Shows
Breaking ScreenJungle Entertainment's Chloe Rickard and showrunner/writer Gretel Vella on making Stan series He Had it ComingWe’re joined on Breaking Screen by screenwriter Gretel Vella and Jungle Entertainment’s Chloe Rickard, who both executive produced the new Stan original series He Had it Coming, which launches on November 20. Throughout the podcast, Gretel and Chloe talk about the journey of He Had it Coming from horror feature to buddy comedy/murder mystery, their approach to writing – and selling – a half-hour comedy drama, tips for pitching a television series, the moments that got them to keep going in a tough industry, and much more.He Had it Coming is an odd couple comedy-dr...
2025-11-1724 minBreaking ScreenCreators of Stan series Watching You on adaptations, writing tips, and crafting a propulsive thriller for TVWe're joined on Breaking Screen by Alexei Mizin and Ryan van Dijk, the creators, writers and script producers of Stan’s original six-part series Watching You, which is based on the J.P. Pomare novel 'The Last Guests’ and is produced by Lingo Pictures in association with ITV Studios. The series stars Aisha Dee as Lina, who, after her affair is captured by hidden cameras, sets out to unmask an insidious voyeur that threatens to destroy her life. All episodes are available to stream now.Throughout the podcast, Alexei and Ryan talk about the positives of being a wr...
2025-11-0333 minBreaking ScreenMaking a vertical series with the producers of CeebsWe’re joined on Breaking Screen by Amie Batalibasi and Nikki Tran, the producers of 18 x 1 minute series Ceebs, which was written by and stars Betiel Beyin & Leigh Lule. Throughout the podcast, Amie and Nikki share their insights on developing and creating an online series, what vertical storytelling actually is, learnings from their marketing and release strategy, unexpected hurdles with the algorithm, and advice for anyone wanting to make a series for TikTok or Instagram.In Ceebs, best friends Zion and Ruby run for Youth President to save their youth centre from imminent closure while struggling to ke...
2025-10-2031 minBreaking ScreenMaking an animated feature with Lesbian Space Princess co-writer/directorsWe're joined on Breaking Screen by Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs, the co-writer/directors of the award winning animated feature film Lesbian Space Princess, who talk about splitting responsibilities during development and production, the differences in writing for live action versus animation, and tips for working in low-budget animation.Lesbian Space Princess premiered at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film, an international award recognising exceptional films with LGBTQIA+ themes and content. It was also selected for Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney Film Festivals – and at Sydney won the GI...
2025-10-0624 minBreaking ScreenDirector/Writer Vanilla Tupu: takeaways from working across development, film and music worldsWe’re joined on Breaking Screen by Vanilla Tupu, a director, writer and development manager who talks about takeaways from being in the development team at Wooden Horse; working across projects that bridge music, film and Pacific culture; and some crucial advice for any freelance creatives, but particularly emerging ones.In the music world, Vanilla has directed and produced acclaimed music videos for artists including BARKAA, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The DMAs, OneFour, and Egoism. Meanwhile in screen, she line-produced the Netflix documentary OneFour: Against All Odds, and directed the AACTA-nominated ABC series Bad Ancestors – whic...
2025-09-2337 minBreaking ScreenFilmmaker Josh Sambono: From note-taking to writing on Firebite and NCIS: SydneyWe’re joined by filmmaker Josh Sambono, a Jingili man who is known for his expertise in the action and horror genres, who talks about how his early training in sound recording influenced him as filmmaker, working as a director's attachment with Taika Waititi on Thor: Love and Thunder, and how the years of effort, note-taking, small steps and seeming dead-ends all came together when he pitched to write his first episode of television on AMC+ series Firebite. Josh has worked in writers’ rooms with companies including Bunya Productions, Blackfella Films and See-Saw Films. His First Nations horro...
2025-09-0947 minBreaking ScreenYolanda Ramke's writing process and advice for emerging creativesAward-winning screenwriter and director Yolanda Ramke joins this 'mini-break' episode of Breaking Screen - a shorter episode than usual - to talk about her methodical approach to writing Australian television and advice for writers and directors trying to get a foot in the industry. Yolanda first found success when she wrote, and co-directed the 2013 viral short film Cargo with frequent collaborator Ben Howling. Yolanda and Ben then expanded Cargo into their feature film debut of the same name, which was produced by Causeway Films, starred Martin Freeman, and was the first Australian Netflix Original narrative feature film. T...
2025-08-2513 minBreaking ScreenMonica Zanetti: building a directing and writing career across film and TVWe’re joined on Breaking Screen by Monica Zanetti - an award-winning screenwriter and director, who talks about how she shifts between working on her own IP or being a gun for hire on film and television, her writing and directing process, how being a Catherine Hardwicke fan led her to filmmaking, and why the Notes app has become a crucial part of development.Monica is the co-creator of the SBS series While The Men Away, of which she directed the bottle episode. Monica also wrote and directed the film Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt) which was...
2025-08-1238 minBreaking ScreenCharles Williams: the road to writing and directing his feature film debut InsideWe’re joined on Breaking Screen by Charles Williams, an acclaimed Australian film director, writer, and producer, who talks about what winning the short film Palme d’Or in 2018 meant to him, how the films he grew up watching inspired his debut feature Inside, and how his work in short filmmaking prepared him when it came to directing a feature.Charles has won more than 60 international awards, including the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Short Film Palme d'Or for All These Creatures. Charles then made his feature debut with Inside, which had its world premiere at Melbourne International Film...
2025-07-2827 minBreaking ScreenMelissa Lee Speyer: writing takeaways for screen and stageWe’re joined on Breaking Screen by writer Melissa Lee Speyer, who talks about what her time as both a lawyer and development executive taught her about writing, how to interpret notes, her writing process, why her career path hasn’t been a linear one, and much more.Melissa's credits include episodes of television series The Heights for Matchbox Pictures and season two of Random and Whacky and forREAL! for Ambience Entertainment. Her theatre credits include 2018's Ticktickboomwhich won the 2015 Silver Gull Play Award, as well as plays A Christmas Carol and Trade. As well as being a wr...
2025-07-1438 minBreaking ScreenSam Meikle: the challenges and opportunities for Australian screenwriters in 2025We’re joined on Breaking Screen by Sam Meikle, a writer and creator with hundreds of hours of produced credits that range from television comedies, dramas, animation, and web series. Sam was a co-creator, head writer, and Executive Producer of the 2022 ABC/Netflix series MaveriX and the previous year he was a writer, executive producer and co-showrunner of the series Wakefield for the ABC, BBC Studios and Showtime. Sam was also selected in 2023 to take part in The Creators, the inaugural showrunning program from Screen Australia and the Australian Writers’ Guild.Throughout the episode, Sam talks to ever...
2025-06-3030 minBreaking ScreenWriting genre with screenwriter, author and film curator Maria LewisThis episode of Breaking Screen features Maria Lewis, a best-selling author, screenwriter, and film curator who has an Encyclopaedic knowledge of pop culture and genre specifically. After starting out as a journalist, Maria has gone on to write eleven books (including novels for Marvel and Assassin’s Creed), win an AWGIE for her podcast The Phantom Never Dies which was produced by Nova Entertainment, write and direct the short film The House That Hungers and is now in development writing her feature The Black Talons.Maria talks to everything from making the shift into screenwriting, submitting 101 applications, wr...
2025-06-1755 minBreaking ScreenProducer Yingna Lu on festival strategies, applying for grants and building a slateThe first episode of Breaking Screen features Yingna Lu of Spaceboy Studios, a creative producer who discusses everything from festival strategies for short films, to her advice when it comes to applying for grants and initiatives, and different takeaways from producing online series, short films, television and features.Yingna has worked across a variety of formats - on online projects including the Instagram and Tik Tok series Love Bug, short films such as Voice Activated which premiered at Tribeca, television series including the second season of ABC’s The PM’s Daughter and films like the currently-in-development feat...
2025-06-0239 min
Screen Australia PodcastProducing Genre: Kylie du FresneAustralian producer Kylie du Fresne from Goalpost Pictures joins journalist Caris Bizzaca to talk about Upgrade, the genre feature she produced with Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions (Get Out, Paranormal Activity). She talks about the differences between the US studio system and the Australian screen industry, what she learnt about creating genre films from Upgrade's writer/director Leigh Whannell (writer of the Saw and Insidious franchises), and why Upgrade was brought to Australia in the first place – including the importance of the Producer Offset in getting it made. Links: Producer Offset 101 video; Find out more ab...
2018-07-1738 minScreen Australia PodcastScreen Story Development GuidelinesScreen Australia Senior Development Executive Nerida Moore and Senior Manager of Program Operations Diana Burnett join journalist Caris Bizzaca from Screen News to discuss what development funding actually is, what the big changes in these guidelines are, and what they will mean for the Australian screen industry.
2018-07-0328 minScreen Australia PodcastOfficial Co-Productions: ClevermanRosemary Blight and Ben Grant from Goalpost Pictures talk to Screen News journalist Caris Bizzaca about Official Co-productions in TV.
2018-02-1339 min