ABOUT SCREEN CANBERRA
Screen Canberra is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the development and growth of the screen industry in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
We assist local and visiting productions in realising their creative visions through funding, initiatives and by connecting producers with the local industry and locations.
Our aim is to build a stronger ACT screen industry that contributes to a diverse local economy and creative industry through the production of local, interstate and international film, television and digital media projects.
Recent productions supported by Screen Canberra include 6 FESTIVALS (2022), SISSY (2022), TOTAL CONTROL (2019-2023) and AUSTIN (in production).
OUR VISION
For Canberra to have a thriving local screen industry and be a competitive production destination.
OUR MISSION
To act as the strategic support mechanism for the ACT screen industry through collaboration, training, education and funding; to have a true partnership between government and the industry and to respond swiftly to market opportunities
SCREEN CANBERRA STAFF
Dr Holly Trueman
CEOHolly’s journey into the TV/Film industry began as a distraction while completing her PhD in Malaria Research in London. She has been working in the industry in the UK and Australia for over 20 years. Not surprisingly she was drawn to documentary productions and spent time working at the Specialist Factual unit at the BBC headquarters at White City and was head researcher at the ABC flagships weekly Science TV show, Catalyst.
Prior to joining Screen Canberra, Holly served as Head of Production and Executive Producer at Wildbear Entertainment, where she managed people, as well as film and television projects across multiple offices in Australia and New Zealand. Her TV producing credits include Ride: A brutal fairy-tale (Adelaide Film Festival, Boulder Film Festival and ABC), Animal Bushfire Rescue (PBS Nature, ARTE), Human Animal (ARTE, ZDF), Great Australian Stuff with Tony Armstrong (ABC), Reefshot (STAN Original), Australia after War (ABC) and Building to the Sky (Discovery Science, Red Arrow).
Holly started her tertiary education in Canberra, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the ANU and completed a Doctor of Philosophy at Imperial College London.
She is passionate about managing teams and good governance, having done various professional courses to extend her skills in these areas. Holly brings a holistic approach to Screen Canberra looking to support both the incredible emerging talent and the amazing practitioners who are living in Canberra.
ALEX RINGLAND
Acting Fund Manager, Locations & Production ManagerAlex is the Locations & Production Manager for Screen Canberra. The Locations & Production Manager is responsible for the implementation of all activities associated with facilitating Productions in the ACT. Alex also provides support to the Senior Fund Manager.
Alex has successfully delivered Screen Canberra’s most notable professional development program, Accelerator POD along with screenings and events in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Alex completed a degree in Entertainment Business from JMC Academy in 2009 and she began her career as a Production Intern at Chaotic Pictures. With a clear focus and strong interest in Production, Alex continued her studies by attending the International Film School where completed her Advanced Diploma in Screen and Media.
In 2013, Alex began her career with Transmission Films where she directly supported the Theatrical Acquisitions Manager. Alex moved to Canberra in 2015 where she began working at Prime until she joined the Screen Canberra team as the Coordinator in 2016.
SHIRELLE CUBBIN
Operations ManagerShirelle joined Screen Canberra in late 2019 to take on a role in Financial Administration and Governance.
With a background in Project Management, Shirelle has worked in creative businesses in an administrative capacity for over 20 years. Whether working in a graphic design studio, advertising agency, interior design company, animation studio or film production company, Shirelle enjoys bringing her planning and organisational skills to the business to ensure projects are run on time and within budget.
At Screen Canberra, Shirelle looks after our operational finances, and in conjunction with our Accountants, manages the grants and investments of our various funds and initiatives. She also works closely with the Board as Governance Manager for the organisation.
SCREEN CANBERRA BOARD
DR DAVID COURT
Chair (ACT)David Court is Founder of Compton School, Australia’s first creative business school and a director of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation. He was formerly Head of Screen Business at the Australian Film Television & Radio School where he developed Australia’s first screen business qualification.
David has been involved in the financing of more than a dozen film and television productions including John Weiley’s ANTARCTICA, Baz Luhrmann’s STRICTLY BALLROOM, Dean Cavell’s THE WIGGLES MOVIE, Jerzy Domaradski’s LILIAN’S STORY, Robert Connolly’s THE BANK, Guy Gross’s OLD TOM, Andrew Horne’s THE ANIMATED LEUNIG and Don Featherstone’s THE ONE PERCENTERS. David was founding editor of the authoritative industry newsletter Entertainment Business Review. As author of Film Assistance: Future Options (Allen & Unwin, 1986), he was the policy architect of the Film Finance Corporation, established by the Australian Government in 1988. In 2010, with Sir Peter Jackson, he undertook a review of the New Zealand Film Commission for the NZ Government.
David holds a PhD from the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.
SANDRA SDRAULIG AM
Deputy Chair (VIC)Sandra Sdraulig AM is an Executive Coach and owner of Through the Roof: Executive Coaching Women, Chair of the Adelaide Film Festival and Vice President of the Natalie Miller Fellowship. She is also a lawyer with more than 20 years of experience as a film and TV executive in both the commercial and cultural sectors of the Australian film, TV and digital media industry.
Previously, she was the CEO of Film Victoria; Producer and Presenter of Friday on My Mind, a weekly live interview program for practitioners across film, TV and new media; Director of the Melbourne International Film Festival and Film Distribution and Marketing Manager for Palace Entertainment. In 2012 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her leadership and contribution to the Australian film and TV industry.
JULIAN WIDDUP
Chair of FAC (ACT)Julian Widdup has a strong interest in the screen industry. He is an experienced director having served on the boards of over 20 major corporations including Rural Funds Group, Palisade Investment Partners Limited, Darwin International Airport, Alice Springs Airport as well as major superannuation, port, power utility, agricultural, timberland, defence, hospital and healthcare entities. Julian’s directorships include ASX listed entities and international corporations.
Julian is an economist and fully qualified actuary. He has a professional background in asset management, public-private partnerships, corporate strategy and risk management. He previously held executive roles with Access Capital Advisers (now Whitehelm), Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson) and the Australian Government.
Julian has a Bachelor of Economics (ANU), a Master of Business Administration (ANU) and completed the Senior Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. He is a Fellow of the Actuaries Institute and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
SUE EDWARDS
Board Member (VIC)Sue Edwards brings over 30 years experience in the screen industry working primarily in production for film and television. In 2007 she joined Film Victoria, the state government funding agency for the screen industry (film, TV, games). She spent 8 years there overseeing and managing a variety of funding programs, including Production Investment, Development and Incentives, until returning to the production sector in 2016. Since then, she has worked as a Line Producer for companies including Playmaker Media, Hoodlum Entertainment, FremantleMedia and Werner Productions on projects such as HOUSE HUSBANDS, FIVE BEDROOMS, the last five seasons of WENTWORTH and the second series of THE NEWSREADER. Currently, she is producing a new series, HIGH COUNTRY, for Foxtel/ Binge in partnership with Curio Pictures and RAGE Media.
LISA BARLIN
Board Member (ACT)Lisa Barlin has been an equity Partner at independent commercial law firms for the past decade. She brings more than 20 years’ experience as a solicitor, predominantly working in commercial and government law. She has routinely provided legal advice on corporate governance issues and provided crisis management services at a board level. For the last 15 years she has also been a director for not‑for‑profit community boards across the education, health and safety, and sporting sectors.
Most recently Lisa was a director and then Deputy Chair of Snowy Hydro SouthCare Rescue Helicopter Trust Fund. This Trust Fund was owned and funded by the ACT and NSW Governments and the helicopter flew 6,900 rescue missions across the ACT and Southern New South Wales region.