After a very busy beginning to the conference, practitioners slowed down and took some time for mindfulness at the Breathwork and Sound Healing Experience before the first sessions of the day began.

Legendary Partnerships of Screen: Ron Howard and Bill Connor In Conversation

Moderator: Schuyler Weiss (Bazmark)

Panellists: Ron Howard (Imagine Entertainment) and Bill Connor (producer/first assistant director)

First session off the rank was the much-anticipated In Conversation event with legendary production partners Ron Howard and Bill Connor moderated by Bazmark’s Schuyler Weiss. The pair shared the secret to their close partnership that sees Connor work alongside Howard as a first assistant director from pre-production and through post.

Ron Howard and Bill Connor recently wrapped filming for the upcoming survival thriller feature film Eden on the Gold Coast, their next production to film in the state after Thirteen Lives.

“The talent pool you have there in Queensland is astonishing, so Eden was kinda a no-brainer,” said Bill.

On what the Australian industry does well and how we can grow:

“You’ve done a good job of exporting a culture that people feel a lot of affection for,” said Ron.

“With the amount of productions flocking to you, there’s always a danger that you have to pay attention to nurturing and fostering community to really sustain multiple productions,” said Bill. “It’s important as filmmakers to build up that talent around us.”

“More than ever, you have to cut through the clutter,” said Ron. “You can’t make something that is cookie-cutter and that is the best defence against being usurped by AI. At the end of the day it’s going to be originality that matters.”

Meet the Funders: State Screen Agencies

Moderator: Rosie Lourde (Unless Pictures)

Panellists: Jacqui Feeney (Screen Queensland), Alex Sangston (Screen Tasmania), Holly Trueman (Screen Canberra), Jennie Hughes (Screen Territory)

This panel of agency decision-makers discussed the business side of state agency funding. They shared about their agency’s current and upcoming offerings and the areas of the industry that they intend to focus on in the next 12 months.

Is Diversity for Hire?

Moderator: Rosie Lourde (Unless Pictures)

Panellists: Chika Ikogwe (actor/writer), Samuel Leighton-Dore (Sad Man Studio), Bridie McKim (Accessible Arts) and Nina Oyama (comedian/writer/actor)

In this candid session, the panel discussed the role of consultants on productions, their own experiences in writing rooms and the current practice of diversity as a checkbox. Nina talked about the ‘Noah’s Ark’ approach to hiring practices and how it puts pressure on individuals to represent varied communities.

22nd Annual SPA Awards

Congratulations as well to Screen Queensland-supported productions Black Snow which won the Screen Business Export Award and In Limbo which received Comedy Program or Series Production of the Year.

Queenslander Amy Parry received the Screen Producers Australia and Screen Australia Ones to Watch Screen Internship which provides $20,000 to an up and coming producer to pursue professional development. Congratulations Amy!

Screen Forever 38 is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Screen Culture Fund.

Images courtesy of Screen Producers Australia.