SCREEN FOREVER 40 – Day Two Wrap – Day two of SCREEN FOREVER 40 delivered another full program of practical insight, creative ambition and future-focused conversations, with delegates diving into commissioning trends, new business models and bold project pitches.
The day opened with Unscripted Originals: Who Is Greenlighting in 2026?, where commissioners from across broadcast and streaming gave producers a direct look at what is getting commissioned – and what is not. Moderated by Joseph Maxwell, the panel featured Adrian Swift (Nine, 9Now and Stan), Howard Myers-Rifai (Foxtel Group), Sarah Thornton (Paramount Australia) and Susie Jones (ABC), offering valuable insight into the increasingly competitive unscripted landscape.
One of the day’s major highlights was the inaugural SCREEN FOREVER Simpsons Pitching Competition, where four finalists pitched their projects live on stage in front of an industry jury and a live audience vote. Finalists Madeleine Hetherton-Miau (Media Stockade) with Anna Broinowski, Kate Separovich (Lake Martin Films), Maggie Miles (Savage Films & Typecast Entertainment), and Karen Radzyner (Photoplay Films) with Maurial Spearim presented bold and distinctive projects competing for a prize package including $10,000 towards development, $3,000 in legal services and curated one-on-one meetings with potential partners.
The jury featured Sophie Green (Bankside Films), Michael Favelle (Odin’s Eye) and Edwina Waddy (Roadshow Films), with the session moderated by Suzanne Ryan.
The inaugural SCREEN FOREVER Simpsons Pitching Competition was awarded to PARROT, produced by Kate Separovich of Lake Martin Films. The project follows a scrawny outcast whose wilderness trip spirals into a psychosexual nightmare, mutating his toxic friends into carnivorous doppelgängers. With its bold creative vision and striking genre approach, the project stood out for its originality and commercial potential.
In Beyond the Screen: Unlocking New Revenue for Production Companies, delegates explored how producers can diversify income beyond traditional commissioning and financing models. Moderated by Julie Eckersley, the session examined practical strategies across IP, direct-to-audience models, brand partnerships, formats and digital platforms, with insights from Farhad Meher-Homji (Changer), Georgia Mappin (Haven’t You Done Well Productions) and Nadine Bates (Like A Photon Creative).
An engaged audience joined How Big Brother Won Gen-Z, where Big Brother host Mel Tracina led a lively discussion unpacking the show’s hugely successful 2025 relaunch and how it captured younger audiences through a social-first strategy.
Amelia Fisk and Ella Mumby (Endemol Shine Australia) joined Sarah Thornton (Paramount Australia) to break down what worked across TikTok, talent alignment and platform-native storytelling.
In a standout fireside session, international producer Matthew Jenkins (The Marvels, Death on the Nile) joined Gina Black for an engaging conversation on independent and studio production, literary adaptation and navigating the global marketplace, alongside reflections on his long-term creative collaboration with Kenneth Branagh.
The day also featured From the Headlines: Inside DEATH CAP MURDERS, where the creative team behind the explosive documentary series shared the extraordinary challenges of developing and producing the project while events were still unfolding in real time.
Moderated by Richard Huddleston, the panel featured Billy Russell (Dreamchaser Entertainment), director Gil Marsden and editor Scot Edwards.
As the sun set, delegates gathered for the Mayor’s Sunset Social, hosted by the Gold Coast Film Commission and welcomed by Councillor Bob LaCastra The event provided the perfect opportunity to relax, reconnect and continue conversations before heading out to enjoy the Gold Coast’s vibrant hospitality scene.
With the SPA Awards and final conference sessions ahead, SCREEN FOREVER 40 continues to deliver the insight, relationships and opportunities shaping the future of the Australian screen industry.
👉 View full program HERE.
👉 View day two images HERE.
Media Release – SPA
Link to SPA HERE
TV Central Screen Producers Australia content HERE
SCREEN FOREVER 40 – Day Two Wrap
