LOCATIONS DEPARTMENT TRAINING DELIVERED BY SCREEN NSW
Launch of the NSW Crew Development Program
As part of the Screen NSW $1 million Crew Development Program, The first round of training kicked off at AFTRS Sydney on Wednesday March 4th, with a Locations Department Intensive delivered by Location Manager Nicci Dillon.
The course was developed by Australian Location Managers Guild (ALMG) in partnership with Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS), and addressed the ongoing need to introduce new talent to below-the-line roles and prepare them for a growing industry in NSW.
ALMG member and Location Manager Luke Torrevillas teaching the course in Melbourne.
Nicci, who brings extensive experience from across Australia, has worked on NSW series such as Prosper and Last King of the Cross. Sixteen fully funded positions were offered to students, who embarked on a three-day On Set On Boarding Course, followed by five days of comprehensive training covering all aspects of the locations department. This included department roles, scouting and securing locations, ensuring on-set safety, and managing logistics. The course also featured special industry guests, including Fiona Donovan, President of the Australian Production Design Guild (APDG).
Regarding the initiative, Dr. Nell Greenwood, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Council at AFTRS, stated, "AFTRS is proud to be working alongside industry and our education partners in NSW to provide practical training that will help address critical screen industry shortages while fostering a more inclusive workforce. Part of our remit is to deliver our world-class training to fill much-needed positions in the screen industry and this initiative is a welcome extension of that.”
About the Screen NSW Selection Process:
The funded positions attracted applicants with a diverse range of both industry and life experience. NSW Location Manager Edward Donovan was part of a three-person panel that evaluated applications based on two primary criteria. “The first was whether we believed the individual would have longevity within the Locations Department,” Ed explained, “and the second was a demonstration of transferable skills. And a third, unspoken criterion, at least for me, was whether I sensed any X-factor in the candidate. Freelance life isn’t for everyone, so selecting those who exhibited the right capacity from a two-page CV and a one-page letter proved to be challenging.”
Ed added, “Over my three decades in the industry, Location Management has grown exponentially more complex due to increasing demands in risk management, health and safety, insurance, and contracting requirements. Securing location permissions can no longer be accomplished with just a case of beer. As productions scale up and crew sizes expand, the physical pressures on filming locations have heightened, making the role increasingly challenging. The need to continuously identify, promote, and develop skilled location practitioners has never been more crucial.”
What’s next for the students:
Two applicants will be chosen for paid placements and will receive up to two years of mentorship as part of the development program. All students will gain an ALMG Emerging Crew membership and access to networking opportunities with the guild.
Running concurrently, the Production Accounting Intensive also took place, and in June and July, AFTRS will offer streams in Production Management, Post-Production Supervision, Art Department, and Costume Department, which will also include the On Set Onboarding course.
