Today’s episode features Gemma Crofts, an award-winning screenwriter, a script editor and former development executive, with more than fifteen years’ experience across film and television development.

Throughout the podcast Gemma talks about what a script editor does, takeaways from her time as a development executive, how to understand what the note behind the note is, what she enjoys about working across different genres, and much more.

As a writer, Gemma has worked on shows for Netflix, Fremantle, Werner Film Productions, Orange Entertainment and SBS, most notably Surviving Summer for Netflix. Some of her projects in development include a US rom-com starring Emmy-Award winning actor Justin Hartley for Happy Accidents and as a co-creator of Twisted, a series adaptation of iconic Australian author Paul Jennings’ short stories for Fremantle Media. She has also worked as a development executive for production companies such as Werner Productions and was formally trained in story development at the prestigious European-based Binger Film Lab.

This episode is brought to you by the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS). To explore the Master of Arts Screen: Business and submit an application for the upcoming intake, visit: https://www.aftrs.edu.au/award-course/master-of-arts-screen-business/

Gemma Crofts: screenwriting, script editing and development takeaways

Today’s episode features Sarah Goodes, an Award-winning Australian theatre director who started Jacaranda Productions in 2025 with actor/ producer Diana Glenn after they met at AFTRS. Their goal? To create multi medium stories by finding stories that start in theatre and developing them into TV , film and online productions - and vice versa.

Throughout the podcast Sarah talks about making the decision to expand into a new career path and benefits and challenges of that, the differences and similarities between directing theatre and screen, advice for directors wanting to build sustainable careers, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS). To explore the Master of Arts Screen: Business and submit an application for the upcoming intake, visit: https://www.aftrs.edu.au/award-course/master-of-arts-screen-business/

Director Sarah Goodes: taking career leaps

Today’s episode features Benson Wu, the CEO of Queer Screen. Throughout the podcast, Benson talks about for submitting to film festivals, why they are important to both audiences and filmmakers and why he volunteered at Queer Screen at the beginning of his career. Benson also started the Taiwan Film Festival in Australia and has worked at Sydney Film Festival, SXSW Sydney, Taiwan International Queer Film Festival and Cinema at Sea – Okinawa Pan-Pacific International Film Festival.

Benson also joins us ahead of September’s Queer Screen Film Fest (Sept 2-8) and the launch of their inaugural industry event Queer Screen Studio on September 6th, which will feature panels on pitching, pathways to audience and the making of Leviticus as well as a masterclass with director Goran Stolevski.

For more information, visit: https://queerscreen.org.au/sessions/queer-screen-studio/

Queer Screen CEO Benson Wu: film festival advice and impact

Today’s episode features Liz Doran, a screenwriter, showrunner and one of the executive producers of the new six-part series My Brilliant Career, which is produced by Jungle Entertainment and releases on Netflix on August 13.

A series adaptation of Miles Franklin’s beloved Australian novel, My Brilliant Career is set in 1900 Australia and follows Sybylla, a shockingly modern young woman with one searing ambition - to be a writer, while her family is determined to marry her off. For her, the choice between adventure or marriage seems easy, until she falls in love. Will Sybylla marry, or will she risk it all for a creative life?

Throughout the episode, Liz talks about getting the call about working on My Brilliant Career while producing The Tailings, the five-year development period that followed, their new approach to Miles Franklin’s novel adaptation, pitching to Netflix, favourite 1900s-era slang, and much more.

Liz executive produced My Brilliant Career with set-up director Alyssa McClelland and previous podcast guest Chloe Rickard from Jungle Entertainment. Prior to this, Liz co-created and has written series such as Barons and Ready for This, wrote on Series 1 - 5 of Doctor Doctor, and script produced and wrote on all 4 seasons of Please Like Me. Some other writing credits include episodes of Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries, The Secret Life of Us, McLeod’s Daughters and Dance Academy. And in 2020 Liz also produced (under her own production banner) the short-form online series The Tailings.

My Brilliant Career EP, writer and showrunner Liz Doran

Today’s episode features Renée Broome, an in-house Screenwriter and Script Editor at Home and Away, who's written dozens of episodes of the series and worked on more than 1,000 episodes in her various roles in the script department over the past nine years.

Throughout the episode, Renée talks through the script department and what each role is – from Script Coordinator to Storyliner and Script Editor - as well as her experience working in each. Renée also talks to what a typical week for her looks like on Home and Away, key skills she has learned working there, writing advice, and much more.

Renée Broome: working in the Home and Away script department

Today’s episode features Danielle Redford, a producer and the founder of Contra Stories whose latest project is the six-episode online series Ina, which is written and directed by Rachel Maxine Anderson and available to watch on YouTube now https://www.youtube.com/@ina.series

Throughout the episode, Danielle talks about how working in distribution has influenced her as a producer, her experience of producing Ina at the same time as upcoming feature film Zombucha!, the benefits and takeaways from releasing on a platform like YouTube, and much more.

Danielle Redford: producing online series Ina at the same time as feature film Zombucha! 

Joining the podcast is Ben Jenkins, the creator and one of the writers of the new six-part Stan Original series The Killings at Parrish Station, a cosmic horror drama that releases on the streamer on June 24. Set across two time periods – 1987 and present day – it begins when a gruesome massacre at a remote research station plunges a detective (played in the past by Mia Wasikowska and in the present by Heather Mitchell) into an inexplicable, decades-long mystery.

Throughout the episode Ben talks about his career journey from stand-up comedy to working on The Chaser, and as writer, producer and presenter on The Checkout before his time on The Feed – and how his years in sketch comedy have informed him as a writer. He talks about tackling a drama set across different time periods, how he collaborated with writers Tim Pye, Catherine Smyth-McMullen and Yolanda Ramke to draft episodes, how to maintain the core idea of a story over years of development, and much more.

Watch all episodes of The Killings at Parrish Station from June 24

Ben Jenkins: creating and co-writing The Killings at Parrish Station

Writer/director Tin Pang joins the podcast to talks about drawing from his own life for his projects, takeaways from taking his series Sell-Out to market, key learnings from directors’ attachments on A Place to Call Home and Home and Away, breaking down what a 1st, 2nd and 3rd assistant director (or AD) does, and how his work in those roles – and others – has set him up to be the director he is today.

Tin’s short films The Pale Moonlight [https://www.threecoinpictures.com/portfolio/the-pale-moonlight/] and Mother, Child [https://www.threecoinpictures.com/portfolio/mother-child/] screened at festivals across the globe, including MIFF, Flickerfest, St Kilda, World-Fest Houston, HollyShorts and Fantasia. He was selected to be a part of MIFF’s Accelerator Lab as well as the Equity Foundation’s Screen Diversity Showcase, which resulted in the short film, Radical Honesty [https://www.threecoinpictures.com/portfolio/radical-honesty/]. Tin has also worked as an assistant director on series including Last King Of The Cross, The Artful Dodger, Erotic Stories, He Had It Coming and upcoming features Street Fighter and Spaceballs 2.

There’s also a call-out in the episode for donations for the short film LITTLE LIME, the writing/directing debut of host Caris Bizzaca. Any support is much appreciated! https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000Yya6fMAB/short-film-little-lime

Writer/director Tin Pang: directing process, AD takeaways and pitching advice

On today’s episode is lawyer Eve Foreman, who’s the principal of entertainment law practice Macleay William. Eve talks through whether legal requirements differ if your project is low budget or big budget, some of the legal jargon people might encounter, what to do if you need clearances for things like video game characters or songs, terms to expect or look out for if you’re selling your project, and much more.

Eve has worked in the film and television industry for over 20 years, starting with 'hands on' experience in the production office, script department and in continuity and then becoming admitted to practice as a lawyer. She predominately acts for producers across their development, financing, production and distribution work, as well as advising US studios on production work in Australia.

Eve Foreman: navigating contracts, copyright and legal terms for Australian screen projects

SBS Head of Scripted Nakul Legha talks about how to pitch to SBS, the types of series they are and aren’t commissioning, and advice for Digital Originals. Applications are now open for the Digital Originals initiative from SBS, NITV and Screen Australia, and Nakul runs through who is eligible, what they’re looking for, how to make your application stand out and many more Frequently Asked Questions.

Read the guidelines before you apply: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fund/digital-originals-2026/

As Head of Scripted, Nakul leads the commissioning of scripted content at SBS, which includes overseeing Original SBS series, the slate of Digital Originals, and other industry initiatives that amplify new voices. Prior to SBS, Nakul was at Netflix, where he helped establish the streamer’s content strategy in ANZ, and oversaw a slate of original scripted series, feature films and documentaries that included Boy Swallows Universe, Wellmania, Surviving Summer, Love is in the Air, Irreverent and ONEFOUR: Against All Odds.

Nakul Legha: tips for applying for Digital Originals and pitching to SBS Scripted

Caris Bizzaca (@cbizzaca) · Zencastr

Caris Bizzaca (@cbizzaca)

Get up-to-date on Australian screen industry news and hear from local writers, producers, directors and more. Created and hosted by journalist and screenwriter Caris Bizzaca.

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