Today, Screen Producers Australia (SPA) was thrilled to reveal the full SCREEN FOREVER 38 program. The innovative program is packed with 120+ local and international speakers participating in 40+ carefully curated sessions, all aimed at bringing attendees together to have explorative and honest conversations about the global screen industry and how it affects their local businesses.
SCREEN FOREVER 38 takes place in Queensland’s hub for screen activity, the Gold Coast, from 19-21 March, followed by an Online Global Market from 26-27 March 2024.
International and domestic buyers, commissioners, distributors, sales agents, and screen industry professionals will all converge at The Star Event Centre to take advantage of the wealth of networking events, business meetings, and inspiring sessions that can only be found at SCREEN FOREVER, the largest and most critical event on the Australian screen calendar.
SPA CEO Matthew Deaner stated, “I think delegates will agree this is one of the strongest SCREEN FOREVER programs to date. The program has been developed over months of consultation with industry experts from within our membership and Program and Market Advisory Boards, all of whom we thank for their expertise and collaborative work.
“Careful consideration was taken when developing each session, networking, and social event, with the overarching goal to provide unparalleled opportunities to facilitate new business deals, develop greater business acumen, and build advantageous industry connections.
“We are at a pivotal juncture in the Australian screen industry, with a unique year of challenges and changes behind us and unparalleled opportunities ahead. This program gives delegates a chance to realise that opportunity and be a part of genuine, open conversations that affect the future of their industry,” said Mr Deaner.
Queensland Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said SCREEN FOREVER 38 is an exceptional opportunity for screen practitioners to connect and collaborate, to hone their practice and business acumen, and to celebrate the creativity and talent of Australia’s screen sector.
“For the screen industry, Queensland is the place to be. Our Government’s investment is delivering incredible screen facilities across the state, attracting local and international productions and securing a pipeline of projects that generate jobs for our state’s talented crew and creatives as well as significant economic benefit.
“The Queensland Government, through Screen Queensland, is a proud supporter of SCREEN FOREVER as part of a renewed three-year partnership with Screen Producers Australia, further bolstering the state’s reputation as a global screen hub.”
The program has countless opportunities for delegates to interact with industry leaders, gaining invaluable insights through sessions balancing topics that affect the big picture of screen business, including global trends, industry reform, technological disruption, the global appetites for genre, how commissioning and financing are evolving, and how stories are found and brought to life, all through five distinct strands.
Breaking Boundaries will explore heavy-hitting topics such as the effects of cultural and social shifts in sessions including BRAINS TRUST: Branding Australian Stories to The World where a spotlight will be on Australia’s ‘brand’, and how it compares to established international brands.
During Is Diversity for Hire panellists will get loud and share how being marginalised in the workplace inhibits storytelling, and The New Wave of Aussie Talent where early-career industry professionals discuss how they are putting a fresh twist on storytelling and how they intend to make waves in the industry. During First Nations Voices Front and Centre, the new era of truth-telling will be explored after the 2023 referendum.
Making It Rain will investigate international business opportunities with Meet The Commissioners: NZ, allowing delegates to hear from Sky NZ, TVNZ, and Warner Bros. Discovery NZ on what’s trending in their market. Fan favourite sessions, Meet The Buyers and Meet The Funders will both return, where delegates will hear from the major Australian commissioners and screen funding agencies on what genres and production types will be their focus over the next year.
Continuing, How To Make It Rain will explore how financing can be leveraged through international creative and production partnerships. Staying on international partnerships, panellists on Global Collaboration and the Business of Australian Entertainment will explore the impacts of international business partnerships and co-productions, the economic and training benefits for local industry, and Australia’s future in the international market.
Creative Difference sessions will examine how cultural and technology shifts impact the creators and consumers of screen content. These sessions include The Artistic Synergy of AI & Film Development, allowing delegates to hear from industry experts as they explore the disruption, and the benefits AI brings to the film industry. Gaming and interactive success stories will be explored in Where Stories Go Beyond the Screen
Keeping it Real themed sessions will include a focus on unscripted and factual projects and how they resonate with audiences. During We Need to Talk About Factual, panel members will share their insights on the real state of documentary productions in Australia and what stops us from making more. Two more Meet The Buyers sessions will focus on unscripted content covering light entertainment, reality formats, and factual.
All Screen Business Begins with a Story sessions will dissect how producers find, access, and tell stories. From Front of Screen to Behind the Scenes will see an all-female panel share examples of how they are paving the way from acting to producing. Niche but necessary, horror plays a big part in the global market and Getting Over Ourselves, The Cringe of Aussie Horror will allow delegates to hear from local and international experts as they explore the Australian horror landscape. In a vibrant panel discussion during Your Next Hit Show & Finding The Creators, panellists will explore how to get a green light from a broadcaster or foster a lucrative business relationship with a new industry connection.
Content for younger viewers will feature in multiple sessions, including The Evolution of Children's Content, where the appetites of one of our most valued and impressionable audiences and future creatives will be dissected. Why YA? Creating Content for the Audience Everyone is Looking For will analyse how young adult content affects screen culture and can elevate the careers of emerging practitioners to dizzying heights. We look at the successes of Aussie animation through Movie Magic: Unveiling Australian Feature Animation.
The event will also see the return of not-to-be-missed social networking events, including the buzzing Audio Network Opening Night Drinks, the fast-paced Screenrights Speed Networking Hour, the chilled Gold Coast Film Commission Sunset Social, and the final celebratory event of the conference, the SCREEN FOREVER Gala Party.
The event will also see the 22nd Annual SPA Awards celebrating excellence in Australian screen production, held on the final night of SCREEN FOREVER 38, Thursday, 21 March.
More information on SCREEN FOREVER 38 can be found at screenforever.org.au. After a completely sold-out event in 2022 and 2023, delegates are encouraged to register early to secure their spot.
SCREEN FOREVER is proudly supported by the Queensland Government, through Screen Queensland.
Screen Producers Australia respectfully acknowledges the people of the Yugambeh language region, the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet. We thank the traditional custodians for welcoming us all onto their lands.
We acknowledge and pay respects to them and all their descendants both past and present. We also acknowledge the many Aboriginal people from other regions as well as Torres Strait and South Sea Islander people who now live in the local area and have made an important contribution to the community.