Austin Hayden is a producer, actor, writer, director, and academic. His films have played at Cannes, TIFF, NYFF, and Sitges, among others. He has developed and sold TV and film projects in the US, UK, and Australia. He worked with executives from Roy Lee's Vertigo Entertainment and Michael Mann's Forward Pass on TV and film projects, leading to the creation of a Film & TV Fund with Hollywood executives, private financiers, and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

He's produced the award-winning documentary Born in the Struggle, the experimental feature Inventing the Future, which made several end-of-year Best Films lists, and many other films, music videos, and online-first content. As a producer for the YouTube channel and media brand Wisecrack, he has helped generate over $600 million in revenue through partnerships with Marvel, Warner Brothers, Showtime, Ubisoft, and more.

He holds a PhD in New Media and Finance Theory and is a sought-after consultant for developing novel financial strategies across all media formats. Recently, he’s been working with Julie Eckersley and industry reps to develop a low-budget TV model aimed at strengthening the Australian screen industry.