Gender Matters
Brilliant Stories funding
BIographies
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Tanya Phegan Producer
After 12 years in the UK and US, Tanya Phegan returned to Australia in 2013 to join Porchlight Films as their Head of Television. Since then, Tanya has forged relationships with the most acclaimed talent in the country, developing series with Peter Duncan (Rake), Andrew Bovell (Lantana), Ray Lawrence (Lantana) and Kris Mrksa (The Slap). Tanya’s passion for comedy has lead Porchlight to develop comedy series as vehicles for the hugely successful comedians and creators, The Van Vuuren Brothers (Soul Mates, The Bondi Hipsters) and Nazeem Hussain (Legally Brown). In 2015, Tanya was an Executive Producer on The Record, a comedy pilot made for the ABC starring and created by Veronica Milsom (Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell) and written by/starring Steen Raskopoulos (Topcoppers). Through her roles at BBC Films and DNA Films, Tanya has extensive international experience in development, production and acquisitions. As the Head of Development & Acquisitions at DNA she worked with the UK’s top creative talent on films including Far from the Madding Crowd, The Last King of Scotland, 28 Weeks Later, Dredd, Never Let Me Go, Sunshine and Notes on a Scandal. At BBC Films, Tanya shepherded several films through production including West is West and 360°.
Sylvia Warmer Producer
Sylvia Warmer is a creative producer working in film, television and digital media. Since 2013, Sylvia has worked as Associate Producer for Porchlight Films, overseeing the development and production of a number of projects, including The Rover (2014), The Kettering Incident (2016) for Foxtel and Jasper Jones (2016). 2015 saw Sylvia produce her first TV pilot for Porchlight, The Record for ABC’s Fresh Blood initiative with Screen Australia. Besides feature and television work, Sylvia has produced several short films. Sylvia received Special Judges’ Commendation for The Swimming Lesson at the 2007 SA Film Awards, Adelaide Film Festival. Her next short Daniel was again nominated at the 2008 SA Film Awards. With Triptych Pictures and Monkeystack, Sylvia is currently producing the successful transmedia project Stasis. Developed through the SA Film Corporations Digital360Lab program and featured at the Adelaide Film Festival 2013 and AVCON2014. Sylvia was recently in London to present Stasis at Power To The Pixel Pitch Market. Stasis was one of 35 international projects selected to participate. Over the past 10 years, Sylvia has also worked on major feature films, and TV series in production and location management, including Red Dog, Snowtown, Tracks, and ABC series Pinaroo Surfer.
Anita Sheehan Executive Producer
Anita Sheehan is a producer and partner at Porchlight Films, an independent production company with a commitment to making distinctive feature films and television drama. Anita is currently Executive Producer on Jasper Jones. Her other EP credits include The Kettering Incident an eight-part television drama series currently in production for Foxtel and BBC Worldwide; the feature film The Rover (2013) starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson and directed by David Michôd; Australian-German co-production Lore (2012) directed by Cate Shortland and the feature film The Hunter (2011), starring Willem Dafoe and directed by Daniel Nettheim. Anita has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Sydney (1991) and a Graduate Diploma in Communications from the University of Technology (1997). Anita began her film and television career at Southern Star in 1995. In 1997, she joined Porchlight Films as a Company Director with producers Liz Watts and Vincent Sheehan. Anita is also a Company Director of Jetty Distribution, formed in 2006.
Vincent Sheehan Executive Producer
Vincent Sheehan is co-founder of Porchlight Films an independent production company based in Sydney. His producer credits include Mullet with writer/director David Caesar, Little Fish directed by Rowan Woods and starring Cate Blanchett and The Hunter an adaptation of Julia Leigh’s acclaimed novel, directed by Daniel Nettheim and starring Willem Dafoe. Vincent was an Executive Producer on the TV series Laid, Cate Shorland’s Lore and David Michôd’s debut feature Animal Kingdom, as well as The Rover, starring Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce. He recently completed production on the TV series The Kettering Incident for Foxtel as producer and co-creator and is currently in post-production on the feature film adaptation of the acclaimed novel Jasper Jones, directed by Rachel Perkins and starring Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving and Levi Miller.
Liz Watts Executive Producer
Liz Watts produced Animal Kingdom (2010, Director David Michôd), The Home Song Stories (2007, Director Tony Ayres), Little Fish (2005, Rowan Woods), Cannes and Sundance selected Jewboy (2005, Tony Krawitz), and Berlin selected Walking on Water, (2002, Tony Ayres). Liz’s last feature The Rover, reteaming with writer/director David Michôd, premiered in Official Selection Cannes Film Festival 2014 and starred Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, sold in over 35 territories worldwide. Liz produced German Australian co-production Lore, directed by Cate Shortland, and Dead Europe, directed by Tony Krawitz, with Emile Sherman and Iain Canning, both of which premiered at Festival Special Presentation Toronto International Film in 2012. As Executive Producer, her credits include upcoming The Kettering Incident (2015), for Foxtel, and the feature film Jasper Jones with director Rachel Perkins based on the Craig Silvey novel. Liz also executive produced The Hunter (2011, Daniel Nettheim), starring Willem Defoe, Lou (2010 Belinda Chayko, starring John Hurt), and Prime Mover (2009 David Caesar). Liz’s other credits include Laid (ABC TV, Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher), Martha’s New Coat (2003, SBS, Rachel Ward), Delivery Day (2001, SBS, Jane Manning); documentaries including Buried Country (2000, SBS); The Pitch (1998, ABC) and Island Style (1999, SBS).
Kacie Anning Director / Writer
Kacie Anning is a Sydney-based writer, director and creator. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & Television from the Queensland University of Technology and is a 2011, directing graduate of AFTRS, where she was awarded the Foxtel Scholarship for Exceptional New Talent. In 2012, Kacie successfully crowd-funded her six-part web series Fragments of Friday, which she wrote, directed and starred in. In 2015, series 2 was commissioned through Screen Australia and produced by Endemol Australia. Released online in 2015, The Huffington Post heralded it as “unashamedly bold superstar female talent”. The series is currently playing on Qantas as a part of their in-flight entertainment and at various international festivals. In 2015, Kacie created the satirical web series Minister for Men featuring Gretel Killeen. The series clocked up close to half-a-million views to date. In 2016, after premiering three former shorts at Flickerfest over the years, Kacie was chosen to direct the promotional trailer for the short film festival as it celebrated its 25th Anniversary. Kacie works as a freelance writer/director/performer and continues to develop several short and long form projects. Kacie is currently directing series 3 of You’re Skitting Me for Jigsaw Entertainment and the ABC.
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