Major film productions to provide training for Indigenous creatives

Excitement is building for a handful of Indigenous creatives who are part of Screen Australia's attachment scheme, offering invaluable training on the set of three major Hollywood productions.

The star of major hollywood production Thor:Ragnarok which is being filmed in Australia Source: Screen Australia

Eight attachments will be a part of the major Marvel production Thor:Ragnarok which stars Aussie superstar Chris Hemsworth and is directed by acclaimed Maori director Taika Waititi who said he is supportive of the placements.

"Being Maori, it’s extremely important to me to have native presence on any film. We’re bringing a huge Hollywood production to this country and it’s only right that we make an effort to include indigenous film makers on the journey.”

Maori director Taika Waititi is a supporter of Indigenous presence on film sets. Source: Facebook

The eight placements will be across several departments on set.

 Directors Attachment - Cornel Ozies and Shari Sebbens

Cornel is from the Kimberly region of Western Australia and started his career and a video editor at his local TV station in Broome before directing a series of documentaries for ABC, SBS and NITV. He has previously been a camera attachment on films including The Sapphires and The Great Gatsby.

Shari was born and raised in Darwin. A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the National Institute for Dramatic Arts (NIDA), she has acted in theatre and television productions including Redfern Now, The Sapphires and The Gods of Wheat Street.

Stunts - Kodie Bedford

Kodie was born and raised in the Midwest of Western Australia with strong family ties to the East Kimberly region. She has worked as a journalist, presenter, documentary producer and online producer for ABC and SBS. She is currently working as a writer with a new collective called Cope-St, which aims to produce Indigenous storytelling and create work that relates to and reflects multi-cultural Australia.

2nd Unit Production - Perun Bosner 

Perun is from Broome, Western Australia and will be attached the 2nd unit. Perun joins the Thor team after writing and directing various documentaries through ScreenWest and Screen Australia. His work has been featured on ABC, NITV and international film festivals.

Joining this group are Mitchell Stanley (Set Decorating Department), Dena Curtis (Production Office), Ben Southwell(Grips/Gaffers) and Tracey Rigney (1st Assistant Director’s Attachment).

The cast of Thor:Ragnarok were welcomed on the first day on set by local Yugambeh mob with welcome to country. Source: Facebook

Screen Australia's Head of Indigenous Department Penny Smallacombe said "We are enormously proud of the talent and ambition of this cohort. From an attachment comes practical and hands-on experience, invaluable networking and the opportunity to forge a sustainable career in the industry."

Filming will be taking place at the Village Roadshow studios on the Gold Coast with two further placements on Ridley Scott’s latest film, Alien: Covenant at Fox Studios in Sydney.