A PROGRAM FOR EMERGING AND DIVERSE PRACTITIONERS ATTENDING AIDC FOR THE FIRST TIME.

LEADING LIGHTS 2024

UPDATE: applications for the 2024 Leading Lights program are now closed.


Are you an emerging, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled or neurodiverse, and/or culturally and linguistically diverse screen creative, and/or live in regional or remote Australia? Do you have an interest in documentary, factual or unscripted screen content production, but haven’t been to AIDC before? 

Leading Lights is a philanthropic funding initiative designed to enable emerging and diverse practitioners to attend AIDC for the first time and participate in a customised professional development program.

Leading Lights eligibility spans a range of backgrounds and contexts, including emerging and early-career, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, global First Nations, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse, regional and remote, and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) nonfiction practitioners.  

The program provides vital assistance to industry newcomers in establishing themselves as part of Australia’s documentary, factual and nonfiction practitioner community.

Thanks to the contributions of industry donors, 217 emerging and diverse screen creatives have been able to attend AIDC and participate in Leading Lights since the program’s launch in 2018.

All selected Leading Lights recipients receive a Sessions Pass to attend AIDC 2024 and are eligible to participate in the Leading Lights program thanks to the support of our program partner, AFTRS, in collaboration with Edith Cowan University (ECU).

 


 

Presented By                                          In Collaboration With

ACCESS & INCLUSION PARTNERSHIP

This year, AIDC is delighted to announce a new partnership with pioneering inclusive filmmaking organisation Bus Stop Films to support the access and inclusion needs of d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse Leading Lights participants. 

Bus Stop Films and AIDC will contribute matched funding to provide access and inclusion support for the successful Leading Lights candidates. Bus Stop will also provide in-kind access advice.

The partnership enhances the potential of Leading Lights to support emerging and diverse participants in an inclusive manner, ensuring that filmmakers from all backgrounds are welcomed to the documentary and factual practitioner community at AIDC 2024.

WHAT DO RECIPIENTS RECEIVE?

2024 LEADING LIGHTS SESSIONS

LEADING LIGHTS PITCH WORKSHOP

In this exclusive workshop, Leading Lights participants will learn the art of the project pitch with Leading Lights alumni Producer Anna Charalambous, (GoodThing Productions, and pitching her project Spreadsheet Champions in the New Talent Showcase in The FACTory in 2024) and Richard Welch (Head of Documentary, AFTRS) as they share tips on how to make your documentary project stand out when pitching to potential collaborators, broadcasters and distributors.

DATE: Sunday 5 March 10:15 –11:15

VENUE: Gandel Digital Future Lab 1

SPEAKERS: Richard Welch (AFTRS), Cathy Henkel (ECU), Anna Charalambous, (GoodThing Productions)

 

LEADING LIGHTS MEET AND GREET

An exclusive networking opportunity for recipients to meet the broadcasters, producers and screen practitioners who’ve donated to the Leading Lights program.

DATE: Sunday 3 March 11:30 –12:30

VENUE: Cameo @ ACMI Bar

ACCESS: Leading Lights recipients and donors only

 

LEADING LIGHTS PITCH

Four Leading Lights recipients are selected to pitch to a closed room of industry representatives including Leading Lights donors representing broadcasters, producers, screen agencies and funders. Pitchers will receive feedback on their projects, gain valuable industry insights and make new industry connections. Pitch participants will also receive one-on-one mentoring from AFTRS and ECU representatives. 

DATE: Wednesday 08 March 11:30 – 12:30

VENUE: Gandel Digital Future Lab 1

MODERATOR: Dr Cathy Henkel (ECU)

ELIGIBILITY & SELECTION

Who can apply?

Applicants must be Australian citizens / permanent residents with an interest in documentary and factual content, who have never attended AIDC before, and who identify with one (or more) of the following groups: emerging/early-career*, Indigenous and First Nations, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse, regional and remote, and/or from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

*early-career = 0-5 years experience in screen or interactive media production

How many recipients are chosen?

The number of recipients chosen is dependent on the level of support provided by our generous Leading Lights donors. Each donation of $650 subsidises one emerging and/or diverse nonfiction practitioner to experience AIDC. 

How are recipients selected?

An industry committee of experienced industry professionals will assess applications and create a shortlist.

HOW TO APPLY

For your chance to become a Leading Lights recipient, simply click on the link below and complete the online form.

UPDATE: 2024 Leading Lights applications closed Sunday 17 December 2023.

“AS AN EMERGING FILMMAKER AT SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS CONFERENCE – I NEVER EXPECTED TO BE SITTING DOWN AND MEETING BROADCASTERS, FUNDING BODIES, OR ESTABLISHED FILMMAKERS IN SUCH A GENUINELY HELPFUL AND PRODUCTIVE WAY. THE LEADING LIGHTS PROGRAM, FROM DAY ONE, ENABLED US TO ENTER THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE LEARNING CURVE FOLLOWED!”

– SARAH OKENYO, LEADING LIGHTS RECIPIENT AND PITCH PARTICIPANT 2023

BECOME A DONOR

AIDC believes that inclusivity and diversity in documentary and factual storytelling is vital to a healthy nonfiction screen culture.

Want to help usher in the next generation of emerging and diverse storytellers? AIDC is now calling for industry donors as part of our 2024 Leading Lights campaign.

With your support, AIDC can continue to provide vital assistance to industry newcomers in establishing themselves as part of Australia’s documentary and factual community.

Any Australian screen company or individual can make a tax-deductible donation to our Leading Lights Fund.

With our commitment to making these funds go even further, there has never been a better time to make a donation. 

Donation Tiers*:

$650 – 1 x Leading Lights recipient
$1,300 – 2 x Leading Lights recipients
$1,950 – 3 x Leading Lights recipients
$2,600 – 4 x Leading Lights recipients
$3,250 – 5 x Leading Light recipients

*Additional donations are welcome in increments of $650.

Leading Lights donors receive:

  • AIDC 2024 program guide acknowledgment
  • AIDC website acknowledgment
  • On-screen acknowledgment before every conference session/screening at AIDC 2024

AIDC is a registered charity with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status. All donations are tax-deductible.

To make a donation at any time, please visit our DONATE page, or contact accounts@aidc.com.au

2024 DONORS

AIDC also gratefully acknowledges our 2024 Leading Lights donors:

Funds pledged for 5 x Leading Lights recipients

Funds pledged for 3 x Leading Lights recipients

Funds pledged for 2 x Leading Lights recipients

Funds pledged for 1 x Leading Lights recipient

“LEADING LIGHTS IS A FANTASTIC WAY FOR US TO CONNECT WITH NEW VOICES IN THE DOCUMENTARY LANDSCAPE. WE GET TO MEET SO MANY  TALENTED FILMMAKERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SET THEMSELVES APART FROM THE CROWD JUST BY BEING SELECTED FOR THE PROGRAM.”

– SAM GRIFFIN, HEAD OF UNSCRIPTED, TILT MEDIA

The Leading Lights program is © 2018 Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC).