by FIlmInk Staff
AUSTRALIANS IN FILM AND SCREEN AUSTRALIA LAUNCH FUTURE VISION FORWARD TO ELEVATE AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION TO THE GLOBAL STAGE
David Levine, Tony McNamara, Anchuli Felicia King, and Shannon Murphy join.
After hosting FUTURE VISION in Melbourne for the past two years, Australians in Film and Screen Australia today announced the creation of FUTURE VISION Forward, an eight-month online television project development lab designed to cultivate ambitious Australian television creators and accelerate the creation of globally competitive original IP.
FUTURE VISION Forward will be led by leading television executive and Chief Creative Officer of Anonymous Content David Levine (Boy Swallows Universe, True Detective, 13 Reasons Why), who was a guest at the inaugural FUTURE VISION in 2024. Featured guests, as part of the industry panels over the eight months will include Oscar & Emmy nominated and BAFTA winning writer Tony McNamara (Poor Thing, The Great, The Favourite), acclaimed writer Anchuli Felicia King (The Sympathizer, Mary & George, First Day on Earth); and DGA award winning and Emmy and BAFTA nominated director Shannon Murphy (Dying for Sex, Killing Eve), who has just finished directing The Age of Innocence in Prague.
FUTURE VISION Forward is a strategic response to the findings of the highly acclaimed FUTURE VISION industry conference, which attracted some of the world’s leading television creators, including Lee Sung Jin (BEEF), Joanna Calo (The Bear), Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer), Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley), and Soo Hugh (Pachinko).
Eight original television projects will be selected by an international committee of highly respected commissioning and buying executives, chosen for their creative excellence and potential to resonate with global audiences. Through an intensive online development lab, participants will receive strategic mentorship and industry guidance, providing a clear pathway from project development to a polished, market-ready pitch.
Through a combination of craft workshops, leadership training, mentorship, and industry engagement, the lab will encourage a cohesive team environment and will equip writers, producers, and development executives with the skills required not only to create compelling series but to lead them creatively and strategically.
FUTURE VISION Forward is built around a simple goal: to elevate the ambition and global reach of Australian television storytelling.
The lab will integrate international best practices with the Australian television model, offering insight into a variety of international development principles and how they can operate within the Australian system. The program will feature leading creators, writers, and producers from across the globe including the US, UK, and Canada.
Peter Ritchie, Executive Director of Australians in Film, said: “Over the past two years, FUTURE VISION has connected Australian creatives with some of the world’s leading television creators, inspiring bold new ideas and globally relevant Australian stories.
“FUTURE VISION Forward is the natural evolution of that mission. The conversations sparked through FUTURE VISION highlighted the need for ongoing creative development and strategic support to help great ideas become market-ready projects. By evolving into an innovative online initiative, we’re able to provide writers, creators and producers with greater access to world-class mentors and industry expertise, wherever they are.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Screen Australia for their ongoing support and David Levine, Anchuli Felicia King, Tony McNamara and Shannon Murphy for lending their expertise to FUTURE VISION Forward. Their experience at the highest levels of the international industry will provide invaluable insight and inspiration, helping Australian creators shape stories that can resonate with audiences around the world.”
Harry Avramidis, Screen Australia Head of International & Industry Partnerships, said: “FUTURE VISION Forward represents an exciting new pathway in Australia’s scripted development ecosystem. By connecting Australian creatives with world-class international expertise at an early stage, the program provides a focused, project-driven environment where projects can be challenged, refined and positioned for global success.
“Through fostering creative collaboration and strengthening international partnerships, FUTURE VISION Forward elevates Australian stories to travel further while showcasing the depth, diversity and originality of our Australian screen talent to audiences around the world. We are proud to partner in this initiative, co-designed with Australians in Film, and excited by the opportunities it creates for Australian creatives to build meaningful industry connections, advance distinctive television series and bring more Australian stories to the global stage.”
David Levine, Chief Creative Officer, Anonymous Content, said: “Having participated in the inaugural FUTURE VISION in 2024, I loved being part of the exceptional Australian creative community and it’s only grown my appetite for meaningful creative exchange. Being able to participate and support FUTURE VISION Forward is a real honor and I can’t wait to develop the deeply authentic Australian creators who will join us in this inaugural lab. We all have the remarkable capacity to create series that resonate well beyond our own borders and I deeply appreciate Australians in Film and Screen Australia for the opportunity to put my innate curiosity into practice.”
For more information and to apply visit https://www.futurevisionsummit.org
