Update 27/04/2026 – Applications are now closed
Are you a mid-career Indigenous screen practitioner interested in expanding your skills and experience in documentary and factual?
Running for the fifth year, the Indigenous Documentary Placement is designed to provide one mid-career Indigenous practitioner with a unique opportunity to undertake an extended paid 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), Anna-Marie Harding (2024), and Dylan Nicholls (2025).
The placement will commence with the ABC in June 2026. The successful candidate will receive an equivalent annual producer-level salary of up to $96,715 per annum which equates to approximately $42,234 for four 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: Thursday 2 April, 2026
Applications close: 11:59pm AEST Sunday 26 April, 2026.
Main Image: End Game (2025) Smashing Films, Barking Mad Productions and Allstory Pictures | Photographer: Darren McCagh
“THE PLACEMENT WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME AS A DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER. IT PROVIDED BEHIND-THE-SCENES INSIGHT INTO HOW DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS ARE DEVELOPED, EVALUATED, AND COMMISSIONED AT THE ABC, AND HELPED ME BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT STRONG PITCHES LOOK LIKE FROM A BROADCASTER’S PERSPECTIVE. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN ON DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS WITH COMMISSIONING EDITORS, WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE TEAMS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO A WIDE RANGE OF CONTENT — FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT STORIES TO BROADCAST DOCUMENTARY … I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACEMENT TO ANY INDIGENOUS FILMMAKER WHO WANTS TO WORK IN THE DOCUMENTARY INDUSTRY.”
DYLAN NICHOLLS, 2025 INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY PLACEMENT PARTICIPANT
Image Credit: Flore Vallery-Radot
All Indigenous practitioners interested in the placement were invited to attend a virtual information session with Kelrick Martin, Head of Indigenous, ABC, Justin Fenwick, Indigenous Employment Manager, ABC, and Dylan Nicholls, 2025 Indigenous Documentary Placement recipient, on Wednesday 15 April 2026.
The information session provided practitioners with an opportunity to learn more about the placement from ABC representatives.
Speakers:
- Kelrick Martin, Head of Indigenous, ABC
- Justin Fenwick, Indigenous Employment Manager, ABC
- Dylan Nicholls, 2025 Indigenous Documentary Placement recipient
A detailed description of the Placement roles and responsibilities with ABC can be found on the links below.
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 15 April (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 Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May 2026
- If selected, be able to undertake the placement in Sydney as required commencing before or from Monday 15 June 2026
- 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 between Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May 2026.
The successful applicant will be advised approximately Monday 18 May 2026.
The placement will commence with the ABC Indigenous and ABC Factual and Culture Team on (or before) Monday 15 June 2026.
Update 27/04/2026 – Applications are now closed
Please review the Submission Guidelines prior to submitting your application.
Please note: To complete the application form you will first need to register for a free MY AIDC account (or login to your existing account). The application form link above will prompt you to login to your MY AIDC account before you are able to access and complete your form. Please contact info@aidc.com.au if you encounter any issues.
“THE INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY PLACEMENT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE A KEY PART OF THE ABC’S COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING FIRST NATIONS CREATIVES. THROUGH THIS PLACEMENT, WE AIM TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WHILE HELPING TO FOSTER EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS. WE’RE PROUD TO ONCE AGAIN PARTNER WITH AIDC ON THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE AND LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING THE 2026 PLACEMENT RECIPIENT TO THE ABC.”
JENNIFER COLLINS, ABC DIRECTOR CONTENT
Image: End Game (2025) Prod Co: Smashing Films, Barking Mad Productions and Allstory Pictures | Photographer: Tim Maguire
