Filmmaker Devina Saberi shares the inspiration for new documentary series Growing Pains, as well as the challenges and opportunities of documentary storytelling for online platforms, and advice for early career filmmakers. Throughout the episode, Saberi talks about structuring stories for social media platforms, supporting community storytelling, and the challenges of observational documentary – especially while filming your friends. 

Director Paul Clarke breaks down the elements of a music documentary, and the inspiration and process behind his latest feature Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line. Throughout the episode, Clarke shares his approach to research and production for the music documentary format, navigating the complexities of footage and music licensing, and celebrating the legacy of the Oils. 

Writer and director Tig Terera shares his experiences creating his debut television series Swift Street, and working with production company Magpie Pictures' Lois Randall and Ivy Mak, and writer Sam Carroll, to develop the series for SBS. He also shares his journey from photography to the small screen, the challenges and opportunities as a self-taught writer and director, reflecting community on screen, and advice for early career storytellers.

Learn more about the new below-the-line training and professional development initiative Screen Careers. Denise and Ken share their insight into the below-the-line sector, and discuss the challenges facing below-the-line workers, the role of training in developing the screen industry, and the resources and opportunities available to BTL crew to build responsive and sustainable careers. Eriksen shares the philosophy and development of Screen Careers, alongside details of their industry-led programming, while Crouch identifies the challenges for BTL practitioners and insight into the role of professional development within the industry.

The Future Leaders Delegation and Screen Australia Games team share their takeaways and advice from the 2024 Game Developers Conference. Screen Australia's Head of Online and Games Lee Naimo and Games Investment Manager Amelia Laughlan discuss their insights into the games industry, the significance of GDC for the global community, and the key takeaways from this year's conference. They also introduce the Future Leaders Delegation - a new program from Screen Australia to support underrepresented early-mid career game makers get the most out of their GDC experience. The delegation included Cult of the Lamb writer Jojo Zhou (Massive Monster); game designer and project manager Emma Losin who has worked on space epics Phantom Galaxies and Star Trek Lower Decks; co-founder of new indie studio Fat Alien Cat and game artist Jessica Lyon; Jae Stuart who is lead programmer on the recent Screen Australia Emerging Gamemakers Fund project King Tidal; and creative director of Anecdote Games Jarrod Farquhar-Nicol.

Ra Chapman and Katherine Fry share the journey from development to production of new ABC comedy series White Fever. Inspired by Chapman’s lived experience as an inter-country adoptee, Chapman and Fry share their experiences developing White Fever for television; juggling multiple roles in front of and behind the camera; balancing the comedic and dramatic in storytelling; representing lived experiences authentically on screen throughout development, shooting, and the editing process, and more.

Executive Producer and CEO of Blacksand Pictures Kauthar Abdulalim reflects on her Enterprise journey, reaching international audiences with online stories, and authentic Muslim representation in storytelling. Abdulalim talks about embracing online content, supporting meaningful cultural diversity behind the scenes, building a strategic plan for your screen career, and how the Enterprise program strengthened her business skills, as she shares her advice for early career practitioners considering applying.

From The Matrix to 1980s Australia, Gypsy Taylor discusses the art and craft of costuming and the design inspiration behind her most recent projects including the flamboyant pirates of Our Flag Means Death, the fashion-focused sets of The Way We Wore and working with creative collaborator Celeste Barber, and soon the Australian 80s hit The Newsreader.

Cannes Critics’ Week Head of the Film Department Rémi Bigot speaks to the opportunities and ideas behind the program, and its short film extension, Next Step – a weeklong workshop for short film directors selected for Critics’ Week to transition to feature films, as well as offering insight into the application and selection process, and Screen Australia’s Manager, Festivals and Industry Partnerships Dale Fairbairn shares her advice for applying to festivals.

Australian Film, Television and Radio School alumni, award-winning filmmaker Warwick Thornton and production designer Bethany Ryan, alongside AFTRS Council Chair Debra Richards, reflect on 50 years of formal screen education in Australia, and the pathways to set for emerging filmmakers and storytellers.