Screen Australia Podcast

Shannon Murphy on the skills she took from directing TV to features, an insight into making her feature directorial debut Babyteeth, and takeaways from directing two episodes of third season of the hit series Killing Eve. Watch the Babyteeth trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNXHJB5Mto Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Director Natalie Erika James discusses the journey from short films to making her debut feature with Relic, how Jake Gyllenhaal and the Russo brothers' production companies got involved, what she learned as a director's attachment on Leigh Whannell's Upgrade, and broader directing advice. *Language warning* Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Flying Bark Productions Managing Director Barbara Stephen discusses the animation process for projects like 100% Wolf, Maya the Bee and Blinky Bill and the similarities and differences with live action – from development, scripting, finding the right actors, through to the crossover of roles like Director of Photography.

Peter Duncan, the writer, director and co-producer of Operation Buffalo, talks about making the new ABC series, while also reflecting on the Australian and US versions of Rake. Watch a video on the making of Operation Buffalo here: https://youtu.be/Ta2uJYrJIns

Michael Carrington, the Director Entertainment and Specialist at the ABC, discusses the priorities of the public broadcaster in 2020; what content ABC are looking for; balancing acquisitions and commissions; their approach to 'bingeing' content; and opportunities such as the one-off Development Fund Fresh Start, which runs until June 12, 2020. https://www.abc.net.au/events/freshstart/

Director and producer Sophie Hyde of Closer Productions discusses the pressures of making Animals - her second feature after the 2013 award-winner 52 Tuesdays, why she always knew she wanted to be a director, and what advice she has for any aspiring directors. More info on Animals as an Official Co-production: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/screen-news/2019/09-03-a-tale-of-two-co-productions

How many episodes should a web series be? What's the difference between Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, IGTV and TikTok? What kind of audiences 'live' on each? Screen Australia Online Investment Manager Alyce Adams returns to the podcast to answer these questions and more, and reveal exactly how to identify and hook an audience online.

Hear from industry veteran Sue Masters – former Head of Scripted at SBS, Head of Drama at Network Ten, and Head of Drama at ABC – who discusses commissioning, developing, and producing Australian television including success stories such as Safe Harbour and The Hunting.

Hear from Transmission Films joint managing director Andrew Mackie about what filmmakers need to know about distributors, what makes a great pitch, how they build a strategy for their features, and how the determination of Ride Like a Girl director Rachel Griffiths helped make that film such a success.

Screen Australia Distribution Manager Anthony Grundy gives an introduction to distribution, including what a distributor does, what an exhibitor is, what P&A means, and his thoughts on the challenges in the distribution landscape at the moment. FURTHER INFO Finance Plans Podcast Recoupment vs Profit guide

Hear from Australian producer Liz Watts of Porchlight Films about her career, collaborations and the realities of creating films and TV in 2020. Watts discusses everything from collaborating with Netflix and David Michod on The King, to the impact of Animal Kingdom, streaming True History of the Kelly Gang on Stan, and seeing Cate Shortland leap from independent Australian cinema like Lore to Marvel's Black Widow. Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

The Heights season 2 script producer/writer Romina Accurso and script editor/writer Hannah Carroll Chapman reveal lessons they learned from soaps like Home and Away, their writing process, advice, and the various roles you might find in a script department. Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Screen Australia Senior Investment Manager Shana Levine explains two crucial documents for Australian productions – the finance plan and recoupment waterfall. Visit this article for links to a sample finance plan and recoupment waterfall, and read about the five most common mistakes Shana sees in applications: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/screen-news/2020/01-17-podcast-finance-plans-explained Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

The Australian director behind Netflix's short form comedy series Special, Anna Dokoza, and it's writer, creator and star Ryan O'Connell talk about how the series came about, authentic casting, Hollywood's views on diversity, and the pros of working on a comedy with bingeable 15-minute episodes. LANGUAGE WARNING: This episode contains mild course language. And a lot of laughs.

Stan CEO Mike Sneesby discusses the beginnings of Australia's premiere streaming service, their $200 million investment, major output deals, and his thoughts on Netflix, Disney, limited theatrical windows and pitching. Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Judy & Punch writer/director Mirrah Foulkes talks about making the leap from short films to features, her advice for anyone doing the same, how her background as an actor influences her directing style, and about being a member of the Blue-Tongue Films collective. Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

In his first long-form interview since starting at Screen Australia, Chief Operating Officer Michael Brealey discusses the emergence of streamers, what he's hearing from industry, challenges around regulatory reform, and takeaways from the 2018/19 Drama Report. He also addresses Screen Australia's priorities going forward and why the future is bright for Aussie creatives. Read the full report here. Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Matchbox Pictures is one of Australia's most successful and prolific producers of television, and in this in-depth interview Managing Director Alastair McKinnon talks about the company and industry at large. He discusses working with global parent company NBCUniversal, how much time projects take to develop, pitching tips, and providing a pathway for emerging talent with their series The Heights. Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts. Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

In this latest podcast episode Screen Australia's Head of Documentary Bernadine Lim talks through the funding available to documentarians, what the agency is looking for, and how they assess applications. Lim also speaks to the proposed changes to documentary guidelines, including who they will benefit and how to submit feedback before 27 October 2019. To read the discussion paper, or submit feedback on the revised guidelines: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/new-directions/documentary-program-revision-2019 Subscribe to the Screen Australia newsletter: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason discusses Toronto International Film Festival 2019, the six Australian titles that were selected for it, and industry trends. He also gives an overview of television market MIPCOM and provides key pieces of advice for Australians preparing to attend international festivals or markets. For more information, visit: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/festivals-and-markets Subscribe to Screen Australia Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Pocket Casts.

Producers John and Dan Edwards of Roadshow Rough Diamond discuss new series Les Norton and keeping up with the changes in Australian TV. The father-son duo – who between them have around five decades of television experience – dish their thoughts on creating space for new voices, what commissioners are looking for, important TV markets, and genres that sell internationally. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Four years since the announcement of Gender Matters, producer Joanna Werner of Dance Academy and Riot is glad the conversation around female representation in the industry hasn't abated. Werner talks through some of the trends in new industry-wide data, balancing career and motherhood, the journey of Dance Academy, her hopes for the future and much more. Werner also discusses Screen Australia's Gender Matters KPI which it set out to achieve three years ago, and the newly announced KPI, whereby 50% of the key creatives in projects that receive development or production funding are women, across a three-year-average. Werner is joined on the podcast by Judy and Punch writer/director Mirrah Foulkes and Eliza Reilly, the co-writer/co-director of Sheilas, who briefly speak about the greater impact of support on their careers. To read the new industry wide data or learn more about the new Gender Matters KPI, visit the Screen Australia website, or click here https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2019/08-21-gender-matters-target-exceeded-new-kpi The audio at the beginning of the podcast episode is taken from the Gender Matters launch video​, with speakers including writer/director Corrie Chen, actor Alison Whyte and producer Sue Maslin. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Since starting out as a script assistant on Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, television writer Niki Aken's career has covered script editing, freelance writing and script producing. Unsure of what any of these roles are? On the latest episode of the Screen Australia podcast, Aken explains the different work out there for television writers who are on the more traditional career progression route (acknowledging that many people are creating their own pathways online). Aken also gives her top tips for writers starting out and the way the Australian industry could better utilise writers beyond handing in a script. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

What's the Producer Offset? How much is it worth? How do I get it? How long will it take? These are just some of the topics covered by Michele McDonald, Senior Manager of Screen Australia's Producer Offset and Co-Production Unit (POCU), in this latest podcast episode. Michele discusses the basics – such as the Significant Australian Content (SAC) test and how many government offsets you can get - to more intricate queries around the Gallipoli Clause, and the use of Cinema on Demand in feature film applications. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] FURTHER READING Producer Offset eligibility criteria and information The Location Offset & Location Incentive PDV Offset In addition to the 10% Create NSW, SAFC and Screen Qld PDV Incentives, Film Victoria also offer a negotiable PDV Incentive

Screen Australia Project Manager Kelly Vincent walks us through the ins and outs of creating a strong application with an accurate budget. Kelly gives her advice on a broad range of topics including: how to make sure your budget reflects your script, why a production accountant is worth their weight in gold, why you need to include marketing and publicity spend, the meaning of terms such as completion guarantor, and how to know how much items will cost. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected] OTHER RESOURCES Motion Picture Production Agreement (MPPA) https://www.meaa.org/download/mppa-summary-2018/ The Production Book http://productionbook.com.au/ Broadcasting and Recorded Entertainment Award https://www.meaa.org/download/brea/ AZ Budgets can be found in the Screen Australia document library: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/about-us/doing-business-with-us/document-library

Producer Kristina Ceyton reveals what stories resonate with Causeway Films and their approach to film festivals. Ceyton discusses how she and writer/director Jennifer Kent came to work together on their debut feature The Babadook, how The Nightingale came about, and other features on their slate. She also walks listeners through which markets they try to attend, the process of getting a sales agent and how significant a world premiere at a top-tier film festival can be. For an expanded breakdown of Ceyton's approach to film festivals alongside comments from Screen Australia representatives, read the Intel piece The Babadook to Nightingale: Festival Release Strategies: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/Screen-News/2019/06-11-festival-release-strategies Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Screen Australia investment managers Lee Naimo and Alyce Adams answer the questions any burgeoning (or existing) online creator might need to know before hitting that 'submit' button on their application. As investment managers, Lee and Alyce assess applications for online support in development, production and completion funding, and they reveal what they're looking for, how to know how much money to ask for, and why you should get in touch before you apply. The pair also talk about success stories, including The Katering Show, Bondi Hipsters, Aunty Donna, Kacie Anning, Superwog and the Gender Matters-supported series Sheilas, and they discuss the power of niche audiences – clearly seen in the views behind hits such as Mining Boom on Starting From Now. This is essential listening for any Aussie online creator. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Writer/producer Raelle Tucker (True Blood, Jessica Jones, Sacred Lies) and director Jeremy Podeswa (Game of Thrones, The Handmaid's Tale, Six Feet Under, American Horror Story) discuss how TV has changed – and what they've learnt within it. While in Australia, Raelle and Jeremy, who met making an episode of True Blood together, talk about balancing the roles of a writer and director and an issue on set they had to navigate together. Jeremy reveals the role a director plays even in large established series such as Game of Thrones (with the season 7 finale an example). And Raelle also discusses how creating the Facebook Watch series Sacred Lies differed from making a traditional series – especially when it came to measuring its success. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe Have any feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Scripted Ink Head of Development Tim Pye discusses being an Australian screenwriter in 2019 – why writers need to think internationally, practical tips for those starting out, and the pros and cons of SVODs. Pye explains how the showrunner of NCIS: LA Shane Brennan is helping change and educate the local industry, how he believes the term 'showrunner' in Australia differs to the US, and even breaks down the difference between a 'story by' and 'written by' credit. Pye also demystifies the three organisations working behind the scenes to help – the Australian Writers' Guild, the Authorship Collecting Society AWGACS, and Scripted Ink. Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

Writer, producer and showrunner Dominic Minghella (Doc Martin, Knightfall) gives his insight into the highs and lows of creating television in this latest episode from the Screen Australia podcast. Minghella reveals his "radical answer" to how Australians and Brits can compete with global productions, how to stop the brain drain to the US, and how the UK financing model works. *This episode contains some strong language* Subscribe to Screen News here where you'll get all the latest features, videos, podcasts and funding announcement delivered straight to your inbox: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/subscribe

GLOW writer and co-executive producer Sascha Rothchild dishes out advice on writing in this wide-ranging interview.

Executive producer Nathan Ross (Dallas Buyers Club, Big Little Lies, Sharp Objects) on the importance of creative collaborations, launching Crazyrose, and how his background as a talent agent informs his approach to producing.

The co-founders of Emmy award winning studio Ludo on creating a business that's sustainable, yet bursting with creativity.

Hear from Screen Australia's CEO Graeme Mason in this extended interview on everything from production activity to deals, distribution and the Producer Offset.

The CEO of Screen Producers Australia Matt Deaner discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

Ladies in Black producers Sue Milliken and Allanah Zitserman break down the financing and distribution of their new feature.

In this wide-ranging interview, the CEO of the ADG discusses everything from royalties to the impact of streaming.

The producer and founder of Practical Pictures, Sheila Hanahan Taylor, on the art of pitching – what to do, what not to do – and how the Australian industry is different to the US.

Australian producer Kylie du Fresne from Goalpost Pictures joins journalist Caris Bizzaca to talk about Upgrade, the genre feature she produced with Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions (Get Out, Paranormal Activity). She talks about the differences between the US studio system and the Australian screen industry, what she learnt about creating genre films from Upgrade's writer/director Leigh Whannell (writer of the Saw and Insidious franchises), and why Upgrade was brought to Australia in the first place – including the importance of the Producer Offset in getting it made. Links: Producer Offset 101 video; Find out more about the Producer Offset; More podcast episodes, and more, at Screen News.

Screen Australia Senior Development Executive Nerida Moore and Senior Manager of Program Operations Diana Burnett join journalist Caris Bizzaca from Screen News to discuss what development funding actually is, what the big changes in these guidelines are, and what they will mean for the Australian screen industry.

Directors Yolanda Ramke and Ben Howling talk about their experience directing their first feature film Cargo. Ramke and Howling discuss how their viral success with their Tropfest short film led to the opportunity to develop the idea into a feature, how they sought to elevate the story by including the perspective of Indigenous Australians, and how it became the first Australian Netflix Original feature film. Watch the video interview at: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/screen-news/2018/04-26-cargo-meet-the-filmmakers

A look at Official Co-productions through the eyes of documentary producers who've done it.

Sydney Films' Head of Production Mark Lazarus gives his advice on making an Official Co-production with China.

Rosemary Blight and Ben Grant from Goalpost Pictures talk to Screen News journalist Caris Bizzaca about Official Co-productions in TV.

Screen Australia's Tim Phillips and Colleen Champ discuss the ins and outs of Official Co-productions.

Australian producer Emile Sherman shares his insights working on Official Co-productions.

Directors Gillian Armstrong, Rachel Perkins and Beth Armstrong join AFTRS CEO Neil Peplow and Screen Australia's Fiona Cameron to discuss gender parity.