The Snowtown and Nitram director shares what he learnt from making his first documentary, Ellis Park. Ellis Park is Kurzel’s third release over the past year, alongside feature film The Order , starring Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult, and Amazon Prime’s Australian war drama series The Narrow Road to the Deep North . He shares the challenges and joys of juggling three feature film projects simultaneously, advice on shaping your project for success on the global market, and how his view of filmmaking...
Jun 26, 2025•24 min
Digital content strategist and kids IP specialist Nico Lockhart shares what producers can learn about audience development and content production from YouTube. From the importance of a good thumbnail, why a viral video could take years, how the direct-to-audience model is evolving with its audience, and the parallels between so-called traditional media and online media production, get the lowdown on how YouTube is changing the way audiences engage with screen stories. Resources Learn more about ...
May 22, 2025•46 min
Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production Dena Curtis dropped by the Screen Australia Podcast to talk about the role of the broadcaster in showcasing and celebrating the diversity of First Nations experiences and supporting stories told by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners, and shares her vision for NITV and gives advice for producers and filmmakers looking to pitch to the broadcaster.
Apr 24, 2025•25 min
Writer and director Nicholas Verso joins the podcast to share how he brought the award-winning novel Invisible Boys to television, including building the writers room, knowing when to move away from the source material, filming in regional Western Australia, and creating a visual language, as well as shaping authentic queer narratives for young adults.
Feb 06, 2025•45 min
Stephanie Dower discusses the importance of building an accessible culture on set, engaging Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent (DDN) crew, and her experiences working in the Australian screen industry, as well as introducing the emerging role of access coordinating - the philosophy and vision behind the role; the distinctions between access coordinators, safety officers, and support workers; and more.
Dec 03, 2024•41 min
Audrey screenwriter Lou Sanz and director Natalie Bailey on creating their debut feature film together. Throughout the episode, Sanz and Bailey share their love for comedy and dislike for the term unlikeable female characters. They also talk about getting the project to the big screen, creating compelling characters, the differences between writing for television and film, and the importance of finding the black comedy balance – or “balancing the sweet and sour”, as they call it.
Nov 07, 2024•30 min
Videoland director Jessica Smith and producer Scarlett Koehne reflect on queer representation and 90s nostalgia in the Series Mania Comedy Competition-winning series. On the latest episode of the Screen Australia podcast, we spoke with Smith and Koehne following their win at Series Mania about their festival strategy and experience premiering in a foreign market. They also reflect on the creation of the queer dramedy and challenges of retro-fitting (literally) a video rental store....
Sep 17, 2024•36 min
During the latest episode of the Screen Australia podcast, we explore the changing theatrical distribution landscape. Madman Entertainment's CEO Paul Wiegard and Screen Australia Distribution Manager Anthony Grundy explain how audience behaviour has shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect on the challenges and opportunities this presents Australian filmmakers in an increasingly global marketplace. Wiegard shares Madman's approach to audience engagement as an independent distributor, whil...
Sep 03, 2024•51 min
Taking your project to market? Screen Australia Marketplace Manager Rakel Tansley shares the latest marketplace intel and advice to get the best deals on your projects. Tansley breaks down the key terms of finance plans and the market and explains the role of the Marketplace team in supporting Australian producers navigate domestic and global deals, as well as the resources publicly available on the Screen Australia website. She also talks to the key findings of the most recent Post-Financing In...
Aug 02, 2024•48 min
Screenwriter and media advocate Dot West talks writing animation, reflecting kid experiences on television, and the inspiration behind Little J & Big Cuz . Throughout the episode, West shares her insight on representing First Nations experiences on screen for kids, how ACER influences the narrative, incorporating Language and the power of translations, and her thoughts on the state of children's screen content.
Jul 15, 2024•27 min
Filmmaker Devina Saberi shares the inspiration for new documentary series Growing Pains, as well as the challenges and opportunities of documentary storytelling for online platforms, and advice for early career filmmakers. Throughout the episode, Saberi talks about structuring stories for social media platforms, supporting community storytelling, and the challenges of observational documentary – especially while filming your friends.
Jul 02, 2024•26 min
Director Paul Clarke breaks down the elements of a music documentary, and the inspiration and process behind his latest feature Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line. Throughout the episode, Clarke shares his approach to research and production for the music documentary format, navigating the complexities of footage and music licensing, and celebrating the legacy of the Oils.
Jun 11, 2024•32 min
Writer and director Tig Terera shares his experiences creating his debut television series Swift Street, and working with production company Magpie Pictures' Lois Randall and Ivy Mak, and writer Sam Carroll, to develop the series for SBS. He also shares his journey from photography to the small screen, the challenges and opportunities as a self-taught writer and director, reflecting community on screen, and advice for early career storytellers.
May 24, 2024•38 min
Learn more about the new below-the-line training and professional development initiative Screen Careers. Denise and Ken share their insight into the below-the-line sector, and discuss the challenges facing below-the-line workers, the role of training in developing the screen industry, and the resources and opportunities available to BTL crew to build responsive and sustainable careers. Eriksen shares the philosophy and development of Screen Careers, alongside details of their industry-led progra...
May 09, 2024•38 min
The Future Leaders Delegation and Screen Australia Games team share their takeaways and advice from the 2024 Game Developers Conference. Screen Australia's Head of Online and Games Lee Naimo and Games Investment Manager Amelia Laughlan discuss their insights into the games industry, the significance of GDC for the global community, and the key takeaways from this year's conference. They also introduce the Future Leaders Delegation - a new program from Screen Australia to support underrepresented...
Apr 25, 2024•46 min
Ra Chapman and Katherine Fry share the journey from development to production of new ABC comedy series White Fever. Inspired by Chapman’s lived experience as an inter-country adoptee, Chapman and Fry share their experiences developing White Fever for television; juggling multiple roles in front of and behind the camera; balancing the comedic and dramatic in storytelling; representing lived experiences authentically on screen throughout development, shooting, and the editing process, and more....
Apr 11, 2024•39 min
Executive Producer and CEO of Blacksand Pictures Kauthar Abdulalim reflects on her Enterprise journey, reaching international audiences with online stories, and authentic Muslim representation in storytelling. Abdulalim talks about embracing online content, supporting meaningful cultural diversity behind the scenes, building a strategic plan for your screen career, and how the Enterprise program strengthened her business skills, as she shares her advice for early career practitioners considering...
Mar 18, 2024•33 min
From The Matrix to 1980s Australia, Gypsy Taylor discusses the art and craft of costuming and the design inspiration behind her most recent projects including the flamboyant pirates of Our Flag Means Death , the fashion-focused sets of The Way We Wore and working with creative collaborator Celeste Barber, and soon the Australian 80s hit The Newsreader.
Feb 29, 2024•40 min
Cannes Critics’ Week Head of the Film Department Rémi Bigot speaks to the opportunities and ideas behind the program, and its short film extension, Next Step – a weeklong workshop for short film directors selected for Critics’ Week to transition to feature films, as well as offering insight into the application and selection process, and Screen Australia’s Manager, Festivals and Industry Partnerships Dale Fairbairn shares her advice for applying to festivals.
Feb 08, 2024•41 min
Australian Film, Television and Radio School alumni, award-winning filmmaker Warwick Thornton and production designer Bethany Ryan, alongside AFTRS Council Chair Debra Richards, reflect on 50 years of formal screen education in Australia, and the pathways to set for emerging filmmakers and storytellers.
Dec 19, 2023•42 min
Kitty Green on making fiction from fact, embracing documentary as a means to have creative control, the differences between documentary and feature narratives and their production schedules, as well as the inspiration and creation of The Royal Hotel and reuniting with frequent collaborator DOP Michael Latham.
Nov 28, 2023•27 min
Max Jahufer speaks on the importance of transgender visibility both in front of and behind the camera, the emerging role of community consultants in the industry, and his experiences from the writers room to first-time actor on the upcoming Australian feature film A Savage Christmas.
Nov 14, 2023•25 min
Outgoing CEO Graeme Mason looks back at 10 years at Screen Australia and the changing landscape of Australian screen production through the 2022/23 Drama Report outcomes.
Nov 02, 2023•34 min
Screen Australia representatives who work across Production Investment, Development, Documentary, Online, First Nations and Games funding give their top tips for anyone preparing to submit an application. Glossary of Key Terms - https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/screen-news/2023/04-06-industry-glossary-of-terms Tools and insights for starting in the industry - https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding-and-support/starting-in-the-industry/tools-and-insights...
Aug 23, 2023•25 min
Amazon Studios Senior Development Executive Sarah Christie talks about working as an entertainment lawyer before making the shift to development producer with Goalpost Pictures and then joining the scripted team at Amazon. She explains their strategy going forward, the difference in developing and writing projects with a streamer, what makes a great pitch, and why it was a no-brainer to greenlight their newest project the Lost Flowers of Alice Hart , which launched on Prime Video on the 4th of A...
Aug 08, 2023•30 min
Screenwriter Catherine Smyth-McMullen on writing genre in Australia and the US, the differences between working in the two countries, and what you need to know about general meetings: what they are, what materials you need to have ready for them, how they differ from a pitch meeting, and more.
Jul 27, 2023•46 min
Screen Australia’s Head of Development Bobby Romia talks through the development team at Screen Australia, the different types of funding available, what the funding can cover, how much to apply for, how applications are assessed and much more.
Jul 13, 2023•33 min
Bay of Fires co-creator, producer and star Marta Dusseldorp talks about her shift from acting into producing, starting Archipelago Productions, how Bay of Fires came about, the shoot in Tasmania, and current challenges facing Australian producers.
Jun 29, 2023•33 min
Hear takeaways and advice from the Screen Australia delegation who attended Cannes Film Festival + Market this year, including why you need to be pitch ready, how to prepare for meetings, challenges and optimism in the theatrical space, trends and more. They are joined by local producers MahVeen Shahraki from Thousand Mile Productions, Rebecca Summerton from Closer Productions and Kath Shelper of Scarlett Pictures who was one of the producers of Warwick Thornton’s Un Certain Regard feature The N...
Jun 14, 2023•39 min
Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan discuss their careers from The Katering Show through to ABC series Get Krackin’ , Audible podcast series Slushy and their latest project – creating comedy crime series Deadloch for Prime Video. The Kates talk about their writing partnership, filming Deadloch in Tasmania during the pandemic, and walking that fine line between comedy and drama throughout scripting, the shoot and the edit.
Jun 01, 2023•41 min
