SQ incubatHER 2017 on Thursday 5 October 2017 at QUT Gardens Point, Brisbane
“Congratulations to all involved. It was the best screen event I’ve ever attended” – Attendee incubatHER 2016
SQ incubatHER brings together leaders from across the country to share their knowledge and expertise in a move towards a more diverse screen industry. This SQ signature event is about action, outcomes and moving the conversation from identifying the issue to making actual change.
This year’s event will be a business focussed forum with a creative lens. incubatHER, supported by QUT, will bring industry leaders and practitioners together to join in conversations and share ideas and strategies on the best practice to grow women’s participation in creative roles in Queensland’s screen sector.
Date: Thursday 5 October 2017
Time: 9am – 6pm
Venue: Room 360, QUT Gardens Point, George St, Brisbane
Purchase your ticket here.* Ticket sales close at 5pm, Tuesday 3 October 2017
This special event will foster connections and collaborations in a supportive and inspirational forum. SQ is inviting special guests to participate and lead panel discussions across the day. SQ incubatHER aims to grow women’s participation in the screen industry and supports SQ’s Gender Parity Program and the Screen Australia Gender Matters Program.
IncubatHER 2017 program
9am – 9.15am Official address
9.15am – 10am The Butterfly Tree – Getting a First Feature Film Made: The Butterfly Tree director Priscilla Cameron and producer Bridget Callow Wright share stories from the front as they talk about the ups and downs of making a first feature film
10am – 10.45am How to get your break in broadcast with producer Dena Curtis of television series Grace Beside Me, Phil Enchelmaier & Simon Kennedy of drama series Safe Harbour, producer Mandy Lake, creative producer Kate Paul and writer Michelle Law of online series Homecoming Queens.
10.55am – 11.15am Morning Tea
11.15am – 12.15pm How to Build an Audience on YouTube: A panel of YouTube producers include Julie Kalceff from award winning multi-platform drama Starting From Now, Nick Boshier from Soul Mates and Bondi Hipster, digital content creator Rachel Aust and Ryan Chamley from Rostered On and Jeremy the Dud. Moderated by Richard Fabb.
12.15 – 1pm Lunch
1pm – 1.45pm Keynote speaker Naomi Simson
Our keynote inspirational guest for the day will be one of Australia’s most prominent entrepreneurs and business leaders, Naomi Simson. Naomi is the founding director of online experience retailer RedBalloon. She’s an investor on Network Ten’s popular television series Shark Tank, a business blogger and author and co-founder of the The Big Red Group (BRG) an organisation housing her four businesses RedBalloon, Redii, Wrapped and The Huddle.
After securing the exclusive rights to bring the world’s first AI digital marketing platform Albert to Australia and New Zealand, BRG is paving the way for fully autonomous digital marketing campaigns. A true business influencer and leader with more than 2 million LinkedIn followers, she’s Australia’s most followed person on the business networking platform. She’s author of three books including the bestseller Live What You Love, I Want What She’s Having and Ready to Soar. Naomi also assists entrepreneurs in turning their ideas into big business through her online course ‘Building your Business Brand’.
1.45pm – 2.30pm Showcase: Like A Photon – the DNA of Success – A presentation from Like A Photon’s Kristen Souvlis and Nadine Bates about how they built their business from 2 employees to 30+, raising private finance, angel investors, defining projects, becoming a Screen Australia Enterprising Company and working with the right people
2.30pm – 3pm Screen Australia presents – the latest market and industry trends
3pm – 4pm Taking Australian Stories to the World with Aaron Fa’aso, Rosemary Blight, Brett Thornquest, Daley Pearson, and Veronica Fury
4pm – 5.30pm Networking
Places are limited and registration for the event essential. * Please note there is a nominal charge of $26 per person to attend. This includes morning tea, lunch and networking drinks at the conclusion of the event.
BIOGRAPHIES:
RACHEL AUST – With a background in fashion and beauty photography Rachel Aust began her YouTube career in 2015 as a way to explore her creativity through videography and share her passions of minimalism and organisation. Rachel owns a boutique training studio in Brisbane called Eat Run Lift and has also studied nutrition and fitness, naturally this also infiltrates it’s way into her content and she likes to share information with her YouTube audience about how to live their best life both physically and mentally.
NADINE BATES – Nadine Bates is the co-founder and Creative Director of Like A Photon Creative, a multi award-winning production company that specialises in producing outstanding children’s content, including a pre-school series for Disney Junior, ‘BALLOON BARNYARD’ and award-winning segments for SESAME STREET USA’s 47- 40th Seasons. Prior to LAPC, Nadine wrote for Network Ten, the ABC and owned her own small press publishing company.
NICK BOSHIER – Nick Boshier is the co-creator and actor in the ABC2 multiplatform series Soul Mates, which is a spinoff of the web series Bondi Hipsters (whose channel has hosted in excess of 8 million views). Soul Mates follows the journey of two friends who are continually drawn together across the course of human history. Soul Mates is currently in development on its second series. Along with his Bondi Hipsters and Soul Mates co-creator Christiaan Van Vuuren, the duo won the GQ 2014 Award for Comedians of the Year. Nick is a writer, director, producer, actor and creator of two additional YouTube sensations: Trent from Punchy (the original video has over 7 million views) and the animated Beached Az (more than 8 million views). Off the back of this success, Beached Az was adapted into two series of ten interstitial episodes for the ABC and Trent From Punchy has gone into development as a feature film. With his Production Company Ludo Studios, Nick co-created series #7DaysLater that aired on ABC2 and won the International Digital Emmy® Award for Best Digital Fiction. #7DaysLater is currently in development on its second series. Fresh off their Emmy® win, Ludo Studios received development funding from Screen Australia for their animated comedy series Doodles, with Nick set to produce. Doodles is a multiplatform and interactive animated comedy series that takes real people’s drawings via social media and turns them into hilarious animated micro-movies featuring a cast of coloured-in characters.
BRIDGET CALLOW-WRIGHT – Bridget is an award winning screen producer with a focus on scripted narrative film and television. Her latest feature film THE BUTTERFLY TREE stars Melissa George, Ewen Leslie, Ed Oxenbould and Sophie Lowe, and is directed by Priscilla Cameron. It recently had its international premiere at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival. This is her second feature film as producer. Her first film BITTER & TWISTED premiered at Tribeca, was nominated for 14 international awards including 2 AFI’s, and was released across several territories including theatrical releases in Australia and New Zealand. She was also one of 30 producers selected from 4167 entrants from 79 countries to be a Berlinale Producer Talent, was awarded a winning producer place at London’s PFM as voted by financiers at MIFF’s 37 South, and more recently won Screen Producers Australia’s ‘Ones To Watch’ International Fellowship Award, which took her to Stay Gold Pictures in New York. As well as producing feature films Bridget has held a number of development and industry positions. She holds a Masters in Screen Business from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), where she was awarded the Foxtel New Media Innovation Prize. Bridget has a wide network of international and local financing and producing partners, in-depth knowledge of the international content marketplace, and an extensive creative producing skillset.
PRISCILLA CAMERON – THE BUTTERFLY TREE is Priscilla’s debut feature film as Writer / Director. THE BUTTERFLY TREE was one of the final 10 feature projects to be selected for the 2014 Berlinale Project Talent Market out of 4167 entrants from 79 countries. It was the only Australasian project selected. Priscilla presently has a number of feature films in development and early financing including, THE BREATHING SEA as co-writer/ director, MAN-SHY and DUST as writer, Croak and Thunderbolt and I as co-writer, and TV series Hell, West and Crooked as writer. Her short films have won awards, screened in national and international festivals and have been sold nationally and internationally. Her last short film BEETLE FEEDERS was made as a calling card short film for the feature THE BUTTERFLY TREE.
RYAN CHAMLEY – Ryan is the creator and part owner of “Robot Army Productions”, and the driving force behind the online viral juggernauts “Rostered On” and “Jeremy the Dud” with millions of viewers worldwide. He has directed over 35 music videos, countless short films, corporates and advertising campaigns.With a talent to habitually go over the top when coming up with concepts, Ryan’s passion is in storytelling and taking the viewer on a journey. Unafraid to think outside the box, he has developed a style that champions concepts that are truly unique, not just a regurgitation of “what’s hot”.
DENA CURTIS – Producer/ Director, Dena Curtis began her media training in Tennant Creek. In 2000, she relocated to Alice Springs to work as the Production Assistant at CAAMA Productions. A selftaught editor, Dena studied a graduate diploma in Television Editing at AFTRS in 2002. On completion of this diploma she returned to CAAMA Productions and worked as an Editor and Production Coordinator for a number of years. Credits include Rosalie’s Journey, Lore of Love and Willaberta Jack. In 2005, Dena wrote/directed her first short drama, Yota Dreaming, which was later broadcast on NITV. In 2007 Dena wrote/directed her second short film Hush, which won the audience award for Best Foreign Short Film at the Films de Femmes, Créteil France, whilst her documentary; Cheeky Dog, premiered at the Sydney Film Festival. In 2009 Dena premiered another multi-award winning short film Jacob at Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival. After a short stint at NITV, Dena joined the ABC as the Series Producer on Message Sticks than later became the Commissioning Editor for Indigenous overseeing development and production on Warwick Thornton’s The Darkside, Yagan, 88, The Redfern Story, Outside Chance and Wild Kitchen. Dena left the ABC in 2014 to direct the first Aboriginal Narrative Comedy Series, 8MMM Aboriginal Radio. She then went on to direct Nan and a Whole Lot of Trouble, written by Sue McPherson, which premiered at the 2016 Flickerfest Short Film Festival in Sydney. More recently, Dena applies her many skills, as a Producer and Director, developing projects through her Production Company Inkey Media. Dena completed for her documentary series, Shadow Trackers a program in which she directed and co-produced with WildBear Entertainment’s Veronica Fury for NITV and Feature documentary, Ella, directed by Douglas Watkins. She has consulted on documentary series, Stop Laughing This is Serious, Seasons 1&2 and Testing Teachers for ScreenTime. As well as writing on NITV’s groundbreaking series, Family Rules, as well as directing the 4th series of successful Art Program, Colour Theory. Currently, Dena is producing “Grace Beside Me”, a 13x26min Live-Action Children’s Series with fellow Producer Lois Randall. The series will premiere on NITV, ABC and Disney Australia in 2018.
PHIL ENCHELMAIER – Phil Enchelmaier is a Brisbane-based screenwriter and playwright. He is co-creator/co-writer of Safe Harbour, a miniseries for Matchbox Pictures/SBS. Prior TV credits include Jar Dwellers: SOS (Viskatoons) and Mako Mermaids (Jonathan M. Shiff Productions), on which he was Script Coordinator for two seasons. Phil also served as Script Coordinator on the first season of Wanted (Matchbox/R&R). He serves at Hoodlum as Script Editor on Harrow, their forthcoming ABC / ABC International series. Phil wrote the screenplay for the short film Rocketman (dir: Nick Colla), which screened at Flickerfest in 2015 and was nominated for an AWGIE. Phil has recently returned to playwriting; his play Eternal Night With Jeronimus, inspired by the Batavia massacre, was workshopped by Sport For Jove (Sydney) in August 2016.
AARON FA’AOSO – Aaron is an extremely highly regarded Actor, Producer, Writer, and Director based in Cairns. He is one of Australia’s most recognised Indigenous (Torres Strait Islander) Actors. Aaron began his career in acting roles, in which capacity he is best known for his appearances in BLACK COMEDY, which was nominated for Most Outstanding Comedy Program at the 2015 Logies. He first came to prominence in 2004 with his performance as ‘Eddie’ in the critically-acclaimed SBS mini-series, R.A.N. Aaron joined the multi award winning SBS series EAST WEST 101. His other television credits include the German series MUNCHEN 7, CITY HOMICIDE, SEA PATROL and BIKIE WARS: BROTHERS IN ARMS on Network Ten. In 2009, Aaron made his feature film debut SUBDIVISION and in 2016 appeared in Ivan Sen’s feature, GOLDSTONE. Aaron is also an accomplished stage actor. Aaron is a four-time Deadly Award nominee for Male Actor of the Year. Aaron is an owner of production company Lonestar. Since 2006, Aaron has also been active behind the camera, writing and directing the short film, SHARP EYE, as part of the SBS Television series BIT OF BLACK BUSINESS. In 2012, Aaron Associate produced and starred opposite UK actor Brian Cox in the ABC crime drama, THE STRAITS. In 2015-16 Aaron was the Producer attachment with Bunya Productions on GOLDSTONE. Presently, Aaron (through Lonestar) is active across a range of projects including BLUE WATER EMPIRE for the ABC; Producer of YATHA PATHAYK: COMING OF AGE and The DINGHY GIRLS: IT’S All ABOUT GIRL POWER for ABC iView; and the Producer, Writer, and Director of ELEMENTS – a coproduction with Wild Bear for the NITV network. Since entering into the film and television industry Aaron has wanted to create content for the global market and to develop his knowledge and skills as a ‘show runner’. Following the global interest in THE STRAITS, in particular from the US, he has been working to explore the opportunities to create Australian content for the commercial global market or to create content generally for the international space.
VERONICA FURY – Veronica Fury is an Executive Producer and Principal of WildBear Entertainment, one of Australia’s largest factual entertainment production companies with offices in Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra. Veronica is one of Australia’s most accomplished documentary and factual entertainment producers, with over 90 hours of primetime television and feature documentaries to her name. Veronica has worked with television broadcasters ABC, Discovery and SBS in Australia and major international broadcasters including ZDF Arte, Nat Geo, American Heroes Channel, TG4 and Arte France. Her most recent primetime television credits include the successful Snake Boss series – one of the highest rating shows on Animal Planet Australia ever! Veronica also has a strong track record in producing high profile, award winning feature documentaries and credits include TIFF selected Machete Maidens Unleashed! and AACTA award nominated film Curse of the Gothic Symphony. Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films was coproduced with Brett Ratner and RatPac and premiered at London Film Festival and TIFF in 2015 before being released by Warner Brothers. She currently has a large slate of projects in various stages of development and production. A member of industry body Screen Producers Australia, Veronica currently sits on the Board of Curriculum at Bond University and the Advisory Board of Screenrights. She is also a keynote speaker and guest lecturer at Queensland University of Technology and Griffith Film School. Veronica also regularly attends key international markets including AIDC, MIPCOM and World Congress of Science and Factual Producers.
JULIE KALCEFF – Julie Kalceff is an award-winning writer, director and producer. A graduate of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School with a Masters Degree in Scriptwriting, Julie has been working in the film and television industry for over 15 years. Julie is the creator, writer, director and a producer of the international hit multi-platform drama Starting From Now. Attracting both critical and popular acclaim, the series is one of Australia’s most successful multi-platform projects. It has amassed over 34 million views, been watched in over 230 countries, and was sold to broadcast television in Australia. Starting From Now has played on the global festival circuit, winning multiple awards. With Starting From Now, Julie went against the online comedy trend and created a web series model which is now used as a case-study around the world. Julie has also helped raise public awareness around the lack of diversity on screen. She has paved the way by embedding diverse characters in stories with broad appeal. Julie is highly sought after as a speaker, panelist and judge at industry events and festivals. Julie recently received development funding through Screen Australia’s Gender Matters initiative and is currently in development on her half-hour drama series Torn. She was also commissioned by the ABC to write and direct First Day, a stand-alone television episode about a 12 year-old transgender girl starting high school.
SIMON KENNEDY – In 2013, Simon Kennedy traded life as the front man for a pub rock band to be the face and manager of YouTube kids’ song channel, Songs with Simon, which has over 28 million views and 35,000 subscribers. He has won national short story and poetry competitions and is co-creator of the television series, Safe Harbour, due to air on SBS in 2018.
MANDY LAKE – Ex-photo journalist and investigative journalism tutor, Mandy Lake came home to the glorious world of filmmaking in 2004 when she co-established Flickchicks film production house with producer Margie Brown. Despite being initially quite snake phobic, Mandy directed, wrote and co-edited Snake Boss/Sheila and is now entertaining the idea of getting a pet python! Mandy is working on a slate of factual projects including: The Irwin Effect, Bowled Over: A dragumentary, Third Eye View, Psychic Roadtrip and Finders Seekers. In 2011, Mandy directed, wrote and edited the award-winning ABC TV-commissioned documentary, The 100+ Club.
MICHELLE LAW – Michelle Law is a freelance writer based in Brisbane. She writes for magazines, journals, newspapers, film and television. She is the co-author of the comedy book, Sh*t Asian Mothers Say, and has had her work anthologised in books like Women of Letters and Destroying the Joint. Some of the places she’s written for include the Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Life, frankie magazine, and the Griffith Review. As a screenwriter, she has received an Australian Writer’s Guild AWGIE award for her interactive media work, and had her films screened on the ABC and at film festivals locally and abroad. She is the winner of the 2016 Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Award. Her first play Single Asian Female was staged at La Boite Theatre Company in 2017 and her online series Homecoming Queens will appear on SBS On Demand.
NAOMI SIMSON –Naomi is the founding director of online experience retailer RedBalloon. She’s an investor on Network Ten’s popular television series Shark Tank, a business blogger and author and co-founder of the The Big Red Group (BRG) an organisation housing her four businesses RedBalloon, Redii, Wrapped and The Huddle. After securing the exclusive rights to bring the world’s first AI digital marketing platform Albert to Australia and New Zealand, BRG is paving the way for fully autonomous digital marketing campaigns. A true business influencer and leader with more than 2 million LinkedIn followers, she’s Australia’s most followed person on the business networking platform. She’s author of three books including the bestseller Live What You Love, I Want What She’s Having and Ready to Soar. Naomi also assists entrepreneurs in turning their ideas into big business through her online course ‘Building your Business Brand’.
KRISTEN SOUVLIS – After heading the production of internationally acclaimed series ‘Mako Mermaids’, ‘H20: Just Add Water’, ‘The Elephant Princess’ and ‘Vikings: Athelstan’s Journey’, Kristen Souvlis is now the co-founder and Managing Director at Like A Photon Creative, a multi award-winning production company that specialises in producing outstanding children’s content, including a pre-school series for Disney Junior, ‘BALLOON BARNYARD’ and award-winning segments for SESAME STREET USA’s 45th- 49th Seasons.
BRETT THORNQUEST – In forming Eclectik Vision, the driving motivation for founding producer Brett Thornquest, was a dedication to build upon his extensive production and advisory experience and relationships formedand collaborate with creatives around the world with a shared vision to co‐develop, finance and produce outstanding and diverse media properties for the world markets. Eclectik Vision can provide the creative and financial capital needed to develop and produce select film and television properties. Since its inception in 2013, Eclectic Vision has produced 4 x feature films ‐ INFINI, TERMINUS, THE OSIRIS CHILD and BETTER WATCH OUT, with two further productions planned in 2018. Eclectik Vision takes on the principles of eclecticism; a conceptual approach that derives ideas, style, and taste from a broad and diverse range of sources and the ability to interpret and collaborate with people in a creative way. In addition to Eclectik Vision, Brett Thornquest (Registered Tax Agent and CPA) is the founding principal of a private group of business advisory and service companies, established in 2009 operating solely within the entertainment industry.
