Blackfella Films company director Darren Dale, actor/director Rhoda Roberts, and screenwriting pair Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna will headline next month’s Screenworks’ annual Regional To Global Screen Forum, with the initial lineup for the hybrid event announced today.
Featuring three days of interactive sessions, one-on-one meetings, and networking activities, the conference is designed to provide opportunities for regional screen practitioners to connect with domestic and global decision-makers and industry influencers.
Other confirmed speakers include producers Tony Ayres and Rosemary Blight, as well as Bus Stop Films CEO Tracey Corbin-Matchett.
Screenworks CEO Ken Crouch said this year’s event would be a timely showcase of regional storytelling.
“We’re so excited to be bringing the screen community together in person and online again in 2022,” he said.
“It’s been another challenging year, particularly with our Northern Rivers and Southeast Queensland regions being hit by catastrophic flooding in recent weeks, impacting many of our practitioners.
“Our Regional To Global program this year will reflect many of the issues and challenges affecting our community, as well as exploring and celebrating the vital importance of Australian storytelling and regional creativity in an increasingly global content landscape.”
Dale and Roberts will appear in conversation to open the forum with an in conversation, while McKenna and LeFauve will be Zooming in live from LA for a discussion inspired by their podcast The Screenwriting Life.
LA is also set to be a talking point of a session headed by Australian in Film executive director Peter Ritchie entitled The Path To Hollywood, in which a selection of Australian creatives who have found success in New York and LA will share their experiences and the recipient of the Screenworks Regional Screen in LA Program will be announced.
Elsewhere in the program, Australian creatives Belinda Chayko, Ashley McLeod, Cody Greenwood, and Lisa Shaunessy will headline a session on building sustainable screen careers outside of the metropolitan areas.
Other highlights include an exploration of web series moderated by Alyce Adams from Screen Australia’s Online team, featuring actress, writer, director and producer Adele Vuko, one-third of the comedy trio Skit Box; and a session titled Supercharging Creativity from screen sector executive coach Ellenor Cox.
The forum will incorporate the announcement of the Screenworks AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes winner for 2022, with AACTA awards and industry development manager Ivan Vukusic to reveal the successful team on May 28.
For the first time this year, Screenworks will also run a New Kids On The Block program to support first-timers at the Regional To Global event. The initiative, supported by Screen NSW, Screen Queensland and Screen Tasmania, will offer selected newcomers the opportunity to have their travel and accommodation paid for and take part in special activities designed to help them make the most of the conference’s sessions and networking opportunities.
The Regional To Global Screen Forum will be held at the Lennox Head Cultural Centre from May 26 – 28. More information can be found here.