The free 16mm film workshop, held at Alt-House in Naarm (Melbourne) was an opportunity for people who have historically been underrepresented in film to access education and guidance that is rarely available to them, aiming to equip attendees with all they would need to know in order to advance their film making skills.

Providing an immersive experience of film-making fundamentals like loading film and construction of lighting rigs, the workshop was a film-buff's paradise. Everyone who attended had access to industry professionals who offered their technical and creative perspectives on film making practices and for those from underrepresented backgrounds, this was especially valuable – giving them a chance to level up their film savvy in a dignified, safe space.

Catering to 38 eager participants over the two day period, the workshop gave each attendee the opportunity for a hands-on learning experience that could help them transform their film career objectives into reality.

The workshop fostered film making production from a wide range of voices and encouraged diverse perspectives, creating an enriching learning environment for everyone looking to enter or work in film making.

When cinematgrapher Jesse Gohier-Fleet was asked by Good Exposure about the inspiration behind his film making workshop, he answered thoughtfully and passionately.

“The Australian Cinematographers Society released a report titled ‘A Wider Lens’ that brought to light the severe lack of diversity in the camera department in this country. A lot of technical skills and access to high end film equipment is out of reach for a lot of people. 

In response to this report myself, Joey Knox (DOP) and Lachlan Wright (1st Assistant Camera) had ideas to put on a 16mm film workshop to help share knowledge and passion for shooting on film and give people from different backgrounds access to a range of 16mm production equipment. 

We asked a bunch of our friends to get on board to help organise and run the event, Bonita Carzino (DOP), Sarah Jo Fraser (1st AC) and Anthony Taranto (DOP/AC) helped run the groups on the day and Grace Moore  produced the event. What resulted was a really rewarding weekend that people took a lot away from and gained knowledge that is transferable into digital film production as well.

Writer and Director, Grace Moore, is an advocate for diversity, and she believes that teaching film making skills to people from diverse backgrounds can inspire the next generation of film makers. She has seen first-hand the power of collaboration and community and knows how important it is for both experienced film makers and those who are just starting out.

“Collaborating with people outside of your own circle enriches both your work and is very valuable from a personal point of view. I think that the experiences of migrant and indigenous peoples are the defining stories of our generation and space must be made in the industry for these to be realised in an authentic way - that is, made by the people whose lived experience reflects the stories shown on screen. 

Community and relationships are integral in creative industries because there are many pressures weighing on creative people in the current climate. 

There is underrepresentation in technical departments like camera and lighting and it is very difficult to receive funding without film festival or television credits. What the community reminds us is that we are not alone in our experiences and just how talented and essential we are.”

Industry support is crucial in continuing the film making industry's journey towards greater equity and inclusion. This was exemplified recently with a 16mm film workshop, generously backed by Australian film suppliers such as Alt-House, Cameraquip, The Vision House, Freelancers, Arri Australia, Kodak, the ACS and Offshoot.

It is this kind of commitment to learning and industry willingness to back varied film making initiatives that will help shape a film making community based on fairness and inclusion.

The workshop gave participants the invaluable opportunity to learn about film making in an environment of diversity and collaboration and from this experience comes the knowledge that film makers gain from learning from one another - an understanding found to be vital for continued growth of film makers and their untold stories.

With over 200 applications for the 16mm workshop, it is obvious that there is fertile ground for change and a great opportunity for underrepresented groups to use the powerful tool of film making for storytelling. 

Grace and Jesse are passionate film makers with a mission to provide educational opportunities to underrepresented groups and are working on securing funds in order to produce more film making workshops in 2023. While nothing has been officially confirmed yet, it's clear that this is just the start of something amazing as they strive to bridge educational and inclusion gaps within the film making industry.