Screenworks (Australia)

Screenworks and Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) have partnered for a fifth year to bring you AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes. This opportunity gives aspiring Australian creatives the chance to develop a feature film that brings regional Australia to the big screen. We’re looking for original film concepts that showcase regional Australia as a central character and setting. Selected finalists will pitch to industry judges, with the winner receiving development funding, mentorship, and industry opportunities to take their concept to market. What’s up for grabs? - $5,000 in prize money - Script development & industry mentorship - Live script read at AACTA Festival 2026 - Exclusive industry connections - Tickets to the 2026 AACTA Awards & Screenworks Forum Find out more and apply here: https://buff.ly/4gA3Da7 Submissions close 5pm AEDT, Monday March 17, 2025.

Join Screenworks on Tuesday 11, March for an engaging conversation with seasoned documentary professionals as they explore the creative and technical processes behind crafting compelling real-world narratives. Presented in partnership with Bangalow Film Festival, moderated by Cody Greenwood, the panel will feature Eliza Cox, Veronica Fury, @Molly Reynolds and Paul Wiegard who will delve into the art of capturing truth through the lens. The panel discussion begins at 6:30pm AEDT at A&I Hall, Bangalow, followed by networking drinks and finger food, with the first fifty attendees to register receiving a complimentary drink. Screenworks members with a ticket to the panel discussion and networking drinks are eligible to apply for fifteen-minute one on ones with the guest speakers, from 5pm to 6pm - just before the panel discussion kicks off. Book HERE: https://lnkd.in/gQGq2ZrR

Looking forward to helping regional filmmakers curate their professional screen presence!

Member consultations return for 2025 with Screenworks' Communications Coordinator, Emily Hutchinson sitting down with four emerging regional film practitioners keen to learn how to curate their image and establish their creative presence. Emily is an expert in helping both individuals and corporations build a strong creative reputation having worked with some of the most recognised local and international brands and publishers. Through her role in the Screenworks team, Emily also has the unique vantage point of understanding the intersection between the screen industry and communications; building a filmmaking presence and brand is paramount to pitching yourself and your work. Four half-hour consultation slots are available and will be delivered online, running back-to-back from 10am to 12pm (NSW, Eastern Australian Time) on Thursday, 20 February. Bookings open at 9am on Thursday, 6 February and will be allocated at a first come first serve basis. Book here: https://buff.ly/4jF26lR

Spend a day with Mandy Lake and get your pitch on! For this one day Screenworks workshop in Ballina, Mandy will talk through how to not only pitch your project, but how to pitch yourself. She will cover a wide scope of topics including how to develop written pitch materials and teasers, networking tactics, and delving into the ins and outs of finding potential funding sources, marketplaces, and industry peeps to pitch to. The day will be rounded off with the chance to put your new-found skills and tactics into practice with a speed-dating pitching session, followed by optional networking drinks. This is set to be an incredibly informative workshop and with Mandy involved, you can bet it will also be FUN! When: 24 February, 2025 Where: Ballina Surf Club Screenworks member tickets: $75 Non-members: $100 Tickets here: https://buff.ly/4juthA1

At 4pm, Thursday 6 February, join Screenworks at Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Festival where there will be a live read of AACTA Regional Pitch 2024's winning script, OVER HER DEAD BODY. This is a fantastic opportunity to watch and learn from the reading process of development where actors bring the characters on the pages to life. It's also a chance to hear what made OVER HER DEAD BODY the winning script. Book here: https://buff.ly/40vDlzM

Sara Khan (Program Manager at Screenworks) and Susie Hamilton (Director of Professional Development at The Australian Writers' Guild) will be taking part in a live Q&A discussion on the Seeding Storytellers program which is currently accepting applications. Designed to provide the appropriate professional development required for the role of a note-taker, Seeding Storytellers will help set up emerging First Nations Screenwriters for the best chance of success in their careers. The Q&A will take place at 12pm (AEDT), Tuesday 4 February via Instagram and Facebook. If you'd like to send in a question for Susie and Sara to answer about the program or about being in a writers room, please comment on this post with your question and we will endeavour to ask it on the day.

Regional Crew Pathways Program calls for applicants in Tasmania! Backed by Netflix and supported by Screen Tasmania and the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), this entry level initiative will provide recent film and media graduates with a highly sought after opportunity to get their first professional paid crew role. Regional Crew Pathways Program is a two-step training program open to applicants from across Tasmania. In the first step, selected participants will undertake the AFTRS’ On-Set Onboarding course, held in Hobart, 26th – 28th February 2025. In the second step, course participants can then nominate to be considered for the six-month paid placement. Find out more and apply here: https://buff.ly/4gi3S9W

Our fourth and final group for Screenworks' Annual Fundraising Raffle has been announced with Lois Randall (Founder and Producer at Magpie Pictures), Helen Bowden (Managing Director and Producer at Lingo Pictures), Tracey Mair (Director, Tracey Mair Publicity) and Rachel Okine (Head of Scripted at ABC) generously donating their time for 1-1 meetings. The four winners will have the opportunity to spend 15 minutes with each of these impressive screen industry professionals via Zoom. The more tickets you buy the more chance you have of winning! Buy tickets here: https://buff.ly/4hoBW4R

BBC Studios Productions Australia has partnered with Screenwest to bring the production of supernatural comedy GHOSTS to Western Australia. We're thrilled to see Northern Queensland writer and producer Shontell Ketchell, who is in Screenworks' Career Pathways program, is working on this exciting new series as a writer, along with Libby Butler who was a speaker at NQ Forum. We won't be missing this one! Read the full story: https://buff.ly/4hoHexA