Are you a mid-career Indigenous screen practitioner interested in expanding your skills and experience in documentary and factual?
Running for the fourth year, the Indigenous Documentary Placement is designed to provide one mid-career Indigenous practitioner with a unique opportunity to undertake an extended placement with the ABC, Australia’s largest public broadcaster.
The placement will see the successful Indigenous practitioner embedded in the organisation for a period of four months based in Sydney. Practitioners from all states and territories are welcome to apply.
The placement’s goal is to provide the practitioner with the opportunity to develop their skills in documentary and/or factual development and production within the context of a public broadcaster with a broader view towards creating employment pathways.
Placement candidates in previous years have included Daniel King (2021), Perun Bonser (2022) and Anna-Marie Harding (2024).
The placement will commence with the ABC in early June 2025. The successful candidate will receive an equivalent annual producer-level salary of up to $94,620 per annum which equates to approximately $40,000 for 4 months inclusive of statutory superannuation contributions. The participant will be contracted by the ABC. If the applicant is relocating from interstate, they may be eligible to seek additional support from their relevant state or territory screen agency to help with travel and accommodation costs.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Kelrick Martin – Head of Indigenous, ABC – with any enquiries about the placement.
Applications open: Wednesday 2 April, 2025
Applications close: 11:59pm AEST Sunday 27 April, 2025.
Main Image: Eat the Invaders (2025, Closer Productions, ABC Made)
“THE ABC PLACEMENT COMPLETELY SHIFTED THE WAY I THINK ABOUT STORYTELLING AND FILMMAKING. EVERY DAY WAS A CHANCE TO PICK UP NEW SKILLS, REFINE MY CRAFT, AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS. WHAT I LOVED MOST WAS HOW FLEXIBLE THE PLACEMENT WAS … THE TEAM WAS AMAZING AT TAILORING OPPORTUNITIES TO WHAT I WAS INTERESTED IN, WHICH MADE THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE PERSONAL AND REWARDING. IT GAVE ME A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO APPROACH MY OWN PROJECTS AND SHOWED ME HOW MUCH INSPIRATION YOU CAN FIND IN DIFFERENT GENRES AND FORMATS. I ALMOST DIDN’T APPLY BECAUSE I DIDN’T THINK I MET THE QUALIFICATIONS OR HAD ENOUGH EXPERIENCE … BUT HONESTLY, IF IT’S SOMETHING YOU’RE INTERESTED IN, JUST GO FOR IT. IF YOU COME INTO THIS PLACEMENT MOTIVATED AND CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF IT, YOU’LL NOT ONLY ACHIEVE THAT BUT SO MUCH MORE. THE OPPORTUNITIES AND GROWTH ARE WORTH IT, AND THE PEOPLE YOU’LL MEET ALONG THE WAY ARE INCREDIBLE.”
ANNA-MARIE HARDING, DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER AND 2024 INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY PLACEMENT PARTICIPANT
All interested Indigenous practitioners are invited to attend a virtual information session hosted by Kelrick Martin (Head of Indigenous, ABC) on Wednesday 16 April (TBC 11:00am-12:00pm AEST).
The information session will provide practitioners with an opportunity to learn more about the placement from ABC representatives and ask questions about the placement.
Speakers:
- Kelrick Martin, Head of Indigenous, ABC
- Kylene Anderson – Indigenous Strategies and Employment Manager, Indigenous Diversity & Inclusion, ABC
To be eligible to apply, applicants must:
- Be a documentary or factual practitioner of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, and an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
- Have two previous documentary or factual screen credits as Director or Producer
- Attend an online information session on Wednesday 16 April (TBC 11:00am-12:00pm AEST) or be able to watch the catch up video link
- If shortlisted, be available to attend (virtually) an interview week between Monday 12 May and Friday 16 May 2025
- If selected, be able to undertake the placement in Sydney as required commencing before or from Monday 16 June 2025
- If selected, be able to complete the full 4-month placement.
Interested practitioners will be required to submit an application form to be considered for the Indigenous Documentary Placement outlining their interest in the placement and their previous documentary and/or factual experience.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a virtual interview with ABC representatives week starting Monday 12 May 2025.
The successful applicant will be advised approximately Monday 19 May 2025.
The placement will commence with the ABC Indigenous and ABC Factual and Culture Team on (or before) Monday 16 June 2025.
“THE INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY PLACEMENT IS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE THAT WE ARE SO PROUD TO SUPPORT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AIDC. THE ABC IS COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST NATIONS CREATIVES BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENHANCE SKILLS, BUILD INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, AND SUPPORT POTENTIAL CAREER PATHWAYS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING THIS YEAR’S PARTICIPANT TO THE ABC.”
JENNIFER COLLINS, ABC DIRECTOR CONTENT
Image: Eat the Invaders (2025, Closer Productions, ABC Made)
