Bringing ideas and stories to the screen and immersing the audience in the world of a feature film is the culmination of a learning process that embodies a commitment to craft, an understanding of storytelling and a well-oiled production flow. To offer emerging filmmakers inside knowledge on how to step from short films to features, AFTRS partnered with Flickerfest to present FlickerLab on 24 January.
As part of the 34th edition of Australia’s only Academy Awards and BAFTA-qualifying short film festival, FlickerLab brought together esteemed filmmakers to share their insights and experiences on the value of embracing collaboration, being adaptable, and trusting and developing instincts while remaining resilient.
The one-day event was hosted at Bondi Pavilion in four sessions — From Idea to Page; The Director’s Journey; Making it Happen; and Market to Market — offering a rounded view of the filmmaker process, and its opportunities and challenges, from pre- to post-production and distribution.
Here is a summary of the sessions:
Session 1 – From Idea to Page
Moderated by Screen Australia‘s Imogen Gardam, the conversation focused on developing long-form content and bringing insights from different formats and mediums with screenwriter Sara Khan and writer-director-producer Dane McCusker.
Sara’s writing is informed by a strong storytelling background working with mob. Her theatre and acting experience of “telling a story on stage with nothing” shaped her character-centred approach. She said her life experience, combined with completing the Advanced Diploma in Screenwriting: Feature Film at AFTRS, was fundamental in “understanding how to write story for screen and understanding character and plot”. Sara believes learning on the tools is key, starting as note taker at Heartbreak High Season 1 before working as a writer in Season 2. “Once you show you can show up, collaborate and be creative, it is not difficult to get a job after that,” she said.
Dane’s debut feature film, The Big Dog (2023), was developed while studying the Master of Arts Screen at AFTRS, with an official selection at the Sydney Film Festival and a nomination for Best Original Score in a Feature Film at the AACTA Awards (with AFTRS alum and composer Sam Weiss). Dane, who had previously completed two other courses at AFTRS, decided to study the Masters in 2019 with the intention of producing The Big Dog. He developed the concept with the least possible impact, so it didn’t affect the use of resources for the other students in his cohort. This propelled him to conceptualise a script that could be produced with a very “contained cast and location”, incorporating learnings from his experience directing shorts at a creative and a production level, combining the development of story and character with the possibilities of time and budget constraints.
Dane says this process sharpens the writing and creates a punchier concept. “A big part of the development at AFTRS was also answering these questions for them; they were making me think about these things upfront”. He adds that audience was also fundamental to consider at the development stage and that the feedback process sharpened the script: “Even bad notes can sometimes stretch the improvement of the script, stimulate something that had been calcified—look at it in a different way.”
Sara notes that during development, “half the time the notes are really good,” but says sometimes it is necessary to dig in to understand the root of the question. She takes the notes on board to improve the script and communicates her preferred process for receiving feedback: “It’s about being open and being clear about how you want to receive the notes so that we’re all on the same page.”
Sara says the relationships with script editors and producers drive the creative process and “the trust you need to have with your script editor or script producer is really important”. She points out how Heartbreak High had different writers for each episode, “we had to find a way to make it all work together and feel seamless” – finding the cohesive tone across all episodes is fundamental.
Finding space for the individual and bringing it together with the collective is also a part of filmmaking, according to Sara, who says, “Some people really struggle to find their voice on the page, and you can’t teach that. The voice is innate, and you need to be able to support that.”
She adds that a creative producer understands the importance of writers: “You want a producer that knows you, has the same humour as you, so that they understand why you’re making certain creative choices.” Comradery is essential to creative collaboration, “a big team effort to keep things moving in a way that you’re proud of in the end.” This is part of the AFTRS pedagogic approach, creating conditions for testing creative collaboration with short content productions and a safety net with guidance and support.
Besides teamwork and creative collaborators, filmmakers also develop a slate of productions that contribute to a better understanding of the market needs. Sara notes the importance of maintaining a pulse with personal stories. “At the end of the day, it is about your voice, your ‘why’ behind why you want to do it and the importance of the story you want to tell,” she says. “I keep going to my ‘why’ – if I feel like I’m telling my story authentically then fingers crossed it will speak to the people who it needs to speak to and will connect with who it needs to connect.”
Dane reflects, “The ‘why’ is the universality of the story you are telling.” He stays away from thinking about the audience. When the time comes for pitching, he converts the ‘why’ into market language, giving the funding bodies the tools to understand why the project is special and how it connects with the audience. To be taken seriously, he points out that “a great pitch deck that says everything that needs to be said” is essential.
Sara shares that screen markets to present pitches are “really intense.” “Be kind to yourself and let the work speak for you,” She says. She notes how everybody else also has fears and anxieties, and they’re all going through the same: “Your pitch deck and your work will make an impression on you—once you put the work into your craft, the rest doesn’t matter.”
Session 2 – The Director’s Journey
Filmmakers Nick Waterman (How to Make Gravy) and Leela Varghese (Lesbian Space Princess) shared their experiences of transitioning from shorts to features in a conversation moderated by senior film writer Garry Maddox (Sydney Morning Herald). Both agreed that shifting from shorts to features requires persistence and navigating the collaborative nature of large-scale productions.
When thinking about how short films inform feature productions, Leela says the 2022 teen romance comedy Crush contributed to developing skills in comedic timing and performance: “It taught me you are always learning how to make a better film the next time.” She looks for comments and critics to grow as a filmmaker, constantly learning about what not to repeat and what to leave behind.
With a background in short films, commercials and music videos, Nick says he had been “filming everything, editing everything, and conceptualising everything” until he started collaborating. One of his early collaborators was AFTRS alum and cinematographer Zoë White, with the short, From Here (2011), which screened at Flickerfest in 2012, and the music video, The Day Before I Met You, for Jessica Mauboy in 2015.
The jump from shorts to feature can take time, and Leela points out how the Film Lab: New Voices program, a low budget feature film initiative from the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) and Screen Australia designed to elevate the next generation of diverse and exciting South Australian filmmakers was essential in the process. “The film wouldn’t exist without the Lab,” she says, noting that there are different key players in feature production and the South Australian Film Corporation and Film Lab: New Voices was essential to her learning on how to incorporate other people’s ideas into the project.
Nick echoed the sentiment, “I had to learn how to write a feature script” through trial and error and working with incredible mentors. He continuously wrote features simultaneously with shorts, improving his writing and directorial skills: “It’s all about understanding structure and rhythm.” He adds that “reading and dissecting a lot of scripts” from films he loved was essential in learning to use language and bring ideas to paper in a way that could be easily envisioned on the screen. “The process of writing is really the process of rewriting,“ he says.
Leela remarks how Lesbian Space Princess’ first draft was not great and how they stuck to the original idea through development: “You listen to yourself, and then you know the answer because you know your story … you have to make a film that you love. Live in the truth of who you are. Someone else will love it too.”
Nick adds, “Sometimes the note is not about the thing they are isolating but about something else like the setup of the character,” sharing that it was a relief when they got on set and started production after the complexities and challenges of pre-production. “We had photo storyboarding everything, and on set, I was focusing on performances,” he says. Nick explains the importance of being intentional with collaborators and ensuring the crew spirit is one of trust and respect. Before going into production, they refined every creative decision: “Being a producer on the film, across the budget, as well as a writer, we were rewriting for the budget.”
Leela adds that the biggest leap from shorts to features is the business approach, going from full control to wide collaborations. “I’m learning what I’m willing to give away and how to contract properly. You have to go through the experience yourself to learn what to do in the future.” She noted challenges in her path and faced rejection to persevere and improve her craft: “The one thing I always had was persistence.”
Nick confirms that “everything is self-driven,” saying showing up every single day is the key factor, and “it can be quite solitary. Being comfortable with the uncomfortable” is essential.
Session 3 – Making it Happen
This conversation, moderated by Screen Australia‘s Andrea Ulbrick, featured Oscar-winning producer Emile Sherman (The King’s Speech), Kristina Ceyton (The Babadook), and Sheila Jayadev (Critical Incident), focused on the producer’s role in fostering talent, securing financing and managing creative collaborations.
The session started by highlighting the importance of finding like-minded creatives and how producers must find writers, directors, cinematographers, and other creatives on the crew. Kristina notes that working together on shorts offers a good opportunity to build relationships of trust that lead to long-time collaborations “learning a language. A language of giving feedback to a writer, giving feedback to sound, in a way that is positive and protective of the vision.” As an example of constructive relationship building, she mentions her creative and business partnership with Samantha Jennings, with whom she co-founded Causeway Films. “We have overlapping skills,” aligned instincts and ways of approaching the creative process, “the magic we have is really driven by instincts and by taste.”
With a background in entertainment law, Sheila had over a decade of experience in screen, working with Matchbox Pictures in business affairs before co-founding Emerald Productions with AFTRS peers. She also highlights the importance of key creatives: “Collaboration is about mutual respect.” She adds about development, “There are writers who are more open to feedback” there is a synergy and common ground, “I like hearing why it might not work because [the writer] is the one who has thought hard about every permutation of the situation or moment portrayed in the scene.”
Emile notes that producing combined many of his interests, from the creative side to business, finance, and problem-solving. “People come into the industry through different paths”, he says. There is something for every like and skill, and producing combines a lot of it, making it an exciting role.
SeeSaw Productions helped him solidify his taste and “intuitions”, marrying it with the realities of the market and finance. Echoing Kristina and Sheila, he talks about the importance of protecting the relationship with talent: “The relationship with talent is at the absolute centre of producing.” He remarks that it is the role of the producer to make the best version of the film envisioned by the writers and directors. As an example, he talks about producing Top of the Lake and remembers when he first watched a short directed by Garth Davis that captured his attention. The way he “captured the emotional drive under the skin of the character” compelled him, leading to a long-lasting collaboration, including Lion (2016).
It’s also about the ideas. Kristina says she must love a project before she gets involved with it: “You need to feel like there is something new and exciting that keeps you up at night.” During development considerations, she clarifies that speaking with the writer helps to get a rapid sense of where they’re coming from and what they want to achieve. The relationship is built over time: “It is that building of trust, of giving feedback and asking questions. Getting in the head of the filmmaker and understanding what it is that they’re writing that’s not yet on the page”.
Embracing rejection and supporting talent through challenges is fundamental. After years of development, being rejected for funding for The Babadook was a shock. Kristina says, “Listen to the feedback, and take the good feedback to improve the script.” The Babadook gained from persistence and dedication; from there, they were more strategic and competitive financially, dealing with distribution and locking key actors. Improving the film by aligning it with the market is an essential skill for producers: “The outside perspectives are very often very worthwhile and true.”
Emile adds about the rejection process, “You are forced to ask questions that you will never ask unless you’re under such a process. It is harder to learn lessons from successes than from failures—the lessons from failures are more acute.”
Sheila remarks that budget balancing is the hardest part of the job because, as a producer, you want to support the creative vision. She says, “Understanding the delicate dance you do as a producer to support everyone in your team and figure out how to proceed,” is fundamental in a producer role.
Emile says the producer is the carrier of the flame, “representing the vision of the TV show, servicing the commissioner/distributor but also protecting the creative vision”. It is an essential part of the role to “hold it together, steer the ship through” finance, creative, relationships, and availability from pre- to post-production, asking the core questions again and again. “What is our film really about? What are those arcs? The external and the internal arc, have they been really explored?”
From concept to completion, the process is in the producer’s care. “The question of, ‘What do you do next?’ is your question,“ says Emile, noting that a producer must find what gives them the energy to continue, as the role requires a constant hustle to discover projects and talents.
Session 4 – Market to Market
The day wrapped up with a conversation on the fundamental steps to unlock funding through pre-sales and distribution, with: Icon Film Distribution’s Head of Development Jane Nice; AFTRS alum, writer and director Jack Clark (Birdeater); and Head of Production and Development at Studio Canal, writer and producer Marcus Gillezeau; moderated by AFTRS Head of Industry Engagement Robbie Miles.
Marcus highlights the key elements he considers when funding and producing features: “Identifying talent, identifying scripts that can be produced as films” and harnessing the pitch opportunity to deliver a well-crafted concept. He says the pitch deck weighs in immensely in conveying the concept. He adds, “Whatever you make, make sure people remember it,” pointing out how Birdeater is a good example of a brave film leaving an impression on the audience.
Jack notes how Birdeater was a film dependent on execution to convey its tonality, comedic timing and approach to performance. To be able to showcase these elements and bridge the gap between the concept and the execution of the film, Jack e highlights the importance of committing to craft and how short films provide the practice ground to improve and shape tonality for a feature concept when this is execution dependent: “Your film might be an execution-dependent film, not everyone is good at that … we started with characters, thinking of the most dramatic scenario to put the characters through. The genre elements came later”.
When considering a script for funding, Jane says “it’s all in the character development.“ Identifying the characters’ traits and where the story might go is key to hooking the reader of the script; this determines the path to distribution and the targeted audience. She focuses on audience first, asking, “Who is it for” before reading the first page.
Finding the right audience can be a moving target dependent on whatever is happening socially and culturally at the time, and being strategic about the positioning of the story can completely change the funding considerations for the film. Marcus adds that “the packaging that is presented to us at pitch deck stage is fundamental,” this includes a realistic cast that is right for the roles and scale of the production.
From digital shorts distributed on social platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, to shorts screening in film festivals in Australia and internationally, from documentaries to drama and animation, features or TV series, there is a landscape of formats and channels to deliver the version of the story that will best find their audience where they access their stories. Finding the audience is essential to concept development and communication with bodies and companies for funding development, production and distribution.
The concept-production-distribution cycle continuously informs itself, and reiterations across different projects on a slate, with different collaborators and audiences, add up to a refinement of the process with major learnings and wins along the way. Short films offer a lab to experiment with the creative process and production workflow to find one’s approach and talents whilst stepping up stylistically and professionally.
FlickerLab provided a space to connect, learn, and be inspired by some of Australia’s best screen creatives. Read here if you’re interested in more insights from last year’s FlickerLab with David Michôd, Jodi Matterson, Jamie Hilton, and others.
We are delighted to continue our partnership with Flickerfest, championing new talent in cinema and equipping the next generation of filmmakers with the knowledge to leap from shorts to features.
Flickerfest will tour Australia throughout the year, starting in Perth on Thursday 20 February. Check when Flickerfest will screen near you.
