SPA Connect market Shakeup – A refreshed Ready, Steady, Pitch! – Today, Screen Producers Australia (SPA) announced a newly refreshed structure for Ready, Steady, Pitch!, a fan-favourite offering included in the upcoming virtual Online Global Market from 29 – 30 April, 2025, and the in-person SPA Connect Market taking place as part of SCREEN FOREVER 39 from 6 – 8 May 2025 on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Conference delegates can anticipate an energetic marketplace filled with leading buyers and sellers, offering coveted opportunities to negotiate business deals, develop professional networks, and present and pitch projects directly to prominent local and global screen executives.
Local Australian buyers participating in the SPA Connect Market include Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), Madman Entertainment, STUDIOCANAL and Transmission Films.
Buyers from across the globe have been eager to confirm their participation in the Online Global Market, all hopeful to build their slates. Canada, Europe, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA will all be represented by key international screen businesses, including About Premium Content, AMC Networks, Cineflix Rights, Keshet International, and Sphere Abacus.
To provide a more productive experience for hosts and market attendees, the SPA team have restructured Ready, Steady, Pitch! for the upcoming conference to facilitate better matching between projects and buyers.
Project submissions will open to Gold Coast Badge holders from 9am AEDT on Monday, 10 February, until 5pm AEDT on Monday, 3 March 2025, where registered delegates can submit brief details of up to three projects they want to pitch at the market to a pool of domestic and global buyers who will have the opportunity to pick the projects that most align with what they want.
The submission process simply requires high-level detail about the project, including title, format, genre, duration and a logline.
Submissions will be available to both Online Global Market and in-person SPA Connect Market buyers, as well as Production Partnerships Forum companies and publishers.
All remaining SPA Connect Market bookings will be available on a first-come, first-served basis when bookings open for the Online Global Market at 12:00pm AEDT on Tuesday, 1 April 2025, and the in-person SPA Connect Market at 12:00pm AEST on Tuesday, 8 April 2025.
The changes elevate opportunities at the SPA Connect Market, bringing it more in line with how global markets operate, ensuring buyers receive pitches from pre-vetted, relevant sellers with projects that align with their market needs.
SPA encourages delegates to register early and submit up to three high-quality projects to maximise their chances of securing meaningful market meetings with local and global buyers, distributors, and production partners.
The SPA Connect Market will also see the return of highly anticipated Marketplace Roundtables, the Production Partnerships Forum, the Publishers Pitch & Market, Launchpad, which debuted at SCREEN FOREVER in March 2024, and the Screenrights Speed Networking Hour.
Marketplace Roundtables will give delegates a unique opportunity to meet buyers in a relaxed environment. After the success of last year, each roundtable will once again run for 25 minutes, providing the opportunity for an extensive Q&A.
May 2025 will also see the return of the Production Partnerships Forum, allowing independent producers to meet with established production companies to forge important relationships that will help them progress their screen career.
Also returning is the Publishers Pitch & Market – the perfect opportunity for producers to scout new IP straight from publishers, agents, and authors as they showcase their bestselling stories, published books and advanced copies of manuscripts.
The immensely popular Launchpad will take place again before the SCREEN FOREVER 39 Official Opening, providing first-time attendees with a comprehensive overview of the conference, how to make the most of opportunities that arise, and the chance to connect with SPA member services and facilities providers.
The Screenrights Speed Networking Hour will be a fast-paced event that aims to provide an energising environment for delegates to build new industry relationships.
Gold Coast Badge prices remain frozen from last year, offering all-inclusive access to sessions, SPA Connect market meetings and networking events at incredible value. For those seeking flexible options, SPA introduces two new choices: Industry Day Badges, granting access to all sessions and social events for a chosen day, and the Day Wristbands, perfect for those looking to dive into sessions only for a day of inspiration and industry insight.
Media Release – SPA
Link to SPA HERE
TV Central Screen Australia content HERE
SPA Connect market Shakeup – A refreshed Ready, Steady, Pitch!
