Film Fiji and Media Mentors partner to empower Fijian creatives

Film Fiji is excited to announce a partnership with Media Mentors, a well-known Australian organisation that provides training, mentoring, and business mentorship to individuals in the creative industry.

Together, they are facilitating the Fiji Producers Accelerator Program and the Fiji Script Development Program, with the financial contribution of the European Union and support of the Secretariat of the OACPS – Organization of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States. These programs are aimed at cultivating a thriving and sustainable film industry in Fiji.

Through the partnership, participants will receive training and mentorship from international industry experts. Denise Eriksen, Media Mentors’ co-founder, expressed her enthusiasm for the programs, stating, “Our passion is to see people thrive, tell their stories, and create content that audiences love. These programs are a fantastic opportunity for creatives looking to jump-start their careers in film and TV.”

Whilst acknowledging the partnership between Film Fiji and Media Mentors, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Honourable Manoa Kamikamica offered appreciation in the best interests of local Scriptwriters and Film Producers.

“Fiji’s Audio-Visual industry has a great deal of potential, in generating returns for local resource owners, artists and their families,” added Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Kamikamica.

Media Mentors is a well-respected media training and consultancy firm in Australia with over 30 years of experience. They have worked with notable clients such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, National Indigenous Television, Sydney Opera House, and the United Nations, providing media training and consultancy services to improve their clients’ media skills and achieve their goals. With a team of highly experienced media professionals, Media Mentors is a trusted name in the field.
Film Fiji’s CEO, Ramiro Tenorio believes that these programs will offer local storytellers and filmmakers a unique and strong opportunity to refine their projects and build their networks.
“We have carefully curated these programs and are proud to be paving the way for these types of initiatives,” he stated. “We are proud of the local talent available, and we are eager to support local filmmakers and storytellers in finding opportunities to develop their projects, become acquainted with the international co-production and financing market, and help them access new opportunities.”

“We wish to acknowledge all applicants to the programs, thank them for their interest, and encourage those who will be successful in securing a spot to take full advantage of the resources on offer. We will be making an announcement of the successful candidates in May,” Ramiro said.

The Fiji Producers Accelerator Program aims to equip producers with the necessary skills to plan and pitch their projects at an international standard, while also learning how to source financing and co-production partners. On the other hand, the Fiji Script Development Program provides support for scriptwriters to develop their projects with advice from industry professionals and dedicated mentors and offers up to €2,000 and scriptwriting software to each selected applicant.

Following the 4-month program workshops will be a planned Demo Day, a hybrid event, facilitated by Film Fiji and AFTRS (Australian Film, Television & Radio School), where participants will engage with attending international industry professionals, promoting network connections, and pitching their projects. This will be an exciting opportunity for exposure to overseas markets and conversations around capacity building for the industry.

The focus of these programs is to provide selected candidates with specific skill development, create associated revenue streams, develop international relationships with production companies and raise the profile of Fiji’s creative community.