuru woman from Western Australia’s Kimberley region, and the recent recipient of TIFF’s NETPAC award for her film, Sweet As. Jub has over 15 years of industry experience in writing, directing and casting. Screenwest deliver a wonderful Q&A with this very talented First Nations woman.
NORTHERN TERRITORY WRITER/DIRECTOR,
STEVEN MCGREGOR
With over 15 years of experience in the screen industry, Queensland-based Dean Gibson is a multi-award-winning Aboriginal (Guugu Yimithirr) Filmmaker and multi-disciplined creator currently directing across multiple projects.
NORTHERN TERRITORY WRITER/DIRECTOR,
STEVEN MCGREGOR
Steven McGregor is an inspiring and award-winning First Nations Writer and Director from Northern Territory’s capital, Darwin. Steven has a great attitude and enthusiasm in his work that shines through.
Enjoy this video edition First Nations Spotlight provided by Screen Territory.
“It’s hard work, but it’s deadly fun!”
VICTORIAN SOUND DESIGNER AND COMPOSER JAMES HENRY
VicScreen talked to Melbourne-based sound designer and composer James Henry about carving his own path in the music industry, his early influences, what he finds exciting in his work, as well as his hopes for more First Nations voices on screen.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S MAYA COOMBS, ADAM GALEA AND DAMIEN WANGANEEN
Three rising South Australian First Nations crew members, Maya Coombs, Adam Galea and Damien Wanganeen are gaining their first feature film credits as Heads of Departments on award-winning director Rolf de Heer’s upcoming feature film The Mountain. The South Australian Film Corporation reports.
AARON FA’AOSO
Meet Aaron Fa’Aoso, a Torres Strait Islander Actor, Screenwriter, Director and Producer based in Cairns in Far North Queensland. Aaron talks about his career to date and the benefits of the soon-to-be-built Screen Queensland Studios: Cairns development.
IVAN SEN
Ivan Sen is one of Queensland’s top First Nations’ Filmmakers as well as being an accomplished Director, Writer and Composer. We hope you enjoy this wonderful Q&A with a very talented First Nations Filmmaker.
KIM WEST
Noongar man and talented editor Kim West of the Kimberley region in Western Australia discusses how he got into the film industry and his desire to see more First Nations representation within it.
KEITH GILBEY-WARRIOR, KIARA KARPANY-DAY & THIBUL NETTLE
Three rising South Australian First Nations talents talk about their career aspirations, their love for film and experiences in the film industry, working with their role models, like Warwick Thornton on Firebite.
HEATH BAXTER
With an impressive portfolio of work such as Top End Wedding, High Ground and upcoming Barrumbi Kids. Northern Territory-born, Heath Baxter never gave up on his dreams to work in the Australian screen industry and it is paying off.
SUMAH HURLEY
Meet the talented Sumah Hurley; a 3rd Assistant Director working in Melbourne, Victoria and a proud Goreng Goreng woman. Film Victoria talked to Sumah about why she moved to Melbourne from Goreng Goreng, her family’s traditional country in Queensland, her inspirations and mentors, her favourite gigs to date and more.
LEAH PURCELL
Leah Purcell is a proud Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman, a multi-award-winning author, playwright, actor, director, filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, showrunner, and a legend of the stage and screen in Australia.
GEORGIA CROFT & JAMIE LIPSHAM
Just as NAIDOC week in Australia rolls around, Industrial, Light & Magic’s Sydney studio talked to Production Assistants and Indigenous Australians Georgia Croft and Jamie Lipsham about their careers, about diversity in the VFX industry and how important it is to remember Australia’s black history all through the year.
ALLAN COLLINS
Reconciliation Week launches in Australia from 27 May – 3 June 2021. Reconciliation Week is about strengthening relationships between First Nations peoples and non-indigenous peoples for the benefit of Australia. Ausfilm had the opportunity to chat with Allan Collins about life as a First Nations Director of Photography hailing from Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
