Access Coordination
What is access coordination?
It is a role that meets a long overdue need to work with producers, productions companies, and commissioners to help them ensure their work practices and places are accessible to those cast and crew who identify as Deaf, Disabled, or Neurodivergent (DDN) wanting to work and bring their talents to our industry. Hired by the production company, Access Coordinators create a safe space on a production for any DDN cast or crew who want to discuss their access requirements. The Access Coordinator then confidentially brings that information to the relevant producers, production managers, and heads of departments (HODs) and guides them in how to best address those access requirements within the means of allocated resources and budget constraints. The role of Access Coordinators can also be of benefit to large-scale events, giving attendees the opportunity to discuss their access requirements with a dedicated contact that can then take that information back to the events team and formulate a plan for how to best accomodate all who are attending the event.
Stephanie writing notes on accessibility at ABC Studios Sydney.
Availability
Head to Stephanie’s CrewHQ Profile for availability and past credits
Why hire an access coordinator?
An Access Coordinator can bring a wealth of benefits to your production or large-scale event, both for the production teams, and for the hired cast/crew and attendees.
For so long now, the burden of disclosure has been placed on the individuals with access requirements, relying on them to speak up and ask for things they need in order to effectively participate. With the stigma of disability still very much a part of our society, this has been a daunting task and one that has lead to missed opportunities or discrimination, causing many to avoid the much needed conversation and missing out on job opportunities and professional experiences. Having an Access Coordinator means they have a safe, dedicated person to discuss with their access requirements with who can then disseminate the information to relevant people in the production team with their permission rather than having to repeatedly discuss their requirements with people who sometimes are unfamiliar with what an access requirement is. It also shows that the production they’re working on or event they’re wanting to attend already values and is open to access and inclusion.
Regarding the producer or production team, an Access Coordinator creates a protective sound board for them when it comes to access and inclusion. We only know what we know and sometimes we can feel intimated or at risk of making a mistake when we go to talk about something we’re not familiar with personally which many times stops us from opening ourselves up to working with new people and therefore, we miss out on the potential new talent can bring to our work. Hiring an Access Coordinator for your production or events again shows that you’re open to working with new people and making accommodations that allow those around you to participate fully. It also creates an accessible and educated communication channel between yourself and those with access requirements who can help you navigate and address access requirements, mitigating the risk of making mistakes.
where can i find an access coordinator?
Stephanie Dower, of Dower Productions, is a trained Access Coordinator based in South-East Queensland, Australia and is available to work across screen productions of any size as well as events.
Stephanie was one of 12 participants from Australia and New Zealand to participate in an Access Coordinator training program offered through Screen Australia and facilitated by UK-based Bridge06. You can read more on the training program and selected participants on the Screen Australia website.
