Talent USA was launched by Screen Australia in 2017 and was first held in Los Angeles. The program – which in 2018 the program expanded to New York – provides participants with networking opportunities with American and Australian talent and content creators alike.
Screen Australia’s CEO, Graeme Mason said, “It’s exciting to bring back this unique career development opportunity in person following the pandemic, and showcase some of Australia’s best creative talent internationally, as well as facilitate important business relationships in the North American market. We’re proud to support these creatives who are well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity and best leverage these new connections to advance their upcoming slates and professional networks.”
Hosted at the Australian International Screen Forum from 6 – 8 September at the Lincoln Centre in New York, Talent USA draws actors, filmmakers and producers from throughout the industry. The delegates of the program also attend panel discussions, industry roundtables, matched mentoring sessions, pitching and strategic consultations.
The 2022 recipients are:
Julietta Boscolo, writer and director of The Sound of Light which was one of only nine international projects invited to Venice International Film Festival’s Biennale College – Cinema in 2019.
Lucy Campbell has worked as a script editor and script coordinator for TV shows including Firebite (AMC), Stateless (ABC/Netflix), Pine Gap (Netflix), Upright (Sky/Foxtel) and Wolf Creek Series 2 (Stan).
Beck Cole, director of three seasons of the ABCs award-winning comedy Black Comedy, with additional television credits including Redfern Now, Grace Beside Me, Mustangs FC and Wentworth.
Conne Patiag, a writer, director, producer and actor from Western Sydney, Patiag was the show-runner and director of Halal Gurls for ABC, a series that won the Prix du Public award at the Marseilles Webfest.
Samuel Nuggin-Paynter, currently writing his feature film Colour of Blood, with funding from Screen Australia, Screen Territory and being produced by No Coincidence Media. Nuggin-Paynter also has writing credits for Little J & Big Cuz and Thalu.
Renée Webster recently released the Australian feature film How to Please a Woman which has been acquired by Hulu.
Rachele Wiggins has multiple credits, including directing, producing and writing credits for Beast No More, which took out the award for the Audience Award for Best Film at Monsterfest.Thomas Wilson-White, an award-winning director and screenwriter, Wilson-White was a screenwriter on the Heartbreak High reboot for Netflix, and is currently writing the Rock Eisteddfod Film.