Adelaide-based producer Jodie Kirkbride was announced today as the second recipient of Placement L.A., an annual professional placement in Los Angeles for established women producers from South Australia. Placement L.A. was announced last year as a key part of the SAFC’s Gender Agenda, a comprehensive new suite of initiatives designed to address the gender imbalance in the industry and drive established and emerging South Australian female practitioners forward into the next phase of their career. Last year’s inaugural placement Gena Ashwell spent a month working alongside one of the industry’s most eminent producers, Cassian Elwes (Dallas Buyer’s Club, The Butler, Blue Valentine),in his Los Angeles office. Supported with $15,000 from the SAFC Placement L.A. sees Jodie travel to Los Angeles in October and November 2017 for a four-week placement, a unique opportunity to work alongside The Exchange. The Exchange is a leading worldwide production and sales company committed to creating strong relationships between filmmakers, film financiers and distributors through the exchange of product, information and commerce. Created by veteran sales executive Brian O’Shea, the company specializes in high quality, commercial films that appeal to North American audiences and the ever-evolving global film market. Over the past four years, The Exchange has acquired, financed, produced and/or sold over 200 films ranging in budgets from $5 million to $90 million. Jodie has a Bachelor of Media Arts from the University of South Australia, Majoring in Film and Television Production and Sub-majoring in Animation. She currently works as a Casting Coordinator and Training Manager at Heesom Casting at the South Australian Film Corporation, and has worked on productions such as Wolf Creek Series 1 & 2, Boys in the Trees, Storm Boy, Bad Blood, Rabbit and various national commercials. Jodie is also the proud recipient of the SAFC’s Seed New Talent Grant in which she works at Kojo Entertainment as a Producers Assistant with Kate Croser and Kate Butler. She also continues to work as a Producer (as well as many other roles) as a freelancer, her most recognised work is Freemales the Webseries. Jodie said “I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with The Exchange in Los Angeles and to utilise this valuable experience to expand my knowledge, and get a new understanding of the industry from being in the thick of it in Hollywood. Being the one chosen from the many talented producers in South Australia is a great honour and one I plan to make the most of in my time at The Exchange, by bringing the valuable insights I learn back to the South Australian industry. “
South Australian Film Corporation Chief Executive Officer Annabelle Sheehan said Jodie Kirkbride has been selected from a very strong field of applicants. “The knowledge and networks Jodie will gain in LA will be of benefit to both her and the broader South Australian screen industry,” said Ms Sheehan. “Developing the talents of women screen professionals to create a more equitable industry is a key priority of the SAFC.
The SAFC Gender Agenda initiatives, which focus on a number of areas including leadership, mentorship, attachments and workshops, are in response to the data demonstrating that women in the screen industries globally and in Australia are still significantly underrepresented in key creative roles. Find more information about the Gender Agenda initiative here.
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