Screen Australia CEO: "Communities are at the heart of our success"
Deirdre Brennan reflects on how Australian regional storytelling is shaping a vibrant, viable Australian screen industry.
Screen Australia CEO Deirdre Brennan at Regional to Global with attendee Head of Screen NSW Kyas Hepworth.
At Screenwork’s 2025 Regional to Global conference in June, Screen Australia CEO Deirdre Brennan celebrated the vibrant storytellers and influential stories from remote and regional areas of Australia, and shared how the agency's new strategy acts as an engine for practitioners from all corners of the country.
Supported by the five strategic pillars – Empower, Enrich, Enable, Engage and Elevate – Screen Australia is working to ensure a sustainable community for all creators, wherever they call home.
Read the full transcript below.
DEIRDRE BRENNAN presents REGIONAL TO GLOBAL KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Speech Transcript
Opening Remarks
I’m honoured to be here on the lands of the Bundjalung Nation. How lucky we are to walk away from the concrete and glass for a few days and literally ground ourselves on this beautiful Country.
I’m also glad to be home after a holiday that involved a big Southern wedding celebration in the small town of Cary, North Carolina, USA. Why is this relevant? Well, I realised I needed to break down my preconceptions of modern-day America to really get to know the people there. Watching an outgoing group of Australians and the families of Cary connect over a joyous five-day event was something I will always remember, and shaped what I want to talk about today.
We already know that regional Australia is home to some of the most remarkable landscapes. That’s something we can see. What we don’t talk about enough is that our country is made real and made powerful through the people that live here. That connection is at the centre of our stories, breaking down borders with audiences everywhere. In other words, our communities are at the heart of our success.
It’s easy to sound overly sentimental when talking about community, but I’m a big believer in its power for two reasons. The first is how we represent ourselves and succeed on the world stage. But also, how communities can provide a roadmap for how the screen sector could work, ensuring we thrive holistically from creation to distribution. And, honestly, we have a lot to learn from regional screen practitioners about how to do this.
Community as a storytelling device
But first let’s talk about storytelling. In 2024, seven million Australians lived in rural and remote areas, 27% of the total population*. While this might not be a surprising stat by itself, when paired with domestic and international Box Office data from the past ten years it starts to tell an interesting story.
Of the top 50 feature films released in the last ten years - that told Australian stories - 64% focused on regional and remote areas**. So, the experiences of one quarter of our population visually account for the vast majority of our film success both here and globally.
But it’s not just about the place. We shouldn’t be surprised that content like Muster Dogs, The Kimberley and Just a Farmer connect so strongly. After the first season success of Bay of Fires (an audience of over 6 million), co-creator Marta Dusseldorp said her move to Tasmania inspired the series - “I had a very sharp learning curve about how to be in a place, to be a part of it, and that’s not about imposing yourself on it.”
I think that captures a sentiment you already know – regional stories travel incredibly well when they capture local experiences truthfully.
I can’t wait for upcoming work like Floodland, a winner at the Sydney Film Festival, Whale Shark Jack, Wolfram, and livestock simulator game Pasture from Salty Games in the NT.
Speaking of Australian games, I’ve been blown away by the powerhouse reputation of our local industry. It’s known as a hub for talent that is fiercely independent and playful, with an incredible culture of shared support. I encourage you all to spend some time in their world, you won’t regret it.
The audience connection through land and community is something that’s hard to quantify or even qualify. So, what is it about the Australian character and POV that resonates?
Certainly, we need to understand this better. What we already know, however, is that authenticity matters. When local voices are embedded in the storytelling from the beginning – not others deciding their stories for them – we see the greatest impact. This is not about landscapes or settings, the stories that come from our communities truly express the breadth of the Australian experience.
Community as an engine for industry-wide success
So, how can Screen Australia help with this?
A community-based approach is the most important practical tool we have to create a sustainable and thriving local industry. When I think about my agency’s pivotal role, I know we can do better.
I have such respect for the work of Regional Arts Australia and CEO Ros Abercrombie. A small team that works tirelessly to promote the idea that people living in regional, rural and remote Australia should be empowered to contribute, participate and celebrate the arts because it’s vital for Australia’s future. What’s remarkable is their interconnected approach to doing this.
I want everyone to know that Screen Australia is evolving. We’re becoming more ambitious and anchored in the range of communities we represent. Our renewed purpose is to build a vibrant, viable screen industry that reflects the depth and diversity of all Australian stories. We know regional and remote storytelling plays an important part in showcasing this depth and we want to do more.
Our new strategic direction has five key pillars – let me run briefly through these.
The first pillar, Empower, equips you with insights and resources to stay ahead in a dynamic market. This includes: an update of the Screen Currency report, exploring the economic and cultural value of screen and games production; an enhanced Viewfinder series will provide understanding of audience behaviour; and a refreshed PICA report (Production Infrastructure & Capacity Audit) that will offer deeper insights into the various challenges impacting the growth of our workforce.
The second pillar, Enrich, fosters screen businesses and careers. In particular, our upcoming Private Investment toolkits will be valuable for regional storytellers looking to secure alternative, independent financing.
The Enable pillar brings more Australian stories to screen through innovation in production, distribution and financing. You know we are simplifying our programs and guidelines to make it easier to apply for funding, particularly the Narrative Content and Documentary streams. One element I’m passionate about is the reintroduction of short film funding as a springboard towards a first feature or long-form commission.
The Engage pillar recognises the seismic shift in how we view content and aims to connect all Australians with resonant stories across the platforms they use. Yes, we’ll become more data-driven, but our key measure is the proportion of Australians who value Australian screen content. We’re also moving to a platform-agnostic approach, which will support direct-to-audience content creators that thrive in regional communities. I think of Cate McQuillen, Bridget May or Dylan River, whose online series Robbie Hood eventually led to the unforgettable Thou Shalt Not Steal (in partnership with Ludo Studio).
The last pillar, Elevate, positions Australia as a global leader in screen production and storytelling, rightly so. We’ve recently created the role of POCU Advisor (Michele McDonald), a direct line for you to get expert advice about Official Co-production. We also provide virtual initiatives and international travel support to ensure distance doesn’t have to be a barrier.
Regional involvement in building community
This is just the beginning. There’s still a lot more to do if we want to build, not only a viable sector, but a powerful screen community. And we need your input.
Some results of our recent Industry Survey were a real eye-opener. 29% of respondents indicated representation of Regional Australia was of neutral importance or not important at all. That’s nearly a third. 39% said the same of Remote Australia.
I don’t believe that’s good enough if we want to remain culturally relevant for Australians.
Your opinions are more important than ever to advocate for regional and remote representation. Your voices matter…make sure they are being heard, before and as part of our next survey.
Ask yourself what do you envision for the shared future of the Australian screen community – what does good look like?
We don’t have an answer. Yet. But we have embarked on a project to determine an industry-wide North Star – an inspirational and potentially audacious goal that the entire screen sector can rally around. If the music and tourism industries can do this, why not us? This will be developed in consultation with industry and our incredible state agency partners who work tirelessly to ensure the voices of all communities – First Nations first, regional, remote and urban – are represented.
So, contemplate what your vision would be. Let your networks know, get involved in conversations with the organisations that represent you, keep talking, not just about how we tackle the challenges of today, but how we seize the opportunities of tomorrow, together.
This is how we want Screen Australia to serve as the engine for the success of all Australian screen storytellers. A competitive and ever-changing market landscape could make it easy to become overwhelmed about the future, but that’s why I believe we can learn from the determination and innovation of the communities we see outside of our cities.
That sense of strong independence, resilience and distinct storytelling – from Coober Pedy to Strahan, Cooktown to Broome – is what defines us to the world.
Closing Remarks
Standing on Bundjalung land today, I keep coming back to the words of author Melissa Lucashenko:
“It’s a particular kind of freedom to make your living out of creative work. You need discipline, but basically the whole world is at your disposal in terms of sparking creative ideas.”
If you can capture Australia’s community spirit on screen, it’s true the whole world is at your disposal. Regional practitioners with authentic connection to the land and its people will always be a key part of that success.
Screen Australia will continue to listen and strive to support a screen community built on optimism and comradery that helps all creators flourish, wherever they call home.
Thank you.
*Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population 2023-24 financial year
** Comscore, Film projects of Australian origin 2015-2025
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