Last month (April, 2024) we officially welcomed some new faces to the WIFT Vic team. Jess and Claudia have come on board as our inaugural Student Ambassadors to support the usual initiatives of WIFT Vic as well as spearhead new projects that are designed to engage with students and emerging screen practitioners.
Get to know Jess and Claudia below.
Meet Jess
Jess (they/them) is an up-and-coming comedy writer for stage and television, who made their debut with student production studio RMITV in 2014, writing for various variety/sketch broadcast series before going on to serve as the secretary of the RMITV board from 2022 to 2023. Jess has since co-written two award-winning short films, and participated in several contests, including the 48 Hour Film Project, Melbourne WebFest’s Pitch iView and VicScreen’s Originate (Round One, 2021). Just last year, Jess was awarded the Women in Comedy scholarship from comedy club The Improv Conspiracy, going on to write and perform in the 70th-anniversary show of the historic Law Revue at the Comedy Republic in Melbourne’s CBD. Jess is currently pursuing a Master of Screenwriting program at the Victorian College of the Arts and is developing two half-hour comedy scripts and a series bible to (fingers crossed!) take the professional TV industry by storm.
What does being named Student Ambassador means to you, and what you’re looking forward to achieving in your time with WIFT Vic?
Being named as one of WIFT’s student ambassadors has not only been an honour, but a deeply validating moment! Making stories that evoke laughter, joy and food for thought has been my greatest passion from the moment I got my pen license in Year 6 (touch typing is still a work in progress), so to have the belief and backing of the Board means the world. I look forward to learning more about the extent of WIFT’s work in our local/national industry and our members, and how I can be a more proactive and supportive voice for women/gender-diverse folks; in short, being good and doing good for film and TV!
What’s your favourite movie snack?
In the world of movie snacks, my go-tos are the severely underrated Jaffas, a big bag of salt and vinegar chips and an even bigger glass of wine!
Tell us about the last thing you watched that you absolutely loved and why you loved it!
One of the last things I watched this year that blew me away was the 2021 film Catch the Fair One: a deeply confronting, heart-breaking, yet important story about Canadian Indigenous women that could very easily translate for Indigenous folks all over the world. A beautifully crafted indie feature that left me sobbing!
You can keep learn more about Jess’s work via their instagram @jbudinofficial
Meet Claudia
Claudia (she/her) is an emerging filmmaker committed to pushing the boundaries of the medium and crafting narratives that challenge the status quo. Concurrent to her undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne, she is writing, directing and producing her own short film, ‘Faux Amis’, a story of whimsy and childhood nostalgia. She has been involved in producing and writing multiple short films, two of which are set to be released this year. Only having reckoned with her passion for filmmaking in the past year, she is determined to continue in this trajectory, volunteering with AIDC and ACMI, and constantly looking for inspiration for her next project.
What does being named Student Ambassador means to you, and what you’re looking forward to achieving in your time with WIFT Vic?
I’m driven by a deep commitment to combat prejudice through visual storytelling, so being named a WIFT Student Ambassador is an immense honour and encouragement. With WIFT, I hope to elevate the voices of female-identifying creatives and promote a healthier representation of women in media. By advocating for the filmmakers whose narratives can positively shape society and the perception of women, I hope to make a meaningful contribution to WIFT’s mission and the advancement of women in the industry.
What’s your favourite movie snack?
Call me basic, but I don’t think anything beats cinema popcorn. It’s such an iconic movie staple, it never fails to get me in the mood for a good movie!
Tell us about the last thing you watched that you absolutely loved and why you loved it!
I recently watched Agnès Varda’s One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977) and was so unbelievably blown away by the film’s exploration of female solidarity and its sensitivity to reproductive rights. Made even more poignant by Varda’s gorgeous cinematography, it’s deeply transformative and empowering; a truly unforgettable watch!
You can keep learn more about Clauda’s work via her instagram @neochroma__