Queensland Screenwriters Roundtable

Friday 9 February

12pm AEST

Jump into a captivating world of storytelling as we bring together Queensland's finest screenwriting talents.

Join Shayne Armstrong (Acolytes, The Darkness), Stephen M. Irwin (Harrow, Secrets & Lies), Ryan Van Dijk (projects in development with Disney+ and STAN), Emma Jensen (Mary Shelley, I Am Woman) and Vicki Englund (Home and Away, The Bureau of Magical Things) as they come together for an insightful panel discussion.

They’ll unpack the secrets behind crafting compelling narratives for the screen– delving into their creative processes, past and upcoming work, and how they got their start in the industry. Whether you're a seasoned or aspiring screenwriter or simply a lover of great stories, come along for a glimpse into the minds of some of Queensland’s best storytellers..

Featuring

Shayne Armstrong

Shayne Armstrong is an award-winning Queensland screenwriter and script consultant. With his screenwriting partner, SP Krause, Shayne has the written feature films ACOLYTES, BAIT 3D and Universal/Blumhouse Pictures’ THE DARKNESS as well as several telemovies and animated and live action kids series for Disney and Cartoon Network including K9: THE SERIES, JOHNNY BRAVO GOES TO BOLLYWOOD, EXCHANGE STUDENT ZERO and MONSTER BEACH. Several of his feature film and animation projects are currently in development. He has won the John Hinde Award for Excellence in Science-Fiction Screenwriting twice. He is a highly experienced script editor and a script assessor and consultant for Screen Queensland and Screen Territory. Shayne also teaches screenwriting at several Queensland universities and film schools.

Ryan van Dijk

Ryan van Dijk is an award-winning screenwriter and one half of a writing team with Alexei Mizin. Both writers are developing projects including adapting a John Wyndham book for Route 24 (UK) and Brouhaha (AU) and an original series for a Global SVOD here in Australia. Currently, they are adapting a bestselling book to series for Lingo Pictures and STAN. In 2018, Ryan, his writing partner Ryan sold IP to Apple direct with The Fleming Agency and soon after, the writing team became attached to projects in development including a series with Animal Logic/Truant, an adaptation with Apple and they also secured a development deal with the AMC Network in the USA. Known for their intricate world-building and high-end concepts, they have been supported by Film Victoria, Screen Queensland, Screen Australia, Scripted Ink and Australians in Film through several project and talent based initiatives and have been able to leverage these opportunities into partnerships with major streamers and networks, as well as some of the most sought-after companies around the world.

Early in his career, Ryan received Screen Australia development funding for Vanished, a supernatural feature, which won the Monte Miller Award at the 47th Annual AWGIE Awards. With the support of Screen Queensland, he has participated in numerous professional development opportunities, including a masterclass with X-Files showrunner Glen Morgan. Ryan earned his Master of Film from the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts. He received the Best Director Award at the Queensland New Filmmakers Awards for his graduating film Relationship Rehab, which debuted at the Brisbane International Film Festival.

Vicki Englund

Vicki Englund has written for TV series including Home and Away and The Bureau of Magical Things (which was in the top 10 on U.S. Netflix for several weeks). Her feature film screenplay for female buddy comedy, The January Club, is moving towards production, with development funding from Screen Queensland. Antony I. Antony I. Ginnane and Sean Croyston are producers, Sunny Grace is attached as director, and two internationally renowned Australian stars have recently been attached. Vicki’s holiday rom-com script, Sandra Claus, earned her representation in the U.S. with 3 Arts Entertainment. She’s been contracted by producers to write feature films, and her projects have received development investment from Screen Australia and Screen Queensland. Vicki won a U.S. screenwriting competition with a rom-com feature, was awarded Special Mention in the Chauvel Award, and has twice been nominated for an AWGIE Award for unproduced scripts.

Emma Jensen

Emma Jensen graduated from the Queensland College of Art with a Bachelor of Visual Arts in Film and Television Production, beginning her career in London in 2000 as an assistant in the production department of FilmFour. Emma returned to Australia and was a Development Executive for Working Title Australia and Mushroom Pictures, segueing into screenwriting in 2011 while living in Los Angeles.

Emma wrote the original feature film screenplay MARY SHELLEY, inspired by the true story of Mary Shelley and her journey to write “Frankenstein”. Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, produced by Gidden Media and Parallel Films, and starring Elle Fanning, Douglas Booth, Bel Powley, Tom Sturridge, Ben Hardy, Maisie Williams and Stephen Dillaine, MARY SHELLEY premiered in the Gala Presentation section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and was released worldwide in 2018. The New York Times declared MARY SHELLEY, “a rarity, a literary biopic with an argument” and Variety described it as, “suffused with righteous feminist fire”.

Emma’s next screenplay I AM WOMAN, based on the life of singer and feminist icon Helen Reddy, was directed by Unjoo Moon, produced by Rosemary Blight of Goalpost Pictures, and starred Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Evan Peters and Danielle McDonald. I AM WOMAN premiered as the Opening Night of Special Presentations at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for 7 AACTA Awards, including Best Film.

Emma is one of the original members of Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Task Force, which advocates for gender equality within the screen industry.

Stephen M. Irwin

Stephen M. Irwin is a showrunner, producer, screenwriter and novelist. He was co-creator, co-executive producer and head writer of the forensic crime drama series Harrow starring Ioan Gruffudd. Stephen also wrote the original crime drama Secrets & Lies (remade in U.S. by ABC Network and starred Juliette Lewis and Ryan Phillipe), the award-winning miniseries
Wake in Fright, the feature film Australia Day, and co-created the Netflix drama series Tidelands. His critically acclaimed supernatural novels The Broken Ones and The Dead Path have been published around the world.