1:1 Pitches, Roundtables
Alasdair heads up business development and external relationships for the Flame group.
Drawing on his previous life as a journalist and producer Alasdair has the first-hand experience to help producers accomplish their production goals at all stages from concept to broadcast.
Establishing and maintaining relationships with key players such as networks, government bodies, and brands, Alasdair is able to help productions piece together funding from a variety of sources and potentially unexplored possibilities.
Alasdair also manages Flame’s stock footage business as well as the Flame Coproduction Alliance, a network of likeminded producers combining strengths and resources to create international content for the Flame Distribution catalogue.
Working with the Distribution team, Alasdair is actively involved with the creation of new concepts and programme ideas, including the writing of treatments, finance plans, and collecting sales forecasts.
Alasdair also regularly attends broadcast conferences to track new markets and emerging trends, to bring new clients and opportunities to Flame’s ever-growing offering.
1:1 Pitches
Kylie is BBC Studios ANZ’s first Director of Production, joining in September 2018 to launch the new production arm. She has a wealth of experience in adapting international formats for the Australian market, and developing and overseeing formatted factual entertainment.
In her role, Kylie exploits the rich potential of BBC Studios’ format catalogue, drives the creation of new intellectual property and builds creative partnerships between BBC Studios’ editorial teams in the UK and Australian broadcasters and digital platforms.
Kylie joined BBC Studios from Matchbox Pictures, where she was Director of Unscripted from 2012-2018. Here she developed, pitched and oversaw casting, production and delivery of 16 series, building a slate from scratch when NBCU bought out Matchbox in 2014. Titles included: Real Housewives of Melbourne and Sydney for Foxtel; Real Housewives of Auckland for Bravo NZ; Australian Spartan for Seven; Room 101 for SBS; original format Formal Wars for Seven; and original arts entertainment series, Everyone’s A Critic, for ABC. She also set up the Matchbox Asia business, which successfully delivered content across all of NBCU’s Channels within Asia.
From 2006-2012, Kylie was a series producer and development producer for Active TV, working across 14 titles in a range of genres. She adapted Prank Patrol for ABC3, which also went out on CBBC in the UK and was nominated for Most Outstanding Children’s TV Show at the 2011 Logies. Other titles include: The Amazing Race Australia for Seven, Amazing Race Asia for Sony’s AXN, To Be Or Not To Be for Foxtel’s Movie Extra, and adapting Cash Cab into Asia.
Prior to this, Kylie worked as a freelance producer and director on independent documentaries, as well as some of Australia’s biggest formatted shows, including seven series of Big Brother for Channel Ten and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here for ITV1.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Documentary and Lifestyle/Entertainment
Looking for big, bold ideas
Not looking for animation
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, TV Format Lab
Darren Chau is the Senior Director of Production across Australia and New Zealand for Discovery Inc, where he is responsible for content commissioning, development and production across multiple platforms for the region. His current content slate includes global hits Aussie Gold Hunters and Outback Opal Hunters, as well as international franchises The Block NZ, Dancing with the Stars NZ and the Masked Singer NZ. In addition to leading the full portfolio of content, Darren has been instrumental in driving the growth and globalization of the local content slate, as well as diversifying Discovery’s ANZ business onto new platforms across both markets including co-creating and launching free-to-air channel 9Rush as part of a joint venture with the Nine Network. Darren has a successful and award-winning background working extensively in creating and developing formats, channel management, content strategy, production, programming, scheduling and digital across all genres for both free and subscription platforms. He also serves as an official judge of the International Emmys, was appointed expert moderator for the Comedy Nominee Panel Session at the Emmy’s World Television Festival in New York and is an elected Member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Documentary, Lifestyle Entertainment, Branded Content
For the Discovery Channel the genres we’re interested in are – tough jobs, motoring, mystery science, off the grid, and precincts.
For our other brands and platforms across ANZ we’re looking for Reality (including Relationships & Medical transformation), Lifestyle, Entertainment, Comedy, Drama, Telefeatures, Factual, Documentary, True Crime and Brand Funded ideally with strong trans-tasman and/or global appeal.
We are not currently commissioning for Animal Planet, Turbo or Discovery Science.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
One of Australia’s leading producers of television drama, with a list of highly acclaimed productions to her name, her current series, The Tourist, is currently in post-production with the Emmy and Golden Globe winning UK producers, Two Brothers Pictures, and is the second outing for her newly launched South Australian company Highview Productions. Highview’s first production was A Sunburnt Christmas, in association with Every Cloud Productions, which premiered on Stan in December 2020.
Other recent productions include The Hunting for Closer Productions, SBS’s most successful Australian drama to date, nominated for Best TV Mini Series or Telefeature in the 2019 AACTA Awards and Best Drama Series Production in the 2019 Screen Producers Australia Awards, Pine Gap, a six-part geopolitical thriller for Netflix/ABC, nominated for the 2019 TV Week Logie Award for Outstanding Mini Series, and the second series of the Wolf Creek for Stan.
The lead producer of the internationally celebrated miniseries ANZAC Girls – recipient of the 2014 Australian Writers Guild Award for Best Mini Series (Adapted) and was nominated for both Best Series in the 2014 Screen Producers Australia Awards and the 2015 TV Week Logie Award for Outstanding Mini Series. Internationally, ANZAC Girls was also nominated for Best Mini Series in the 2015 Golden Nymph Awards held in Monte Carlo.
Producer of three seasons of the acclaimed Janet King with Karl Zwicky, the first season was nominated in the Best Television Drama Series category in the 2015 AACTA Awards and was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series in the 2015 TV Week Logie Awards. The third season was the number one show on the ABC iView platform on its debut. Lisa was again nominated in the Best Television Drama Series category in the 2017 AACTA Awards as well as being nominated for the Best Drama Series Production in the 2017 Screen Producers Australia Awards.
Her other credits include Crownies, A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne, The Cut, Always Greener, Water Rats, Bordertown and Police Rescue. During her stellar career to date, Lisa was a Project Manager for the Film Finance Corporation, and was also the Head of Literary at RGM, representing Australia’s leading Writers, Directors and Cinematographers.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic
I am looking for bold female-driven stories that could play as a limited run or reoccurring series set in Australia but able to find an international audience. I am more interested in drama that can play on ABC, SBS or an SVOD services.
Not looking for procedural drama such as medical or police series.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
Michael McMahon is a screen content producer. He was a founder and first Executive Chairman of Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd. He is Professor, Film and Television at Swinburne University of Technology and teaches at the University of South Australia.
Michael’s documentary production and executive producing credits include Sadness, Wildness, the Anatomy Series, Next Stop Hollywood and The Coming Back Out Again Ball. His television drama credits include Call Me Mum, Saved, The Slap and series 1 of Nowhere Boys. Feature film credits are The Home Song Stories, Lou, Cut Snake and Ali’s Wedding.
He is an executive producer on the Netflix Original series Clickbait. His company Big and Little Films has several projects in development.
Michael received the Screen Producers Australia Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
1:1 Pitches
Julie’s career in the film and television industry spans 20 years to date. She started her career as an actor and writer, then undertook further tertiary screen studies before moving into producing. As a writer and performer she co-wrote and developed work for the stage, touring nationally and internationally, with a speciality in Shakespeare. She then joined Rebel Wilson on her early comedy series, ‘The Wedge’ as a writer and performer and spent 2 years working with Shaun Micallef on ‘Newstopia’.
Having completed her Masters in Communications (Swinburne University) and a Graduate Diploma in Producing (AFTRS) she joined Matchbox Pictures (NBCU) in 2011, producing award winning content that has sold around the world including ‘Glitch’ Seasons 2 & 3, ‘Maximum Choppage’, ‘Oddlands’, ‘Anatomy 3’, ‘The Turning’, ‘The Family Law Seasons’ 1, 2 & 3.
In 2021 after producing a musical comedy – ‘Stories from Oz’ – for ABC and Princess Pictures she joined the SBS team as Head of Scripted.
Julie has a demonstrated track record of diverse storytelling gender equity and inclusion. Her workplace mantra is to create world class content, and to look after each other while we do it.
1:1 Pitches
As Head of Drama for Nine, Andy oversees the commissioning and production of the network’s drama, comedy and children’s drama output, across Nine’s linear and digital channels.
Recent productions include Informer 3838, Halifax: Retribution, SeaChange, and five seasons of Australia’s most popular series, Doctor Doctor. Other commissions include Underbelly: Badness, Underbelly: Razor; Fat Tony & Co, Underbelly Files: Chopper, Love Child s1-s4, House Husbands s1-s5, Bite Club, Bad Mothers; comedy series Here Come the Habibs; the mini-series Howzat!, House of Hancock, House of Bond, Gallipoli and; and telemovies including Beaconsfield and The Great Mint Swindle.
Currently in production for 2021 are hospital drama Amazing Grace and season 5 of Doctor Doctor.
For the Australian streaming platform STAN, Andy was Executive Producer of STAN’s first two drama commissions – crime thriller Wolf Creek and comedy series No Activity.
Prior to joining Nine, Andy was a screenwriter and script producer for top rating dramas including McLeods Daughters, Home & Away and All Saints, as well as children’s animations Blinky Bill and Flipper & Lopaka.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic
I’m interested in pitches for prime-time adult drama targeted at the 25-54 year old audience. Our particular focus is on distinctive ‘event’ mini-series, as well as drama series of between six to ten episodes.
Not looking for period drama and science fiction.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
Previously an award-winning filmmaker, Stephen is now Manager of Documentaries at the ABC and oversees many of the national broadcaster’s biggest hits, including Love on the Spectrum, Fight for Planet A, Big Weather, Australia’s Ocean Odyssey, Revelation, Exposed: The Case of Keli Lane, War on Waste and Employable Me. Stephen is passionate about telling stories with real world impact. In 2020, Stephen headed up several ground-breaking shows and game-changing impact campaigns around climate and the environment. Outside of work, he likes tennis, mountain-biking, and dogs. Oh and his kids, he definitely likes them too.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic, Documentary
We are looking for Bold documentaries (30 or 60 mins) or factual series of 30min or 60min episodes, hosted or unhosted, featuring diverse stories form a range of perspectives.
Short form is hard for us to program currently
1:1 Pitches
Mat Kesting is a film curator, exhibition and event specialist having worked in the sector for over 20 years and is CEO/ Creative Director of Adelaide Film Festival (AFF), an organisation he has held a long love for. The most recent edition of AFF was in October 2020 and the next will be presented in October 2022. Mat was previously the Exhibition Manager at Adelaide’s Mercury Cinema where he oversaw all curated and theatrical screen programs including the Adelaide Cinémathèque, Silent ReMasters, the Australian International Documentary Conference’s Doc Week, Seniors on Screen and the Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival film program among others. Previously he was Program Manager at the Brisbane International Film Festival. He has sat on various competition juries and program advisories and had formerly worked across various festivals, events and screen organisations in Melbourne and the UK. Mat holds degrees in Media and Cinema Studies and Environmental Science.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Documentary, Childrens, Animation
Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF) seeks to support projects with creative, cultural and economic benefits to South Australia.
Creative: Projects must display bold and innovative storytelling, a striking use of screen language and a strong creative team.
Cultural: Projects must demonstrate the short and long term benefits for the South Australian film industry and broader community, e.g. creative and development opportunities for individuals and organisations, branding opportunities, partnerships with national and international organisations and events, and the ability of the project to raise the profile of South Australia.
Economic: Projects must demonstrate measurable economic development outcomes for South Australia, such as direct and indirect expenditure in South Australia, employment of local cast, crew and businesses, and the potential for direct financial return from the equity investment.
There are no deadlines for the AFFIF, although we anticipate that most feature projects are locked approximately 12 months out from their premiere at the Festival.
WE are not looking for projects that fall outside of our guidelines…
Projects must:
-Be an Australian feature film/creative documentary with theatrical and/or broadcast potential to have its World Premiere at the next Adelaide Film Festival
-Provide a fully developed finance plan which along with the creative component of the project will form the basis of the recommendation to the Board
-Demonstrate an advanced stage of financing through recognised market attachments, with financing to be completed for delivery to
Projects will be given preference if they:
-Demonstrate a net economic benefit to South Australia
-Are produced and/ or post-produced in South Australia
-Use South Australian crew, cast and facilities where possible and appropriate.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
Paul Ryan is an Adelaide based Producer and Director whose experience spans the last three decades, working across a range of projects from documentaries, film and corporate projects. Early in his career, Paul produced some of Australia’s most successful children’s programs for Channel Nine.
Independently, he has been an extremely active Producer, often drawn to projects with a strong social conscience or health focus. In the early nineties, Paul managed Foundation Studios, producing over 20 titles on Women and Children’s health issues. He spent three years working for The South Australian Film Corporation as Manager of Government Film, before moving back to an Independent Producer/Director role working for various advertising agencies and local Adelaide Production Companies.
As Owner/Director of 57 Films, Paul works closely with his team to ensure effective storytelling content that connects and engages with audiences. Paul has tertiary qualification in media and education which has underpinned his communication career
Paul established 57 Films to produce high-quality, story-driven content for television and factual series for national and international audiences, including Chef Exchange, a food and wine show broadcast across China and Australia. Paul managed the Australian component of the production of Speed, a 40-part Chinese TV series. Paul facilitates international productions seeking to film in Adelaide. His recent successes include CHS Media’s If Time Flows Back, and Barefoot Through Australia for Berlin-based Schiwago Film. And Produced the theatrical released feature “This Is Port Adelaide” in 2020
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Documentary
● Episodic series
● 20th century history with international appeal
● Popular science and natural history (Human Animal, World’s Most Toxic, Baby Animals
● Factual and factual entertainment with international appeal
● Feature Docs
Yes not looking for Animation
1:1 Pitches
Sarah is the Development Producer at Goalpost Pictures, where she manages the company’s film and television development slate. Sarah has worked on productions such as NEW GOLD MOUNTAIN (SBS TV, All3Media International), Unjoo Moon’s I AM WOMAN, Wayne Blair’s TOP END WEDDING, FIGHTING SEASON (Foxtel, Skyvision) and CLEVERMAN (ABCTV, SundanceTV) and Neil Armfield’s HOLDING THE MAN. Sarah has a background in law, previously working as an entertainment lawyer at Media Arts Lawyers. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Bachelor of Laws from UTS.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Childrens
Goalpost Pictures are among Australia’s leading and award winning independent producers. At Goalpost Pictures we believe the key to our success is strong enduring relationships with distinct, creative voices. We are committed to providing an environment where unique producing, writing and directing voices can blossom.
Goalpost prides themselves on producing scripted films and television shows that are noisy, bold and have something to say. We describe ourselves as genre agnostic, but are always on the hunt for new concepts with a strong hook, which shed light on an important subject matter, and give an extraordinary writer and director a voice. We want to make projects which entertain and move audiences, through tears, laughter or preferably both.
We do not produce any lifestyle, documentary or non-scripted content. We are not looking for animation concepts, sci-fi or horror material.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, Speaker
Jam is the Executive Producer and a Director at Monster Children Films. Our doors have been open for nearly 20 years. Monster Children Films is the natural progression of what started as a magazine and grew into a community of unrivalled creatives. With offices in Sydney and Los Angeles, we’ve taken this pony show worldwide.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Web Series, Shorts, Documentary, Lifestyle/Entertainment, Branded Content
Ideas that are made for cultural entertainment. From environmental series to sports documentaries. Shorts about artists or films about humans and our natural world. Would love to develop ideas that tell a story of a subculture and how we can create an emotional connection for a wider audience. Personally I love humble human stories about people who are moving mountains or anything about the ocean. Anything with heart and soul.
We are pretty open in what we are looking for. Just anything with heart and soul.
1:1 Pitches
Donna Chang joined SBS in October 2020 as a Development Executive in the SBS Scripted team, which oversees and develops SBS’s pipeline of original scripted fiction projects, including drama and comedy. She became Commissioning Editor in June 2021.
As well as working across long form event series, Donna oversees the development and production of SBS’s short form and feature initiatives which provide opportunities for emerging talent from often underrepresented backgrounds, to share their unique stories of contemporary Australia.
Prior to joining SBS, Donna was Head of Development at Lingo Pictures from 2018, working across a range of TV projects including ‘The Secrets She Keeps’ (Network Ten). She has worked for many years as an external assessor for Screen Australia, and was a Development Executive there in 2018. Donna was previously a Production Executive at Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Films in London; her role encompassing production, business affairs, and film development. For Scott Free, she co-produced the feature documentary ‘India in a Day’ (TIFF, Sheffield Doc/Fest), was the Production Executive on ‘Mindhorn’ and ‘The Aftermath’, and worked as a Programme Associate for the TV series ‘Taboo’. At Felix Media, Donna produced the William Yang documentary trilogy (ABC), co-produced Sydney Opera House documentary ‘Autopsy on a Dream’, and supported a slate spanning feature drama, documentary, and moving image art. She has produced independently, with credits including the ‘Ash Wednesday’ short in ‘The Turning’ anthology (Berlinale, MIFF) and ‘The Crossing’ (Annecy, winner at Sydney Film Festival, AACTA-nominated).
Donna Chang joined SBS in October 2020 as a Development Executive in the SBS Scripted team, which oversees and develops SBS’s pipeline of original scripted fiction projects, including drama and comedy. She became Commissioning Editor in June 2021.
As well as working across long form event series, Donna oversees the development and production of SBS’s short form and feature initiatives which provide opportunities for emerging talent from often underrepresented backgrounds, to share their unique stories of contemporary Australia.
Prior to joining SBS, Donna was Head of Development at Lingo Pictures from 2018, working across a range of TV projects including ‘The Secrets She Keeps’ (Network Ten). She has worked for many years as an external assessor for Screen Australia, and was a Development Executive there in 2018. Donna was previously a Production Executive at Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Films in London; her role encompassing production, business affairs, and film development. For Scott Free, she co-produced the feature documentary ‘India in a Day’ (TIFF, Sheffield Doc/Fest), was the Production Executive on ‘Mindhorn’ and ‘The Aftermath’, and worked as a Programme Associate for the TV series ‘Taboo’. At Felix Media, Donna produced the William Yang documentary trilogy (ABC), co-produced Sydney Opera House documentary ‘Autopsy on a Dream’, and supported a slate spanning feature drama, documentary, and moving image art. She has produced independently, with credits including the ‘Ash Wednesday’ short in ‘The Turning’ anthology (Berlinale, MIFF) and ‘The Crossing’ (Annecy, winner at Sydney Film Festival, AACTA-nominated).
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Formats: Episodic
SBS commissions daring and distinct fiction that is both captivating and provocative.
We’re looking for ideas that reflect the SBS Charter and explore multiculturalism and diversity that are rarely seen on Australian television.
We are looking for Australian stories, and event drama and comedy, which promote social cohesion, sustain prime time television and instantly generate conversation.
We encourage producers to think boldly, provoke with purpose, push boundaries, surprise audiences and inspire change.
We are currently only looking for episodic TV. All features go through our state-specific feature initiatives RIDE and Originate, and all short-form series through our Digital Originals initiative.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
Michael Drake is a development executive for ABC children’s content where he manages the ABC Me slate for primary school aged children. Michael looks after a vast slate of projects including live action drama and comedy, animation and factual. He also works across the development slate for internally produced series. Specialising in scripted narrative, Michael has worked on Hardball S2, Itch S2 and MaveriX in the live action space, and Strange Chores, 100% Wolf and Space Nova in the animated space, the latter of which he also executive produced. An experienced writer and editor, Michael also developed and script produced The Wonder Gang, ABC Kids’ new flagship pre-school series. He also co-created, produced and script produced Mackaroy Uncovered Australia’s first scripted podcast for children which received an AWGIE nomination for best writing in audio.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Children & Animation
We are looking for child led series that are reflective of modern Australia that speak to the lived experience of our audience and told through a child’s POV. We are looking for stories with stakes that are relatable to that same audience. We want authentic stories that embrace diversity and inclusion. We want strong stories, with robust characters that can generate and sustain a series that asks big questions, make us think and feel but most of all is incredibly entertaining.
We are looking for live action, half hour comedy and drama, and we are looking for animated series that are half hour and quarter hour. We are also looking for high concept factual shows which embrace exciting new formats and storytelling devices.
We are not looking for feature films or shows that have completed production. We are not looking for branded content or lifestyle series. We are not looking for games.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables
Lisa Duff’s producing career spans over 20 years. Her feature film credits include producer of feature films Last Train to Freo, Last Cab to Darwin starring Michael Caton and the Academy Award® nominated Jacki Weaver and Unindian, the first feature film financed by the Australia India Film Fund, starring Brett Lee and Tannishtha Chatterjee.
Lisa was producer of the critically acclaimed documentary Sexing the Label for SBS and theatrical release in Australia, The Future Makers for Discovery Channel and a number of short TV dramas and documentaries for Australian broadcasters, including drama Road for SBS and Leah Purcell’s short drama Aunty Maggie & The Womba Wakgun for the ABC’s series The New Black.
Lisa has completed a Masters thesis on the impact of the global film industry on Australian film making culture and has a Juris Doctor degree. She worked as a Senior Production Investment and Development Manager at Screen Australia for 5 years overseeing feature film and TV drama projects and is currently the Head of Scripted at EQ Media Group.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic, Childrens
We are looking for TV Drama projects
1:1 Pitches
Warren Clarke is the Head of Scripted Development at Fremantle Media Australia. Early in his career Warren helped develop TV projects including Foxtel’s award-winning political drama Secret City, The Seven Network’s Wanted, and Channel Nine’s Hyde and Seek. He went on to Co-create ACTAA nominated and critically acclaimed ABC series THE HEIGHTS on which he served as Showrunner for two seasons. Warren is also an AWGIE nominated screenwriter. He was the Script Producer for Oddlands, the ABC and Adelaide Festival collaboration with Back to Back Theatre, and wrote for the teen football series Mustangs FC.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic
We are looking for Scripted Television (Drama & Comedy)
We are not looking for features, unscripted projects, animation
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables
Virginia Whitwell is a highly experienced film practitioner and producer with over twenty years in the industry. She is the Head of Production for the newly formed Good Thing Productions after five years as Head of Production at Madman Production Company. She has co-produced and produced many scripted and factual projects including That Sugar Film, Save Your Legs!, A Month Of Sundays, All For One and soon to be released feature documentary 2040 directed by Damon Gameau. Hailing from the UK, she has worked on numerous productions all over the world. Her extensive production experience includes projects for Warner Bros, HBO, Lucasfilm, EON, 20th Century Fox and Universal. Virginia is currently producing The Australian Dream, an Australian-United Kingdom co-production with Passion Pictures directed by Dan Gordon and Below, a scripted feature film directed by Maziar Lahooti starring Anthony LaPaglia and Ryan Corr.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Documentary, Branded Content
We like entertainment with big ideas inside it. Ideas that can translate internationally also welcome.
We are not looking for children’s entertainment or pure animation (though a doco with animation elements for instance wouldn’t be off-putting !).
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
Todd leads the commissioning and creative execution of the public broadcaster’s narrative and scripted comedy programs across multiple platforms. He has produced landmark television programs including the globally-lauded ABC series Please Like Me with Josh Thomas and the iconic Olympic comedy series The Dream with Roy & H.G. Other career highlights include reimagining Geoffrey Robertson’s Hypotheticals for Seven, rebooting Rove for Ten in 2007, and producing Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey for the ABC and the short-lived but fondly remembered Micallef Tonight for Nine. He has produced comedy, entertainment, sport, current affairs and documentary content for the ABC, Seven, Nine, Ten, Foxtel, Stan, Amazon Prime and Pivot, and prior to joining the ABC he was Creative Director at Guesswork Television.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic
Our number one aim is to find laugh-out-loud, half-hour comedy series of 6 – 8 episodes to appeal to the established audience of FTA viewers on Wednesday nights and to build the rapidly-growing streaming audience on iview.
Not looking for short form or web series, and not looking for “the Australian version of…” whatever is hot internationally right now. Be original, or have an original spin on a well-known genre.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, TV Format Lab
Tarni is executive producer of entertainment for the ABC, based in Melbourne. She has worked in the industry for many years across most genres and all Australian FTA networks. Entertainment, News, Current Affairs, Documentary, Comedy, Children’s, Factual and sport. An advocate for ‘not waiting for the doors to open” but finding “a window that might be ajar, ” she values creative and innovate approaches.
1:1 Pitches, TV Format Lab
Nick Hayden is a media and communications executive and people leader with over 10 years experience in media and content production. Currently he is Head of Entertainment at ABC with heaps of super cool top secret stuff in the works.
Prior to that he created and was founding EP of the Walkley and Logie losing news and comedy series The Feed for SBS. He did however once win a Canne Gold Lion for his work on the comedy series The Great Crusade for Qantas. Nick was one from thousands picked by Andrew Denton and Anita Jacoby to be a writer, producer and presenter on Hungry Beast, and he’s worked for just about every network in Australia (except one).
He also has no problem boasting about himself in a biography and loves referring to himself in the 3rd person.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Documentary, Lifestyle/Entertainmen
We are looking for entertainment, studio shows, soft scripted, factual entertainment, comedy documentaries
We are not looking for scripted.
1:1 Pitches, Speaker
Nathan Mayfield is the Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of Hoodlum, an Emmy and BAFTA Award Winning Production Company. Hoodlum operates their offices in Brisbane, Australia and in Los Angeles, developing feature film and television drama projects for the international marketplace. Mayfield has been the creative force behind Hoodlum’s multiplatform, television series and feature film work. He has worked alongside his co-founder Tracey Robertson to expand the business across the globe and across many different mediums. In 2017, Nathan produced the feature film AUSTRALIA DAY for Foxtel, released theatrically through Icon Film Distribution and launched a VR documentary, INSIDE MANUS, for SBS. Hoodlum’s TIDELANDS, an 8-part series for Netflix, was Netflix’s first original TV series for the territory, and launched globally in December 2018. Hoodlum is currently in production on the second season of FIVE BEDROOMS, an 8-part series for Network Ten, distributed by NBCUniversal Global Distribution, and has finished airing the third season of HARROW, a 10-part series with ABC Australia and ABC Studios International. HARROW was ABCSI’s first scripted production outside of the US and both seasons are currently streaming on Hulu in the US.
1:1 Pitches
With over 25 years of Film and Television experience, Michael Favelle is the founder and CEO of Sydney based Odin’s Eye Entertainment and sister company Odin’s Eye Animation. Beginning at Southern Star’s replication facility followed by 3 years at
Beyond International and Beyond Films and an additional 3 years at Arclight Films, Michael has amassed a depth and variety of skills in almost all aspects of the feature film and series value chain: from initial inception of a concept, development, through to financing, post/production, marketing, legals and international sales giving him a unique insight into the industry.
Michael has executive produced over twenty live action and animated features, including Netflix’s Animal Crackers starring Emily Blunt and Ian McKellen.
Odin’s Eye are seeking original stories with diverse and compelling characters and universal themes.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Documentary, Childrens, Animation, Branded Content
We are looking for great concepts and compelling characters across feature and Series. Both live action and animation.
Any pitches related to games content
We are not looking for small Arthouse festival movies.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
Marcus Gillezeau [Jillezo] is best known for creating and producing high profile projects for film, TV and digital media.
He has won some of the industries’ most prestigious awards including the AACTA Award (Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts), Best Feature Documentary for “STORM SURFERS 3D” and the International Digital Emmy® Award and Australian Directors Guild Award for the all-media drama “SCORCHED”. He was twice honored by Screen Producers Australia for Best New Media and Interactive Producer of the Year.
Recently, he produced theatrical feature documentaries Own the Sky and Living Universe and was EP on Motorkite Dreaming. He executive produced the feature drama NERVE that screened at Sydney Film Festival and Shanghai Film Festival. He has written, directed and produced prime time television in Australia and for major international networks in Asia, North America and Europe.
Marcus is also a successful author of two books “Hands On – Tips and Experiences in All Media Producing”, and “Hands On – A guide to production and technologies for film, TV and new media.”.
Specialising in all-media development, production and delivery across all platforms, he has built a reputation for being at the forefront of digital innovation, production and distribution.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Documentary
Open to giving feedback and hear your fantastic ideas! Mainly interested in hearing feature docs and features.
No TV episodic and online drama
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables
Lyn is Head of Producing and Production at the Australian Film Television and Radio School. In 2020, she worked with the Screen Industry National Taskforce to develop the COVIDSafe Production Protocols for the screen industry. An experienced producer, Lyn’s credits encompass drama and documentary film and television productions. She produced the feature film Undertow (2018) which premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival and the Edinburgh Film Festival and Hot Mess (2018) which screened at the Seattle International Film Festival. She is executive producer of Here out West (2021) an anthology feature film featuring 8 talented writers from the western suburbs of Sydney working with award-winning directors Leah Purcell, Ana Kokinos, Lucy Gaffy, Julie Kalceff and Fadia Abboud.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Shorts
We are looking for features and episodic series with a fresh, bold edge – stories we haven’t seen and voices we may not have heard much from.
We are not looking for childrens, lifestyle entertainment, branded content
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
Partner at Australian production and distribution company, ARCADIA, Lisa produced 2067 (XYZ/RLJE Films/Netflix), starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ryan Kwanten and Deborah Mailman, which debuted as the No 1 movie on Netflix (ANZ) and No 2 on iTunes (US), following its theatrical release. Lisa also produced the critically acclaimed Killing Ground that premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2017 (IFC Midnight) with Joe Weatherstone; The Furies (Sitges Film Festival, 2019, Shudder/StudioCanal); AACTA award-winning series Hipsters (SBS, 2015), hosted by Samuel Johnson; Black & White & Sex (IFF Rotterdam 2013, co-producer) and ASC award-winning documentary Slammin’ Sam (Foxtel, 2013). She is currently in post-production on Sissy (XYZ, LevelK & Arcadia), that stars The Bold Type’s Aisha Dee, and co-stars Hannah Barlow who co-writes and co-directs with Kane Senes.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features & Episodic
Arcadia are looking for projects across feature and TV that stand out in the crowd, are bold and present new ideas from authentic voices. We’re genre agnostic, but we love clever horror, sci-fi and thriller concepts. And rom coms!
We are not looking for projects that are derivative of other projects in the marketplace (especially in the horror, sci-fi and thriller space), or the “Australian version” of something currently or recently successful in the international market. We’re also not looking for takes on hospital, crime or cop dramas.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables, TV Format Lab
General Manager Lauren Hillman leads the team at C44 with over 16 years of industry experience. Lauren has had an exciting and varied career in the South Australian TV and media industry working for ABCTV, Channel Nine, and as an independent freelance producer. In 2014, Lauren wrote, directed and produced ‘The Daters’ for ABC which is currently still streaming on iView. Lauren also produced two award winning sold out Adelaide Fringe shows with Annabel Crabb in 2016 and 2019. In 2018 Lauren was named one of Adelaide’s ‘Top 40 Under 40’ business leaders. In 2021, Lauren and her team were responsible for lobbying and successfully securing Channel 44’s free to air licence for three years until 2024. Recently, in collaboration with C31 in Melbourne, Lauren has also spearheaded the rollout and launch of the new national Community TV streaming platform, CTV+.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Web Series, Shorts, Documentary, Games, Lifestyle/Entertainment, Childrens, Animation
Channel 44 and CTV+ are looking for short and long form series with ideally a minimum of 6 episodes. We are on the hunt for high quality, locally produced, excellent story telling series. The content can be niche- that’s what Community TV is for. Open to all ideas! Excellent opportunity to test a series on local broadcast TV and online.
Not looking for branded content – Community TV has strict guidelines around sponsorship. We would still encourage local sponsors but not branded content pieces.
1:1 Pitches, TV Format Lab
Luke Tunnecliffe has been a driving force behind the creation and implementation of world class sporting and entertainment content at JAM TV Australia since 2012.
JAM TV is one of Australia’s most prolific independent production companies delivering in excess of 1000 hours of sport and entertainment content every year for major broadcasters. As the Head of Content, his current role straddles development, commercial, logistics and the creative processes.
Tunnecliffe has overseen the recent success of the Making Their Mark docu-series on Amazon Prime Video as well as both The Recruit and The NRL Rookie reality television formats. In 2018, he headed up JAM’s worldwide Host broadcast of the Invictus Games held in Sydney.
Prior to his current position, Tunnecliffe spent four years working within the inner sanctum of Australia’s largest sporting organisation, the Collingwood Football Cub, before moving into broadcast television with the Nine Network. In his eight years at Nine, he produced live sporting broadcasts and studio-based shows covering numerous sports from Olympic and Commonwealth Games to International Cricket, Australian Rules Football and World Swimming Championships.
Highlighting his diversity within the sporting media world, he has for the last 18 seasons produced Triple M Football’s Australia-wide radio coverage.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Documentary, Lifestyle/Entertainment, Branded Content
Open to hearing anything!
Nothing we are not really looking for.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features and Episodic
We are looking for eatures of all genres that are elevated examples of their genre, that are financeable relative to budget and experience of key creators, understand their audience and have the potential to reach an audience internationally.
For television, we are looking for premium drama content, either limited or recurring series and like features, are elevated examples of their genre.
We predominantly develop adaptations and favour projects with an existing audience already built in. Preference is to work with key creators that have at least one produced credit, with awards and/or festival success.
Not looking for micro budget projects or online projects.
1:1 Pitches, Speaker
Ken Wong is an artist and game developer. He is best known for his work on 2014’s ‘Monument Valley’ and 2018’s Florence, both recipients of BAFTA Game Awards and the Apple Design Award. His work has been exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, ACMI, Seoul Museum and Somerset House. Born and raised in Adelaide, Ken has spent 20 years developing games around the world, from Hong Kong to Shanghai to London. In 2016 he founded Mountains, a studio from which to continue pushing at the boundaries of interactive design and storytelling.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Games
We are looking for any pitches related to games content.
My expertise is only really in games, so I don’t think my feedback would be valuable on anything that isn’t interactive
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
Katherine is the Scripted Development Manager at Matchbox Pictures. She was previously the Fiction Development Manager at Film Victoria and has worked as a Production/ Development Executive at Screen NSW, Screen QLD and Screen Australia. She was Head of Development at Arenamedia/Footprint Films when the company developed projects including ‘The Turning’ and ‘Paper Planes’, produced the feature film ‘Balibo’ and distributed four feature films including ‘Samson and Delilah’ (winner – Camera d’Or). She was Script Consultant at Waking Dream Productions and during her time developed projects including ‘The Babadook’, ‘The Daughter’ and ‘Babyteeth’ (Official selection, Venice Film Festival, winner 9 ACCTA Awards). She Produced the short film ‘Family’ (‘The Turning’ – MIFF) and the two-part doco-drama television series ‘Stories I Want To Tell You in Person’ for Matchbox Pictures (MIFF, ABC TV).
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic
We are looking for scripted television – all genres (30 min. 45 min, 1 hr format). Returnable or limited seasons.
Not looking for animation. Also not looking for period especially, although never say never…!
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Speaker, TV Format Lab
Julian Cress has worked as a television producer for 30 years starting in 1988 on Beyond 2000. His background is in investigative journalism and he was a senior producer at 60 Minutes for a decade before moving into reality television as co-creator of The Block in 2003. He has worked for all three commercial networks and been Executive Producer of 17 series of The Block winning 5 Logie awards along the way. Working alongside business partner David Barbour, he is a co-creator of several other successful formats both in Australia and the US. Julian is also the founder and managing editor of online content site themotorists.com.au, e-commerce site theblockshop.com.au, charity app shout and a founding investor in influencer marketing app tribe digital.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, Speaker
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Documentary
We are looking for features generally – lower budget, not genre unless elevated, probably not family
Feature docos – with a clear audience in mind
Good teams
I avoid straight genre films mostly (unless really elevated!)
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
Janelle Landers is President of WBMC, a creative production company with offices in Perth and Sydney, working across narrative and documentary projects for features, television and other screen content. She recently completed Rams, directed by Jeremy Sims and starring Sam Neill, Michael Caton and Miranda Richardson. Other credits include Ben C. Lucas’ feature film OtherLife, and Julius Avery’s Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor and Alicia Vikander. She also produced Lucas’ debut feature Wasted on the Young. With a background in visual arts and First Class Honours degrees in Law and Media Arts Production, Janelle worked as a lawyer and producer in Sydney before joining WBMC in 2006. As President, Janelle oversees development and production for all of the company’s screen content.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Documentary
WBMC is open to all kinds of ideas striving for excellence, with a clearly defined target audience and a realistic pathway into production.
Ideas that are made for cultural entertainment. From environmental series to sports documentaries. Shorts about artists or films about humans and our natural world. Would love to develop ideas that tell a story of a subculture and how we can create an emotional connection for a wider audience. Personally, I love humble human stories about people who are moving mountains or anything about the ocean. Anything with heart and soul.
WBMC is not likely to be interested in horror or low-budget genre projects.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, TV Format Lab
Georgia Humphreys is a creative producer with CTPA where she is developing a slate of film and television projects for local and international audiences. After graduating high school, Georgia started out in Italy’s tourism industry managing guided tours and eventually owned Europe’s largest and Rome’s longest running pubcrawl – The Colosseum Pubcrawl.
On her return to Australia she opened Rockefeller, a beachside café where she met her producing partner, Marion Pilowsky.
Her first production, the short crime fable Yia Yia was invited to the AFF, Australian Greek Film Festival and Fort Lauderdale (USA) in 2015. Her next short film Frida and Diego – The Australian Years starring Tiriel Mora was funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign and premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2016. Georgia produced Indigenous writer/director Edoardo Crismani’s short film 440, funded by the South Australian Film Corporation’s 2017 Aboriginal Short Film Initiative and is the co-producer of The Flip Side, starring Eddie Izzard, for 20th Century Fox, released in 2018.
In 2020, together with Marion Pilowsky, Georgia co-created, directed and produced the lifestyle format series for Channel 44, Recipe For Love. With writer/director Peter Ninos, Georgia was selected as one of three teams in the SAFC’s 2021 Film Lab: New Voices, where they are developing Greek LGBTQI+ horror, The Mati.
She is looking to work with new and emerging creatives who speak with authentic, bold and noisy voices.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Documentary, Lifestyle/Entertainment, Children’s and Animation
Not looking for anything particular but must-have elements of diversity.
Female-led stories are especially appealing.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
Ester Harding is a screen producer and Head of Drama, at Sweetshop & Green. Her focus is on Australian and New Zealand narrative features and series with international co-production and financing potential. Developing from both underlying IP and original ideas, her ambition is to bring talent-driven, culturally diverse and thematically relevant stories to global audiences.
As a development executive for Screen Australia, Ester oversaw narrative features, episodic and extended reality projects, and the fostering of emerging talent. Prior to this, for See Pictures she co-produced feature SWINGING SAFARI (Edinburgh 2018), produced television pilot REMEMBERING AGATHA (ABC 2018) and served as production executive on Simon Baker’s BREATH (TIFF 2017). Ester’s earlier career was in feature and interactive documentary projects, including I AM A GIRL, THE SURGERY SHIP and CALL ME DAD for Media Stockade; STORM SURFERS 3D for Firelight Productions / 6ixty Foot Films; and AFTER 6/4 for Freehand Productions and SBS.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Documentary
Sweetshop & Green is an Australian and New Zealand production company that develops, finances and produces narrative and documentary film and series projects for identified domestic and international audiences – local for global. Our sensibilities lie with culturally diverse stories that have something to say; we are open as to genre and period.
We are not looking for reality or factual formats; features with budgets less than AU$1.5M; fantasy, horror, westerns, comedy (unless the storyworld and point-of-view reflect an under represented voice in the Australian and New Zealand market); projects that feature violence against women, or mass murder.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, Screenmakers Conference, Speaker
Edwina is responsible for assessing and developing all Australian and NZ projects for theatrical release. Prior to this she ran programming and strategy for ABC2 then ABC COMEDY across television and iview. Edwina was previously a Commissioning Editor and Executive Producer for ABC Factual and Documentaries, and spent a number of years with the Specialist Factual Department at Channel Four UK. She began her career working with writers, directors, designers and actors at talent agencies including William Morris Agency UK (now WME), Curtis Brown UK, and HLA Australia. Recently released and upcoming Australian titles include THE DRY, PENGUIN BLOOM, GO!, MISS FISHER AND THE CRYPT OF TEARS, RAMS, THE DROVER’S WIFE: THE LEGEND OF MOLLY JOHNSON, BLUEBACK, SERIOUSLY RED and UNBREAKABLE: THE JELENA DOKIC STORY.
Roadshow is currently expanding its development slate through early development and co-production opportunities with a number of Australian and NZ producers. Upcoming cinema releases include Go!, Rams, Miss Fisher And The Crypt Of Tears and The Dry.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features
We’re looking for stories with broad appeal for wide theatrical release.
Not looking for Genre/ Horror/ Sci Fi
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, TV Format Lab
Damian is the Head of Comedy and Entertainment at CJZ, and is responsible for JULIA ZEMIRO’S HOME DELIVERY (ABC), MR BLACK, STREET SMART and SKIT HAPPENS (Ten), LIFE DRAWING LIVE (SBS) and a large development slate of scripted and unscripted projects.
A highly experienced producer and director, Damian has created several long running series and produced shows for all networks. He is a published author with a Masters of Journalism.
His long list of credits include YOU’RE SKITTING ME, SLEEK GEEKS and TWO ON THE GREAT DIVIDE (ABC), THE FULL BRAZILIAN (SBS), RONNIE JOHN’S HALF HOUR and GUERRILLA GARDENERS (TEN). Pre-CJZ they include MONSTER HOUSE and COMEDY INC. (Nine), 110% TONY SQUIRES (Seven) and several series of ROY AND H.G.’S CLUB BUGGERY, THE FAT and STUDIO 22 (ABC).
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Episodic & Lifestyle/Entertainment
Looking for – entertainment & factual entertainment ideas for series. Entertainment formats
Not looking for Animation or Branded Content
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables
Bernadette O’Mahony is an award winning Executive Producer and Producer and is the Head of Content at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation overseeing the Foundation’s development, production and international distribution activities.
Across her career Bernadette has worked on a wide range of genres including documentary, current affairs television, prime time drama, feature films and children’s film and television.
Bernadette’s Producer credits include Crash Zone, Legacy of the Silver Shadow, The Worst Year of My Life, Again! and the award winning series Round the Twist and Mortified.
Bernadette is an International Emmy Award winning Executive Producer who has helped producers develop, finance and produce series including Hardball, Are You Tougher Than Your Ancestors?, Thalu, First Day, The Inbestigators, Little J and Big Cuz, Dance Academy, Little Lunch, Ready For This, Lockie Leonard, and My Place; as well as feature films including Paper Planes and Dance Academy – The Comeback.
Bernadette has worked with broadcasters across all platforms from Free to Air, SVOD and Pay Television both locally and internationally and her knowledge and experience in development, production, financing and distribution of children’s television is unparalleled.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Childrens
ACTF looks for high quality, original and innovative live action or animated children’s series or films that will appeal to an Australian child audience. Projects should be Australian created and led, have an Australian voice and point of view and reflect the diversity of Australian child audience.
Drama or factual programs are both welcome.
We are not looking for game shows. Unlikely to be interested in hosted studio based type of children’s programs.
1:1 Pitches, Speaker
Tanya Phegan is an Australian based Film and Television Producer and Senior Media Executive.
Tanya is the Co-Creator and Producer of OPERATION BUFFALO (Porchlight Films, 2020) a six-part drama series for ABC Australia. The series won Best Comedy Award at the Berlin TV Series Festival, 2020.
Tanya worked for over a decade in the UK and US in international development, production and acquisitions. In the UK she held roles at Universal Pictures, BBC Films and DNA Films/Fox Searchlight. She developed projects with the UK’s top creative talent, working on films including THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, 28 WEEKS LATER, DREDD, THE HISTORY BOYS, NEVER LET ME GO, SUNSHINE, NOTES ON A SCANDAL, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD and 360°. In the US, Tanya curated ‘Your Film Festival’ with YouTube/Scott Free with the winner creating a new work produced by Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender.
Tanya is currently the Head of Scripted at Guesswork Television and is responsible for overseeing the development and production of Guesswork’s scripted slate.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic and Documentary
Looking for comedy, not looking for straight drama
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
Belinda Dean is a producer and founder of independent production company unko. She is equally passionate about the comedy genre, as she is diverse and inclusive storytelling.
Her credits as producer include the multi-award winning Create NSW & SBS funded short film Joy Boy, documentary The Funny Ones for ABC ME celebrating aspiring young female comedians, the provocative online series, Cloudy River, which premiered at the Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival and is now available on SBS On Demand, and most recently, the short film Weather Girl, one of the top 5 films in the Epic Games Unreal Engine Short Film Challenge. Belinda is in active development on several projects, including the short form series she created, Freewheelers, one of three projects selected from over 600 applications for development in the inaugural SBS & Screen Australia Digital Originals Initiative.
She is a foundation member of the all-female producing network Screen Vixens, and in 2019, was selected as a Screen Producers Association ‘Ones to Watch’.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Web Series
We are looking for low-mid budget/contained features with some kind of social awareness at their core. Genre agnostic, though we tend not to pick up horror or supernatural thrillers.
On the TV side, same understanding of social issues with characters and a story world that help shed light on taboo subjects, and/or provide interesting and unexpected forms of representation. Drama or comedy/drama preferred.
Creators with something to say, not necessary drawn from their immediate experience, but with an understanding of the impact a good story can have on culture at large.
Not looking for period pieces, and this includes the recent past.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor, Roundtables
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Documentary, Animation
We are looking for Australian and New Zealand theatrical features and documentaries of all Genres.
We are not looking for TV and Web-based productions.
1:1 Pitches, Mentor
Alexandra joined Mr. X in April 2020 as Head of Studio, bringing with her over 17 years of VFX production experience. Previously, as the Senior Production Supervisor at Rising Sun Pictures, she managed the production team, and was instrumental in delivering projects such as X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Dumbo and Thor: Ragnarok. During her time there she was also the Senior Producer on Captain Marvel, Ford v Ferrari and Tomb Raider.
Alexandra’s career began at Framestore, London, where she progressed to the role of VFX Producer. During her 13 years there, she contributed to the successful delivery of many major projects, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Paddington, Wrath of the Titans, Sherlock Holmes, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Golden Compass and a number of the Harry Potter films.
In her role as Head of Studio at Mr. X, Adelaide, Alexandra is responsible for all the projects in production, as well as the effective day to day running of the studio, ensuring alignment to the greater Mr. X global framework and strategy; including managing financial and operational risk and driving business strategy.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features, Episodic, Animation
We are looking for people who are interested in working in VFX or are currently working in VFX.
We are not looking for non VFX related queries.
1:1 Pitches, Roundtables, Screenmakers Conference, Speaker
Greg Denning has almost 30 years in the entertainment industry, across both Exhibition and Distribution businesses, and is one of the most highly respected film executives in this territory. He has worked across Sales, Programming, Marketing, Acquisitions and Development. He has released nearly 500 films Theatrically and Programmed many more!
Since 2013 Greg has been with independent powerhouse STUDIOCANAL, as Head of Sales & Acquisitions and Development Manager. In that time, he initiated the STUDIOCANAL CULTIVATOR DEVELOPMENT FUND which currently has three local feature films in development.
Before STUDIOCANAL, Greg spent eleven years at Icon Film Distribution (since its inception), firstly as Head of Sales, and subsequently General Manager Theatrical. In that period he helped grow the company from 5 to 40 staff, oversaw the release of over 200 films theatrically, and was a key part of the acquisitions process too.
Prior to Icon, he spent 13 years with Hoyts Cinemas in the cinema exhibition business, in both Marketing and Programming roles.
Greg has released over 500 Theatrical films across all genres and scale including international titles like PADDINGTON 1 & 2, KNIVES OUT, HEREDITARY, DEATH AT A FUNERAL, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, CRASH, THE IRON LADY, BOMBSHELL, THE GUERNSEY LITERARY & POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, JOHN WICK 2 & 3, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and Australian productions like BLINKY BILL THE MOVIE, KNOWING, LITTLE FISH, ORANGES & SUNSHINE, WYRMWOOD and DANCE ACADEMY THE MOVIE.
Greg typically reads, assesses & values over 120 film scripts per year.
1:1 PITCHES – WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Format: Features
We are looking for mostly features, nothing micro-budget
1:1 Pitches, Screenmakers Conference, Speaker, Stream Dreams Panel
Amanda Duthie is Stan’s Head of Scripted, overseeing all of Stan’s Original scripted, entertainment and factual slate; and has over 20 years in the creative arts and television industry.
Prior to her position at Stan, Amanda was Acting Head of Drama at SBS, plus also served as Executive Producer across many commissioned titles, such as New Gold Mountain and The Unusual Suspects.
Before her time at SBS, Amanda was the Head of Production, Development and Studios at the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), where she oversaw investment slate which included, I Am Woman, The Hunting, First Day, Operation Buffalo and Stateless. She was also the Creative Director/CEO of the Adelaide Film Festival for seven years, leading both the festival and its investment fund; supporting 58 projects, which included award winning documentaries, VR, features including Sweet Country, Charlie’s Country, Hotel Mumbai, I Am Mother, Top End Wedding, 52 Tuesdays, Ali’s Wedding, Tender, She Who Must Be Loved and Cargo.
Amanda Duthie held various roles at the ABC over her eight years with the public broadcaster, including Head of Arts and Entertainment, along with Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor Arts, Entertainment and Comedy. During her tenure at ABC, she commissioned numerous award-winning and popular programs.
