Screen Territory and ABC Arts have selected the filmmakers and artists who will be showcased in the new documentary series, Art X *North.

Screen Territory Director Penelope McDonald said the three highly talented, emerging filmmaker teams will have the opportunity to create five minute documentaries about three Territory artists. 

“The filmmaking teams selected are Ishmael Marika (director) and Joseph Brady (producer), Timothy Parish (director) and Shannon Swan (producer), and Helen Browning (director) and Sharon PangQuee (producer),” Ms McDonald said.

“Art X * North celebrates the talents of three Northern Territory artists and provides a fast-paced opportunity for six filmmakers.

“The visual artists who will be showcased are Gunbyi Ganambarr, a Ngaymil artist known for innovative bark paintings and larrakitj (memorial poles), Aly de Groot, a fibre artist, and Jacki Fleet who works in a variety of mediums, such as sculpture and printmaking.

“The director-producer teams will begin work on the stories about the artists in January, with the productions being completed in March 2015.

“The Northern Territory Government is providing $36,000 through the Screen Grants Program to support this initiative including each filmmaking team receiving a grant from Screen Territory of $8,000, a license fee from ABC of $2,000 as well as post production support at ABC facilities in Sydney and mentoring from accomplished Darwin based filmmaker Danielle MacLean.

“Art X *North is a great opportunity for Northern Territory filmmaking teams to create a short documentary about a Northern Territory artist while working with ABC Arts.”

Director ABC Northern Territory, Christopher Smyth said ABC Northern Territory is proud to support the Art X *North initiative.

“Australia’s Northern Territory has a rich and unique history of cultural expression through the visual and performing arts and an exciting, emerging independent film and television production industry,” Mr Smyth said.

“Art X *North brings both artist and filmmaker together to offer audiences some fresh perspectives on the diverse artistic landscape of the Northern Territory and a new way to engage with it.”

The films will make their premiere online at abc.net.au/arts and on ABC iview in April 2015.

For further information contact Screen Territory on 8951 5136, email screen.territory@nt.gov.au or visit www.screenterritory.nt.gov.au

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Media note - for more information please contact Penelope McDonald on 8951 5136.