Jake Speer at Leeton High School for a rehearsal of the play Henry V. Photo: Supplied.
Leeton actor Jake Speer will impart his knowledge on the next generation of movie industry aspirants at a free forum in Griffith on 17 June, 2023.
The event, titled the Griffith Screen Industry Forum: Your First Steps to a Career in Film & TV, provides practical insights into the industry and outlines the various opportunities available. As its name implies, it’s targeted at regional people looking to take their first steps towards a career in film or television.
Organiser Oumi Karenga-Hewitt, has invited a range of industry insiders to share their knowledge, including Speer, best known for playing the character Oscar MacGuire in the popular TV series Home and Away between 2013 and 2016. He has also branched out into filmmaking, producing the drought-themed short Inside Water in 2018, which was shot in the Riverina.
The established star outlined his key advice for beginners.
“Not that I claim to be any kind of authority figure, but what I would say to anyone beginning their career as a filmmaker is to just go and make stuff,” he said.
“Don’t wait for anyone to give you permission. Grab the nearest, cheapest, most available camera you can find. Get your friends or family involved and go and make your movie. Use what is available to you: gear, people, location. Make it right now. Then, once you’ve made it, share it with the world: put it online, social media, submit it to a festival. Then, once you’ve done that, make another one.”
He also explained how he got his own big break.
“Home and Away was a big surprise to me. It wasn’t something I ever thought I’d have the chance to be a part of. It came about as most jobs do for actors: a general audition. They were casting a group of new characters so I was asked to audition alongside a whole group of actors. I actually auditioned for a completely different character before I had the chance to audition for Oscar, the role I ended up playing. There were about three or four rounds of auditions before I finally got the call that the part was mine.”
At the forum, Media Mentors Australia will also lead several other presentations and networking sessions aimed at fostering new relationships between attendees, filmmakers, producers and other screen professionals. Agencies Screen Australia, Screen NSW and Screenworks will also attend.
“At Screenworks, we offer professional industry programs and activities for people at every career stage to develop their skills and we help to build a diverse and thriving regional screen sector throughout Australia,” Screenworks CEO Lisa O’Meara said.
“I am looking forward to engaging with screen practitioners in Griffith and to connecting them to our national screen industry through the opportunities that Screenworks provides.”
The event is hosted at Country Universities Centre and has received funding through the Country Arts Support Program (CASP), a Create NSW initiative managed locally by Western Riverina Arts, and from local theatre group Griffith & Regional Association of the Performing Arts (GRAPA).
Event coordinator Oumi Karenga-Hewitt said: “Griffith is a flourishing regional centre with the potential to have a positive impact on the screen industry.”
The event kicks off at 10 am on Saturday, 17 June, at the Country Universities Centre Western Riverina, 2/1 Olympic Street.
Those interested can register online on the Media Mentors site.
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