SCOPE

BRAVE NEW SECTOR: AN INDUSTRY ADAPTS

ROCHELLE SIEMIENOWICZ

You could say that ‘scrambling to adapt’ was the theme of the thirty-fifth Screen Forever Conference, held online by Screen Producers Australia from 16–18 February 2021. Over three days and forty sessions (featuring a total of 120 speakers), the Australian screen-production tribes gathered – albeit virtually – for their annual gabfest of knowledge sharing, policy analysis, pitching and deal making, with local and international speakers and buyers in attendance.

The conference itself had scrambled several times in the lead-up, pivoting and pirouetting as COVID-19 dictated: first, postponed from its traditional November slot; then planned as a mixed live/online event from the Gold Coast (the new home of the event); before finally being entirely streamed in February. It’s hoped another live conference can take place in November 2021, because nothing really substitutes for networking in a bar.

Of course, the entire industry was coming out of a year of scrambling to adapt, and the consensus was that it had done so admirably. In individual panels, we heard stories about writers and producers changing storylines and working modes to accommodate virus protocols. Shows like Home and Away cut kissing and handshakes from scripts and prevented characters from going on overseas holidays, and entire productions created bubbles so they could keep on working. At a broader level, Australia’s relatively COVID-free environment has made it an internationally appealing production setting, with many new opportunities arising.

We heard how, whether stuck at home or otherwise, everyone’s been watching more content than ever, but free-to-air linear TV is losing ground fast to the streamers. Advertising dollars are being redirected to eyeballs on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.