Discovery & deal-making

20 OCT 2020

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) today named the industry leaders sitting on the SCREEN FOREVER advisory boards for the conference’s 35th iteration. 

The Programming Advisory Board will help set the strategic direction for Australia’s premier screen industry event and aid in the creation of an engaging, inspirational and business-focused program that reflects the unique challenges and opportunities the industry is facing in the wake of the pandemic.

Today SPA also announced an exciting new Market & Financing Advisory Board comprised of representatives from some of the most influential screen organisations in Australia, Canada and the United States, to help maximise the global business opportunities available to delegates at the SPA Connect market.

“After such an unprecedented year, having the guidance of two dynamic and multi-disciplined boards who will focus on the key pillars of SCREEN FOREVER – discovery and deal-making – will no doubt pay dividends for our delegates, whether they attend physically or via our new interactive online platform,” said SPA CEO, Matthew Deaner.

“I look forward to sharing further details about the program and market lineup that results from our Boards’ combined skill, experience and passion in the coming weeks,” Deaner continued.

The boards have held their first meetings and will engage in an ongoing discourse in the lead up to SCREEN FOREVER (16 – 18 February 2021).

The full Programming Advisory Board is as follows:

  • Aaron Fa’aoso, Producer & Actor, Lone Star Productions 
  • Angie Fielder, Principal Producer, Aquarius Films 
  • Ben Ulm, Head of Content / Head of Factual & Reality, ITV Studios Australia 
  • Benjamin Law, Writer & Broadcaster 
  • Jeffrey Walker, Director 
  • Jo Porter, Director of Scripted, Australia, Fremantle
  • Kevin Whyte, Managing Director, Token Group
  • Meg O’Connell, Company Director, Unless Pictures
  • Dr Romaine Moreton, Director of First Nations & Outreach, AFTRS
  • Suzanne Ryan, Founder, CEO & Executive Producer, SLR Productions
  • Vicki Madden, Founder, Sweet Potato Films
  • Virginia Whitwell, Good Thing Productions 

The full Market & Financing Advisory Board is as follows:

  • Darren Chau, Director of Content & Channels, Factual, Discovery 
  • Deidre Brennan, Executive Vice President of Content Partnerships, WildBrain (CAN)
  • Gabrielle Jones, Film & Television Adviser, City of Gold Coast 
  • Holly Hines, Scripted Lead, Spotify (USA)
  • Jennifer Collins, Head of Factual and Culture, Entertainment and Specialist, ABC 
  • Jenny Buckland, CEO, ACTF
  • Kylie Munnich, CEO, Screen Queensland
  • Libbie Doherty, Head of Children’s, ABC
  • Nick Forward, Chief Content Officer, Stan
  • Nick O’Donnell, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Netflix Australia and New Zealand
  • Tanya Orman, Head of Indigenous Content, SBS
  • Tyler Bern, Head of Content, Prime Video Australia and New Zealand
  • Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, Canada Media Fund (CAN)

Learn more about the board members here.