SCREEN FOREVER sets 2019 strategic direction
Hot on the heels of announcing SCREEN FOREVER’s move to Queensland in 2020, Screen Producers Australia (SPA) today announced the members of the SCREEN FOREVER Advisory Board for the coming year.
Comprised of twelve leading luminaries from across the Australian screen sector, including Jennifer Collins (Director of Content, Fremantle), Caroline Pitcher (CEO, Film Victoria) and Kylie Munnich (Scripted Sales & Co-Production Executive for Seven Studios), and chaired by creative force Sophia Zachariou (CEO, Bunya Productions), the Board will help to set the strategic direction for Australia’s premier screen industry event, and aid in the creation of an engaging, inspirational and business-focused program that reflects the broad spectrum of modern Australian screen content in a time when the industry is in a state of flux.
“Each year around 850 delegates travel from over a dozen countries to do business on the SCREEN FOREVER floor. In the current regulatory and economic climate, the importance of an event that allows the industry to meet and dissect current trends and innovations in film, television and emerging platforms, and to explore how to turn market threats into opportunities, cannot be overstated.
From experts in documentary and kids content, to international streamers and a VR / AR Strategist, I’m excited by the fresh ideas and dynamic perspectives our Board members will bring to the program this year, and have no doubt that our delegates will benefit from their combined skill, experience and passion,” stated SPA CEO, Matthew Deaner.
“SCREEN FOREVER is a place for content creators and commissioners to meet, exchange ideas and tackle the key issues that face our screen industry. As we become increasingly globally focused, there’s no better time to instigate the changes we need to make as an industry to help us be more competitive internationally.
The diverse and highly skilled team we’ve assembled for the SCREEN FOREVER Advisory Board is well placed to take on these challenges, and I can’t wait to knuckle down and get on with it!” said Zachariou.
Working closely with the Board will be SPA’s newly appointed Content and Event Curation Manager, Melanie Horkan, who brings to the event her experience working for TEDx Sydney and the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) 2019.
“We are living in a time of evolution - never before have we experienced so many ways to tell stories and so many ways to reach our audiences. However, many producers can feel overwhelmed in this often-fragmented market. SCREEN FOREVER provides a critical forum to illuminate issues, inspire new ideas through industry game changers and provide meaningful pathways to success for emerging and established filmmakers,” said Horkan.
The Board held their first meeting this week, with the next scheduled in the lead up to SCREEN FOREVER 2019 (12 – 14 November, Melbourne).
The full list of Board members is as follows:
Chair: Sophia Zachariou – CEO, Bunya Productions
Bernadine Lim – Head of Documentary, Screen Australia
Caroline Pitcher – CEO, Film Victoria
Cody Greenwood – Producer, Rush Films
Deirdre Brennan – Formerly Executive, NBCUniversal
Elmar Trefz - VR / AR Creative Strategist, Antler
Jennifer Collins – Director of Content, Fremantle
Kylie Munnich – Scripted Sales & Co-Production Executive for Seven Studios
Larissa Behrendt – Academic / Writer / Director – UTS / Lavarch Productions
Nick O’Donnell – Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Netflix (AU & NZ)
Penny Smallacombe – Head of Indigenous Department, Screen Australia
Que Minh Luu – Executive Producer, ABC
Tracey Vieira – CEO, Screen Queensland
