TALKS @ AFTRS

Lynette Wallworth is an Emmy and AACTA award-winning Australian artist/filmmaker (Coral, Tender, Collisions, Awavena) and the first Artist-in-Residence at AFTRS. In this episode, she talks to AFTRS CEO Nell Greenwood about finding her artist's voice in her VR; film works and immersive installations, which reflect on the deep connections between people and nature. She recounts her experience with indigenous commu...

In this episode, Denise Eriksen of Media Mentors Australia talks to two of Australia's top television directors Kate Dennis (Offspring, The Handmaid's Tale, Run) and Jonathan Brough (Rosehaven, Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane, The Family Law). The trio discuss new wave of drama/comedy hybrids including Fleabag, Afterlife, and Sex Education and how the dramedy is the home for ra...

Gristmill production company is recognised for its distinctive brand of narrative comedy (The Librarians, Upper Middle Bogan, Very Small Business, The Inbestigators, The Little Lunch). In this episode, comics and Gristmill founders, Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope, share stories of their careers with co-founder of Media Mentors Australia, Denise Eriksen. They talk about handling rejection, what d...

Avani Dias is the host of Hack - Triple J's current affair show for young Australians. She has been a multi-platform reporter for ABC news across TV, radio and online in Sydney and Darwin. She was a finalist in the Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year Award for her reporting of a blotched case whereby a UNSW student was wrongly accused of terror offences in 2019. In this episode of Talks at AFTRS...

Leanne Cartwright-Bradford, Country Manager at Audible, commits to creating compelling audiobooks and exclusive podcasts. Enter author, journalist, documentary maker, and interviewer Marc Fennell with It Burns, a story which takes listeners from the Australian Coast to South Carolina in a race to breed the world's hottest chilli. In this episode, Leanne and Marc are in conversation with Tony Rasmussen, Senior Lecture...

AFTRS graduate and Academy Award-nominated writer Tony McNamara (The Favourite, Ashby, The Rage in Placid Lake, The Great) joins producer Marian Macgowan (Two Hands, The Rage in Placid Lake, South Solitary, The Great) to discuss their careers and collaborations with AFTRS Head of Screenwriting, Pieter Aquilia. With film and TV credits that span decades and many joint ventures togeth...

Actor, writer, director, producer and documentary filmmaker, Mitch Torres shares her insights into the media industry with Joseph Cardona, AFTRS Project Coordinator in the AFTRS Indigenous Unit. Mitch is a Djugun, Jabirr Jabbir, Yawuru, Gooniyandi, and Walmajarri woman from Broome and has been in the media industry for over 30 years. In this Talk at AFTRS, she discusses career transitions; fr...

Acclaimed Australian directors, Kriv Stenders (Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan, Red Dog, Network 10’s miniseries Wake in Fright) and Jocelyn Moorhouse (Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, A Thousand Acres, The Dressmaker) talk to AFTRS Head of Directing, Rowan Woods. The episode explores their careers and their movement between the worlds of television and feature film. They ...

Actor and martial artist, Maria Tran (Fist of the Dragon, Maximum Choppage, Tracer) is credited with developing the martial arts action film genre in Australia through her shorts such as Hit Girls, Gaffa, Enter The Dojo. In this episode, Maria speaks to AFTRS Senior Lecturer in Directing, Pearl Tan about finding your voice and creating your own work and space in the screen sector. A...

In this Talks at AFTRS, Tim Minchin and Helen Bowden talk with AFTRS Senior Lecturer in Screenwriting, Caroline Gross about the conception, development and writing of their television series Upright. Tim Minchin is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician, composer, lyricist and director best known for his comedy and stand up shows as well as his success as musical theatre composer and lyricist (Mati...