I’d like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today and I
acknowledge the peoples of the Kulin nation, and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and the
Elders from other communities who may be here today.
I’m delighted to be here this morning and give the opening address for the 2016 Generation Next Screen
Creators Conference.
Aptly titled YOUR FUTURE – WHAT NEXT - Find Your Pathway, Find Your Place, Find Your Voice, this
year’s program has been designed to help you secure a career in the screen industry, an industry which at
times can be seriously frustrating yet immensely rewarding if you’re able to stick with it.
It’s terrific to see so many attendees here today and equally a little daunting – the 250 or so people registered
is indicative of the many throughout Australia looking to find a career in the screen industry - a career that is
sustainable long term, that enables you to earn a reasonable living and allows you to create content that is
worthy of sharing with others here in Australia and around the world, thereby allowing your creativity to shine.
Some of you will be completing studies, some will have qualifications and work experience in this or other
disciplines.
Many will have already created or worked on short films, online videos or other content. Some will feel they’re
ready to hit the ground running and keen for their talents to be discovered, while others may be a little more
hesitant.
Wherever you fit at this moment and without wishing to dampen your enthusiasm I’d like to encourage you to
prepare yourself for the journey ahead. No matter what your level of experience the truth is, securing a
successful paid career in the industry more likely to be a marathon than a sprint - particularly if your sights are
set on being a writer, producer, director, or occupying lead roles such as production and costume design,
cinematography, editing and sound.
Australia is a small country, which means the domestic marketplace for screen content has natural limitations,
and therefore to some extent the opportunities to break in are also limited.
Conversely when it comes to creative talent Australia punches above its weight, which means you’re going to
face some competition to secure your preferred position.
While it’s essential to nurture your creativity and believe in your potential, you may also want to consider
making some plans that will help you achieve your dream role.
To that end I’d like to suggest you acknowledge from the outset that for most of you this journey is probably
going to take some time, possibly somewhere between 5-10 years, and perhaps even a bit longer if you’re
aspiring to be a writer or director. Acknowledging this is a wise thing to do.
It’s going to be hard to convince people you’re a master craftsperson if you’ve not completed a full
apprenticeship and been out in the field for a few years to hone and perfect your skills.
If you accept that there’s still lots to learn and can be excited by this, you immediately remove the pressure of
having to prove your brilliance. This means you can dabble, experiment, try different roles and even fail a few
a times. The expectation to hit a home run first off is removed.
Getting a break in this industry is as much about who you know as the talent you have. Taking it a little slower
gives you time to build those all-important networks and relationships.
It will also allow you to better understand the business, including the multitude of skills required, the different
financing models, platforms, demographics and other factors.
Understanding that this is a business is particularly important if you want to be a creator of content and you
expect others to fund the cost of production.
This can involve a few hundred thousand or many millions of dollars, often taxpayer and investor dollars.
There’s a lot risk attached and sometimes significant rewards, including financial ones. But with these stakes
at play those who provide investment funding tend to make considered decisions to minimise their risk, and
they’ll have expectations and conditions. The more you understand the rules of the playground the more
likely you’ll be to survive the tough battles and ultimately one day be in charge of your own team, or even your
own playground.
So to give yourself a chance at standing out above the pack, you might want to first focus on building your
worth rather than proving your brilliance.
Ensuring you’ve got a diverse range of skills, that you can be flexible and adaptable, that you’re resilient,
resourceful, and entrepreneurial will be a good start - these are attributes that can make you invaluable to
those you might work for and will help get you noticed. Maintaining a sense of humour and a determination to
persevere will keep you in good stead.
In the meantime, whilst you’re filling your kitbag, have some fun along the way. Until those paying jobs come
your way, be entrepreneurial and find other ways to hone your skills, whether it’s using your own resources to
make You Tube Videos, volunteering, writing your own scripts, researching the business or watching and rewatching the films and dramas you most admire will all help.
Take any opportunity that comes up, even if it’s only vaguely related to what you ultimately want to do, you’ll
be loading your tool kit and your knowledge bank. The experiences you have along the way will be invaluable
down the track. An aspiring writer I once employed as a script coordinator took a job transcribing police
interviews to keep the bills paid. How useful that turned out to be some years later when she finally got a gig
as a writer on City Homicide.
Those that recognise and take hidden opportunities typically reach their end goal more quickly than those who
hold out for the perfect job.
Gaining any type of work experience also gives you life experience, an often undervalued ingredient when it
comes to creating great content. The places you travel, the behaviours of people you meet, along with the
good and bad experiences you have will colour your imagination and give you perspective.
This will help you create unique and distinctive content which can stand out, whether in the worlds and
characters you create, performances you direct or the sets and costumes you design in the years to come.
Allowing yourself this time to discover Your Pathway, Your Place and Your Voice is all a part of the journey.
As is this conference.
Filled with hypotheticals, roundtables, industry panels and networking opportunities, along with advice and
strategies that will help you navigate your own unique path there’s much for you to look forward to over the
next two days.
My congratulations to Caroline, Cristina, Daniel and the entire Open Channel team for compiling this terrific
program, which I’m sure will leave you informed, inspired and having made new connections and maybe even
finding an opportunity or two.
To close with the old but apt saying, ‘Slow and steady wins the race’. This industry thrives on relationships
and collaboration, so take your time, value and respect the people you meet - even the difficult ones. Find
something positive in every experience you have, enjoy the journey and I’m sure success will come your way.