Newly-appointed ABC managing director Hugh Marks and Screen Australia chair Michael Ebeid will take the stage at Screen Producers Australia’s Screen Forever conference on the Gold Coast in May, with the pair among more than 150 speakers for the event.
Marks, former CEO of Nine, took over the top job at the national broadcaster from David Anderson this month, after being appointed unanimously for a five-year term last December. Ebeid, the former CEO and managing director of SBS, has had slightly longer as head of the Screen Australia board, replacing Nicholas Moore at the head of the Screen Australia board in February 2024.
Both will speak as part of the Channels of Influence, one of five conference threads alongside Critical Change, Radical Storytelling, Discoverability and Audience, and From Mandates to Money.
SPA CEO Matthew Deaner described this year’s program, held under the theme of Changing the Narrative, as one of the “most ambitious and thought-provoking yet”.
“Developed in collaboration with industry experts, it reflects the evolving landscape of our sector and the critical conversations shaping its future,” he said.
“We’ve designed a program that challenges conventional thinking and will provide delegates unique opportunities to engage with industry leaders, spark innovative ideas, and foster meaningful business connections and co-production opportunities.
“Our industry is at a defining moment, navigating both disruption and opportunity globally. Screen Forever 39 provides a platform to explore these shifts, offering delegates the chance to be part of transformative discussions that will help define the future of Australian screen production.”
Sessions under Critical Change include Futureproofing Your Screen Business By Putting People First, which will explore how crews can be supported better, facilitating better results, along with explorations on The Value of the Producer Credit, Cultural Safety for International Co-Productions, Representation Matters: The Next Big Opportunity, Cut Costs & Carbon: Sustainable Production That Pays Off, and Exploring AI’s Impact on Screen Producers: What’s Ahead?
Of the sessions under the Radical Storytelling fundamental, there is Sharing the Vision – How Writers and Producers Collaborate to Develop a Scripted Series for a Green Light; The Showrunner Equation: Writers, Producers & Blurred Lines – both featuring Australian and International leading talent behind some of the biggest shows on our screens; Climate for Stories, featuring a panel of international and homegrown experts; Reboots vs Originals, a dissection of reinventing IP versus creating original work; and The Power of Procedurals & Comfort TV – Why We Keep Coming Back, where international producers will break down the appeal of staple genres and discuss potential secrets behind their enduring success.
Discoverability and Audience features multiple sessions that delve into the data of audiences and the economy of attention, such as From Broadcast to Netflix to YouTube: Breaking Down Gen Z Audience Viewing Habits, Screen Time Savvy: Reaching Kids in the Digital Playground, Creators: The Talent Pool You Need to Tap Into, and Everything’s Online: The Digital Hustle and How to Stay Ahead.
In Mandates to Money, delegates will hear from the new commissioning team at NITV in First Nations Futures: Charting a Bold New Era at NITV as well as Screen Australia and all state and territory screen agencies in the annual Meet the Funders sessions.
The conference rounds out with the game show event Redlight Greenlight, where the audience will watch as a team of industry professionals brainstorm a project live while being judged in real time by established buyers.
It will be followed by the 23rd Annual SPA Awards on Thursday, May 8.
Queensland Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the Gold Coast was the ideal place for the Australian screen production sector to meet and explore new opportunities.
“The Crisafulli Government is proud to support Screen Forever to help drive the economic and employment benefits of the industry,” he said.
“Through Screen Queensland’s incentives and funds, we are growing the state’s production and post-production potential while supporting local businesses and showcasing our state to the globe.”
The program announcement comes after SPA unveiled the delegates for the Canada Connect co-production market earlier this month.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney commended SPA for delivering a “forward-thinking program that strengthens the industry’s resilience and adaptability”.
“The Queensland Government’s partnership with Screen Forever is an important element of the state’s globally connected screen industry and we welcome leaders and producer participants from across the breadth of our sector,” she said.
“Now is the time for insightful dialogue and collective learning to navigate both disruption and
opportunity in the ever-evolving screen landscape.”
Screen Forever will be held May 6-8 on the Gold Coast. Find more information about this year’s schedule here.