Screen Forever announces Q+A host and panelists – Today Screen Producers Australia (SPA) announced an In Conversation session with the internationally esteemed Head of Global TV at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Ted Miller, and two ABC sessions that celebrate Australian First Nations storytelling, one being a live ABC Q+A session, moderated by respected ABC broadcaster Fran Kelly, all at SCREEN FOREVER 37 from 3 – 5 May 2023, on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Leading entertainment agency, CAA, has garnered a reputation as a creator of limitless opportunities for storytellers, and it is within this organisation that Ted Miller represents many of Australia and the world’s leading television producers, writers, directors, and showrunners.
Miller will take part in an exploratory In Conversation session where delegates will hear how CAA works with Australian creatives, the international significance of Australian stories and creative talent in the global marketplace, and how CAA has changed the game by evolving into an industry powerhouse, merging, and packaging all above the line creative talent.
Ted will also sit on an impressive panel during the Decision Makers session, with key decision makers from the UK and NZ to discuss what current Australian trends they see making waves with audiences globally and what excites them for the future.
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the First Nations department at Screen Australia, and the Celebrating First Nations Storytelling session will see Ramu Productions CEO Jodie Bell, a First Nations descendant of the Butchella and Jagera people of Southeast Queensland, lead a discussion on how the ABC and Screen Australia have been significant forces in nurturing First Nation’s authored content.
Alongside the First Nations Department at Screen Australia, the ABC has played an integral role in showcasing and fostering First Nations talent through investment in productions such as Total Control, Mystery Road, and Mystery Road: Origin, alongside many other notable commissions.
Jodie and a distinguished panel will explore the history of the First Nations Department and how it has helped accelerate the careers of First Nations creatives like Producer Taryne Laffar and Actor Mark Coles Smith.
The live ABC Q+A session remains the day one flagship favourite among delegates at SCREEN FOREVER. It will this year investigate how screen practitioners can create a place for every story and a story for every place. As the presenter of ABC Radio National Breakfast for over 15 years, Fran Kelly set the new agenda on issues of national importance. She will steer the session, where a panel of key industry executives will dissect mass media and its effect on cultural dilution.
Panellists will debate a number of issues that have come about due to the prevalence of global streaming services, including Australian culture on screen, the pros and cons of mass media creating global villages of viewers, why our stories are so intrinsically Australian, and how the Australian screen industry, although diverse and unique, comes with its own vulnerabilities and how the Australian government and citizens can support a healthy and sustainable sector.
MEET THE Q+A HOST AND PANELISTS
HOST – FRAN KELLY
Journalist and Radio Presenter
Fran Kelly is one of Australia’s leading political interviewers and commentators. She has earned a reputation as an intelligent, informed and balanced journalist who has been a key contributor to the nation’s political and social debates for almost two decades.
Fran hosted ABC Radio National Breakfast programme for 17 years from 2005 until she hung up her microphone in December 2021. Radio National Breakfast is Australia’s agenda-setting national morning current affairs radio show. Its daily agenda is a mix of national and international politics, social issues, and the arts.
In 2022 Fran hosted her own TV chat show, Frankly, which brought together thinkers, adventurers, entertainers, musicians, and change makers to broaden our minds and make us laugh and feel good.
She is also co-host of the ABC Political podcast, The Party Room.
PANEL MEMBER – ANGELA BATES
Screen Australia
Head of First Nations
Angela Bates is proud to lead the First Nation’s Department at Screen Australia since September 2021. She joined the department in 2019 as a Development and Investment Manager, where she managed a slate of projects from Feature Film, TV Drama Series, and children’s animation to documentaries, including We Are Still Here (a Co-Production between Australia and New Zealand), Award-winning TV Drama Total Control Series 2, Little J & Big Cuz 3, Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky and a new TV Crime Drama True Colours.
PANEL MEMBER – HELEN BOWDEN
Lingo Pictures
Managing Director
Helen is one of Australia’s most prolific and highly awarded television drama producers. In 2015 she formed Lingo Pictures with Jason Stephens and together they have made ten series in eight years. This includes two seasons of The Secrets She Keeps starring Laura Carmichael and Jessica de Gouw (Secrets was the first Australian drama play on BBC1 primetime in over 25 years and was the 5th most watched show on the BBC i-player for 2019); two seasons of Upright starring Tim Minchin for Sky and Foxtel; Lambs of God, starring Anne Dowd, Essie Davis and Sam Reid for Foxtel; and the soon to be broadcast, The Messenger for the ABC and All3Media.
PANEL MEMBER – LIBBIE DOHERTY
ABC
Head of Children’s Content
As Head of ABC Children’s, Libbie is responsible for the ABC’s screen and audio content strategy for ABC Kids and ABC ME and has oversight of internally produced and commissioned content delivering the #1 Australian Children’s entertainment network for the ABC. With 40+ internal creative staff in Sydney, as Creative Leader she sets the bar for excellence, innovation, and nurtures teams to deliver ambitious, unique, and compelling world-class stories. Driving new partnerships and valuing long-standing creative alliances, her tenure positions the ABC as a trusted partner enabling Australian content to thrive in Australia and succeed in the global marketplace.
PANEL MEMBER – HUGH MARKS
Dreamchaser Entertainment
CEO
Hugh Marks has over 25 years’ of experience as a senior executive in content production, broadcasting, and digital media, both in Australia and overseas. Hugh’s most recent role was as CEO of Nine Entertainment. Over his five years as CEO of Nine, Hugh transformed the business from a legacy broadcasting business to a future focussed digital media business with market-leading interests across each of Broadcasting, Publishing, Streaming, Marketplaces, and Radio.
Hugh is a Founder of contemporary Australian content studio Dreamchaser which partners with Australia’s leading creators to develop, finance, produce, and distribute premium content across all genres for the global film and television market.
PANEL MEMBER – FELICITY MCVAY
Tech & Entertainment
Tech & Entertainment Expert, Former Global Head of Entertainment at TikTok
Felicity is a tech and media expert specialising in content strategy, partnerships, and programs around the world, with more than 20 years industry experience. She started her career in business development at Fremantle in Australia & the US, where she was responsible for driving incremental revenue streams on iconic shows Neighbours, The Price Is Right and American Idol. Later she joined YouTube as one of its founding employees and led the business in ANZ, along with Google Play Movies & TV in APAC. Most recently, she worked at TikTok as Global Head of Entertainment. Felicity is passionate about storytelling and elevating under-represented voices and is responsible for co-developing the Skip Ahead and Every Voice funding initiative with Screen Australia.
With limited tickets remaining, delegates are encouraged to register early to secure their spot at www.screenforever.org.au.
More information on SCREEN FOREVER 37 can be found at www.screenforever.org.au.
Link to SCREEN FOREVER 37 registration HERE.
Link to SCREEN FOREVER 37 program HERE
TV Central SPA content HERE
