We Interrupt This Broadcast

Access coordination is fast moving from ‘nice to have’ to non-negotiable, and Stephanie Dower is one of the people building that shift from the ground up. In this Deep Dive episode, Loani Arman speaks with Stephanie about her work as an access coordinator, producer, and CEO of Dower Productions and what it takes to make screen productions genuinely accessible for cast and crew. They also get into...

Have thoughts to share about this episode, Screen Forever, or anything else happening in the industry? Join Loani, Aven, Robbie and Kirsty this Thursday 2nd June at 8:30pm for our monthly Instagram Live: https://www.instagram.com/weinterruptpodcast --- Robbie and Kirsty catch up to discuss everything that happened in the industry in June, from the release of “YouTube feature films” Backrooms, Obse...

In this episode, Robbie Miles speaks with producer and director Michael Schwartz of Deeper Water Films about the realities of packaging films, attaching cast, navigating Hollywood agencies and building a sustainable producing career. From his unconventional entry into producing through to working with talent including Sam Worthington, Russell Crowe and Luke Bracey, Mike shares hard-earned lessons...

In this episode, Kirsty Stark speaks with Ian Murray, Founder of 113 Partners, about private investment for feature films, and what investors in Australia are looking for when they invest in a project or slate. Ian discusses the challenges of finding private investment, what we can do to make our industry more investable, and where to find potential investors if you don’t have rich parents or frie...

In this episode, Aven Yap speaks with Showrunner David Hutchinson about creating hit kids animated YouTube series Boy & Dragon, which has surpassed 6 billion views and 7 million subscribers. David dives deep into the creative process, industry insights, and the evolution of kids' content on YouTube. Listen to hear David talk about: Creating successful kids’ content on YouTube The creative...

In this episode, Loani Arman speaks with Jodie Bell, CEO of Goolarri Media Enterprises and Ramu Productions in Broome, Western Australia, about what it really takes to build a First Nations media organisation from the ground up - and keep it there. For 35 years Goolarri has been doing something the Australian screen industry still hasn’t figured out - owned by community, accountable to community,...

Have your own thoughts to share about this episode or anything else happening in the industry? Join Loani, Aven, Robbie and Kirsty this Thursday 28th May at 8:30pm for our second Instagram Live: https://www.instagram.com/weinterruptpodcast In this monthly round-up episode, Robbie and Aven discuss Screen Well’s new Mental Health Action Plan and why conversations around leadership, safety and sustai...

Fresh off of winning Tropfest 2026 with her short film  Crescendo  and taking home the Rebel8 Award for Most Outstanding Emerging Female Director at Flickerfest for  Tuesday Tuesday, Lianne Mackessy reveals her process and reflects on the experiences that have shaped her creative voice. She chats to Robbie Miles to explore the pressures of creative ambition, motherhood and hustle culture, the impo...

** This is a special video masterclass, so make sure you watch on video to get the full benefit of seeing Dawid share his screen.** In this special masterclass episode, Kirsty Stark chats to Dawid Naude, CEO & Founder at Pathfindr, and an award-winning AI innovator and educator. Dawid takes Kirsty through the Claude AI platform, offering in depth insights into how to set it up for maximum effi...

Have your own thoughts to share about this episode, Screen Forever, or anything else happening in the industry? Join Loani, Aven, Robbie and Kirsty this Thursday 7th May at 8:30pm for our first ever Instagram Live: https://www.instagram.com/weinterruptpodcast --- Screen Forever turned 40 on the Gold Coast last week, and there’s a lot to unpack! Kirsty and Loani reflect on the big conversations com...

** We’re postponing our regular monthly wrap-up episode to next week so that we can cover all of the conversations and discussion from Screen Forever. If you’ll be with us on the Gold Coast, make sure you say hello! ** In this episode, Aven Yap chats to Kate Separovich, Producer at Lake Martin Films and creator of the Australia in Cinemas newsletter that dives into Australian box office numbers an...

In this episode, Loani Arman speaks with Katrina Irawati Graham, co-director of the Stan series Bali 2002, about cultural safety in the screen industry - what it looks like in practice, and who is safe. They explore how cultural safety is shaped by systems of racism and power embedded in screen production, why racial literacy is necessary to recognise harm, and how harm is dangerously normalised i...

In this episode, Robbie chats to Karina Libbey, screen culture specialist and festival director of the Capital Film Festival about what festival curation and audience engagement looks like from a programmer's perspective. They discuss what filmmakers may not know about how to engage with festivals, how a festival entry should read like a resume for your film, and the more you know about your a...

In this episode, Kirsty chats to David Court, founder of Compton School , about how to right-size your screen business in the current Australian production landscape. They discuss why it’s important to take a step back and consider the way your business is structured, and the advantages and disadvantages of ‘going big’ vs. ‘going small.’ Listen to hear David discuss: Industry shifts, and where we...

We’re already at the end of March, and there’s lots to talk about this month! Robbie Miles and Loani Arman round up all of your Australian - and global! - screen industry news, from actors being resurrected with AI, to legal cases around credits and authorship, to Australian success stories at the Oscars, AIDC, Tropfest and more. Plus: all of your March screen industry news, opportunities and opin...

In this episode, Aven chats to Pauline Chan, an award-winning director, writer, and producer with a storied career spanning art-house cinema and international productions, featuring talent such as Jackie Chan, Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett. She famously made history by mounting the first two Australia-China official treaty co-productions, and over the past two years has been actively producing...

In this episode, Loani chats to Hannah Diviney, an author, screenwriter, actor, disability advocate, and media personality who isn’t afraid to call out big names and big systems. Hannah gained international attention for a 2020 petition demanding Disney create its first princess with a disability AND for calling out ableist lyrics in songs by Lizzo and Beyonce - which saw each artist change their...

In this episode, Kirsty chats to Leela Varghese, a writer and director, most recently of Lesbian Space Princess, which she co-wrote and co-directed with Emma Hough Hobbs, winning Best Indie Film at the AACTA Awards and the Teddy Award for Best Feature at Berlinale. Leela also wrote and directed the short film I’m the Most Racist Person I Know , which won the Special Jury Award at SXSW and the AACT...

In this episode, Robbie chats to Alexander Jeffery, a filmmaker based in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he co-owns production company Bespoke Works LLC with his friend and longtime collaborator, Paul Petersen. After moving to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams of acting and filmmaking, Alexander returned to the south to make low-budget, independent films with his friends, including his short film The...

It’s been a huge start to the year for the Australian screen industry, with lots to cover in this episode! Kirsty Stark and Aven Yap discuss their time at AACTA Festival, including all of the big winners from the AACTA Awards. We talk about Universal Studios International’s decision to close Matchbox Pictures, and what it means for our local industry. Plus: all of your February screen industry new...

In this episode, Kirsty chats to screenwriter, story producer and script editor Fiona Kelly, about her 30 years’ experience writing for Australian television. Fiona has over 280 episodes of Australian drama to her name on shows including Home and Away, All Saints, Sea Patrol, and recently Scrublands Silver S2 and NCIS Sydney S3. Fiona shares her journey as a screenwriter from her early days to ret...

In this episode, Kirsty chats to Director, Writer & Producer Sophie Hyde, whose work includes 52 Tuesdays, Animals, Good Luck to You Leo Grande and Jimpa. Sophie shares insights into her process of collaborating with cast and crew, including internationally renowned performers like Emma Thompson, Alia Shawkat, Olivia Colman and John Lithgow. --- Listen to hear Sophie discuss: How she started a...

In this episode, Kirsty chats to Screen industry consultant Dan Fahy about the evolving global marketplace for television, focusing on revenue trends, the importance of community, and the impact of data analysis on content creation. Dan outlines the opportunities for producers in a changing market with an emphasis on adaptability and innovation. Plus, the five realities buyers are facing that you...

In this special bonus episode of We Interrupt This Broadcast, we're joined by Sam Buckland, the Programming and International Engagement Director at AACTA. With the AACTA Awards and AACTA Festival kicking off next week on the Gold Coast, we wanted to share a preview of some of the events that will be happening alongside the Awards. It's an incredible line-up, and the full We Interrupt This...

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026! With Julie Eckersley departing We Interrupt This Broadcast for her new role at Screen Queensland, we’re excited to welcome Loani Arman , Aven Yap and Robbie Miles , who will be joining Kirsty Stark as hosts. We’re thrilled to expand the WITB team with a great mix of people and personalities who all have the best interests of the industry at heart - and we have...