by FilmInk Staff
Register today for this one-day event in Melbourne and online
Screen Producers Australia (SPA) is pleased to open registrations for GENR8 (Wed, 14 Aug 2024) and announce the industry experts speaking at the one-day ideas forum and networking event. With a curated program designed to explore innovative advances in storytelling, GENR8 solidifies its reputation as one of Australia’s most progressive screen events.
GENR8 returns to Melbourne (and online) this August after the success of its inaugural year in the city known for pioneering producers and technology-based creatives.
The 2024 program is primed to dive deep into AI for the creative industry with a keynote and open forum discussion. Delegates will also get to grips with the creator economy, storytelling in gaming, and the legalities of incorporating tech in projects, with industry experts equipping producers and creatives with the essential insights to stay ahead of the game.
“As producers and storytelling continue to evolve, it remains crucial for SPA to deliver opportunities such as GENR8, fostering diversification and growth within our dynamic screen sector. Australia’s screen industry thrives on pioneering storytellers, and by embracing technological advancements, emerging disciplines, and knowing this, GENR8 aims to provide insight, new connections, and business opportunities,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.
Kicking off the day is Senior Creative Technologist at Leonardo.Ai Jessie Hughes, an internationally recognised new media artist, technologist, scholar, and screenwriter. Jessie will deliver a keynote on empowering your creative process, sharing unbiased insights, attitudes and opinions on AI in creative industries.
Renowned Australian film director, writer, and producer Alex Proyas, with director credits including cult classics Dark City (1998) and The Crow (1994), is confirmed to join an open forum discussion on the controversial topic of AI, from which he has seemingly come full circle since directing the AI themed hit I, Robot (2004) starring Will Smith.
Respected screen producer Virginia Whitwell, partner and head of production at GoodThing Productions, will join the AI open forum on ‘how not to be a dodo’ when it comes to incorporating new tech like AI into storytelling, sharing her views as a career producer working across feature narrative, documentary, and TV.
Jake Strasser is an unassuming star in the gaming arena and a co-creator of the NAVGTR Award-winning and BAFTA Games Award-nominated Untitled Goose Game (2019). Jake will sit on a panel and share his invaluable experiences of the creative freedom that developing games delivers. He will be joined in this session by writer and dramaturg Jojo Zhou. Jojo is Head of Narrative on the award-winning game Cult of the Lamb (2022) developed by acclaimed Australian indie games developer Massive Monster.
First Nations industry experts Ben Armstrong, head of gaming at Awesome Black, and Elijah McDonald, lead game designer at GUCK, will share their opinions and contribute to the conversation on whether or not there is more freedom when it comes to leading the narrative in a game or a feature film.
Other speakers include Georgia Mappin, Executive Producer for the Melbourne-based sketch comedy group Aunty Donna and General Manager of their production company, Haven’t You Done Well Productions. She will join a panel to discuss how storytellers forge their own paths by developing ideas, finding their audience, bypassing streamers or commissioning deals, and thriving online.
Full details for each session and speaker information can be found HERE.
After the success of GENR8’s move to Melbourne in 2023, SPA welcomes back Victoria’s creative and economic screen development agency VicScreen, and leading educational facility RMIT University as proud partners.
Delegates will also have networking opportunities and the exciting opportunity to see some of the capabilities of RMIT University’s Virtual Production Studios and explore their multidisciplinary studio, which supports simulated components in the cloud, virtualisation, and telepresence.
The enlightening one-day forum also welcomes back Media Super Industry super fund provider to countless screen sector professionals as one of GENR8’s proud partners. Media Super will host a speed networking hour to begin the morning’s events.
VicScreen CEO, Caroline Pitcher said, “VicScreen is pleased to partner with SPA to present another GENR8 program. GENR8 is a forum where producers and creatives can explore the intersection of storytelling and technology to ensure our industry not only keeps pace with global trends but also leads the charge.”
“RMIT is thrilled to partner with SPA to host GENR8 and produce the live stream for those unable join us in RMIT’s Media Precinct. Once again SPA have curated an insightful and thought-provoking program that will inspire and inform screen producers utilising creative technologies for traditional and emerging forms of storytelling and production,” said Jesse Roberts, Interim Director, Creative Industries at RMIT.
GENR8 will again be a valuable opportunity for delegates to broaden their personal and professional horizons. They will hear fresh perspectives from industry experts who look beyond the norm and harness modern-day storytelling techniques.
Book your registration HERE.
