HELEN PANCKHURST is one of the founders of Matchbox Pictures. Formed in 2008 by Tony Ayres, Penny Chapman, Helen Bowden, Michael McMahon and Helen Panckhurst, Matchbox develops and produces scripted and non-scripted television programs and feature films for audiences throughout the world. Matchbox is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic production houses in Australia.

As Head of Production, Helen oversees all production for Matchbox and Tony Ayres Productions (TAP). Recent highlights include long-form series Bad Behaviour, Class Of ’07, Irreverent, Fires, Clickbait, Stateless, Hungry Ghosts, Safe Harbour, Secret City, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Wanted, Barracuda, Glitch, The Family Law, Deadline Gallipoli, the serial The Heights, and children’s series Turn Up The Volume, Nowhere Boys and Mustangs F.C.

Helen has produced and executive produced television drama, documentaries and feature films. Notable producer and executive producer credits include The Giants (releasing 20 April 2023), FREEMAN, the most watched documentary of 2020, feature film Ali’s Wedding, the ABC TV series Old School starring Bryan Brown and Sam Neill, the ABC TV crime drama series The Straits, the AACTA award-winning documentary box office hit Mrs Carey’s Concert, Rachel Perkins and Darren Dale’s landmark seven-part documentary series First Australians, Gregor Jordan’s documentary Ian Thorpe: The Swimmer, and Curtis Levy’s documentary The Matilda Candidate.