ABC Television Australia

ABC Television delivers commercial-free, nationally available, free-to-air screen content via a multiplatform multi-channel network.  It is the destination of choice for viewers and users seeking quality and diversity in screen content; in particular engaging audiences in distinctly Australian content across a wide variety of genres.  ABC TV platforms include ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, ABC iview and the most comprehensive array of online content for download or streaming on abc.net.au/tv.  We seek to commission and acquire programming with a strong multiplatform presence.

Tarni James
Tarni James
Executive Producer, Entertainment 
Profession
Bio

Tarni James is Executive Producer of Entertainment for ABC Television, based in Melbourne. She has worked in the television industry for the past 30 years for all the Australian FTA networks, several cable channels, numerous independent production companies and the BBC as a journalist, producer, writer and director.  Tarni has created programming for arts, sport, current affairs, children’s, news, comedy, variety and documentary genres and has produced extensively in the field in Britain, USA, Africa, The Pacific, Europe and remote Australia.  Tarni currently oversees production of The New Spicks and Specks, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell; RAW Comedy; Comedy Up Late and Dirty Laundry Live.

Her documentary series credits include Family Footsteps, ABC; The Naked Lentil, SBS; Jail Birds ABC;  the environmental series Carbon Cops ABC; and Grand Designs Australia series 1 Foxtel Lifestyle Channel. 

Jo Chichester
Jo Chichester
Executive Producer, Arts  
Profession
Bio

Jo Chichester is an Executive Producer in ABC TV Arts working across a range of programs including At The Movies, The Book Club, Jennifer Byrne Presents,  Exhumed and Sunday Arts Up Late.  Her documentary slate includes Outback Choir, Brilliant Creatures: Germaine, Clive, Barry & Bob, The Sharp Edge: The Art of Martin Sharp, Polly Borland: Polymorphous, George Gittoes: War Paint &  Robyn Beeche: A Life Exposed. Jo was Series Producer of Kitchen Cabinet with Annabel Crabb and has worked on a range of TV shows in arts, comedy and entertainment including Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey, Artscape, Art Nation, Memphis Trousers with HG & Roy and Mondo Thingo. Jo has also worked as a presenter/producer at triple j, 702 Sydney and Radio National, and was a film critic for Vogue Australia.

Mandy Chang
Mandy Chang
Comissioning Editor, Arts 
Profession
Bio

Mandy Chang is ABC TV's Arts Commissioning Editor. Since joining Mandy has Exec Produced several programs including The Art of Australia, Comic Book Heroes and The Dream of Perfection/Autopsy on a Dream plus the upcoming Hannah Gadsby’s Oz and Art & Soul II.

Mandy is an award-winning producer/director, has worked with a number of high profile presenters including art critic Robert Hughes and has a successful track record in developing projects from scratch and making visually arresting, intelligent films. Her feature doc The Mona Lisa Curse (Channel 4) won a Rose D’Or, Grierson and Emmy Award and The Camera that Changed the World (BBC) screened, at festivals worldwide. Before leaving the UK Mandy made a 3-part factual series for the BBC about brain surgeons and a documentary about British admen for Ridley Scott. Mandy is a regular judge for the Grierson, Emmy and London Film Festival Awards.

Phil Craig
Phil Craig
Head of Factual 
Profession
Bio

Phil Craig is an accomplished producer and writer. He progressed via British current affairs series 'World in Action' and 'Panorama' to produce a range of films and series including complex international co-productions. Mainstream hits like 'The Flight That Fought Back', 'Live Aid Remembered', 'Ocean of Fear', 'Geldof in Africa' and 'Catherine the Great'; primetime history such as 'Finest Hour', 'Churchill?s Darkest Decision' and 'Diana, Story of a Princess'; and the quirky nostalgia of 'Jackie Magazine' and 'Phantom of the Opera: Behind the Mask'. In Australia Phil has exec produced and co-written 'Skippy, Australia?s First Superstar', 'Great Escape: The Reckoning', 'Surviving Mumbai', 'Bomb Bali', 'The Secret History of Eurovision', 'Chateau Chunder' and the ABC?s upcoming 'Desert War'. Phil recently worked at Nutopia producing factual series including 'How We Invented the World', 'The 80s, the Decade That Made Us' and making specials including '911 State of Emergency', 'Adrift' and 'Targeting Bin Laden'.

Matt Scully
Matt Scully
Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History 
Profession
Bio

Matt Scully was series producer of ABC Science flagship series Catalyst. He worked as producer/director with Film Australia in Canberra and Sydney, and as series producer for Channel Seven’s Better Homes and Gardens.

Through several leading production companies, he has produced a wide variety of reality, entertainment, ob doc and art programs including the BBC format 'Honey, We’re Killing the Kids', 'Joker Poker', 'Stuart McGill Uncorked', 'Lock ‘n’ Load' with R. Lee Ermey, and HG Nelson’s 'Bush Slam' which Matt conceived and developed for the ABC.

Andrea Ulbrick
Andrea Ulbrick
Commissioning Editor, Contemporary and Religion & Ethics 
Profession
Bio

Director Andrea Ulbrick is a science specialist who has been working in the media for twenty-four years. A series director, series producer and writer, she was series producer on the new William McInnes birdwatching series 'Hello Birdy' to be screened on the ABC. Previously, she worked on Australia’s highest-rating show 'Australia’s Got Talent'. In 2010, Andrea completed a two-part, long-running, award-winning observational science series investigating child development for the ABC: The Life Series.

Anita Brown
Anita Brown
Commissioning Editor, Factual Entertainment 
Profession
Bio

Anita was a newspaper journalist in the UK before moving into television where she spent 11 years making documentaries, Factual Entertainment and reality programmes for ITV, Channel  4, Sky and Channel 5. She has been in Australia for 7 years producing shows for the commercial networks before moving to the ABC as Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment 20 months ago. Programmes include Race to London, Wild Life at the Zoo on ABC1 as well as yet untx?d shows such as Croc College, Boomtown and Vet School and a new series for ABC2 entitled Head First.

Sophia Zachariou
Sophia Zachariou
Acting Head of Entertainment 
Profession
Bio

Sophia Zachariou is currently Acting Head of Entertainment with ABC.  She has developed, managed and launched a number of extremely successful ABC TV programs across all genres of Entertainment and Comedy from studio based panel shows, observational documentary series, sketch comedy and game shows.

Some of Sophia’s career  highlights include ratings smash hits such as  Gruen Nation/Planet, Kitchen Cabinet, Hamster Decides, The Check Out, The Chaser’s War on Everything, Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey, Agony Uncles/Aunts, Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife fighting, The Agony Of Life, Good Game, The Roast, Hungry Beast, At the Movies, The Book Club and  Next Stop Hollywood.

Dena Curtis
Dena Curtis
Commissioning Editor, Indigenous 
Profession
Bio

In 2010 Dena joined the ABC taking up the role of Series Producer for Message Stick. in 2011 she commence her current role as a Commissioning Editor for the Indigenous Department. In 2002 she completed the AFTRS Television Editing course. Dena returned to CAAMA Productions, where some of her editing credits include Rosalie?s Journey, Lore of Love and Cheeky Dog, a documentary in which she also directed. In 2008 Dena wrote/directed Hush, a which won the audience award for Best Foreign Short Film at the 2008 Films de Femmes, Créteil France. In 2009 Dena premiered Jacob, which short won the Gold Shorts at the Adelaide Short Film Festival and Best Narrative Short at the Harlem Film Festival. Attending AIDC on behalf of the Indigenous Department, she is seeking film makers with potiential projects for development and commission.

active TV Australia

activeTV is an internationally renowned independent production company based in Australia and Asia. The company produces programming across a broad range of genres including reality, factual, entertainment and children’s television. activeTV is known for taking on international formats and creating local versions boasting high production and entertainment values, which translates into top ratings for broadcasters.

The company has produced two seasons of ‘The Amazing Race Australia’ (Seven Network), which has won an International Emmy and awards at the inaugural Australian AACTAs and Asian Television Awards.  This success comes off the back of four seasons of the award winning ‘The Amazing Race Asia’ (AXN), three seasons for Reshet in Israel and versions for the Philippines and Ukraine. 

Since its inception, activeTV Asia has quickly cemented its reputation as the region’s most highly skilled producers of reality, entertainment and factual programming. Its slate includes ‘E! News Asia’ (Comcast), ‘Cash Cab Asia’ (AXN), original series ‘Can You Serve?’ and ‘Driving Change with Caltex’ (digital/StarWorld).

In Australia, activeTV boasts a highly respected children’s division, which has produced 91 episodes of the smash hit comedy-action series ‘Prank Patrol’, now exported to CBBC, ZDF and RAI. activeTV Australia also produce prestigious televised events, including ‘Woolworths Carols in the Domain’.

The company has gained an international reputation as a first class facilitator and producer of turnkey productions.  In Australia the team have facilitated for US and UK programs including Discovery’s ‘World’s Toughest Truckers’, Comcast’s ‘Chelsea Lately’, fashion series ‘How Do I Look?’ and ‘Finding Bigfoot’ (Animal Planet).

activeTV is currently launching an exciting slate of original factual, reality and kids programming thanks to its recently formed development division ‘activeTV Originals’.

Website:
activetv.tv
Jacinta Halsall
Jacinta Halsall
Sponsorship and Business Development Coordinator 
Bio

Jacinta completed a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Melbourne majoring in Marketing and Management. During this time she undertook a traineeship at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in the Risk Services Department and an internship at DDB Advertising in Hong Kong. It was during her University studies she realised her passion for marketing, advertising and sales and began her media career at ACP Magazines (Bauer Media). Here, Jacinta worked in the Mediabrands agency team as a Sales Coordinator. Within her exciting new role at activeTV, Jacinta is responsible for generating and implementing sponsorships for productions and continually developing business strategies.

Kay Lawrence
Kay Lawrence
General Manager 
Bio

Kay is a highly accomplished General Manager and Executive Producer with an exceptional track record of delivering successful productions. Kay has a demonstrated ability to forge and sustain relationships with the Australian and international industry to optimise opportunities and secure finance for projects. Kay's track record of success in negotiating deals which deliver substantial benefits to all parties by understanding requirements and expectations and devising innovative structures and approaches is second to none.

Adelaide Film Festival Australia

The Adelaide Film Festival celebrates the moving image – the ideas and artists that animate the multiple screens in our lives. Every 2 years, over 11 days, you can immerse yourself in feature films, documentaries, shorts, animations and new media works – in cinemas, galleries and on the city streets. Take a risk – get out of your comfort zone – and travel the globe from your cinema seat.

Amanda Duthie
Amanda Duthie
Director/CEO Adelaide Film Festival  
Profession
Bio

Amanda is Director/CEO of Adelaide Film Festival and CEO of the Adelaide Festival of Ideas. 

We are currently looking for projects for 2015 AFF Investment Fund (AFFIF) - check site for details and happy to heaer of projects in pre or post. www.adealaidefilmfestival.org  

Antidote Films Australia

Antidote Films is one of Australia's leading independent distributors of high quality, thought provoking Australian and international documentary and feature films.

Antidote Films is only part of the story. Cinema Ventures, Australia's first (and still the only) non-profit film distributor, shows how your community action group can use many of the films found here for fundraisers and filmmaker Q&A screenings.

Discover beamafilm and the world to come. Most Antidote titles (and many more) are available on-demand, via beamafilm, streamed directly to your computer or digital TV.

Ruari Elkington
Ruari Elkington
Distribution Consultant/Researcher 
Bio

Ruari has worked with distributor Gil Scrine Films since 2009 including the company's evolution into Antidote Films. This work included acquisitions for the VoD platform beamafilm and the not-for-profit theatrical distributor, Cinema Ventures.  With a focus on documentary and the education market Ruari now consults in acquisition/distribution for Antidote Films and others while completing his PhD at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Creative Industries and Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology. 

Aquarius Films Australia

Aquarius Films’ credits include the feature Wish You Were Here, which stars Joel Edgerton and received five Film Critics’ Circle of Australia Awards in 2013, and the critically acclaimed shorts I Love Sarah Jane, Crossbow and Netherland Dwarf. It recently received funding through the Screen Australia Feature Enterprise program and is developing a wide variety of long form film and television projects across factual and drama.

Cecilia Ritchie
Cecilia Ritchie
Producer 
Bio

Cecilia joined Aquarius Films from Matchbox Pictures in late 2013. At Matchbox she series produced Next Stop Hollywood, a six part series for ABC1 following young Aussie actors to LA for pilot season, and associate produced the political doc Leaky Boat for Penny Chapman. She also coordinated business affairs on the high profile ABC1 dramas The Slap and The Straits. Prior to Matchbox Cecilia produced the critically acclaimed ABC1 single Searching 4 Sandeep, which premiered internationally at Hot Docs 2008 and has sold to broadcasters all over the world.

Polly Staniford
Polly Staniford
Producer/ Director 
Bio

Polly Staniford is an award-winning producer, writer and director and co-founder of film and TV production company Aquarius Films. Most recently she wrote an episode of the ABC3 children's drama 'Nowhere Boys' and directed the half hour documentary Brain as part of season 4 of ABC1's acclaimed Anatomy series. Brain profiles painter Jamie Daddo and his relationship with his identical twin brother, TV presenter Andrew Daddo. Prior to setting up Aquarius Films, Polly spent three years working as an in-house producer at Matchbox Pictures where she collaborated on a number of film and television projects with award-winning producers Tony Ayres and Michael McMahon, with whom she produced Miss South Sudan Australia and Season 2 of Anatomy She is currently developing a number of feature films, TV drama and factual projects.

Australian Directors Guild Australia

The ADG works to promote excellence in screen direction, to encourage communication and collaboration between directors and others in the industry, and to provide professional support for its members.

The ADG membership includes directors of feature films, television, documentary, animation, commercials, shorts and digital media as well as assistant directors and like minded industry partners.

Website:
www.adg.org.au
Kingston Anderson
Kingston Anderson
Executive Director 
Profession
Bio

Kingston is a graduate of the University of NSW, National Institute of Dramatic Art and the Australian Film Television & Radio School. He has directed in theatre and produced numerous documentaries and a TV movie. He's worked in policy and production for many years including as Film Commissioner for NSW and the Manager of the Production Liaison Unit for the NSW Film & Television Office (now Screen NSW)

Bearcage Australia

Bearcage has more than twenty years experience in media production. Its innovative approach blends outstanding projects and teams with the business of production, delivering exceptional creative and commercial results. Compelling stories, high production values and specialist expertise in post-production have brought success with domestic and international audiences.

Recent productions have included: The Story of Australia (2013 CCTV9), Building Australia (2013) for History Channel (nominated for a Screen Producers Association of Australia Award), The Boffin, the Builder & the Bombardier (2013) for ABC TV (nominated for an ATOM Award), New Zealand From Above, (2012) a co-production with Making Movies (NZ), GebruderBeetz (Germany) and broadcasters ARTE/ZDF (Germany), National Geographic (Australia) and Prime (NZ). The feature documentary The Digger (2011, History Channel) received the Gold Dolphin at the Cannes Corporate Media and Television Awards in 2011. 

Bearcage has twice won the ACT Chief Ministers Export Award and was a winner in the Federal Governments inaugural Arts in Asia Awards.

Website:
bearcage.com.au
Harriet Pike
Harriet Pike
Development Producer 
Bio

Harriet is a Senior Producer at Canberra based production Company Bearcage. She joined the Company in 2011 following on from five years experience working as a distributor and producer at Ronin Films where she had responsibility for acquisitions, business development and documentary production. Harriet has a Bachelor of Business from Griffith University and a Masters of Liberal Arts from the Australian National University. In her role as producer, completed documentary projects from her time at Ronin Films include Chinese Australian co-production Across the Plateau (Adelaide Film Festival 2009), The Chifleys of Busby Street (Brisbane International Film Festival 2008) and Emily In Japan (2009, ABC). Since joining Bearcage Harriet has worked as producer on Who We Are In Sport (2012, Bio Channel), Building Australia (2013, History Channel) and The Boffin, the Builder and the Bombardier (2013, ABC).

Michael Tear
Michael Tear
Managing Director 
Bio

Managing Director and co-founder of Bearcage, Michael's credits as Producer and Executive Producer encompass award winning television, government and commercial productions. His notable projects, both one-offs and series, include Building Australia (2013, History Channel), The Boffin, the Builder and the Bombardier (2013, ABC), The Story of Australia (2013, CCTV9), New Zealand From Above (2012, ZDF/ARTE, National Geographic, Prime TV), The Digger (Gold Dolphin at the Cannes Film and Television Awards), Blessed Mary: A Saint for All Australians (2010, History Channel), For Valour (2009, History Channel), and The Strong Men of Nguiu (2007, ABC Television). Michael serves as Chair of the ScreenACT Advisory Board, is a former member of the ACT Cultural Council, and has recently been appointed to the Federal Government's Creative Industry Innovation Centre.

Serge Ou
Serge Ou
Creative Director 
Bio

Serge is Creative Director and co-founder of Bearcage.  He was born in Geneva with parents of French, Armenian, Chinese and Russian background; he was educated in the United States before settling in Australia.

Serge has a diverse and successful career as a director and has received many awards for his work.  Most recently, Serge completed the award winning feature documentary The Digger ? A History. Other projects include Blessed Mary and For Valour, both of which were the History Channels highest rating programs in their year of broadcast and the $1.5m multi-media theatre experience Circa for the National Museum of Australia.  As a drama director, his work includes many award winning shorts including Shockwaves (2008) which was selected in Official Competition in the Tampere, Boston, St Kilda and Revelations International Film Festivals and was nominated for 4 awards including best film and best director at the St Kilda Film Festival.

Beyond Screen Production Australia

Beyond Screen Production is a subsidiary of Beyond Productions. Since its establishment in 1984, Beyond Productions has produced over five thousand hours of global television programs. The company is based in Sydney, Australia, and has development and production offices worldwide. 

Beyond Screen Production has produced or co-produced a range of specialist and popular factual programming including series such as Outback Kids (ABC), The Science of Self Harm (SBS), The Years That Made Us (ABC) and Whitlam: the Power & the Passion (ABC).

In 2013, Beyond West was established in Western Australia to collaborate on local, national and international co-productions with independent producers and to provide executive production services, finance and distribution for productions.

Bardwell Media,  Zinc Finger Films, Factor 30 Films and Spearpoint Productions are  Western Australian production companies working with Beyond West to develop a diverse range of programs with both a national and international focus in key content areas including history, science, contemporary and social issues and factual entertainment.

Website:
beyond.com.au
Ron Saunders
Ron Saunders
General Manager 
Bio

Ron Saunders has been active in film and television production for over 30 years as a writer, director, producer and executive producer. He has worked in Senior Management at the South Australian Film Corporation, Film Australia, Southern Star and Yoram Gross-EM before becoming Head of Television at the ABC. Ron is currently General Manager of Beyond Screen Production which has produced a range of specialist and popular factual programming, including Outback Kids, The Science of Self Harm, and Whitlam: the Power & the Passion. He has an extensive track record in children's programmes and animation, including Milly Molly, Spellbinder, Johnson and Friends, Backyard Science, Quest, LabRats Challenge, Toybox and Pipsqueaks. Ron has been involved in co-productions with Singapore, China, Canada, Poland, Japan, the Philippines and Germany. His latest project has been a co-production in China of Hoopla Doopla, a new children's programme for the ABC.

Harry Bardwell
Harry Bardwell
Executive Producer, Screen West 
Bio

Harry Bardwell is a WA-based executive producer, producer, funder, broadcaster, and documentary maker. He is the principal of Bardwell Media, and executive producer and manager of Beyond West. Following his success with breakthrough documentary Backs to the Blast Harry joined joined ABCTV Science in Sydney in 1983. He subsequently held positions as a factual and documentary producer, commissioning editor, Supervising Producer/EP Four Corners and head of international news production. In 2005 Harry joined ScreenWest where he was responsible for funding the production and development of programs for film, television and digital media production. With Beyond West Harry seeks co-production opportunities with producers wishing to work in WA.

Russell Vines
Russell Vines
Producer/Director, Zinc Finger Films 
Bio

Russell Vines is the founder of Zinc Finger Films. Over the last fifteen years he has either produced and/or directed over 40 hours of television across a wide range of genres including documentaries, factual formats and drama. Recent highlights include producing the critically acclaimed tele-movie, The Great Mint Swindle for the Nine Network, directing the AACTA award winning documentary series Search for Warriors about the SAS regiment and series directing National Geographic's Life On The Edge, a circumnavigation of Australia by land, sea and submarine. Russell is currently directing a documentary for the ABC about the horses and the men of Australia's legendary Light Horse, during WWI.

Carbon Media Australia

We are an award-winning full service media production company, based in the vibrant Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. 

We develop children’s television shows, documentaries, television commercials, corporate productions, websites and smart phone apps as well as branding, design, motion-graphics, animation, communication and marketing strategies and so much more.

Mr Wayne Denning
Mr Wayne Denning
LinkedIn logo Executive Producer and Managing Director 
Bio

Wayne Denning is the owner and managing director of Carbon Media, based in Brisbane, Australia. Wayne established Carbon Media in 2006 and has overseen the production, as executive producer, of many television programs and series. Wayne's recent productions include 5 Kangaroos for Sesame Workshop, Handball Heroes for ABC3, children's game shows Go Lingo! and Letterbox for NITV and ABC3, documentaries Intune, Blacktracks, From the Ashes and ProppaNOW. The multiplatform of ground breaking documentary series First Footprints for the ABC. Wayne currently sits on the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Board, the Brisbane Writers Festival Board and is the Chair of the Brisbane Festivals Indigenous Advisory Group.

Chemical Media Australia

Chemical Media is an independent production company specialising in factual entertainment, travel & lifestyle programming.

Established by the team which successfully brought the Lonely Planet brand to television, Chemical’s founders have made hundreds of hours of programming for broadcasters such as Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Al Jazeera English, Channel 4 and SBS.

Along the way we’ve produced shows on everything from contemporary British gangsters to traditional Chinese medicine, handled location shoots from Alaska to Arnhem Land, been hailed by prime ministers, denounced as people-smugglers, and frequently missed the last bus home.

Focusing on strong storytelling and intelligent entertainment, the Chemical team has created factual documentaries, returnable travel series, break-through social media campaigns and occasionally even impressed our mums.

With Australian roots and a global outlook, we’ve forged strategic film finance relationships with partners around the world and tailored unique content for brands such as Nokia, Tourism Australia and American Express.

Website:
chemicalmedia.tv
Joany Sze
Joany Sze
Head of Production 
Bio

Producer and production guru Joany Sze is a thunderbolt of energy, efficiency and excellence. A logistical nerd at heart, she has managed a dozen shoots in parallel across multiple time zones without even breaking into a sweat. Joany admits that she possibly landed her first TV job in London only because the other guy got drunk at the interview. Since then she has produced countless live action, animation, music and travel TV shows, turned a platoon of writers into filmmakers and sent them into Africa on bicycles, and produced a mountain of short-form content for multi-platform entertainment and corporate partners. She founded Chemical Media in 2011 with David Collins and Tony Jackson.

Tony Jackson
Tony Jackson
Executive Producer 
Bio

Tony Jackson has spent more than 25 years making television, earning his first stripes and frequent flyer miles at the BBC before eventually becoming Executive Producer and Head of Production at Lonely Planet Television. After building his reputation and risking his gonads making docos of career criminals in the East End of London, Tony made his first splash in Australia by spending four months deep in a NSW rainforest armed with several kilometres of internet cabling to make 48 episodes of an interactive reality TV show for UK network Channel Four. He went on to secure one of the best jobs in the world, travelling the globe directing and producing much of Lonely Planet's television output for the next decade. He founded Chemical Media in 2011 with his colleagues David Collins and Joany Sze.

Katy Morrison
Katy Morrison
Multimedia Producer 
Bio

Producer Katy Morrison meandered into factual storytelling via a research degree in history and a minor in medical microbiology - a combination that had nothing to do with film-making and everything to do with the forensic pathologist detective shows that her mother liked to watch on the ABC on a Saturday night. After flexing her muscles with a human rights organisations in South America and moonlighting as a travel writer in Buenos Aires, she has since worked on over 30 hours of broadcast television. Her passion for experimenting with new ways of telling stories has led Katy to working on films about virtual worlds, iPhone docos utilizing Augmented Reality and producing interactive documentaries.