Local practitioners and delegates from around the world have gathered on the Gold Coast for Screen Forever 38 this week. The morning began with the Ireland Connect delegates touring the local sights before the opening address from Screen Producers Australia CEO, Matthew Deaner.
Matthew emphasised the importance of the industry combining their efforts to bring positive outcomes with the current federal government reforms. Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney welcomed the attendees and set out our intentions to create more Queensland stories and facilitating the retention of local Intellectual Property (IP).
We also heard from Dan Fahy from Ampere Analysis on the data trends in the industry, indicating the rise in advertising, acquisitions and unscripted commissioning alongside the increasingly competitive nature of scripted commissioning by streamers and broadcasters.
ABC PRESENTS: THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Moderator: Marc Fennell
Panellists: Roberta Allan, Mary Callery, Kathryn Fink, Phil Hunt, Benjamin Law, Catherine Nebauer, Adrian Swift
In this panel featuring speakers from across the globe, the topic of conversation was where Australian screen stories are situated in the international context and how the local industry can expand globally.
The panel discussed how we are beyond the stage where Australian stories are a novelty or limited by factors like accents or explaining our cultural eccentricities. International audiences are much more open to authentic and distinctive cultural differences on screen as universal themes unite a growing audience where borders are blurring through streamer distribution. Co-production is the watchword with the industry continuing in risk-adverse commissioning.
HECTOR CRAWFORD MEMORIAL LECTURE: MAGDA SZUBANSKI
Magda Szubanski gave the honoured Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture, talking about the weight of responsibility that comes with storytelling particularly when it comes to representation of opinion and who has the right to share stories.
IN CONVERSATION WITH DEIRDRE BRENNAN (CEO – SCREEN AUSTRALIA)
Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner sat down with the new CEO of Screen Australia Deirdre Brennan to talk vision for the screen agency during her brand new tenure. She touched on children’s television being one of the biggest indicators for future directions in the industry.
Screen Australia’s focus will include crafting more meaningful partnerships with those that they fund and creating opportunities rather than being transactional in their approach, as well as consolidating research and data on the Australian audience. As for her crystal ball predictions, Deirdre said that this is the moment for the resurgence of feature film, which will see independent voices emerge and transactional rights are the next frontier.
The day ended with an evening of networking out on the lawn where practitioners of all backgrounds and areas of expertise could meet, chat and reflect on a day full of fresh ideas.
Screen Forever 38 is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Screen Culture Fund.
Images courtesy of Screen Producers Australia.
SCREEN FOREVER 38 DAY 2 WRAP UP
SCREEN FOREVER 38 DAY 3 WRAP UP
