Screen Queensland has appointed Jo Dillon, formerly a development executive at Screen Australia, in the new role of head of development and production.
This co-incides with the retirement of director-development Jock Blair after a career spanning more than 40 years, and the departure of production investment and business development executive Catherine Nebauer.
Nebauer is leaving mid-August to become general manager of ZooMoo, billed as the world’s first kids channel dedicated to animals, launched by David Haslingden’s Beach House Pictures and NHNZ.
Dillon starts at Screen Queensland on August 25 and Blair steps down on August 1.
“As Screen Queensland continues to work with industry to grow a healthy and sustainable industry, Jo’s experience with creative and thoughtful leadership will provide exactly what the industry is asking for,” said CEO Tracey Vieira.
Vieira tells IF that Dillon is a new addition to the executive ranks and she will hire replacements for Blair and Nebauer.
Paying tribute to Blair, the CEO said, “Jock has been such strong character in the Screen Queensland story and has had a huge influence on many of our State’s success stories. Your story is only as good as the characters within them, and we’ve been fortunate to have the best with Jock Blair.”
Blair has been a writer, producer and script editor on numerous Australian programs including Home and Away, Division 4, Stingers and Matlock Police, and he co-created The Sullivans, Bluey and Skyways.
His credits also include the TV series Snowy River: The McGregor Saga and Paradise Beach and the movie Playing Beatie Bow. His last production was Tribe, a four-hour mini-series.
Vieira said of Nebauer, “Catherine has brought so much to the Queensland production community. She has been pivotal in launching the Screen Queensland Emerging Program, was behind the recent Kids Content, Games & Convergence conference and our new Enterprise Programs.
“Both Jock and Catherine have been crucial players on our team that has overseen 21 productions in the last financial year, double the number of productions on previous year’s figures.”