Credit Maker is a high calibre new initiative that will support four female screen composers to attain a career defining credit on a scripted production; to elevate their career trajectory; and, to bring change in female Head of Department (HoD) representation in the sector.

Credit Maker is supported by Screen Australia’s Gender Matters umbrella in partnership with Australian Guild of Screen Composers.

Gender Matters is the umbrella name of Screen Australia’s efforts to address the under-utilisation of female talent in key creative roles in the Australian screen industry.

Female practitioners are under-utilised in HoD roles in the screen sector. Career pathways and trajectories, relationships, hiring practices, access to opportunities, carer support, and economic security are all factors that impact on females seeking to be hired for HoD roles in television series or in senior credited roles in scripted formats. This can impact on female credit attainment, the ability to convert credit to the next employment opportunity, and to build a career pathway.

To be eligible for the program, you must:

• – identify as a woman or gender-diverse;
• – hold up to two main credits (main credits being: feature film, feature documentary, TV series or mini-series);* and
• – be at a “mid-career” level rather than an emerging level of screen composition.

This is not an emerging or early career initiative. Credit Maker is for those screen composers who hold some existing credits.

*A composer may put forward an argument to be included on the Register if main credits have not been released theatrically or achieved distribution or been selected for major film festivals.

The program is designed to create a register of eligible applicants and follows these steps:

• – after registration of interest, AGSC will undertake a process of application and assessment to arrive at selection of Placees (AGSC will engage independent assessors);
• – registrees do not have to be an AGSC member to register your interest or apply. The program will offer to cover the cost of membership to those selected;
• – AGSC will negotiate the period, location, production and structure of the program with the Placee, production, and mentor. The length of the placement will be dependent on the given production, the availability of the mentor, but will be between minimum 6 (six) and maximum 12 (twelve) weeks;
• – once the above is confirmed, the Placee with AGSC, will complete a short Screen Australia application, in order to finalise the approval of the Placee;
• – the Placee will enter into an agreement with the AGSC and production for the placement to be activated. The agreement will cover core contractual areas including payment and other areas in template form;
• – the Placee will be remunerated at the applicable industry award or accepted industry rates for their craft area, and fringes and superannuation will be paid. Carer costs can be covered up to a set amount, and where applicable, some relocation costs supported, pending location of Placee and production;
• – the remuneration to the Placee will be paid as PAYG (with required fringes) via the SPV or production company/entity;
• – the mentor and production company/entity or music production company employing the placee will be paid a modest fee for hosting the Placee;
• – the Placee undertakes the program in a production setting, where they are mentored by an agreed mentor, then the Placee is the lead, and the mentor and Placee work together in the production setting, resulting in the Placee receiving a production credit in their craft area in their HoD role;
• – after the production placement, the Placee will work with the AGSC to acquit and report on the program to the Guild and Screen Australia, and engage in post debrief and career progression discussion and scaffolding.

How Can I Register for Credit Maker

The third successful applicant of the Credit Maker program is Mirasia who was placed on the Magpie Pictures ‘Swift Street’ drama production for SBS with composers Maria Alfonsine and Damian de Boos-Smith. The fourth successful applicant is Luna Pan, who was placed on Lego Monkie Kid with supervising composer, Mitchell Stewart.